MH bulb/burning smell...

fishieness · 03/04/2007, 11:38 AM

hey everyone
so with some help i was able to figure out what was wrong with my 400 watt Mh and have been able to get it to work.
however, now there is a burning smell now when it is on for a few minutes so i am obviously hesitent to put it over my tank. the tips of the inside of the part that actualy light up are a little black and cloudy as they should be with a lot of use, however, this bulb hasnt had too much use. when i first got it, there was no black, and now there is some after it has shorted out a few times. perhaps from turning off so many times suddenly which it is still is getting power (since it would shut off while still plugged in) just killed the bulb?
thanks
-christian

fishieness · 03/04/2007, 11:58 AM

in another thread i was told that the smell is normal jsut form oils and such being onthe bulb. before i was useing the bulb/ballast, my brother did handle the bulbs a few times with his hands despite me yelling at him
ive heard that rubbing alcohol can be used to remove oils form the bulb
is this true?

Chris Clark · 03/04/2007, 12:27 PM

this is a long shot, but if its a retro fit did you take the film off of the reflector? also Id look inside the fixture or socket really well. and how exactly strong is the smell, what brand light? I had an odysea that made my whole basement smell like gas.

fishieness · 03/04/2007, 12:44 PM

problem solved!!
it is a used blue line ballast with a radium.
i think it was jsut some oils ont he bulb. desprite how much iw ould yell at him, my brother would often pick up the bulb and fiddle with it.
i think the oils jsut needed some time to burn off. no more smell.

also, i jsut sold an odyssea that i had for over a year, no smell, no problems except the fans burningout. that sucks to hear about....

thanks for the reply though!

03/04/2007, 11:38 AM	#1
fishieness Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: ct Posts: 3,606	MH bulb/burning smell... hey everyone so with some help i was able to figure out what was wrong with my 400 watt Mh and have been able to get it to work. however, now there is a burning smell now when it is on for a few minutes so i am obviously hesitent to put it over my tank. the tips of the inside of the part that actualy light up are a little black and cloudy as they should be with a lot of use, however, this bulb hasnt had too much use. when i first got it, there was no black, and now there is some after it has shorted out a few times. perhaps from turning off so many times suddenly which it is still is getting power (since it would shut off while still plugged in) just killed the bulb? thanks -christian

03/04/2007, 11:58 AM	#2
fishieness Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: ct Posts: 3,606	in another thread i was told that the smell is normal jsut form oils and such being onthe bulb. before i was useing the bulb/ballast, my brother did handle the bulbs a few times with his hands despite me yelling at him ive heard that rubbing alcohol can be used to remove oils form the bulb is this true? __________________ That is not orange, or purple, or green, or gold..... It's brown... Current Tank Info: 8 gallon rimless cube, 33 watt diy crees, deltec MC500, RKL, ato, 5.5g sump, 4g fuge.

03/04/2007, 12:44 PM	#4
fishieness Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: ct Posts: 3,606	problem solved!! it is a used blue line ballast with a radium. i think it was jsut some oils ont he bulb. desprite how much iw ould yell at him, my brother would often pick up the bulb and fiddle with it. i think the oils jsut needed some time to burn off. no more smell. also, i jsut sold an odyssea that i had for over a year, no smell, no problems except the fans burningout. that sucks to hear about.... thanks for the reply though! __________________ That is not orange, or purple, or green, or gold..... It's brown... Current Tank Info: 8 gallon rimless cube, 33 watt diy crees, deltec MC500, RKL, ato, 5.5g sump, 4g fuge.

03/04/2007, 12:27 PM	#3
Chris Clark Moved On Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: St. Peters, MO Posts: 37	this is a long shot, but if its a retro fit did you take the film off of the reflector? also Id look inside the fixture or socket really well. and how exactly strong is the smell, what brand light? I had an odysea that made my whole basement smell like gas.