Retro-kit problems

[waldomas]

Recently, I purchased two T5 HO Nova reto-fit kits. They each have two 36" actinic bulbs. I'm putting them over my built in 180 so I just mounted them on a 2 x 4 to hang over the tank. After mounting the standoffs and endcaps, plugged in the bulbs and ballast, and there was a quick flash of blue from one bulb then...nothing! No light, no buzzing sound, no nothing.

 

[waldomas]

So I switched out bulbs...nothing.
Switched out ballasts...nothing.

What are the odds that both ballasts are bad?

Did I do something wrong?

 

[GrampaDon]

I'm no expert here ,but you can [if your careful] light the bulb using just the wires from the ballast. To eliminate the possibility that it isn't the endcaps since you already checked the other stuff.

 

[jtma508]

You double-checked your wiring, right? It sounds like you may have mis-wired the setup.

 

[waldomas]

The endcaps were already pre wired with a harness.

If I turn off the ballast then turn it back on, one of the bulbs will briefly flash blue then stop.

When I mounted the standoffs, since I was running two blubs end to end, I overlapped the two middle standoffs. In otherwords, I used one screw for two standoffs. Everything seems very secure including the bulbs. I even tried wiggling them, but nothing.
Anyway, my question is, If two standoffs from different bulbs are touching, will that short out the connection? Will mounting these onto wood affect the connection?

BTW, thanks for the replys!

 

[waldomas]

Oh yeah... If I need to replace the ballasts, what is recommended for 2 - 4 36" 39watt T5HO bulbs? Was thinking about an icecap 660? Is that overkill?

 

[waldomas]

Anyone else have any luck w/ these retro kits?

 

[waldomas]

OK.... I'm a D A!
I had two of the endcaps switched. I changed them around and now it works great!

 

[GrampaDon]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15582037#post15582037 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by waldomas
OK.... I'm a D A!
I had two of the endcaps switched. I changed them around and now it works great!

Been there many times myself.
Glad it worked out for you.