8 Bulb Starfire - need help to get working

[oreo54]

May I ask, there is bare wire where the wires go in. It isn't much but the probe can get contact with it. Without disconnecting. Would that work?

Yes, as long as each probe can get contact and you don't accidentally short the probes.

I personally don't like working w/ AC line voltage.
IF I was doing this..
I'd use alligator clip probes, remove the wires (fixture unplugged).. attach the probes, tape the bare end THEN plug it in. Meter on AC voltage.
Unplug, put wires back.. repeat to next ballast.
You wouldn't really need to do all 4 but why not. You get to check the wiring all around that way.


Many will laugh at this but hate blue flashes.

Not part. fond of DC shorts though either but used to them

My Dad used to put needles through the wires to get probe points, then tape over the holes..

Point is do what ever makes you feel comfortable and safe.

 

[hrdneglcry]

From what I can tell 3 ballasts have voltage. The fourth ballast (top left) give odd reading. With wires exposed it is very difficult to get a reading. My multimeter has probes and not clips. But I can get a voltage reading in the wires going to that ballast but it is hard to get itnto read and it only stays for one second.

 

[hrdneglcry]

For the two ballasts on the top, since its on its side I get a faint volt flicker then back to zero. On the bottom two I get a solid steady voltage read.

 

[oreo54]

Well THAT just made your life a whole lot more difficult.. BTW THIS type of stuff is why I "do" LED's exclusively..

Sorry this is moving beyond what I feel comfortable "advising" about. I would suggest if you are doing any more live work that you use a GFCI socket or extension at this point.

https://www.lowes.com/pd/Tower-Manufacturing-Shock-Buster-15-Amp-3-Wire-Grounding-Single-to-Single-Yellow-Gfci-Adapter/1000492081?cm_mmc=shp-_-c-_-prd-_-elc-_-ggl-_-PLA_ELC_205_Wiring-Devices-Extension-Cords-_-1000492081-_-online-_-0-_-0&ds_rl=1286981&gclid=Cj0KCQiA3rKQBhCNARIsACUEW_aZneHa8RamhNJiQpVrSp-YzQhVxTmIeym0T9SkA7uoLABAqg041rkaAqD6EALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

There is one time consuming step that you could check with the fixture unplugged.
It may be busy work but I'd use the meter and the wiring diagram I posted and use ohms or continuity to make sure all the sockets are wired correctly..

 

[hrdneglcry]

Well THAT just made your life a whole lot more difficult.. BTW THIS type of stuff is why I "do" LED's exclusively..

Sorry this is moving beyond what I feel comfortable "advising" about. I would suggest if you are doing any more live work that you use a GFCI socket or extension at this point.

https://www.lowes.com/pd/Tower-Manufacturing-Shock-Buster-15-Amp-3-Wire-Grounding-Single-to-Single-Yellow-Gfci-Adapter/1000492081?cm_mmc=shp-_-c-_-prd-_-elc-_-ggl-_-PLA_ELC_205_Wiring-Devices-Extension-Cords-_-1000492081-_-online-_-0-_-0&ds_rl=1286981&gclid=Cj0KCQiA3rKQBhCNARIsACUEW_aZneHa8RamhNJiQpVrSp-YzQhVxTmIeym0T9SkA7uoLABAqg041rkaAqD6EALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

There is one time consuming step that you could check with the fixture unplugged.
It may be busy work but I'd use the meter and the wiring diagram I posted and use ohms or continuity to make sure all the sockets are wired correctly..

Bummer. Well thanks for trying to help. If it matter the guy that sold it to me said it worked before he took it down to store it. I do believe him. But yes it seems the two ballasts closest to the fans are not getting voltage although the voltmeter does move briefly. Doesn't make much sense unless it got wet or something in his garage. It seems like it should work. You can hear the relays engage when you plug it in. But I don't see anything like a frayed or disconnected wire. There don't appear to be any fuses. At least two ballasts have voltage. But none of it turns on. I did contact the company on this site. Hopefully they will repond. Other wise I just flushed $50 on a broken fixture.

 

[nereefpat]

Other wise I just flushed $50 on a broken fixture.

Looking at those pictures, there's a lot going on there, and I don't recognize or understand all of it.

I would be tempted to rip out all of the wiring and components, and then rewire it with new ballasts. That way you would only have line voltage going into the new ballasts and wires from ballasts to the tombstones. You should be able to do that for about 100 bucks or less. You would be in 150 bucks for a 6 bulb T5 fixture.

 

[oreo54]

you could try replacing a few sockets..

 

[hrdneglcry]

Looking at those pictures, there's a lot going on there, and I don't recognize or understand all of it.

I would be tempted to rip out all of the wiring and components, and then rewire it with new ballasts. That way you would only have line voltage going into the new ballasts and wires from ballasts to the tombstones. You should be able to do that for about 100 bucks or less. You would be in 150 bucks for a 6 bulb T5 fixture.

Well this is wonderful. What a rip. $50 and all sales are final guy says. What a jerk. I din't even see where that seems proper to sell someone someone something and because you thought it worked you can keep them money. Anyway I tried to get in touch with Fauna Marin. They have a forum on this site. But still nothing. This light was like $1800 in its day. I just bought it to have a light in the tank that worked. For soft corals. Aquatic Life has been trying to help. It would be great to see it fire up. But looks like that won't be happening. Thanks for your posts and attempts to help. I guess I could just buy one or two ballasts and rewire four lights. And just use four. Not quite sure though about all the fans and the wiring.

