So frustrating I could just scream!

jpc763 · 10/23/2008, 10:44 PM

Metal Halides... Here is my problem

I buy a used MH system off a fellow reefer. Advance Magnetic Ballast, Reflector and Bulb. Hook it all up and it starts right up. After a week it starts to flicker. I order a brand new XM 10k SE bulb. By the time the bulb arrives, the ballast will not fire it up. It tries but fails. I contact the bulb shipper and they agree to send me another bulb. I bring old and new bulb to LFS and they both fire right up!

So I order a new ballast. CoralVue 250w electronic ballast. All should be good right? The ballast shows up today with quick disconnects. I put the disconnects in line and wire everything together. Fire it up and... NOTHING. Not a spark.

I take everything apart. Now I have a mogul socket directly connected to the 3 wires (white, black and green to white black and green) and fire it up again... NOTHING. At all... I try all bulbs and still get nothing!

What the heck is going on? I am pulling my hair out

Everyones Hero · 10/23/2008, 10:58 PM

You know it's not the ballast or the bulbs.

That leaves the socket & the wires.

If you can, test the socket, otherwise look over the wires for a bad connection or a short in the wires.

I know on my T5s one of the wires from the power cord wasn't plugged into the ballast all of the way. Had me scratching my head for a good 15 minutes.

jpc763 · 10/23/2008, 11:02 PM

Thanks for the reply.

Without dissasembling the ballast, I cannot check that. I believe if I take it apart, I cannot return it.

As far as the socket goes, it is a mogul and I took it out of the reflector, removed both leads and reconnected directly.

Thoughts?

John

Everyones Hero · 10/23/2008, 11:13 PM

Hmm. Have you tried a different electrical socket?

There's got to be a short or loose connection somewhere if you know the bulbs & ballast are good.

8BALL_99 · 10/23/2008, 11:39 PM

Uhh you connected the socket to the white black and green wires or the ballast?

Paulairduck · 10/24/2008, 06:18 AM

you need to test the socket, with a voltage meter, to make sure current is getting through.

jpc763 · 10/24/2008, 06:46 AM

Yes, I tested it in different outlets.

Yes, I took the bare mogul out (it only has black and white) and connected it to the black and white from the ballast. I then ran the green from the ballast to ground.

I am going to test the whole unit with a volt meter today.

Thanks and keep the suggestions and questions coming!

60Cubed · 10/24/2008, 06:49 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Everyones Hero
Hmm. Have you tried a different electrical socket?

I have a ton of extra mogal sockets. You pay the shipping, I'll send YOU one. LMK

NanoReefWanabe · 10/24/2008, 07:11 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by jpc763
Yes, I tested it in different outlets.

Yes, I took the bare mogul out (it only has black and white) and connected it to the black and white from the ballast. I then ran the green from the ballast to ground.

I am going to test the whole unit with a volt meter today.

Thanks and keep the suggestions and questions coming!

the green wire should be going to your reflector...not to ground...the ballast will be grounded VIA the three prong plug you should have connected to the other side of the ballast..but again i am not sure if that would prevent the bulbs from firing though..

flickering would indicate a bad ballast or a loose connection in the socket....since you have replaced the ballast i would think that one of th wires on the socket internally has come loose or shorted out..

Fuzznutz · 10/24/2008, 07:34 AM

Test the socket with a meter...put one lead on the nipple inside the socket and the other on the threaded part of the socket. If you have power here then it is most likely the spring under the nipple. Take off the nipple and restretch the spring, this will help the nipple to get good contact with the bulb. Don't thread bulbs all the way down into the socket to prevent this in the future.

john rochon · 10/24/2008, 08:11 AM

FUZZNUTS is probaly right, TAB to far in mogul. of course make sure the BALLAST is disconnected

also, there should be a green/ground from ballast to socket/reflector.

jpc763 · 10/24/2008, 08:58 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by 60Cubed
I have a ton of extra mogal sockets. You pay the shipping, I'll send YOU one. LMK

Cool! Thanks. I actually have another one on the way for other reasons... If my current one proves to be bad, I will take you up on it!

John

jpc763 · 10/24/2008, 09:00 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by NanoReefWanabe
the green wire should be going to your reflector...not to ground...the ballast will be grounded VIA the three prong plug you should have connected to the other side of the ballast..but again i am not sure if that would prevent the bulbs from firing though..

flickering would indicate a bad ballast or a loose connection in the socket....since you have replaced the ballast i would think that one of th wires on the socket internally has come loose or shorted out..

