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Riverton_Ten 
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Joined: February 02 2008
Location: Riverton, UT
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 Topic: thanks for the help
Posted: February 18 2008 at 8:13pm |
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GOT IT FIGURED OUT -- THANKS EVERYONE FOR THE HELP.
Perhaps the wrong forum, but I'm hoping some THINKERS might look at this and could HELP ME!!
Long story short -- 12 gallon Nano cube, bought used, lights ritually go out after being on a short while. I would mess with the switch a dozen times, it'd fire, they'd stay on between 5 minutes and 6 hours and then go off again. Finally, they won't even fire anymore. Fan works on same switch, but works fine. Bulb doesn't appear burned out (no discoloration of bulb). So....
Now I'm trying to figure out what kind of lighting system I can feasibly use under the nano hood to replace the 24watt PC bulb that used to be in there. I don't understand ballasts well enough to know if that's what needs replacing. CAN ANYONE SMARTER THAN I AM HELP ME FIGURE THIS OUT? Just set up the darn thing, and I hate to see the live rock/sand die off for lack of light. Bought the whole thing used and can't afford to dump a lot of money into it. I'd settle for equal lighting -- I don't need any more than the 24 watts anyway. Any ideas???? Or, I'm willing to sell to someone who could make it work, and I'll find something else someday. Please -- I NEED HELP.
Edited by Riverton_Ten - March 14 2008 at 11:15am
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bbeck4x4
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Posted: February 18 2008 at 8:24pm |
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you need to start troubleshooting, swap bulbs with a different fixture, possible look for a different fixture completely. also get some temp lighting on the tank asap while you look for a replacement.
Home depot has a flood light that has a compact florescent light inside of it, use a clip on light fixture to hold the bulb over the tank for now.
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Shane H
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Posted: February 18 2008 at 11:02pm |
You can open up the hood and take a look at the switch, ballast, etc. See if you can find anything "burned". I replaced the ballast on my JBJ nano. It was about a 20 min job. Check out nanotuners.com . You can buy replacement components and even a replacement hood from them.
Good luck.
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hairmonkey
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Posted: February 18 2008 at 11:10pm |
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sounds like the ballast to me.
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"Logic is your friend"
west side salon 250-5314
8370w 3500s magna.
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bbeck4x4
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Posted: February 18 2008 at 11:17pm |
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it might be the ballast, but the first thing that I would check is all of the electrical connections, if the ballast fires at all it usually is ok, the "usual" sign of a balast that is bad is that it burns the bulb out really quick.
in re-reading your post, you gave us the biggest clue, the switch, open up the case, get a wire nut and the two wires that go to the switch, cut out the switch, and put a wire nut over the wires where the switch was, then use a plug in timer as the switch.
if you are close to me or want to drive out this way, I will look at it for you.
Brian
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Riverton_Ten
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Posted: February 19 2008 at 12:55pm |
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I've got a temporary light source on the rock and sand. I pulled the two plugs off the switch and taped them together, and the fan runs when they're touching (turns off when they're not) but the lights never fired once. I pulled the cover off the ballast panel, but nothing looks burned out or loose. There's no visual clue to why it won't fire. I can only suspect it's either the bulb or the ballast itself. I haven't found any 24w PC bulbs at any stores -- I'd have to buy online. I'll check the nanotuners.com to see what's there.
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jpndave
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Posted: February 24 2008 at 12:30am |
I would guess ballast also. You can buy a much better ballast locally and fit that into it. Fulham's workhorse is a great ballast. Where are you located? I have a couple of ballasts that we could try to make sure that is what it is. I also have a few spare bulbs for an aquapod 24, not sure if they are the same or not. They would probably at least fire to see if it is the bulb or not.
You should be able to bypass everything but the bulb and ballast. That would limit it to those two pieces. If it is an electronic ballast (I would think it is) that would explain the intermittent problem and also the fact that nothing is smoked.
Edited by jpndave - February 24 2008 at 12:33am
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Riverton_Ten
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Posted: February 25 2008 at 11:01am |
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Eventine has identified the problem as the ballast, well, whatever that electrical panel is that doesn't look like a ballast but runs the stuff.... I'm getting a fullham 2x24w and upgrading the whole think to 48 watts total, with the help of nanotuners. It's gonna cost $50, but that'll be the end of the lighting worries, I think. Anyone want to get in on a nanotuners order? I'll send it in the next few days. Thanks, jpndave for the ideas -- seems you were spot-on. Thanks everyone for your help!
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