how to tell if a T5 ballast is shot

[rbredding]

HA!

there are no "tombstones" in aquaria.. we use endcaps.. (same thing)

 

[ichthyoid]

Could it be, that-

Llamas = lamps,

in some sort of dumbphone Jenglish (lost in translation, kind of thing)?

1) swap lamps to a known good fixture and test fire.

2) If lamps fire, then isolate to
-A) a bad socket/connector (they can corrode)
-B) possibly a loose connection (easy to find, IME), or
-C) a bad ballast. Most expensive to buy, and last resort.

Robb,
If you cannot get this resolved, give me a call. I will either-
1) help you resolve it via phone, or
2) come over and take care of it (I might plumb your bathroom too :confused2: )

Have meter (and know what to do with it), will travel for friends (including ARC Officers/BOD's)...

 

[wannaplayatlanta]

Rbredding;634191 wrote: what the hell is a LLAMA got to do with it?

LAMPS BUDDY. Slow ur role. iPad laikes to rspell for me

Edit: Ok don't take an electricians advice. Good luck with tour tombstones and end caps and lamps. Maybe if u decide you need my help jit me up.

I'm out on this one.

 

[lilrobb]

ichthyoid;634206 wrote:
Robb,
If you cannot get this resolved, give me a call. I will either-
1) help you resolve it via phone, or
2) come over and take care of it (I might plumb your bathroom too :confused2: )

Have meter (and know what to do with it), will travel for friends (including ARC Officers/BOD's)...

The offer to plumb adds a whole new dimension to it.

There'll be burgers tonight Bill.....

 

[rbredding]

wannaplayatlanta;634189 wrote: Being that it is two ballast with four each, u can check all termination points but the easiest way isdp def going to be to just swap the llamas around to see what happens. If all llamas work in the good ballast than it's time to replace the ballast,

Let me know the part number if you need one

how would you test the individual outputs with a multimeter?

 

[rededge2k1]

LilRobb;633891 wrote: Dude,
You need to stop throw bits and pieces out here and act as if you know, if you really do - PLEASE post full sentences and help the people who ask questions, your one liners just confuse them/us more.

A digital multi meter, I mean come on - every baby knows that you use that for testing electricity.

LilRobb;633900 wrote: I wasn't expecting anything else from you...

Ouch dude. That sort of attitude (especially coming from an officer) doesn't do much good for the club/forums. But in the spirit of your response --

http://lmgtfy.com/?q=how+to+test+a+ballast+with+a+multimeter">http://lmgtfy.com/?q=how+to+test+a+ballast+with+a+multimeter</a>

See first search result.

Dustin

 

[rugdog65]

LMAO!!!! Excellent response Dustin.

 

[lilrobb]

The Google response was actually a joke from another thread and all in good fun.

And I am happy to see my problem brightened up your day...

The question was: "Any ideas how (which wires,voltage, amps, ohm...) to figure out if the ballast is done or one of the bulbs gave up?"

And the response is "Yes you can, with a DMM"

I mean that's a good answer - just didn't fit any part of my question.

Thanks for the Google link, that might actually really help me...

 

[ralph atl]

LilRobb;634286 wrote: The Google response was actually a joke from another thread and all in good fun.

yes, it was........:doh:

 

[rbredding]

LilRobb;634286 wrote: The Google response was actually a joke from another thread and all in good fun.

mysterybox;634287 wrote: yes, it was........:doh:

your humor wasn't lost on me.. I nearly spit coke all over my keyboard when I read it..

 

[ralph atl]

Well, you just had to be there...

 

[texhorns98]

Robb,

I had this same thing happen. Do the other 4 bulbs fire? If they do, swap all those into the four slots that are giving you trouble. On my particular fixture, it was like old Christmas lights. If one of the bulbs blew, the whole ballast "went out". Chances are the two bulbs that flicker are bad (as was my case) and new ones will allow that set of four to fire properly.