MH lights are having a disco party!

soccerman77 · 07/15/2007, 09:23 PM

My MH lights are strobing/flickering and it's very painful and probably is stressing out my fish. Any clue why they are doing this and is there anything I can do to fix it?

XSiVE · 07/15/2007, 09:39 PM

igniters gone bad?

What kind of lighting system are you using? which balasts, etc?

AquaReeferMan · 07/15/2007, 09:44 PM

Are you sure the bulbs are in right? Are they single end or double end?

UrbanSage · 07/15/2007, 09:49 PM

until you figure it out turn the thing off.

MTB · 07/15/2007, 09:55 PM

Unplug it. Something isn't right and should be gone over again. Last thing you need are sparks flying.

soccerman77 · 07/15/2007, 10:02 PM

It's an outer orbital pro series. The ballasts came with it. The lights are only 3 months old and I haven't changed the bulbs yet. They are just the ones that came with it. It's weird because it will be working fine and then just start flickering for no reason. After a bit it goes back to normal. Both of the HQI's are doing it though. Not sure if it is the heat or what.

aquarius77 · 07/15/2007, 11:24 PM

Check your fans to see if they are still going and make sure they are clean. I would start looking at the wire harness after that. If you dont see anything wrong in there i would try new bulbs. If none of that helps then ya know you have a ballast issue.

Did you buy the fixture new? Im sure being a current fixture it has a warrenty. If so i would call them first before i did anything.

reefnetworth · 07/15/2007, 11:48 PM

ive had two of them for over two years, never had a problem.
mine have PCs instead of the HQIs. i would check the above mentioned as well as a grounding issue, a breaker issue, or the plug recepticle itself. im not an electrition, but i would look at those also. it could very easily start a fire.

JDM

coker98 · 07/16/2007, 12:51 AM

A major appliance may be coming on while the lights are on and could be causing a power draw. Just what I think.

Young Frankenstein · 07/16/2007, 04:33 AM

Check if the circuit breaker is hot and if it is, pull it out and check the back if is burned causing arching.

07/15/2007, 09:23 PM	#1
soccerman77 Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: montana Posts: 144	MH lights are having a disco party! My MH lights are strobing/flickering and it's very painful and probably is stressing out my fish. Any clue why they are doing this and is there anything I can do to fix it?

07/15/2007, 09:44 PM	#3
AquaReeferMan Got Reef? Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Under the Sea, Pa Posts: 4,593	Are you sure the bulbs are in right? Are they single end or double end? __________________ Couple SPS/Zoanthid tanks and a couple of FW planted tanks. Current Tank Info: 5 pieces of glass with some silicone and plastic frames holding them together

07/15/2007, 09:49 PM	#4
UrbanSage Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Tea, SD Posts: 1,657	until you figure it out turn the thing off. __________________ You can't control the wind, but you can adjust your sails. Current Tank Info: 270 gallon reef.

07/15/2007, 09:55 PM	#5
MTB Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Illannoy Posts: 1,365	Unplug it. Something isn't right and should be gone over again. Last thing you need are sparks flying. __________________ Got Frags? Current Tank Info: 40 breeder. Kessil lights. Reef octopus skimmer. Vortec mp40 x2.

07/15/2007, 11:48 PM	#8
reefnetworth Premium Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: U.S.A. Posts: 3,810	ive had two of them for over two years, never had a problem. mine have PCs instead of the HQIs. i would check the above mentioned as well as a grounding issue, a breaker issue, or the plug recepticle itself. im not an electrition, but i would look at those also. it could very easily start a fire. JDM __________________ GIVE A MAN A FISH, YOU FEED HIM FOR A DAY. TEACH A MAN TO FISH, HE FEEDS HIMSELF FOR LIFE. (NEVER, underestimate another man's greed) Current Tank Info: SPS dominated barebottom display with BB sump since 2005, most consistant parameters in 19+ years of reefkeeping.

07/15/2007, 09:39 PM	#2
XSiVE Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Waterford, MI Posts: 790	igniters gone bad? What kind of lighting system are you using? which balasts, etc?

07/15/2007, 10:02 PM	#6
soccerman77 Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: montana Posts: 144	It's an outer orbital pro series. The ballasts came with it. The lights are only 3 months old and I haven't changed the bulbs yet. They are just the ones that came with it. It's weird because it will be working fine and then just start flickering for no reason. After a bit it goes back to normal. Both of the HQI's are doing it though. Not sure if it is the heat or what.

07/15/2007, 11:24 PM	#7
aquarius77 Moved On Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Highland, Il Posts: 2,198	Check your fans to see if they are still going and make sure they are clean. I would start looking at the wire harness after that. If you dont see anything wrong in there i would try new bulbs. If none of that helps then ya know you have a ballast issue. Did you buy the fixture new? Im sure being a current fixture it has a warrenty. If so i would call them first before i did anything.

07/16/2007, 12:51 AM	#9
coker98 Registered Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Las Vegas Posts: 594	A major appliance may be coming on while the lights are on and could be causing a power draw. Just what I think.

07/16/2007, 04:33 AM	#10
Young Frankenstein Moved On Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Miami Florida. Posts: 3,842	Check if the circuit breaker is hot and if it is, pull it out and check the back if is burned causing arching.