 

[oreo54]

Well this is wonderful. What a rip. $50 and all sales are final guy says. What a jerk. I din't even see where that seems proper to sell someone someone something and because you thought it worked you can keep them money. Anyway I tried to get in touch with Fauna Marin. They have a forum on this site. But still nothing. This light was like $1800 in its day. I just bought it to have a light in the tank that worked. For soft corals. Aquatic Life has been trying to help. It would be great to see it fire up. But looks like that won't be happening. Thanks for your posts and attempts to help. I guess I could just buy one or two ballasts and rewire four lights. And just use four. Not quite sure though about all the fans and the wiring.

Yea that sucks...
But ballasts are only $29..

No fancy push connects but wire nuts are cheap..

Seem odd that this is soo hard.. They aren't that complicated.

So my last few questions that I wondered about..
Do the fans work?
What is the listed voltage on them?
Does the potentiometer change their speed?

Does the led work?
Can the driver out measure 6v when the unit is plugged in?

$50 for a mystery puzzle isn't too bad..

 

[Tamberav]

The shell looks really nice if you just want to put new parts into it.

 

[hrdneglcry]

Yea that sucks...
But ballasts are only $29..

No fancy push connects but wire nuts are cheap..

Seem odd that this is soo hard.. They aren't that complicated.

So my last few questions that I wondered about..
Do the fans work?
What is the listed voltage on them?
Does the potentiometer change their speed?

Does the led work?
Can the driver out measure 6v when the unit is plugged in?

$50 for a mystery puzzle isn't too bad..

these ballasts probably work. might as well just direct wire them if i knew how

 

[oreo54]

these ballasts probably work. might as well just direct wire them if i knew how

Wiring diagram is on it and the orig I posted earlier..
Color coded.. hard to screw up but not impossible..

 

[oreo54]

Some ballasts use their shell as "ground, others have a green wire.
Your fixture most likely has the green wire from the plug attached to the shell.

 

[hrdneglcry]

Contact cleaner in the tombstone holders. Had oxidation in them. Have it mostly working now. Thanks

 

[oreo54]

Contact cleaner in the tombstone holders. Had oxidation in them. Have it mostly working now. Thanks

I didn' t know how to get to the swivel type contacts .. thus the above replacement suggestion..

You may want to still consider it.

Now what about fans, the potentiometer and the led?

 

[hrdneglcry]

I didn' t know how to get to the swivel type contacts .. thus the above replacement suggestion..

You may want to still consider it.

Now what about fans, the potentiometer and the led?

I don't know. I have half working. fans are
temp controlled. so I'd have to leave it on for awhile and see if they engage. Previous owner said he never saw the led work. I don't think it does. And it seems all the old bulbs are with junk or just not making good enough contact. It would be good to just replace all the holders.

 

[hrdneglcry]

Yea that sucks...
But ballasts are only $29..

No fancy push connects but wire nuts are cheap..

Seem odd that this is soo hard.. They aren't that complicated.

So my last few questions that I wondered about..
Do the fans work?
What is the listed voltage on them?
Does the potentiometer change their speed?

Does the led work?
Can the driver out measure 6v when the unit is plugged in?

$50 for a mystery puzzle isn't too bad..

Hi I missed some posts on here. Yes this is a nice unit. It is missing the acrylic shield but I could probably buy one at the harware store. The fans don't come on yet so potentiometer can't be tried yet. The guy said they did not run all the time. He also never saw the moonlight work. So I don't know if the fans ever ran or if they are tempertaure controlled. I only have two lights working. I had four but now only two. I am pretty sure the sockets are badly oxidized. I can't clean them caise i can't get in there with the swivel. A chunk of green came out on the pins of a bulb. I ordered new ones. I was told the fans come on with temperature and it doesn't get very hot with the two bulbs.

 

[hrdneglcry]

Hi I missed some posts on here. Yes this is a nice unit. It is missing the acrylic shield but I could probably buy one at the harware store. The fans don't come on yet so potentiometer can't be tried yet. The guy said they did not run all the time. He also never saw the moonlight work. So I don't know if the fans ever ran or if they are tempertaure controlled. I only have two lights working. I had four but now only two. I am pretty sure the sockets are badly oxidized. I can't clean them caise i can't get in there with the swivel. A chunk of green came out on the pins of a bulb. I ordered new ones. I was told the fans come on with temperature and it doesn't get very hot with the two bulbs.

One thing I'd like to ask, I was going to out this over a 90 gallon. I might only run 4 bulbs if I get it going. Tank has most of my corals but mostly softies. I just wanted this for a light. It is wired for T5 LEDS so on day I might try some in the sockets for them. How much of the 8 bulbs could I use on my 90 with benefit? I run 4 on my 120 so I figure 4 on this would work.

 

[nereefpat]

4 bulbs over a standard 90 is just fine for LPS and softies, and certain SPS on top of the rockwork.

 

[oreo54]

It is wired for T5 LEDS

Generally that would mean the ballast is bypassed so you just get line voltage at the sockets.

Next would be the sockets have both line and neutral wired to one contact on ONE side only.

Note no ballast.
.You would need your tube to match however it is wired.

Some led replacement tubes can use the ballast but would need to be designed for that