is it the endcap or the ballast

Tru2nr · 05-30-2008, 11:12 PM

ok so im noticing a flickering of light with a buzzing sound everyonce and a while the buzzing is seeming to come from the end cap am i to assume that the rubber endcap is bad? or is it going to be the entire ballast i've unpluged the fixture for now and won't use it untill i get a answer about a fix

sasquatch · 05-30-2008, 11:23 PM

did you remove the bulb and check for corrosion? if its loosing conductivity the vibration could make it cut out and refire the bulb,I had one melt an endcap doing that

Tru2nr · 05-30-2008, 11:29 PM

check the pins for corrosion? if there is that means it just the endcap and i just have to replace it right?

sasquatch · 05-30-2008, 11:55 PM

maybe? try cleaning it first (after unplugging lol)

Tru2nr · 05-31-2008, 11:10 AM

well i know the fixture was super old it was just bearly used and i pulled it out and retro'd it so that might be why i looked at the origional bulb that i pulled out and one of the pins did have corrossion on it like real bad so im thinking im going to go to the lfs today and pick up an endcap

XBwlr · 05-31-2008, 03:36 PM

There's copper wires under the end caps... they corrode before the pins do.
BTDT.

Tru2nr · 06-01-2008, 12:40 PM

yeah im assuming it is the endcap so 1/2 the lights will be off while i have to wait for the lfs to order one in since i use a square pin design its super hard to have a lfs stock them but my guy will atleast order one in for me i hate that he's the only lfs in the area that will sell replacement parts and things you actually need incase something goes wrong lol i just hope my corals aren't too pissed at me for missing half of their light lol but i don't want to risk shattering another bulb

Jake · 06-02-2008, 12:13 PM

I found that one of my bulbs would chatter or turn off and found that all I had to do we reposition the bulb left to right to obtain a more solid connection and the problem went away.

Like others said, suspect poor connection or corrosion as the issue. If your lights are in a canapy be sure you have the sealed endcaps which help protect against corrosion.

XBwlr · 06-02-2008, 01:16 PM

Oops.... I should clarify that a little. The endcap, or base, of the lamp, not the endcap you plug into the lamp.

05-30-2008, 11:12 PM	#1 (permalink)
Tru2nr Elegance coral Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 1,169 View Gallery Karma Komment	is it the endcap or the ballast ok so im noticing a flickering of light with a buzzing sound everyonce and a while the buzzing is seeming to come from the end cap am i to assume that the rubber endcap is bad? or is it going to be the entire ballast i've unpluged the fixture for now and won't use it untill i get a answer about a fix __________________ My 55g Chronical of addiction... Mistakes Have been made in the past.....still trying to clean up from them in the present....mistakes will be made in the future.....so what do we do?...... we party until we make another mistake!!!! WARNING: Corals in Tank, Add Crabs at own risk

05-30-2008, 11:23 PM	#2 (permalink)
sasquatch Brunt of all Jokes~ Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: the very farthest west coast of canada Posts: 8,917 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: is it the endcap or the ballast did you remove the bulb and check for corrosion? if its loosing conductivity the vibration could make it cut out and refire the bulb,I had one melt an endcap doing that

05-30-2008, 11:29 PM	#3 (permalink)
Tru2nr Elegance coral Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 1,169 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: is it the endcap or the ballast check the pins for corrosion? if there is that means it just the endcap and i just have to replace it right? __________________ My 55g Chronical of addiction... Mistakes Have been made in the past.....still trying to clean up from them in the present....mistakes will be made in the future.....so what do we do?...... we party until we make another mistake!!!! WARNING: Corals in Tank, Add Crabs at own risk

05-30-2008, 11:55 PM	#4 (permalink)
sasquatch Brunt of all Jokes~ Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: the very farthest west coast of canada Posts: 8,917 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: is it the endcap or the ballast maybe? try cleaning it first (after unplugging lol)

05-31-2008, 11:10 AM	#5 (permalink)
Tru2nr Elegance coral Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 1,169 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: is it the endcap or the ballast well i know the fixture was super old it was just bearly used and i pulled it out and retro'd it so that might be why i looked at the origional bulb that i pulled out and one of the pins did have corrossion on it like real bad so im thinking im going to go to the lfs today and pick up an endcap __________________ My 55g Chronical of addiction... Mistakes Have been made in the past.....still trying to clean up from them in the present....mistakes will be made in the future.....so what do we do?...... we party until we make another mistake!!!! WARNING: Corals in Tank, Add Crabs at own risk

05-31-2008, 03:36 PM	#6 (permalink)
XBwlr Elegance coral Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: I give up. Posts: 1,131 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: is it the endcap or the ballast There's copper wires under the end caps... they corrode before the pins do. BTDT. __________________ ~Scott

06-01-2008, 12:40 PM	#7 (permalink)
Tru2nr Elegance coral Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 1,169 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: is it the endcap or the ballast yeah im assuming it is the endcap so 1/2 the lights will be off while i have to wait for the lfs to order one in since i use a square pin design its super hard to have a lfs stock them but my guy will atleast order one in for me i hate that he's the only lfs in the area that will sell replacement parts and things you actually need incase something goes wrong lol i just hope my corals aren't too pissed at me for missing half of their light lol but i don't want to risk shattering another bulb __________________ My 55g Chronical of addiction... Mistakes Have been made in the past.....still trying to clean up from them in the present....mistakes will be made in the future.....so what do we do?...... we party until we make another mistake!!!! WARNING: Corals in Tank, Add Crabs at own risk

06-02-2008, 12:13 PM	#8 (permalink)
Jake Serpent Star Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Florida Posts: 230 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: is it the endcap or the ballast I found that one of my bulbs would chatter or turn off and found that all I had to do we reposition the bulb left to right to obtain a more solid connection and the problem went away. Like others said, suspect poor connection or corrosion as the issue. If your lights are in a canapy be sure you have the sealed endcaps which help protect against corrosion. __________________ 75 Gal Setup 4/07 Fish: Purple Tang 6", Solarensis Fairy Wrasse, Pajama Cardinal, Two Ocellarous Clowns, Neon Goby, Two Firefish Inverts: Several Blue leg hermits, 4 Tubo Snails, 4 Nassarius Snails, 5 Zebra Turbo snails, 5 Trochus Grazer snails, 1 cleaner shrimp, 1 feather duster Coral: Frogspawn, Cynarina (pinkish - cool), African Blue Zenia, Long White Polyp Tip Leather, Pink Pavona, Blue, Green, Orange Recordia, Orange Monti Cap, Green Star Polyp, Zoo Cat Eye, Green Clove Polyp.

06-02-2008, 01:16 PM	#9 (permalink)
XBwlr Elegance coral Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: I give up. Posts: 1,131 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: is it the endcap or the ballast Oops.... I should clarify that a little. The endcap, or base, of the lamp, not the endcap you plug into the lamp. __________________ ~Scott

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