PC bulb not working

[beholder99]

I have a 65w PC bulb that has stopped working and have determined that it isn't the bulb to blame. Does this implicate the ballast as the problem? Unfortunately, the maker of the hood has gone out of business and isn't available to ask.

Is there a way to replace the problem without having to invest in a brand new lighting setup?

 

[kfowler]

Sounds like your ballast. My 65w PC went out a couple of months ago. My ballast went bad. What size fixture is this for. You can easily get replacement ballasts. I got mine from Hellolights. I think it was about $26. The trick is to make sure it fits correctly. Also look at the connections. Many ballasts use pin jacks.

 

[artful-dodger]

Are the cords to the bulbs permanently attached to an external ballast (or in an internal ballast fixture) or do you have plug ends on an external ballast as well? If the latter, swap cords the same way you swapped bulbs to rule that out. Change one thing at a time and when you find the one that doesn't move the problem, you'll be home.

On the other hand, you might look at this an opportunity to upgrade lighting...maybe your tank is asking for a mother's day present... Seriously, the day I upgraded from PCs to T5s on the 140 was like discovering Miles Davis for the first time. (I was considering another analogy from about the same time in my life that might not have been appreciated by some...)

(But I'd also bet on the ballast unless there's a broken or loose wire somewhere.)