VHO flicker

[Delphinus]

Put some new VHO actinics in my 75g hood this morning.

One has an awful flicker. I can see little waves dancing back and forth across the tube.

What could cause this? Bad bulb? Bad ballast? Bad wiring? Bad spacing of the sockets?

I don't think it's socket spacing, because they press in on the tubes with a little bit of pressure.

It could very easily be wiring, since everything is DIY. But what should I look for?

The sockets aren't grounded. I'm not sure how to ground the sockets, they're mostly plastic, and they're screwed into wood. Ground the screws maybe? But then do I have to ground EVERY screw???

The reason I swapped out my old tubes was because they weren't lighting all of a sudden. Well they were lighting, but extremely dim. The ends had blackened a bit. They are old bulbs, but I think the blackening is a recent thing.

Heat problems maybe? They do have a fan blowing across them because of the heat from the Iwasaki's.

For now I've just left the VHO's off. Need some ideas what to check for here.. Dang it, I hate fluorescents sometimes! Not quite so cut and dry as other lights.

PS. growing from 110W white tubes, to 110W actinic blue tubes ... what a disappointing sudden lack of intensity. Darn it all, need to shoehorn some more tubes in there now.

[Delphinus]

Oh wait, I just realized something. Monday I had forgotten to turn my fan back on after I had been playing around with things, so things got rather heated in there that day (luckily the tank temp never exceeded 30C). But the hood was probably pretty hot, and maybe that explains the blackening and demise of the old VHO tubes.

But it doesn't explain the flicker on the new tubes. So, still need some suggestions on how to improve things there.

I've never used VHO actinics before. Do they need a burn-in period maybe? They're URI tubes, I thought those were the best to get.

BTW, it's just a standard tar ballast, I wish I could have an Icecap, maybe one day.

[DJ88]

Tony,

What ballast are you running? It sounds like there isn't enough current into the lamps. but I can tell more once I know the ballast.

Actinics will be dimmer. Not much you can do there. all the energy going in is in one wavelength than a full spectrum which our eyes see better. You can run one of each with no problem. in the end with my 33 I was running one 10KK aquasun and two actinics. I liked that combo.

[DJ88]

Is it a magnatek ballast? hmm..I'd say loose connection somewhere. Possibly close to making a complete break so that it still allows some conenction. If your old ones worked fine with no flicker and after changing your lamps you noticed the flicker I'd lay a frag on a lose wire. go around and wiggle the wires when it is turned on. You'll knbow pretty wuick. ;)

The blackening is just due to use. Mine did this after only 6 months on an Iceacap 430.

You know you can run VHO's off of a workhorse ballast. get a workhorse 7 and you are set. They are about $60-70 I think. Much better. They will run the lamps much more efficiently than the old balalst. The workhorse 6 is rated for 220W so you will be fine with it.

[ 29 May 2002, 11:06: Message edited by: DJ88 ]

[Delphinus]

Thanks for the info. I think it's a Magnetec ballast, I'll have to look at the sticker again to be certain. It's a pretty heavy beast, looks just like a typical fluorescent ballast just about 3-4 times larger.

A loose wire. Hmmm, could be. I'll do the wiggle test as you suggest.

Who makes this Workhorse ballast? Can I just go to any lighting supplier and ask for one, and hope that they know what I'm talking about?

[AJ_77]

These lower mainland guys - sheesh! They have a group of Fulham dealers.

Here's the page that lists them.

None in sunny Alberta, though...

[ 29 May 2002, 13:02: Message edited by: AJ_77 ]

[DJ88]

Alan,

lol..

TOny,

if you wanted one(workhorse) I am sure we could make some kind of arrangement with our other shipment that is upcoming. Sound good? :D

[CHEAPREEF]

Just to let you knoe, Workhorse 7 ballasts are $42. I got mine last week shipped to Edmonton for $53. It works very nicely, going to check how much it's actually overdriving those NO tonight.

Clinton

[Delphinus]

One more question. How should I ground my VHO tubes? Should I, indeed, attach a ground wire to every screw securing each socket to the canopy? (I have two screws per socket.) Or, should I just stick some aluminium tape to each bulb and ground that, and will that be sufficient?

PS. DJ - sent you a PM...

PPS. Clinton ... WHERE from were they $42?? This magical "AllBrite" (sp?) I hear tales told of? :D

[ 29 May 2002, 13:31: Message edited by: delphinus ]

[DJ88]

Al lyou are supposed to do is ground the case of the ballast. Attach a wire to the ballast then ground that. You can do that in any way shape or form you feel.. Well ok. the best way to do it is to take that ground and attach it to the third(ground prong on the plug you used to hook the ballast up with). you know which pin I mean right? the rounded pin. Not the blades.

"albrite" is a fun place to shop for lighting stuff. I guess Fullham is coming out with some new MH balalsts. :D can't wait.

Reading your PM now.

Cheepreef,

Where are you getting your workhorses for $42? Albrite is $56 here.

[ 29 May 2002, 14:20: Message edited by: DJ88 ]