Combo light warning

seaponygirl · Mar 19, 2017

this my experience with a recent light purchase. After 3 weeks of construction, top off water overflow to the tune of 30 gallons on the floor of new construction and my 48" T5 and halide combination shorting out, temp in 120 dropping to 58 degrees in the tank I desperately needed a light. (Long story, eh?). I found a combo unit unit on eBay for $295. I know what you are going to say... but anyway. Fast delivery, looked nice in the box. BUT when I plugged it in it tripped the breakers. On the house circuit and surge protectors no matter where I tried them. I contacted the eBay seller thinking I had a bad unit, but he immediately send to send it back, no exchange, just a refund, and intimated my house wiring was wrong to support the ballasts. OK, No problem, he said it is about $20 bucks shipping. Nope $74 by UPS. He doesn't pay return shipping.
The light is easy to find on eBay, only one seller. About 50/50 on reviews for this light. I wasn't lucky and return shipping was insane. A semi expensive lesson.
Now I'm waiting on a reliable T5 unit, and using par38 leds in the meantime. So please wish my half frozen, semidrowned, dark of the moon fishes good luck. Thanks

Flippers4pups · Mar 19, 2017

Your links don't go to anything. Can't see the light, so others can see it?

seaponygirl · Mar 19, 2017

I cannot seem to cut and paste, but it is a snap to find on eBay under light combos.
Sorry for tech diasability

wkscott · Mar 20, 2017

I had this problem about 20 years ago with a halide combo. I had an electrician come in and sure enough the additional high wattage of this light combined with everything else on the same circuit, blew the braker. He was able to put in a higher wattage something or another and everything worked just fine. It wasn't a defective light combo unit. My house wiring in this particular circut had to be upgraded.

seaponygirl · Mar 20, 2017

I will keep this in mind. It was on a 20 amp circuit so there should have been enough. I know that how much a line will carry depends on the size of the wiring not just the recepticals rating. Lesson learned, that's for sure.