Question about metal halide ballasts

[mcphock]

Hello gang,

I have an old retrofitted coralife pro fixture. It came with coralife 2 ballasts, each supporting 150w metal halides.

I used coralife 150w bulbs in the fixture, but seeing as those are at the end of their useable life, I decided to try Radium bulbs.

I got the Radium 20k 150w HQI bulbs, just like I was using previously for the coralife bulbs. However, the bulbs will not fire up. I can hear them buzzing, but they're definitely not producing light. Does this mean my fixture or ballast do not support those bulbs? What would be different about two 150w HQI bulbs?

 

[porpoiseaquatics]

That ballast won't fire Radiums. I believe there are only a handful of ballasts that will fire Radium bulbs. There's something about how the Radium (and a couple of other names) are built that won't allow but certain ballasts to fire them. I'm sure somebody more experienced than I will chime in here.

 

[grouper therapy]

Let me make sure I understood you correctly. You were burning DE bulbs in the fixture before?

 

[mcphock]

Correct. I replaced the my previously coralife 20k 150w DE HQI with a Radium 20k 150w DE HQI bulb.

 

[grouper therapy]

Not sure about that then If both were DE HQIs then they should fire the radiums. Did you retry the coralifes? Also sometimes the radiums are a little smaller than the other bulbs and require that the sockets be moved closer together

 

[mcphock]

Ok, I got it fixed.

That was the first time I've replaced my halide bulbs personally. I had to do it without taking the canopy off, since my wife isnt strong enough to lift up her end

I must not have been able to get the bulb snug enough at that odd angle. Regardless, a little bulb jiggling, I got them to fire up.

I know the bulb needs time to 'settle' into it's final color, but it's much whiter than i was expecting. Hmmm!

Thanks anyways guys. I appreciate having a body of friendly, knowledgeable, helpful folks!

 

[grouper therapy]

Make sure you check them closely as to the socket distance if there is any play you could possibly shorten the bulb life.

 

[grouper therapy]

McPhock;568238 wrote: Ok, I got it fixed.

That was the first time I've replaced my halide bulbs personally. I had to do it without taking the canopy off, since my wife isnt strong enough to lift up her end

I must not have been able to get the bulb snug enough at that odd angle. Regardless, a little bulb jiggling, I got them to fire up.

I know the bulb needs time to 'settle' into it's final color, but it's much whiter than i was expecting. Hmmm!

Thanks anyways guys. I appreciate having a body of friendly, knowledgeable, helpful folks!

good deal

 

[tim8111]

1leftygolfer;568487 wrote: Curious - how long does the manufacturer recommend before the bulbs are considered "settle in"?

Most bulbs require a 100 hour burn in to achieve final color.

McPhock;568238 wrote: Ok, I got it fixed.

That was the first time I've replaced my halide bulbs personally. I had to do it without taking the canopy off, since my wife isnt strong enough to lift up her end

I must not have been able to get the bulb snug enough at that odd angle. Regardless, a little bulb jiggling, I got them to fire up.

I know the bulb needs time to 'settle' into it's final color, but it's much whiter than i was expecting. Hmmm!

Thanks anyways guys. I appreciate having a body of friendly, knowledgeable, helpful folks!

Radiums are whiter than other 20K bulbs, but the colors in the corals usually pop with them. When handling the bulbs did you wear gloves?

Thanks,
Tim