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phinfan 
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 Topic: T5 lighting
Posted: November 05 2011 at 10:05pm |
Ok I have recently and repeatedly been having problems with a retrofit lighting kit. I have 2 icecap 660 ballasts powering 4 ea. bulbs. I recently switched to ATI from Geissman, because it was time to replace my bulbs. Prior to switching I had no problem with the bulbs. Probably a coincidence, but since switching I have had to replace 3 or 4 of the ATI bulbs always in the front set of 4. If I am not mistaken always in position 3 or 4 if I was counting front to back, with 1 being front and 8 being back. I just replaced a bulb earlier in the week 4 and it is already bad again. What happens is the front 4 bulbs quit lighting. When I notice I rotate the timer to cycle the lights. When it comes time to turn the lights on the front 4 will light for a second then all 4 go out. I then shuffle the bulbs to determine which bulb is the cause. This time 4 again. On 1 occasion I have found 2 bulbs out. the rest of the time it has just been 1.
Anyone have any ideas??
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phinfan
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Posted: November 21 2011 at 7:41pm |
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Here I go again. I have lost another light in my t5 fixtures. This time it is the other set of 4. It is also a different ballast. I haven't trouble shot this yet to find out how many bulbs were affected. It is usually 1 sometimes 2 bulbs. I could be wrong but I think it was just after I replaced my lights with ATI's that this started happening. I would think that this is a coincidence. In any case I went almost a year without a problem at all. Any ideas what is going on?
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phinfan
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Posted: November 21 2011 at 7:42pm |
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Please pm me with suggestions
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Ryan Thompson
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Posted: November 21 2011 at 9:31pm |
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Might be a short somewhere in the wiring. I would take all the wires out and reseat them. May even need to replace all the endcaps.
My first suggestion would be to switch out both ballasts to 4 spec T5 ballasts. 24w T5s don't handle the overdriving very well. But you are looking at about $160 minus what you sell the IC660 ballasts for.
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phinfan
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Posted: November 21 2011 at 9:40pm |
thanks Ryan
As you know I am considering switching to led, so I don't think I can justify spending to much to resolve this problem. I am also having a hard time understanding how this just all of a sudden started happening.
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Ryan Thompson
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Posted: November 21 2011 at 9:50pm |
 phinfan wrote:
thanks RyanAs you know I am considering switching to led, so I don't think I can justify spending to much to resolve this problem.  I am also having a hard time understanding how this just all of a sudden started happening. |
I was actually going to recommend spending the money on LED instead, lol. Especially with your canopy because you can use some T5's still if you want to.
With the bulb change you could have pulled something loose.
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bur01014
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Posted: November 22 2011 at 12:05am |
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im curious to know how hot your retrofit is getting....get a meat thermometer and put it on the end cap of the label side of the bulb....id be interested in the number...but take the reading after all lights are on for 3-4 hours
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zionsreef
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Posted: November 22 2011 at 11:32am |
I think it is the wiring/ballast.
It's not the bulbs, just can't be, right? It has to be something that accumulated over time or environment.
I had a problem with a t5 fixture I purchased on this forum some years ago. The bulbs were being over-driven by a 660 ballast. The solution was to replace with a couple of workhorse 7 ballasts. It has worked great ever since.
Does your retrofit use lighted switches? Just a thought, they can be wired goofy and are a cheap fix.
Ideas
0. Check these failed bulbs in another system.
1. Tear down the retrofit to rebuild
2. Clean all contacts
3. Bypass the timers (are they electricronic or mechanical?)
4. Use a different power source: different power strip plugged into a different power outlet.
5. Bypass on/off switches.
6. Replace with a simple cheap ballast.
Good luck
Gary
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MISTAKES:
It Could Be That The Purpose Of Your Life Is
Only To Serve As A Warning To Others!
(despair.com)
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phinfan
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Posted: December 29 2011 at 8:58pm |
Well for those that have commented and anyone that finds themselves in a similar situation. I have confirmed that the ATI bulbs are in fact the problem. When it became obvious that it was going to take some time to figure this out. I quit buying new ATI bulbs and started replacing them with my old geissmann bulbs. I have successfully burned through 7 new ATI bulbs not to mention the couple ATI's that I replaced in the beginning of this problem. I have 1 more ATI in my setup running right now, and I am sure it's days are numbered. It appears that I have just demonstrated that you can get better par from the ATI's, the geissmann are more durable.
Thanks to all those who made comments in an effort to assist me with this problem.
I currently have a 8x24 sunpower on order. I may have it by mid Jan.
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John 3:16
93 GAL. Cube, 8 T5's, Elite Aquatics sump
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Ryan Thompson
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Posted: December 29 2011 at 9:28pm |
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To be honest, I find that very odd. I know of several people who will only use ATI bulbs on their overdriven ballast and have a bunch of PAR readings for them.
UVL seemed to be the worse and ATI were the best. It just shows that a "one size fits all" will not work.
I am not a fan of overdriving T5s anyways. You will love the Sunpower!
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phinfan
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Posted: December 29 2011 at 9:36pm |
Ryan
I find it odd as well, but until I have one of the geissmann bulbs go out I have to assume I stumbled on the problem. I wish I would have known about this over driving thing in the beginning. I may have decided to disassemble the entire lighting kit and try to sell it before it was used.
thanks for input along the way.
Rick
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John 3:16
93 GAL. Cube, 8 T5's, Elite Aquatics sump
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phinfan
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Posted: January 06 2012 at 7:41pm |
Well folks, My last ATI bulb went out today. I am now running with all my giessmann bulbs and I have not lost one giessmann through this entire mess. Hopefully my sunpower will be here within the next couple of weeks. Maybe I should put geissmann bulbs in it????? 
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John 3:16
93 GAL. Cube, 8 T5's, Elite Aquatics sump
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