An unforseen fork in the road

[Putawaywet]

Thanks everyone for all the positive comments as it definitely gives me something to focus on when you find yourself with a day that's filled with more downs than ups.

Not a huge update today, but I have a few things that might be of interest.

I had some electrical conflicts to take care of before I could move forward so I spent a good deal of Wednesday night moving one of my outlets. It probably would have been a whole lot easier to accomplish this if I had done it during the day when the hardware stores were still open, but I somehow managed to remember that it needed to be done after closing time. It was very a very Apollo 17 type of moment. Anyone remember the scene where the guy dumps out the box of parts on the table and tells everyone that this is what they need to do and these are the parts that they have to do it with? Because let's be honest here, everyone knows you're not really having fun until you're heat molding electrical conduit over the kitchen stove at 2am while the rest of the family is sound asleep in bed. Regardless, it needed to be done because a small miscalculation in the placement of one of my outlets prevented me from being able to open the waterproof cover to reset the GFCI once the skimmer was installed. So move it I did.

I called Catalina Water Co on Wednesday to book an appointment and got lucky when they said they could swing by the next day. I'm not sure what I'm doing right to have such great luck with delivery dates but I'm certainly not complaining.

They called a little after 8:00 am were here barely an hour later. It was totally awesome to have a tank filled in less than 15 minutes. Just don't ask me how much water it took as they were gauging it off the marks on the poly holding tank on the truck. It was definitely a low tech approach. Speaking to customer service I discovered they really don't count the gals as they aren't so much charging for the water as they are the overhead. 25 gallons either way doesn't seem to be a big deal. The driver even filled 5 of my jugs so I had some extra on hand to play with my water level.

Now for the bad news... this stuff was beyond cold. Not sure how cold is cold, but it's was definitely low 60 to high 50's when it came in. My 2 150w heaters have been running for the last 24 hours and I'm just now closing in on my ambient room temp of 74 degrees.

Beyond that, I dumped in a gallon or so of water from the old tank and another gallon today to get the party started. I plan to add a gallon or so a day over the next few weeks as that worked out really well when I was setting up the EcoWheel.

Skimmer is chugging along nicely. It's actually making a bit of foam - very light colored, but it making enough head that I've ben able to play around with the settings so I have an idea of where I need to be.

[Putawaywet]

On the lighting front I'm still having trouble with that ballast shutting down. It seems to go a few hours and then just shut off. If I let it cool down for a bit it lights right back up so I'm thinking it might be heat related. These ballast get really HOT.

Next, I pulled the lid and got a shot of the internals:



Not too sure what I'm looking at so if anyone can help out it would be greatly appreciated. Obviously there's 6 ballasts but beyond that I'm lost as to what kind they are. They read as follows:

ERC (or) ERO
Made in Italy
ATF HID 90
Code 689882
Input 110v
Output 220v
Lamp max 150w compensated
ta 50 *C/B 60hz
EN 61558-2-13

Beyond the problem with the wanky ballast I'm really liking the light. Although, it's proving near impossible to combine multiples of 3 (types of bulbs) into multiples of 2 and 4 (ballasts/cord circuits). No matter how many ways I move bulbs around there's always one curcuit with a color combo less than ideal.

[Putawaywet]

Otherwise, I'd be more than happy to entertain anyone who wants to come by and check out the light. As long as you don't mind stepping over the mess the beer is cold and the scotch is well.... SCOTTISH!

Brett

[reef / aholic]

ERC - ATF HID (high intensity discharge lamps) 90 is a Autotransformers for HID lamps circuit for high pressure sodium vapour or mercury vapour or metal halide lamps.

[Putawaywet]

Interesting! I didn't think something like that would fire fluorescent lamps?

[reef / aholic]

Putawaywet - jump on www.erc.it

How long will the lamps stay on and I found the code 689882 on page 315 of this http://www.erc.it/ita/pdf/01_AlimentatoriHID.pdf

[Putawaywet]

OK, thanks, I'll take a look

It's just 2 lamps are that going out. Same 2 each time and they are shutting off after a few hours. Just about the time the ballasts get good and hot.

[The Grim Reefer]

Verrrry interesting. Fluorescents and Halides do operate in a similar fashion but using a halide ballast to fire a fluorescent???

I would be calling the manufacturer. For the price of those things they should be cleaning your tank too. I wouldn't accept anything but perfect operation.

[Putawaywet]

Anyone here speak Italian electronics? I will definitely be calling Will at Aquarium Obsessed after they open back up Jan 2nd. Worst case scenario I might have to send the ballast back and wait for a replacement to get shipped over from Italy.

Still, 2 80w T5 HO lamps lit from a single MH ballast rated at 150w max even has an electronics neophite like myself raising an eyebrow.