Yes, the green wire is going to the reflector. I have taken the socket apart, all of the wires are intact. I did not restretch the spring. I will try that.

John

jpc763 · 10/24/2008, 02:02 PM

How much voltage should I see with the volt meter?

The ballast came with a wiring diagram There are 3 wires. Black, White and Green. Green goes to the reflector, grounding that.

I ASSUME that black goes to black and white goes to white so I connected them up that way.

What happens if I connect black to white and white to black?

Here are some pics I took.

jpc763 · 10/24/2008, 02:56 PM

ttt - I need help people!

Thanks, John

jpc763 · 10/24/2008, 03:41 PM

New info.

There is no short in the socket. I tested it with an ohm meter

There is no short in the lamp cord.

There is a very small double or tripple spark in the inner chamber of the bulb and then nothing.

d4a2n0k · 10/24/2008, 05:00 PM

I like Coralvue ballasts but always had a problem firing the XM 10k's with them. Some people have no problem at all but I'm not the only one thats had problems. I went through multiple ballasts as CV were always taking care of me but never had any long term success with them.

Some ballasts would work for months then all the sudden, they would stop firing the XM's. Others wouldnt fire the the XM's brand new out of the box like yours. I could immediately put a CV Reeflux bulb in and it would fire right up.

Try hooking everything back up and leave it plugged in for an hour. I especially had a hard time when the bulbs were new, like yours is. They would sometimes start if I just left them plugged in. The ballasts have a fail safe feature so that if they cant fire the bulbs, they will not try again for about 15 minutes. Let it try to fire 3-4 times before giving up.

jpc763 · 10/25/2008, 03:15 PM

Thanks to everyone for their help. The problem is fixed.

The ballast is fine. Of the 3 bulbs that I have, 1 is clearly bad and the other took some time to warm up.

After rebuilding the socket and stretching out the spring, I was able to fire my newest XM bulb up. After the first firing, the bulb now fires every time.

The light looks awsome over my 55g with my T5's!

I have

- front -
250w metal halide XM 10K
T5 UVL Actinic White
T5 UVL Super Actinic
T5 UVL Aquasun
T5 UVL Super Actinic
- back -

John

GreenReefer77 · 10/25/2008, 03:36 PM

congrats. I had a similar issue awhile back and taking it apart and putting it back together is what made it work for me too.

kdblove_99 · 10/25/2008, 10:16 PM

Glad you got it worked out, That was drama

Fuzznutz · 10/25/2008, 11:48 PM

Cool. Sorry I did not respond to your other ?s, working A LOT!

10/23/2008, 10:44 PM	#1
jpc763 Nothing to see Move along Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Fort Collins, CO Posts: 800	So frustrating I could just scream! Metal Halides... Here is my problem I buy a used MH system off a fellow reefer. Advance Magnetic Ballast, Reflector and Bulb. Hook it all up and it starts right up. After a week it starts to flicker. I order a brand new XM 10k SE bulb. By the time the bulb arrives, the ballast will not fire it up. It tries but fails. I contact the bulb shipper and they agree to send me another bulb. I bring old and new bulb to LFS and they both fire right up! So I order a new ballast. CoralVue 250w electronic ballast. All should be good right? The ballast shows up today with quick disconnects. I put the disconnects in line and wire everything together. Fire it up and... NOTHING. Not a spark. I take everything apart. Now I have a mogul socket directly connected to the 3 wires (white, black and green to white black and green) and fire it up again... NOTHING. At all... I try all bulbs and still get nothing! What the heck is going on? I am pulling my hair out

10/23/2008, 11:39 PM	#5
8BALL_99 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Toney, AL Posts: 3,724	Uhh you connected the socket to the white black and green wires or the ballast? __________________ The problem with political jokes is they get elected. OK, so what's the speed of dark? Why do we drive on the parkway and park in the driveway? Isn't is it a bit unnerving that doctors call what they do "practice"? Current Tank Info: Custom Starfire 300,92Gallon,35 Gallon Hex,Two 40Gallons,125Gallon,

10/24/2008, 07:34 AM	#10
Fuzznutz Registered Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Maryland Posts: 252	Something to look for... Test the socket with a meter...put one lead on the nipple inside the socket and the other on the threaded part of the socket. If you have power here then it is most likely the spring under the nipple. Take off the nipple and restretch the spring, this will help the nipple to get good contact with the bulb. Don't thread bulbs all the way down into the socket to prevent this in the future. Last edited by Fuzznutz; 10/24/2008 at 07:45 AM.

