think i have a bad ice cap ballast... .how to tell????

agoutihead · 02/26/2007, 12:15 AM

my buddy just bought a used tank, the one ice cap ballast wont turn on the second mh bulb. we switched bulbs and ballasts to make sure it wasnt the bulb, and both bulbs do in fact work.

what could go bad on a ballast, and how can you fix it?

IPowderBlueTang · 02/26/2007, 01:22 AM

Unless you guys are into electronic and have a multimeter. Best solution would be to buy a new ice cap ballast or know someone that knows how to repair the internal circuitry of an ice cap ballast or send it back to ice cap for repairs!

Frick-n-Frags · 02/26/2007, 05:49 AM

just asking to clarify to help cover all the bases:

Did you swap all the wiring too? a harness like on icecap VHO ballasts would be the ideal situation, so you have an entire known working wiring and bulb.
Then if switching just the ballast boxes showed that one worked and one didn't, no doubt it's the ballast.
If just swapping lightbulbs, anything from the bulb socket back is still suspect.

like I said, just clarifying, maybe that's what you were saying.

Not done yet

Now, my vho ballasts have fuses in them. should you determine without a doubt, the ballast box is the culprit, AND they also have fuses, swap the known good fuse assembly with the bad one's and retry it.

Maybe you will luck out, maybe not, but these are easy free things to try before shelling out for the repair/replace to icecap (yeah, that's your only REAL option, and they are reasonable, plus no middleman BS)and you have the luxury of having two of them to compare.

jamal-188 · 02/26/2007, 07:14 AM

Contact Ice ap or post in their forum. Their customer support is second to none!!!

agoutihead · 02/27/2007, 07:55 AM

yeah i tried swapping fixtures on each ballasts, and it is in fact the ballast that doesnt work.

where are these fuses at? do i actually have to unscrew and take apart the ballast to swap fuses?

how do i tell if a fuse is bad?

02/26/2007, 12:15 AM	#1
agoutihead Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Cleveland, Ohio Posts: 2,720	think i have a bad ice cap ballast... .how to tell???? my buddy just bought a used tank, the one ice cap ballast wont turn on the second mh bulb. we switched bulbs and ballasts to make sure it wasnt the bulb, and both bulbs do in fact work. what could go bad on a ballast, and how can you fix it?

02/26/2007, 05:49 AM	#3
Frick-n-Frags Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: north central OH Posts: 10,740	just asking to clarify to help cover all the bases: Did you swap all the wiring too? a harness like on icecap VHO ballasts would be the ideal situation, so you have an entire known working wiring and bulb. Then if switching just the ballast boxes showed that one worked and one didn't, no doubt it's the ballast. If just swapping lightbulbs, anything from the bulb socket back is still suspect. like I said, just clarifying, maybe that's what you were saying. Not done yet Now, my vho ballasts have fuses in them. should you determine without a doubt, the ballast box is the culprit, AND they also have fuses, swap the known good fuse assembly with the bad one's and retry it. Maybe you will luck out, maybe not, but these are easy free things to try before shelling out for the repair/replace to icecap (yeah, that's your only REAL option, and they are reasonable, plus no middleman BS)and you have the luxury of having two of them to compare. __________________ Only Dead fish swim with the current. Current Tank Info: 2 50 gal tanks, sump, still BB

02/27/2007, 07:55 AM	#5
agoutihead Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Cleveland, Ohio Posts: 2,720	yeah i tried swapping fixtures on each ballasts, and it is in fact the ballast that doesnt work. where are these fuses at? do i actually have to unscrew and take apart the ballast to swap fuses? how do i tell if a fuse is bad? __________________ Experience the Liquid Realm...

02/26/2007, 01:22 AM	#2
IPowderBlueTang Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Kalamazoo, Canada Posts: 769	Unless you guys are into electronic and have a multimeter. Best solution would be to buy a new ice cap ballast or know someone that knows how to repair the internal circuitry of an ice cap ballast or send it back to ice cap for repairs!

02/26/2007, 07:14 AM	#4
jamal-188 Moved On Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: PA Posts: 1,480	Contact Ice ap or post in their forum. Their customer support is second to none!!!