Ballast problems...

Quinn · #1 05-01-2004, 10:20 PM

I worked an overnight shift last night and got home today around 3:30PM to find that one of my 400w halides had not fired this morning. I am using a dual 400w PFO ballast. I thought perhaps I would try to fire it again so I reached to toggle the power switch and found that when I applied any pressure, it would make an odd fizzing sound. I didn't think that could be a good thing so I turned it off and as I did so, it snapped and the switch became loose. Now I can't turn it back on because there is no resistance in the switch, and I only have one bulb going. The unit is under a year old and was purchased from J&L. They are going to give me a shout in a few days.

My question is, will my stonies be alright with only one halide over half the tank for a few days or even a few weeks?

Stretch · #2 05-01-2004, 10:27 PM

I think you'll be alright for now...... but if you need to send the ballast out for repair you'll have no light at all.

If it come down to it you could replace the switch you yourself or bypass the switch completly

Bob I · #3 05-01-2004, 10:49 PM

Jesse is quite right. An electrician such as myself would just bypass the switch.

StirCrazy · #4 05-01-2004, 11:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bob_I

Jesse is quite right. An electrician such as myself would just bypass the switch.

why woulden't an electrition like your self do it properly and REPLACE the switch.

Teevee, can you do a little electonic work? it might be soldered in so the best bet is after the lights go off tonight take that switch out. (does your dual PFO have two wall plugs or one?) if two then don't plug the one you took the switch out of back in, if one you will have to physicaly disconect the power inside for that ballast (should be wire nuts, just undo them and take the wire out for that ballast then do them back up for the other ballast. do one at a time so you don't mix them up and lable so you can hook it back up the same laiter. the switch might be soldered in but most likely it will be done with wire nuts also.

take your switch into a electronic store in red dear and get a new switch.

Steve

Stretch · #5 05-01-2004, 11:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by StirCrazy

take your switch into a electronic store in red dear and get a new switch.

LOL Red Dear

Quinn · #6 05-02-2004, 12:03 AM

I'll see what J&L has to say and then start worrying about getting the fix done elsewhere. Any ideas as to why the lamp wouldn't have fired this morning? I haven't touched the switches for several weeks at least.

Stretch · #7 05-02-2004, 12:37 AM

If you need it i can loan you my 175 pfo ballast and 10k ushio it just lying around anyways

Delphinus · #8 05-02-2004, 05:51 AM

A few days, no sweat. A few weeks, ehhhh, ... maybe not ideal. Move things over to the side that's lit or borrow a different ballast or something. (If you have to send the ballast away, that is.)

If it's under warrantee or something then get them to fix it. But if you have to pay shipping, I'd say don't bother, it will be likely more than replacing the switch yourself. If it's not under warrantee you can just replace the switch (or bypass it) .. fairly easily. You can get the switches pretty much anywhere, Home Depot, Rona, Radio Shack, etc. I might even have one kicking around that you could just have, only caveat is I have to find it (eh heh heh

it's in a box around here SOMEwhere ...)

Quinn · #9 05-19-2004, 06:15 AM

Well luckily this was easier than I thought. J&L had PFO send me a new switch (free under the warranty), which I just replaced (getting the case open was a pain, due to the hot and therefore expanded metal). Good as new now. UPS charged me brokerage for some dumb reason, but kudos to J&L who covered it for me. Don't think I lost anything as a result of the inadequate light, although for some reason a nice frag went kaput on me today, always a bummer.