Any electricians around?

I bought the odyssea power compact 4x65 260 watt light fixture for my tank and everything was well, was reading on here that the bulbs were not up to par so I ordered 2 super acintic white 12000k to replace the 10000k white and 2 super acintic blue to replace the acintic bulbs. After installing the bulbs which was pretty simple,just unplug and plug back up, one of the super acintic white bulbs after about 15 or 20min quit working.I thought it was the bulb so to make sure I took another bulb that I knew was good and tried it and nothing. Well I had to goto work and when I came home disassembled the light and cannot find any loose,bad wiring so I put it back together and put it back on the tank and after about a day the other super white acintic has quit but the acintic blues are both fine.MY question is would going from 10000k to 12000k create more heat and burn the ballasts up?I have completely disassembled the light at this point and everything looks good as far as wiring and there was no jarring of any kind during installing the new bulbs so I am incline to think it is the ballasts.Anybody have any suggestions(besides not buying odyssea:disappoin)?

 

Becareful, playing with the ballast. I think they are known to hold a charge. But for your question Sorry I dont know. I hate electricity.

 

To test your theory about whether or not it's the kelvin of the 12K that's doing it--put the lights that are working fine into the now defunct two slots, and put the 12K's into the slots that hosted the lights which were working fine.

You could also get a voltmeter and test the sockets (endcaps) on the entire fixture. If they're all up to snuff, something is flaky.

If you don't have a voltmeter, do first thing above first, and see where that takes you.

 

The capacitor can hold a charge. Testing with a voltmeter will tell you if there's any stored charge.

Usually endcaps are manufactured in such a way to prevent fingers from touching the contacts.

Good point, Bob.

 

I switched the bulbs already to the ones that are still working but I didn't want to leave them in there long, didn't want to burn them up if thats the case.Looking to replace the ballasts if I have to but hard to find a 4 pin ballast that would fit my fixture.

 

Why not just call them and have them mail you a new fixture as yours is defective and to email you a return shipping label

 

Its not working because there are too much going on for that light fixture. You are right, it is because you went from 10000 to 12000. The light had to make room for the extra light you added somewhere so it either booted your other white acs or you basically blew the light out because of the increased wattage.

 

??

There is no wattage difference between a 10K and a 12K bulb.

 

Sounds like a bad connection on the common line for that lamp. Does it glow at each end? If you dont have one go to radio shack and buy a cheap volt meter. Make sure it can test resistance. Does that type of fixture have a starter or is it internal to the ballast? Check continuity between the power cord/switch and ballast. Trouble shooting those type of lamp are very easy. Send me a pm if you need some help.

 

thats what i am saying, switching the specturm of the light wont cause the bulbs to blow out.

geoff did you try the white bulbs in the working slots? i had something simlar happen to my light, you need to send it back. the issue is more then likely in your endcaps. if it was you ballest none of the slots would work.