Help with replacement for magnetic MH ballast

fmuakkassa · 05/11/2015, 06:42 PM

I have a Custom Sealife Inc. double magnetic ballast running two 175 Mogul MH light bulbs. It has been running 24/7 for almost 15 years (180G reef aquarium). Today, while doing a water change, one of the electrical outputs started smoking and the metal halide went out. I could have spilled water on the connection. I waited for it to dry and tried it on again and it smoked and smelled. So I am running on one MH bulb now.

What can I replace this with?
A new electronic ballast?
Do they make dual ones or I have to buy two individual ones?
Are these ballast repairable?
The metal halide lamps are attached with a cable directly to the ballast (no connection from outside) as it is a retrofit kit.

Is it time for a new lighting system?

Thanks

Uncle Luke · 05/11/2015, 07:15 PM

Sorry to hear about this! At least you got good life out of them. If I was in your position, I would just get 2 250 MH ballasts. Since it seems like everyone is on the LED craze, you can pick some nice used ones for relatively dirt cheap.

moondoggy4 · 05/11/2015, 08:43 PM

Hamilton makes a dual 175 Magnetic ballast I have one. It has a plug like(..l) the first point is higher than the second point, I know this does not makes since but I text a picture of the plug if you like.

fmuakkassa · 05/12/2015, 06:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by moondoggy4

Hamilton makes a dual 175 Magnetic ballast I have one. It has a plug like(..l) the first point is higher than the second point, I know this does not makes since but I text a picture of the plug if you like.

I didn't find a dual ballast on Hamilton's website.
I am thinking of changing the whole fixture for a Giesemann Metal Halide/T% one.

sbeason · 05/12/2015, 06:27 PM

But you will still need ballasts if you buy a giesemann fixture

fmuakkassa · 05/12/2015, 06:33 PM

Yes, I know. But at least I'll get the new electronic ones vs the old heavy, heat producing magnetic ones.

moondoggy4 · 05/12/2015, 11:00 PM

Yeah not sure why they still don't have that model anymore, the 250 would be more popular so that could be the reason.

Can't go wrong with a Giesemann I have a 24'' Infinity model on my 40 breeder build. but i would still use a M80 ballast with a 250 Spectra.

moondoggy4 · 05/13/2015, 08:16 PM

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh....php?t=2502923 Interesting read.

snulma1 · 05/14/2015, 06:26 AM

Its too bad you're not near NYC, I've got 2 Custom Sealife 250's that I would sell to you for pennies on the dollar. They are workhorses!

But I would take a good look at LED's now, only because if you are running them 24/7 then your electric savings would be substantial as well as potential cooling issues.

fmuakkassa · 05/14/2015, 08:55 PM

There is a thread here that people who tried LED are going back to MH. My tank is 24" deep and the lights are another 24" above the water surface. MH can penetrate deeper than LED from what I read on this forum.

snulma1 · 05/15/2015, 07:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fmuakkassa

There is a thread here that people who tried LED are going back to MH. My tank is 24" deep and the lights are another 24" above the water surface. MH can penetrate deeper than LED from what I read on this forum.

Yes, I may have missed where you said the tank depth, you're are correct that you need some punch, but if its 4" from light to tank bottom, then you may want to go with 250's I would think

05/11/2015, 06:42 PM	#1
fmuakkassa Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Ohio Posts: 404	Help with replacement for magnetic MH ballast I have a Custom Sealife Inc. double magnetic ballast running two 175 Mogul MH light bulbs. It has been running 24/7 for almost 15 years (180G reef aquarium). Today, while doing a water change, one of the electrical outputs started smoking and the metal halide went out. I could have spilled water on the connection. I waited for it to dry and tried it on again and it smoked and smelled. So I am running on one MH bulb now. What can I replace this with? A new electronic ballast? Do they make dual ones or I have to buy two individual ones? Are these ballast repairable? The metal halide lamps are attached with a cable directly to the ballast (no connection from outside) as it is a retrofit kit. Is it time for a new lighting system? Thanks

05/11/2015, 07:15 PM	#2
Uncle Luke Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: South Florida Posts: 1,011	Sorry to hear about this! At least you got good life out of them. If I was in your position, I would just get 2 250 MH ballasts. Since it seems like everyone is on the LED craze, you can pick some nice used ones for relatively dirt cheap.

05/11/2015, 08:43 PM	#3
moondoggy4 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: menifee So cal Posts: 11,042	Hamilton makes a dual 175 Magnetic ballast I have one. It has a plug like(..l) the first point is higher than the second point, I know this does not makes since but I text a picture of the plug if you like.

05/12/2015, 06:27 PM	#5
sbeason Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Lake St Louis, MO Posts: 1,391	But you will still need ballasts if you buy a giesemann fixture

05/12/2015, 06:33 PM	#6
fmuakkassa Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Ohio Posts: 404	Yes, I know. But at least I'll get the new electronic ones vs the old heavy, heat producing magnetic ones.

05/12/2015, 11:00 PM	#7
moondoggy4 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: menifee So cal Posts: 11,042	Yeah not sure why they still don't have that model anymore, the 250 would be more popular so that could be the reason. Can't go wrong with a Giesemann I have a 24'' Infinity model on my 40 breeder build. but i would still use a M80 ballast with a 250 Spectra.

05/13/2015, 08:16 PM	#8
moondoggy4 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: menifee So cal Posts: 11,042	http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh....php?t=2502923 Interesting read.

05/14/2015, 06:26 AM	#9
snulma1 Registered Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: New York, NY Posts: 2,281	Its too bad you're not near NYC, I've got 2 Custom Sealife 250's that I would sell to you for pennies on the dollar. They are workhorses! But I would take a good look at LED's now, only because if you are running them 24/7 then your electric savings would be substantial as well as potential cooling issues.

05/14/2015, 08:55 PM	#10
fmuakkassa Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Ohio Posts: 404	There is a thread here that people who tried LED are going back to MH. My tank is 24" deep and the lights are another 24" above the water surface. MH can penetrate deeper than LED from what I read on this forum.