need help with bulb

[chrisdaphish]

i recently purchased a hamilton tech mh175w true 10000k bulb to replace my older 14k bulbs... when i put them in and turned ont he ballast.. they started turnnign on liek normal bulbs.. then after they got warmed out.. they started blinking and my ballast started makgin this sound... and hten the bulb went out.. so i let it cool down a little and tried it again.. same thing..... sigh can someone help me and tell me whats going on and what ishould do?! thakns..any help will be appreciated.

chris

 

[chrisdaphish]

okay well my new bulb has stayed on longer now... do u guys feel liek a new bulb has to be "broken in" like a shoe does or wutever?

 

[Detri]

Sorry Chrisdaphish, can't help you. Could be a faulty bulb? Maybe?

 

[chrisdaphish]

okay wel i turned the bulb off ... after it was on for about 10 minutes runingn well.. and hten i waite about another 10 minutes to try turnign it on again.. to amke sure it works.. and it wont turn on anymore ;aghds;ads;hds;gdsa sigh someone kill me my life suck!

 

[afishyonados]

Some bulbs are not designed for certain fixtures. Someone more educated can explain it better, but here goes...
If your ballast is older technology (can and coil, magnetic) some bulbs won't fire properly. If it is newer technology (electronic) bulbs geared for old tech won't work. One system requires a starter (like a flourescent fixture with a tar ballast), one does not.
Before freaking further, I would investigate the demands of the equipment you are running.
Oh yeah, why Hamilton? There are more serious manufacturers out there. Not picking, just curious.

 

[NaH2O]

Here's a bump for you, as I'm not sure. I do know that if my lights get turned off for whatever reason, they have to stay off for about 15 minutes before they will fire again. I think that is pretty standard with MH bulbs...someone correct me on that. I don't know the answer as to why the bulb isn't functioning properly on your ballast. Is it the correct wattage?

 

[chrisdaphish]

well now the bulbs work.. maybe a ltitle too well.. lol i think too bright corals not used to the new bulbs so they bleached a little.. going to need to move my lights up a tad.. but the bulbs are working now.. im not sure what was wrong.. i guess the bulbs just had to break in or something.. thanks for ur help guys

 

[NaH2O]

You can also put some eggcrate on top of the tank, and put a few layers of window screen on it to help acclimate the corals to the new lighting. Remove one layer of screen at a time.

 

[Skimmy]

yup, depending on the ballast you are driving those bulbs with, it would definately effect the "break in" of the bulb. especially scince hamilton bulbs are german if im not mistaken. you get the same deal running radium 20k on pfo ballasts, they blink out for a few days before they burn in, usually you can screw the bulb back and fourth and it will relight the bulb, but then the prob goes away after a few days, usually, sometimes not.
bulbs designed for european ballasts of 240 amps, not 120 like here in u.s. makes them act funny on american ballasts, sometimes they dont work at all, unless you have hqi or pulse start instead of probe start ballasts.

 

[chrisdaphish]

hmm thanks for the help guys.. i appreciate it
skimmerwhisperer- im not too sure wut i have..im kinda dumb when it comes to equipment... how can i tell the difference between pulse start and probe start ballasts is there an advantage between one or the other? also.. are hamilton bulbs generally not that great? thats wut it sounds like.. ohwell
nah2o- yes.. haha im putting eggcrate between my lights and tank.. it doesnt even seem like its does anthing.. mabye i need to upt more eggcrate in between.. but yup hopefully that helps acclimate!

ty for the help guys

 

[Skimmy]

pulse start ballasts are usually clearly marked, as they run a wider variety of bulbs and are more expensive. physically there's just the addition of a small starter within the ballast. do you know the name brand or model number?

 

[NaH2O]

im putting eggcrate between my lights and tank.. it doesnt even seem like its does anthing.. mabye i need to upt more eggcrate in between.. but yup hopefully that helps acclimate!

ty for the help guys

Are you layering the screen material on top of the egg crate? That's where you'll get the help with acclimation. When I have my egg crate without screen, it doesn't do anything to help with acclimating the corals, however, a couple of layers of screen can do wonders

 

[chrisdaphish]

plastic bag ?! woudl that do okay=/ im so afraid its going to melt into myt ank.. or my fan will blow it up onto the lights adn then asghklagdsa;ghds;agdsgds disaster

as for my ballast it says its
Model :AF175WD MH S
Serial: 15466
175W 120V 3.6 AAMPS
Energy Savers Unlimited, INC
Torrance California 90502
^^^^ thats all it says ont he ballast ...is it any help?

 

[NaH2O]

Plastic bag?? Are you referring to the window screen? I've used it on my tank, and I tape the layers to the egg crate. I have 4 fans blowing out of my canopy with 2 250W MHs. How high off the water are you lights?