[Copperband86]

So the T5 actinics are not working in my fixture. They worked for a bit, but over the course of a couple days they began not wanting to turn on and now won't come on at all. I'm assuming the ballasts are bad for them, as the Halides & those ballast are working fine. Anyone have any thoughts as to what else it could be? Or is that a surefire sign it's in fact the T5 ballasts.

 

[weimers75]

Sounds like the ballasts, mine did the same thing. Are they new bulbs? If not, try a new bulb and see if it does it. Are all the t-5's on the same ballast?

 

[Devon]

Simplest method would be to put the bulbs in another fixture. I cant remember off the top of my head if you can or how to test the bulbs or ballast with an ohmmeter- dark spots on the ends of bulb are a sign. What size are they, I may have a spare fixture to use. -Devon

 

[Copperband86]

The bulbs were working just fine. I got this entire tank setup from someone about a year ago and finally got around to getting it all setup. The lights worked fine when I bought it and worked fine when I began setting it up. As I've been messing around with it over the past few weeks I've noticed that they just stopped working, which leads me to believe that the bulbs are fine and it's the ballasts. There are 2 T5 HO ballasts on the fixture and the metal halides run off a separate ballast.

 

[weimers75]

What's odd is that if you have two ballasts running the t-5's that they'd both go bad at the same time but it could be. That's why we were suggesting the bulbs. They could have been old bulbs too when you got them. If you can't check your bulbs then I'd try replacing the ballasts.