Flickering Metal Halide

sedatedgenius · 06/25/2006, 07:56 PM

Is there anyway to tell which part of my setup is causing the flickering?!

its really damn annoying and its constantly there, with a high pitch 'scratching' noise...

can i single out, through different processes, to see which component in my setup is causing this?

could it be the socket? the bulb? the ballast?

how could i tell which part is doing what??

groovemcfly · 06/25/2006, 08:02 PM

does it only happen when you try to turn it on after turning it off? thats when mine flickers... 70w?

sedatedgenius · 06/25/2006, 08:20 PM

when i have it on for a while, it continues to flicker... amlost like a flouresent light going out...

its a steady flicker, but a real low intensity, just enough to cause a bit of concern...

if its the bulb, no problem, but it seems like there's a lot of life left in it, its not too old...

im just hoping its not the ballast or the socket.

how could i tell if its any of those?

bertoni · 06/25/2006, 08:33 PM

Well, if you like metal halide lighting, you're going to need a new bulb eventually anyway, so, perhaps, if you like the bulb, you could try a new one and see whether it flickers. The flickering sounds like a ballast problem to me, though.

crustin · 06/25/2006, 08:34 PM

do you have correct bulb to ballast

sedatedgenius · 06/25/2006, 09:08 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by crustin
do you have correct bulb to ballast

yeah, its an icecap 175-MH with a 175 20k XM bulb, it started up fine the first time i used it with no flickering and such, but after i built the canopy and installed it, it began flickering

KIDiCARUS · 06/25/2006, 10:37 PM

if you wired the ballast yourself, i would check that. maybe something came loose when you put everything in the canopy.

sedatedgenius · 06/25/2006, 11:34 PM

it seems like the nipple (excuse my base term) of the light bulb male end is a little loose, do you think that would cause the flickering? a loose connection on the bulb?

wav3form · 06/26/2006, 12:46 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by sedatedgenius
it seems like the nipple (excuse my base term) of the light bulb male end is a little loose, do you think that would cause the flickering? a loose connection on the bulb?

I doubt it but you never know. Try a new bulb and if that flickers as well, you have a problem with your ballast.

06/25/2006, 07:56 PM	#1
sedatedgenius Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Nowhere'sville Posts: 41	Flickering Metal Halide Is there anyway to tell which part of my setup is causing the flickering?! its really damn annoying and its constantly there, with a high pitch 'scratching' noise... can i single out, through different processes, to see which component in my setup is causing this? could it be the socket? the bulb? the ballast? how could i tell which part is doing what?? __________________ Invisible. god, why are the default avatars POKEMON?!?! Current Tank Info: (researching... again...)

06/25/2006, 08:20 PM	#3
sedatedgenius Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Nowhere'sville Posts: 41	when i have it on for a while, it continues to flicker... amlost like a flouresent light going out... its a steady flicker, but a real low intensity, just enough to cause a bit of concern... if its the bulb, no problem, but it seems like there's a lot of life left in it, its not too old... im just hoping its not the ballast or the socket. how could i tell if its any of those? __________________ Invisible. god, why are the default avatars POKEMON?!?! Current Tank Info: (researching... again...)

06/25/2006, 08:33 PM	#4
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	Well, if you like metal halide lighting, you're going to need a new bulb eventually anyway, so, perhaps, if you like the bulb, you could try a new one and see whether it flickers. The flickering sounds like a ballast problem to me, though. __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

06/25/2006, 08:34 PM	#5
crustin Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: ga. Posts: 470	do you have correct bulb to ballast __________________ never give up Current Tank Info: 90g semi- reef

06/25/2006, 11:34 PM	#8
sedatedgenius Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Nowhere'sville Posts: 41	it seems like the nipple (excuse my base term) of the light bulb male end is a little loose, do you think that would cause the flickering? a loose connection on the bulb? __________________ Invisible. god, why are the default avatars POKEMON?!?! Current Tank Info: (researching... again...)

06/25/2006, 08:02 PM	#2
groovemcfly Registered Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 225	does it only happen when you try to turn it on after turning it off? thats when mine flickers... 70w?

06/25/2006, 10:37 PM	#7
KIDiCARUS Premium Member Join Date: May 2001 Location: Orange County Posts: 62	if you wired the ballast yourself, i would check that. maybe something came loose when you put everything in the canopy.