BioCube 8 ballast went...

[ner'T']

My 1.5yr old ballast, (Actinic), seems to have died. Does anyone know of a good route to replace it? Another stock one, or wiring in a new ballast from a light store?

Thanks for any input

[Ron99]

Go to nanotuners.com and they have a video with instructions as to how to wire up their replacement ballast kits. You can probably find all the parts you need locally at places like rp electronics and an electrical/lighting supply place for better ballasts. That's what I did when the ballast on my Biocube went.

[ner'T']

Thanks for the info Ron99.

Did you buy locally? Does this ballast seem like it would work?

http://www.ballastwise.com/item.asp?PID=59&FID=16&level=1

Thanks again!

[Ron99]

I'm not sure about that ballast. I'm not really an electrical expert; I just muddle through :lol:

I went with a workhorse ballast as it was capable of running both bulbs if the second ballast went. I think I bought it at Torbram Electrical Supply. I am sure you can find an electrical supply shop near you and RP Electronics is in Burnaby which is where I bought the project box and misc. supplies.

[gbeef]

could be a fuse in the ballast i herd those blow.. mine blew 2 months in... and i just when to my LFS and got it replaced.

[Ron99]

The biocube ballasts are completely sealed and unserviceable. There is no fuse to change. If you open the ballast box you can see that they have filled it with tar/resin. I think that is part of the problem as the electronic components are prone to overheat.

[ner'T']

Hi,

Ron99 I picked up a 18w x 2 ballast today from B C Fluorescent Sales, in East Van, for $40, (The other place I tried was $65).

It can drive one, or both bulbs... Now I just have to make sense of all the wires in the cord that differ in colour from the ones coming outta the ballast:neutral:

Oddly enough, my other bulb went today... I thought it was the ballast for sure, but I changed the bulb and its okay...

-Rob

[Ron99]

Just follow the instructions in the videos here:

http://www.nanotuners.com/product_info.php?cPath=62&products_id=542

[ner'T']

Thanks for the link...

That video is for two separate ballasts vs. my single ballast. My new ballast has a wiring diagram for 1 and 2 lamp configurations., but I don't now how to tie it into the biocube cord.

I just wish that I knew what each of the 6 wires in the remote disconnect cord were.

Thanks

[Ron99]

The principals should be similar doing it with one ballast vs. two and the videos will tell you what the six wires coming from the disconnect cord do so you can figure it out from there.

[fdiddy]

Wiring these ballasts into the old spots is fairly simple. Cut the old ballast out - You should have Black, White and Green from the wall and wires that go into the hood (If you do not realize what these colours mean, then you probably shouldn't be attempting this :P ). Follow the colours into the hood and you should easily be able to see where they go. The one thing that got me when doing this, was that the hot wire (power) is wired straight through into the hood, through the switch, back down the wire to the ballast, then returns to the hood for the lights. The video should help a bunch if you find yourself lost.

Please don't buy the oceanic ballasts to replace it, they are prone to overheating as already mentioned. You'll save yourself the time, effort and money if you just wire the new ones in.

[ner'T']

Hi,

I ended up just wiring both bulbs off the one ballast as shown on diagram, (on ballast). I always have both bulbs on, so I didn’t care about independent control. I used all 6 wires from one cord for light circuit. I left the other cord to power the fans, with ballast, (stock one on cord), no longer wired to lights. Lights look bright and new ballast runs cool.

Thanks all for any input!