10/23/2008, 10:58 PM	#2
Everyones Hero Registered Member. Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Leonardtown, MD Posts: 1,154	You know it's not the ballast or the bulbs. That leaves the socket & the wires. If you can, test the socket, otherwise look over the wires for a bad connection or a short in the wires. I know on my T5s one of the wires from the power cord wasn't plugged into the ballast all of the way. Had me scratching my head for a good 15 minutes.

10/23/2008, 11:02 PM	#3
jpc763 Nothing to see Move along Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Fort Collins, CO Posts: 800	Thanks for the reply. Without dissasembling the ballast, I cannot check that. I believe if I take it apart, I cannot return it. As far as the socket goes, it is a mogul and I took it out of the reflector, removed both leads and reconnected directly. Thoughts? John

10/23/2008, 11:13 PM	#4
Everyones Hero Registered Member. Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Leonardtown, MD Posts: 1,154	Hmm. Have you tried a different electrical socket? There's got to be a short or loose connection somewhere if you know the bulbs & ballast are good.

10/24/2008, 06:18 AM	#6
Paulairduck I LOVE FREE FRAGS!!! Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Chino Hills Posts: 2,909	you need to test the socket, with a voltage meter, to make sure current is getting through.

10/24/2008, 06:46 AM	#7
jpc763 Nothing to see Move along Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Fort Collins, CO Posts: 800	Yes, I tested it in different outlets. Yes, I took the bare mogul out (it only has black and white) and connected it to the black and white from the ballast. I then ran the green from the ballast to ground. I am going to test the whole unit with a volt meter today. Thanks and keep the suggestions and questions coming!

10/24/2008, 08:11 AM	#11
john rochon Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: canada Posts: 2,082	FUZZNUTS is probaly right, TAB to far in mogul. of course make sure the BALLAST is disconnected also, there should be a green/ground from ballast to socket/reflector.

10/24/2008, 02:02 PM	#14
jpc763 Nothing to see Move along Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Fort Collins, CO Posts: 800	How much voltage should I see with the volt meter? The ballast came with a wiring diagram There are 3 wires. Black, White and Green. Green goes to the reflector, grounding that. I ASSUME that black goes to black and white goes to white so I connected them up that way. What happens if I connect black to white and white to black? Here are some pics I took.

10/24/2008, 02:56 PM	#15
jpc763 Nothing to see Move along Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Fort Collins, CO Posts: 800	ttt - I need help people! Thanks, John

10/24/2008, 03:41 PM	#16
jpc763 Nothing to see Move along Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Fort Collins, CO Posts: 800	New info. There is no short in the socket. I tested it with an ohm meter There is no short in the lamp cord. There is a very small double or tripple spark in the inner chamber of the bulb and then nothing.

10/24/2008, 05:00 PM	#17
d4a2n0k Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Long Island, NY Posts: 2,485	I like Coralvue ballasts but always had a problem firing the XM 10k's with them. Some people have no problem at all but I'm not the only one thats had problems. I went through multiple ballasts as CV were always taking care of me but never had any long term success with them. Some ballasts would work for months then all the sudden, they would stop firing the XM's. Others wouldnt fire the the XM's brand new out of the box like yours. I could immediately put a CV Reeflux bulb in and it would fire right up. Try hooking everything back up and leave it plugged in for an hour. I especially had a hard time when the bulbs were new, like yours is. They would sometimes start if I just left them plugged in. The ballasts have a fail safe feature so that if they cant fire the bulbs, they will not try again for about 15 minutes. Let it try to fire 3-4 times before giving up.

10/25/2008, 03:15 PM	#18
jpc763 Nothing to see Move along Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Fort Collins, CO Posts: 800	Thanks to everyone for their help. The problem is fixed. The ballast is fine. Of the 3 bulbs that I have, 1 is clearly bad and the other took some time to warm up. After rebuilding the socket and stretching out the spring, I was able to fire my newest XM bulb up. After the first firing, the bulb now fires every time. The light looks awsome over my 55g with my T5's! I have - front - 250w metal halide XM 10K T5 UVL Actinic White T5 UVL Super Actinic T5 UVL Aquasun T5 UVL Super Actinic - back - John

10/25/2008, 03:36 PM	#19
GreenReefer77 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Greenville, SC Posts: 167	congrats. I had a similar issue awhile back and taking it apart and putting it back together is what made it work for me too.

10/25/2008, 10:16 PM	#20
kdblove_99 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Frederick,CO Posts: 8,683	Glad you got it worked out, That was drama

10/25/2008, 11:48 PM	#21
Fuzznutz Registered Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Maryland Posts: 252	Cool. Sorry I did not respond to your other ?s, working A LOT!