Thanks for the help everyone

Brett

[piercho]

I read PaulErik's response and looked over the data sheet Reaper linked. The ERC 90 has a maximum ambient rating of 50C (122F) and does have a thermoset cutout. I would expect that your guess is right and it is cutting out. If the hot output pin of the ERC 90's are accessable you could check them with a meter but it sounds like a warranty issue. I hope the vendor will be anxious to resolve your problem.

That's an odd arrangement - using a bulky, heavy, magnetic transformer to feed what I expect is a relatively light and efficient electronic ballast in the fixture.

Paul's helped me get lighting gear I could not find online on multiple occassions, and has taken a lot of time to fully answer some of my questions. He's an A+ member here, IMO.

[The Grim Reefer]

Yep, Paul is a good guy. It wouldn't make sense that one of those transformers would go out due to heat alone but it could be defective. It looks like you could get meter probes on the output to check for voltage. That would make life easier. Just have AO send you a new transformer if it is shutting down.

Trying to replace a ballast could be NAZZ T

[Putawaywet]

Is that "NAZZ T" like cleaning a skimmer that requires a ladder and a garden hose?

Or "NAZZ T" like dancing with what just a few minutes earlier seemed like a smoking hot coed only to have the house lights come up and you realize somebody's basset hound got loose and it's waiting for you at the exit?

[Putawaywet]

For those that didn't catch my my post and Paul's answer over in the T5 question and answer thread:

Originally posted by PaulErik
The transformer box for that fixture contains the step up transformers (120V to 220/230/240V). It is easier and cheaper to use European T5 HO ballasts for 80W lamps because they are available in a two lamp version.
The light cutting out/off may be because of one of the transformers is over heating or from a bad T5 ballast which are housed inside the fixture. I’m not sure if the transformers are equipped with a cut off temp switch (thermal switch). If they do not it is probably one of the T5 ballasts. I don’t have my product specifications with me right now. It’s best to contact the manufacturer and trouble shoot the problem with them. I’ll be traveling the next few days and I can’t get information on the parts used right now.

Originally posted by PaulErik
One more thing. Those step up transformers were originally designed for HID ballasts (150 watts maximum) but can be used for other applications. In this case they are providing the proper voltage to the T5 HO ballasts.

[H20ENG]

OK, you had me on that one for a minute Brett. My first thought was step up Xformers, but the "HID" threw me. I wondered what the heck they were trying to pull.

Is there a little fan in the Xformer box?

[Putawaywet]

I wish.

Running an experiment now. Got big fan pointed at little gray box. Waiting to see if lights shut off.

[Putawaywet]

Ok, lights still shutting off after about an hour. Same pair of 2. Transformers seemed pretty cool. Certainly not hot enough to have a problem.

Guess I'll start moving bulbs around.

[Konadog]

OK Brett, rumor has it you picked up a few fish today.................

[Putawaywet]

News travels fast! You didn't happen to have a seat in a certain poker game tonight did you?

Ali hooked me up with a Lubbock wrasse, a Solar wrasse, a small Purple tang, and a Valentini puffer. The puffer and I had a nice long talk right before he went in, with me explaining my expectations about acceptable behavior.

He also made me a nice deal on a trio of ultra maxima's and a few misc corals.

Sadly, I was unable to sweet talk him out of a Regal Angel he had promised to hold for someone else. Heck of a Nice guy Ali is... but the force is strong with this one.

So far most everyone has settled in nicely and all are eating. Keeping my eye on the purple tang as he won't stop pacing up and down the end panel.

[Konadog]

Originally posted by Putawaywet
News travels fast! You didn't happen to have a seat in a certain poker game tonight did you?

No, my wife would have shot me, I still have (had) to finish taking X-mas down. I was given a hour and a half break to get to the fish store and back before dinner. Now that it's done I can work on my tank all day tomorrow

[Putawaywet]

I've located the problem with the lighting unit. The manufacturer suggested I turn up the power supply for the fans one notch. When I went to do so I discovered the fans were not actually working. I had originally checked them, but dismissed them as the culprit as I thought I had felt air movement. Obviously I was wrong. So, for the short term I've set a fan atop the end of the tank pointed at the fixture and everything is working fine.

Emails are currently going back and forth between Will at Aquarium Obsessed, Alessandro in Italy and myself. It's definitely not the fastest trouble shooting I've ever done, but I'll happily give them a crack at it. Luckily, the fan assembly looks like it will just drop right out with the removal of 4 screws so it should be an easy swap if need be.

Brett

[melev]

That's good news. It seems you'll get it resolved without too much pain.

[H20ENG]

Thermal overload switch = Good. Sending the whole ballast box back = Bad. Glad its just a fan Show some pics of those critters!