Bulbs keep burning out

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Paccula

AC Members
Dec 14, 2004
232
0
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39
Vancouver, BC, Canada
Hi all,

so I'm maintaining one of those hang-on-the-wall AquaVista 500R aquariums, and recently the bulb burnt out. No big deal, I replace it with another. When I returned in two weeks, it was out again. Hmm... dud bulb? I replace with my second spare. Same result.
If the ballast is dead would this be the result? The bulbs did work when I first put them in, but I'm not sure how long they stayed lit before they too died.
Thanks all!
 

carolinyens

AC Members
Apr 20, 2009
281
0
16
Butner NC
Its prolly the ballast. Is it just one bulb? Ive seen setups that had 2 ballasts for multiple lamps and you can really tell then. Hooking up a new ballast isnt hard and might be able to find one at a home improvement store or if you have a local electrical supply even better. If you do change it out I would suggest taking pictures of which wires are going where so you dont get confused if you take the old one out if your not familiar with electrical work. Not sure what the cost will be. Id say around the 20 to 30 buck range but thats a guestimate
 

Paccula

AC Members
Dec 14, 2004
232
0
0
39
Vancouver, BC, Canada
It takes a single T4 12 watt 6400k bulb.
The manufacturer's website offers a "lamp with ballast" for sale, and separately, "light bulb (2)".
http://www.aquavistainc.com/buy_partsaccessories.html#
By lamp I wonder if they are meaning a spare bulb, or if that is another replacement part.
I've never replaced a ballast inside a unit like this before, and there aren't any instructions in the manual. This aught to be fun... :p
 
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