ATI Powermodule ballast help

oigimsar · Jul 12, 2014

I am changing the ballast on my Powermodule and I need some help. I watched the Reef Geek video on how to change them out and it makes sense but I don't know which one to change? The schematic on the ballast makes it look like they are all connected. I am sure I am missing something simple.

It is a 6 x 39w fixture

Thanks.

DGee · Jul 12, 2014

It can look a little overwhelming at first...You just need to locate what pair of bulbs aren't lighting from the bad ballast and then trace the wires by hand from the end caps to the corresponding ballast for that light pair.

oigimsar · Jul 12, 2014

Thanks for the response. I tried this but was a bit confused. There is only 1 bulb giving me problems. It is one of the two bulbs that light up separate from the other four. I assumed the two bulbs were on one ballast and the four on another but that does not appear to be the cause. Should I just replace the ballast that runs to the bad bulb?

DGee · Jul 12, 2014

Sounds to me like it's not a bad ballast then... I have a dimmable sunpower on my display and a powermodule on my prop tank and I've had to replace ballasts in both over the years.

I'd guess you either have a bad bulb or more than likely an end cap that's going out. I'm 99% sure if the ballast is bad neither bulb on that ballast will fire. They're definitely wired together on the same pair.

Make sure all your bulbs are good, then try messing with the bulbs by ever so slightly turning them in the sockets with the unit on. I had this happen to me a few years ago. It was frustrating replacing ballasts and stuff only to find out the whole problem was a $2 end socket.

oigimsar · Jul 12, 2014

Thank you. You may be right. I talked to ReefGeek about it and they suggested the ballast but the more I think about it and see how this is wired, the less likely that seems. The bulb never stopped working completely it just seemed dim and at times seemed to fire up slowly.

I may have made the problem worse at this point. In removing the ballast, two of the wires connected to it came undone (both yellow) and I don't know where they go. The wires were too short to go all the way through ballast as shown on the video. I know the two slots they go into but not the order.

Not sure what to do at this point.

DGee · Jul 12, 2014

Definitely sounds like a bad socket or a poor connection somwhere. I'd be looking more towards the bad socket though.

If it were me I'd take a very close look at how the other ballasts are wired, which wires go where etc. The wiring will be identical to the others so it should't be too difficult to figure out if you just replicate how the other ballasts are wired.

If you decide you just want to wash your hands of the fixture let me know, I might be interested. I'm in need of another light for a new prop tank I'm adding to my system.