PC lights

[Fastmarc]

I just got some replacement pc light (96 watts x 4) and when I put them in, they didn't go to full bright. Just kinda 'glowed'. This happened before (last year), but I sent it back up. The people told me the the bulbs light fine.
Any ideas what could be up?

 

[Anonymous]

plug them into a different outlet and see if they're still "glowing"... perhaps you are overloading the circuit that you run your tank on???

 

[Fastmarc]

I did think of that, but why would the old bulbs still work ok?

 

[Anonymous]

I kinda had the same problem you did with NO bulbs...i could only get my bulb to come on when i tiped the fixture upside down...Until one day i cleaned the contacts on the bulb itself with an eraser...Boom, now it works...dont ask me..it was a new bulb too... You said you sent your first replacements back and they said they were fine?? Do you have anothe PC fixture/ballast to plug your lights into?? Perhaps think about getting different brand of replacement bulbs or buying from a different store...

 

[sally1]

How long are they glowning for? The reason I ask is I just recently got some new PC lights...when I put them in they just glowed....I thought the bulbs were defective. I let them glow for a few minutes and they finally came on fulll strength. After that, they came on full strength all the time. Maybe they just need a few minutes. Just my experience.

 

[Anonymous]

Is the reflector grounded???

This usually occurs because of an inadequate ground plane - try running your hand over the tubes and see if you can get them to fire - otherwise make sure your reflector is properly grounded and it should fire right up.

 

[Fastmarc]

Thanks for all the replys everyone.
This second set is a year later and from a different supplier.
I left them on for about 7 hours with no change.
I gave them to friend to try in his hood and possible 'burn' them in for a dew days. Hopefully it will work in my hood after that.
Tom, it is a Custom Sealife hood and the reflector didn't come grounded even though there is a ground wire present. Do you think connecting this wire would solve the problem?
Thanks.

 

[Fastmarc]

Just giving this a bump. Hoping someone would answer.

 

[Anonymous]

This is not an unusual problem with brand new bulbs. Turn the bulbs on and then rub your hands along them. Your hand should create enough static electricity to kick the bulbs in.

 

[PeeJ]

is this the same for normal flor? i have a strip light with 1 40 watt and 1 32 watt and the 32 watt has trouble. only the ends glow...then it will light...and flicker...and come on and flicker etc etc...sometimes it works all the time but then it will go back to just the ends glowing...whats the deal? i was thinkin maybe cause they are different wattages

 

[Fastmarc]

Guys, this thing is starting to stress me out. The bulbs went into another hood and lit up right away. Why won't it work in my hood and the old bulbs do? I tried rubbing them like suggested (feeling a little silly while doing it), but nothing happened.
I'm really desperate for some advice.

 

[cdeakle]

Contact the manufacturer and dont get off the phone untill your satisfied that they have helped you.

 

[Fastmarc]

Anyone have a number for Custom Sealife. Their website has no phone numbers... very strange.
I'm getting depressed.

 

[Anonymous]

Maybe its time for a new hood??? thats kinda costly though...Maybe blow out the socket..I dunno...Im kinda lost myself :?

 

[Fastmarc]

Ok, good news. I got unto CustomSealife and they were very attentive, but couldn't understand what might be causing the problem. They however, did send me a new pair of ballast free of cost, which caught me by surprise.
I'm thinking of sending the old pair to them when the new one arrives to see if they can find anything wrong and better help us understand what might have happened.