almost disaster help!!

[jaydm93teg]

so I'm sitting on my bed and smell smoke I turn over and smoke is pouring out of my t5 fixture I jump up and shut it down it's an 8 bulb set up and 2 of the bulbs quit working I think one of the 4. Allast went out so I disconnected the bulbs but it doesn't look like u can change the ballast would the. Allast cause smoke like that? I took it apart and 6 bulbs are running fine right now am I loosing that much light between 6 and 8 bulbs?

 

[drnecropolis]

Oydsea?

 

[jaydm93teg]

Catalina bought it used I'm ready to upgrade now

 

[drnecropolis]

hmm I never had a problem with the Catalina I used to have.. Glad you caught it though

 

[jaydm93teg]

any suggestions for the upgrade?

 

[drnecropolis]

Which direction you wanting to go?

 

[melev]

Can you post pictures of the unit? Perhaps it can be fixed. Perhaps it was just a faulty spot. Or do you mistrust it enough that you'd never consider giving it away?

 

[jaydm93teg]

Don't really have a preferabce I would be happy with either t5 or mh

 

[jaydm93teg]

Well it's working running 6 bulbs right now and I took it apart and there are 4 ballast inside it I'm thinking 2 bulbs per ballast so I'm sure someone who knows what they r doing could fix it I would be willing to sell once I replace it if that's what u mean by giving it away but I don't trust it enough to stay on while nobody is home I'm sure it's a bad ballast or bad wiring considering it's only effecting 2 bulbs

 

[lilrobb]

If you wanna part out, I might take the fixture, maybe can make a retrofit from it.

Robb

 

[ericmcj31]

sal @ SWC could prob. fix it pretty easily; kinda a hike fromyour place, though

 

[jaydm93teg]

yeah i work like 10 min. from sal though i work in kennesaw never even though about having it fixed i like the idea thanks!!

 

[ericmcj31]

well yeah, then take it to him; he's great and pretty darn reasonable-not much to look at, though-

 

[jaydm93teg]

cool thanks for the info. it maybe just wiring but im no electrician so i hate messing with that stuff especially when it involves the unit staying on all day with nobody home ya know

 

[johnr2604]

Yes, ballast can smoke like that when they go out I have seen it happen alot. Just swap the ballast and you will be good to go. The ballast has a tar in it. If you inspect it close enough you might even see where it boiled out.

 

[jaydm93teg]

yea i did see one of the ballast that had black sticky stuff on it but i thought it was just burnt hot plastic at the time....but the thing is i dont know where to get or even what kind of ballast it is.....also it didnt look like the ballst could be removed almost like it was held in with rivets not your typical nuts and bolts

this may be one for Sal to take care of

 

[johnr2604]

jaydm93teg;287575 wrote: yea i did see one of the ballast that had black sticky stuff on it but i thought it was just burnt hot plastic at the time....but the thing is i dont know where to get or even what kind of ballast it is.....also it didnt look like the ballst could be removed almost like it was held in with rivets not your typical nuts and bolts

this may be one for Sal to take care of

Sal can fix it. You have to drill the rivets.

 

[jaydm93teg]

cool thanks for the help guys