lights fried? Help!!

[YLChik]

Hi came homefrom church today to a weird smell and no white lights in the tank. Blue lights are working but not so much on the white... how long can xenia and mushrooms go with out white light?

Any quick fix info while I figure out what I need to do to replace/ fix? I have only had the lights since July...
for more info on them see my tank specs ylchik's 55

thanks guys!
Amy

[hng]

Unplug the ballast to the white lights and remove the bulbs and look carefully at the endcaps and bulb ends. Is there any discoloration or melted plastic? Check the plug and wire connections, is there anything loose or discolored? This is to try to figure out if a bulb died or if there was an electrical short or some other problems that caused the lights to not fire. Hopefully, it's something simple like a loose connection or dead bulb. Bulbs can be replaced easily, even if you have to use a non aquarium one, until you can get your hands on the replacement you need.

[hng]

oops, didn't realise you had PC lighting. I would still do the above, but in the short term, you could switch the white bulbs for the blue ones and run just the white ones until you figure out what's going on. From what I understand, PC bulbs last a very long time. They may shift their spectrums and loose intensity, but they don't just go dead in a few months. Maybe someone else with more electrical experience can help you here.

[r6413utah]

Weird smell is the ballast. How are you with eletronics and hands on repair

[r6413utah]

Go to home depot get a eletronic ballast for a dual 48 inch light kit and take a look at this link. it will give you 65 watts per bulb.

http://www.geocities.com/teeley2/overdrv1.html

[YLChik]

hubby said it was the ballest... I will have him check the above and report back, he already switched white for blue.
no melting
no discoloration
no loose wires
checked in with the ebayer that sold it... he said he would sell me a replacement ballest for 15.00
good bad?!
thanks again you guys are really great!

[hng]

Well, to me it sounds a little weird that a new ballast would fry like that. Maybe you could get a new ballast at home depot, I'm pretty sure they sell PC ballasts there.

[Doug1]

If your lighting is only 2 months old I think the seller should do better but $15 for a ballast shipped to you is not bad, at least that gets you back up and running.
Yet another reason I dont like Power Compact lights as a rule
Hopefully you get it sorted out soon

[Loverotties]

They should get you enougher one.

[YLChik]

ANy theories as to why the ballest may have fried?
Possible options?

[hng]

It may have been used or defective. It could have been a freak accident, but the seller should get you a new one if there is any kind of warranty. That's why I suggested Home Depot, there are warranties there and you can take stuff back if it doesn't work.

[Wiskey]

I have fried a few PC ballasts just from use.

I have 8 ballasts running in my house right now, and sadly I am now out of spares . They don't blow all the time or anything, but just like any electronics, after a few years of use, cycling, getting hot, they just sortof give up.

Whiskey