Icecap 175 watt metal halide problems

W

wellsm2

AC Members
May 9, 2006
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Central Virginia
I have a new 175 watt metal halide that has been up and running for about a month and it keeps blowing out my Coralvue 14000k bulb. Over the past month I have gone through three bulbs and am starting to think that it may be the ballast and not the bulb. I have another ballast running the same exact configuration and have not had any problems. Has anyone else had a problem with this with this ballast or the type of bulb

Thanks for any help I may receive,

Mike
 
Ice Cap has an excellent reputation. That isn't to say that it couldn't be a faulty ballast but it would be an exception more than a rule. I've heard mixed reviews on the Coralvue but have never tried them. I get my MH bulbs from here:

http://www.reefgeek.com/lighting/Replacement_Bulbs/Metal_Halide/

Have you tried contacting the place you bought the ballast from?
 
Thanks for your help. The lfs I go to told me if it blows this bulb we will try another ballast and send it back. The only reason I think it might be the ballast is I have the same configuration on the other side with no problems at all. Do you think it can be an issue with the mogul and not the bulb or ballast. The reason I think it is the ballast is earlier in the week my tank shot up to about 81 degrees and when I put my hand a few inches under the bulbs the bulb that blows felt like it was running a lot hotter than the one that doesn't blow.
 
You've already blown 3 bulbs and they want you to try a 4th? If it were me I'd take the unit to the store and ask them if they are willing to plug their pricest bulb into it right there are the counter. If they balk I'd smile and say that is what I thought now how about helping me get this right?
 
is it wired the same? is the green grounding wire attached to anything?
is the bulb also not working on the bother ballast?
it sounds like it could be a faulty ballast. Could you get your hands on a kill-a-watt meter to see if it is running unaturaly high for some reason?
i do agree with grins though, the store should take it back.
 
I took it to the lfs and we decided to send it back and have icecap take a look at it. He offered to try other bulbs but the fact that it usually runs for anywhere up to a few days to a couple of weeks with no problems I figured that wouldn't solve the problem. He gave me a loner ballast and a fourth bulb at no charge until I get mine back. He talks to Chris at Icecap regularly and said they will be able to fix the problem if it is on there end with a quick turnaround. I think the LFS is not to blame I have been going there for several years and he has always solved the problems and he does a huge volume with customers that comeback regularly. He even talks me out of buying things at his store if he doesn't think it will work. I have the utmost confidence in him and his knowledge of the trade. For the other post it was wired exactly the same as the other ballast that has been up and running for over a month now with out any problems.
 
I think I stated it wrong. He was going to try another bulb to see how it fired up because when I told him the bulb was running unusually hot compared to the other he just wanted to check it out because he was pretty surprised that a brand new Icecap ballast would be bad considering their superb reputation. He was not just going to send me home with another bulb and say lets see what happens. However, I have heard on very rare occasions people having similar problems with Icecap ballasts. I think what truly sets Icecap apart from their competitors is their phenomenal customer service. I will post back with the results of what is truly wrong when they take a look at it.
 
It turned out to be the ballast. I shipped it into Icecap last Tuesday and had a brand new one on my doorstep when I got home from work. I am impressed with their customer service and dedication to their customers. I highly recommend buying from them even though their ballasts may be a bit more expensive than the competition.
 
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