T5 dimmable ballast problem

[stiffljp]

I hooked up my T5 dimmable ballast last night without much trouble. Everything seemed to be working properly.


However:
I set the light to come on this morning at 6:30 am with a ramp up time of 210 minutes to 100%. It's now 8:45am, the unit shows it should be at 66% but there still isn't any light being emitted. My other non-dimmable ballast has turned on as expected so I'm a little lost as to what is going on.

Also on a side note, when I was playing with it last night it would turn off when it got down to 10%. I have the EX pro and have it plugged into the L5/L6 port and is set at 0-10 min and max.

Any help is appreciated

Jeff

 

[Matthias Gross]

How is the ballast connected?
With EVG-AP, LBF-AP?

 

[stiffljp]

EVG-AP - 2F hooked into ballast 1 (ballast 2 empty) with the EVG mains going to S2 of my digital power bar.

 

[Matthias Gross]

Is S2 assigned to "Illumination x"?

The EVG-AP should be connected to a wall outlet (with permanent power) - you don't need to waste a socket of your powerbar.
The shut-off at 0% is made with the EVG-AP.

 

[stiffljp]

The S2 is assigned to Illumination 2 (which is set up in the controller correctly as dimmable etc.) Last night I started it at 100% given the time I was working on it and it successfully dimmed down from 100% to around 10% before shutting off.

I will also heed your advice and plug it into the regular wall socket and not use the S2.

But either way, any advice on why it still has not come on? Now supposed to be at 100% still hasn't even shown a flicker?

Thanks

Jeff

 

[Harry_Fish]

Go into manual mode in light seneros and turn it to 0 then after
about 10 seconds pull it quickly up to 100 and see if it lights.

 

[stiffljp]

Manual mode results:

Went to 0, waited 10 seconds then went to 100%. Viola lights......

Then it effectively dimmed all the way down to 3% (very happy with that)

Then tried to gradually bring it back up from 0% to 100% and nothing!!! If I go directly from 0% up to 100% it works fine. If I try to go up gradually it won't fire the bulb even when I get to 100%.

In summary:
0% immediately to 100% = works fine
100% gradually dimmed to 0% = works fine (shuts off @ 3 %)
0% gradually strengthed to 100% = NO LIGHTS????

Thanks

Jeff

 

[Matthias Gross]

then we have to check your wiring

please post a picture of it, I want to see ballast, EVG-AP and cables to the tube sockets

 

[stiffljp]

Problem found:

When taking the pictures requested by Matthias I noticed a very small shaving of aluminum that was by the EVG controller. I have an aluminum canopy rack and the shaving was from the 1/8" holes I drilled. The metal happened to be touching a piece of metal from the base of the EVG board. Once I blew out the tiny scrap the lights came.

All in all it was user error. On a side note, (idea's I had before my problem) has profilux considered making the EVG enclosed. I was kind of shocked when I received the bare board without any instructions or guidance on how it should be mounted.

Thanks everyone for the help

Jeff

 

[AQD_ottawa]

Glad you found the problem, and a bit lucky too.

Due to the difference in everyones mounting requirements enclsing it would create restrictions for as many that it would benefit. On request however we do point people to suitable mounting boxes when asked

Hope that helps

 

[stiffljp]

Can you point me to a suitable mounting box. I already have it in place but would still be interested if there was something better out there.

Thanks

Jeff

 

[AQD_ottawa]

http://www.radioshack.com/family/index.jsp?categoryId=2032276&cp=2032058.2032230

There you go

 

[stiffljp]

Thank you

 

[stiffljp]

I retract: Problem Not Solved.

This morning the ballast failed to light again. I doubled checked all the wiring and connections (no metal touching anywhere) I can post pictures but would prefer to e-mail them as its a large pain for me to post pictures on reef central.

Any idea's

 

[AQD_ottawa]

I am slightly not surprised, i say this in a concerned way and supportive way , you found a piece of aluminium between two electical contacts, IF the pcb is wired correctly and is now not firing you may have shorted the board

If you can send me photos of your wiring i will then ask matthias to varify it is wired correctly and go from there.

 

[stiffljp]

No problem, I will shoot them over this afternoon.

I thought I might have shorted it as well except for the fact that it operated and dimmed fine last night. I can also still use it in manual mode.

Thanks

Jeff

 

[AQD_ottawa]

hiya

Depends what circuit is fried if any of course.

Dont worry you know we will have you up and running.

 

[Matthias Gross]

you can dimm without issues in manual mode?

Then the hardware and wiring seems to be OK.
-> settings are maybe not OK?

But I could imagine that the hardware may be damaged "slightly" by the short circuit and the wrong behaviour occurs only from time to time.
I recommend to continue this support case via email.