Help with my VHO bulbs

revhtree · Oct 15, 2010

Well it's been over a year and a half since I first installed my VHO bulbs. They were fine tonight and I removed one to add a new bulb in it's place. Long story short I can't get the new one or the old one to fire now and was wondering if there is a little secret! HA!

Again it was working until I messed with it! :nerd:

condor · Oct 15, 2010

try to push the sockets onto the bulb more, like one hand on each one and push toward bulb

revhtree · Oct 15, 2010

I will try that. It's a 72" bulb though!! HA!

revhtree · Oct 15, 2010

Now are they just supposed to slide up in the grooves? No turning?

VegasRick · Oct 15, 2010

if you look into the socket you will see a notch for the bulb to slide into, it should be up and down. Once you slide it in you need to make a quarter turn on the bulb. Check all the bulbs you messed with or might have bumped

Reefwizard · Oct 15, 2010

yepper little turn and in.

ronnie · Oct 15, 2010

revhtree said:
Now are they just supposed to slide up in the grooves? No turning?

Should give it about a 1/2 turn to lock it into place. You may have a loose wire on an endcap if you fiddled with it too much.

Try putting the old bulb back in, too. Your new bulb may just be bad.

SlackTide · Oct 15, 2010

corrosion, they are just like any regular florescent bulb, a full 1/4 turn left or right, but check the contacts for the pins, being brass they are probably a little green

skinz78 · Oct 16, 2010

The tubes should ether have a little flat spot or a bump on the alum end piece, when correctly installed this "spot" should be facing out towards you.

revhtree · Oct 16, 2010

Thanks for the help. I got them fired up!

skinz78 · Oct 16, 2010

Pic's or it didn't happen!

revhtree · Oct 16, 2010

Well funny story about this. Seems the ballast must be powered up in order for the lights to fire. Weird huh??

skinz78 · Oct 16, 2010

LOL it's amazing how things work......

revhtree · Oct 16, 2010

In my defense though the ballast was plugged into a controller and should have been on!

Oiseau Reefer · Oct 16, 2010

Sounds fishy to me haha I think it was your ballast swearing at you for waiting a year n a half to feed it new bulbs

revhtree · Oct 16, 2010

LOL! Yea the VHO's were for supplement only, but the new lights look awesome! I got some of those 454 bulbs.

SlackTide · Oct 16, 2010

electricity, only appreciated when its gone lol

Oiseau Reefer · Oct 16, 2010

revhtree said:
LOL! Yea the VHO's were for supplement only, but the new lights look awesome! I got some of those 454 bulbs.

Hey throw on two super actinics on there as well you'll never go back I run two 6' 454 and two 6' super actinics it's so awesome combined with my 3-250w Phoenix de

mfinn · Oct 17, 2010

revhtree said:
LOL! Yea the VHO's were for supplement only, but the new lights look awesome! I got some of those 454 bulbs.

I replaced 3 x 55watt pc actinics with 2 x 75 watt VHO 454 and I was stunned at the difference.

SlackTide · Oct 17, 2010

mfinn said:
I replaced 3 x 55watt pc actinics with 2 x 75 watt VHO 454 and I was stunned at the difference.

there really is no comparison between pc and vho, I ran vho for years but the electrical consumption compared to t5ho's was enough to make the switch(plus the numerous color possibilities)