Ideas on a Dim Halide

[Acro-Phobia]

If you guys remember, I put a new fixture on my system a couple of months ago, had a 250 HQI that was burning dim and Marine Depot replaced it for me. Since then, the new bulb has started burning dim. We have changed bulbs, changed ballast and still can't get this one to burn as bright as the other two halides. Me, Marine Depot and Current USA are all scratching our heads on what could be the problem. They have told me they will replace the fixture, but I'm still trying to figure this one out.

Has anyone ever had this kind of problem where the wiring, socket or some other issue was causing a light to burn dimmer than it's supposed to?

Also does anyone in the Niceville- Crestview area have a light meter I could borrow for a week or so to do some analysis on what the bulb is actually doing?

[FishF00d]

does that same bulb burn dim on one of the other ballast or only on that one ballast?

[Acro-Phobia]

Burns dim on any of the ballast. It seems to be that location vice the bulb or ballast connected to it.

[FishF00d]

I'd hate for you to burn out another bulb but I wonder if you took a good bulb, or one that is burning properly on one of the other ballasts, and put it in the "bad ballast" if over time it would also cause the bulb to burn dim, or damage the bulb so it burns dim on any ballast you plug it back into. If thats the case I'd say its the ballast and ship it back to them and get a new one.

[Acro-Phobia]

I have swapped the ballast around as well as the light bulbs. That's what has us baffled. It doesn't matter what combination I use, it's always the same location that burns dim. Plus, it doesn't do it immediately, but gradually over time. Thats why I'm looking for a light meter. I want to take readings on that location throughout the photo period and see if the bulb has a straight line dimming relative to how long it is on. This could be an indication of a bad wire bundle or a bad socket causing the bulb to lose it's peak performance the longer it is running. When I get home each day, the bulbs have been on for 8 hours and that's when I notice it is dimmer than the others.

[JaredWaites]

Is the bulb mounted correctly?

DE's can't be mounted vertically.

My light meter is broken, or I'd let you borrow it. I'm going to have to buy another one here soon for my greenhouse.

It seems to me like the type/brand of bulbs may be the cause. Try another brand of bulb.

[Acro-Phobia]

If I take the bulb out and put it in one of the other sockets, it burns fine.

The tech's here at the Simulator have a $15000 light meter they use to align the Sim VIDS. OMG! They are going to let me borrow it this weekend.

[JaredWaites]

It sounds like a mogul socket issue to me.

You've replaced the bulb and ballast, but not the Mogul?

That's the only other alternative...that and make sure your using the correct gauge wires and possibly replace the wires as there might be a fault in them.

[DrHank]

HIQs don't use a Mogul socket they are DE bulbs. Alan, I'd have them replace the entire fixture and let them worry about what's wrong. After all, it's their product.

[Acro-Phobia]

That is probably going to be the answer. There are a couple of things the super geek techs want me to try. If they don't make a difference, then it's got to be a bad soder weild or a socket problem. I just did'nt want to go through the hassle of rigging a new fixture again.

Things they told me to check....All the ballast are on one power strip. If the dim lamp's ballast is the farthest from the wall outlet, it's getting less juice than the other two. Swapping the power cords around will determine if that is it. Second, turn off the two good ones and see if the bad one brightens up. If so, resistence in that line is higher than the other two. Seperate the ballast to different power cords would fix that.

More to follow.

[JaredWaites]

I don't know what I was thinking when I typed that. Doc thanks for correcting me

Yeah I would definitely try to limit the amount of cord going to the wall, ie. no extension cords. I wouldn't use any extension cords on any of my HID lights that I run. I infact run some for horticulture use and had to dedicate a new breaker in my house to run them.

I would try what the tech's have pointed out to you, if that fails, its in the socket/fixture.

[KADLETZ]

amp's not enough, check brecker box and see what you can poll and what your load is that new style mh light will not fire all the way if amps are low. the mogul lights take alot to start but once fired there on, where as the hqi i thing are more elcectronic controled.

[Acro-Phobia]

These are on magnetic ballast. I may be pushing the limit on the line. The fixture total is 1085 watts, but I don't know if anything else in the house is using that line. Got to do a little electrical investigating. It may be that I goofed this up and my lights and all my pumps are using the same line.

[KADLETZ]

on a side not one thing that has caught my eye these days is a electoronic devise that does P.F.C ===power factor correction. all electornic devise, like pumps need lots of amps to start then once going have no place to use the extra energy and put it off as heat. these devise regulate this energy and put it a side, and then re-use it before pulling of the gride. I think this kind of tech. needs to come more in to play for are aquarium, like your ballist, and heat issues.

[JaredWaites]

Honestly no offense,

But if your drawing too many amps, your going to pop a breaker...the ballast shouldn't 'half-fire' as it requires a certain amount of amps to start to begin with...if your running a 20 amp breaker and have a load of 23 amps, the breaker will pop. This issue cannot obviously be fixed by inserting a new higher amperage breaker in its place...because the breaker is there for a reason...to prevent fire or electrocution in certain circumstances. You'll need to pull a bigger wire if your wanting to upgrade your breaker to a larger one, as the wire size on smaller breakers is smaller. Anyway I don't think that'll be an issue here in this situation fortunately.

Here are the wire sizes for the breakers just in case I interested you with this rambling

15 amp breaker - #14 wire
20 amp breaker - #12 wire
30 amp breaker - #8 wire
40 amp breaker - #6 wire

[drauka99]

sounds to me like the ballast is putting out an incosistant current to the bulb resulting in the bulb "dimming out" This could be from to much draw in the wire in your house ..i.e. brown out...... or several issues in the ballast itself, although you said they replaced the balast.................. hmmm....just my 2 cents

[DrHank]

Sounds to me like it shouldn't be Alan's problem. It should be the manufacturer's problem. It's an expensive fixture and I'd expect them to exchange it.

Alan's done all he can now it should be their turn to fix their problem.

[Acro-Phobia]

Agree Doc, but I just want to make sure, if I get a new one it's not something in "my" wiring that's causing the problem. I will take a good look at eveything this weekend and if I can't find anything wrong at my end, then it's new fixture time.

[Acro-Phobia]

Doc, I think the old saying is true. Never be too quick to point the finger at someone else until you are sure you are not the problem yourself. I had a long dicussion with the super geeks here at the Sim and worked on their recommendations. It appears they were right. I had this fixture set up just like I had the 150's set up. Wrong!!!!! Too much power draw in one place. I took each 250 halide and ran them to totally seperate circuits in the house. Each one on it's own power grid. Sure enough, turned them on and all three were burning bright as ever. From my old farming days, that right halide was sucking on the hind you know what and wasn't getting enough juice. It's burning full up now. Problem solved.

[JaredWaites]

Glad to hear things worked out for you Alan.

I figured that was your problem. Glad things worked out.

Happy reefing.