Need some advice on this light please

[Lawnmowerblenny]

Good evening,

I picked up this older coralife fixture a couple days ago, it had some issues but I scooped it up for $20. I figured worst case scenario that I could use the housing and do a retrofit of some sort. The seller said that the PC lights didn't work, one of the two halides worked and the other they think had a bad bulb because it was making a "buzzing noise" when they tested the light. No worries because I didn't plan on using the PC lights anyway, and of course I knew that new bulbs were a must for the halides the 1ok bulbs that came with it were probably original to the fixture and looked way gone. I had some time today to tinker with the light and ended up taking it apart because the factory paint was bubbling in some areas so I planned on stripping the housing down to clean metal to repaint. Removed all the power compact lights, ballasts, and components, removed all the moon lights and wires/ switches for those lights, removed the old halide bulbs and inspected, notice one of the old halide bulbs appears broken and one of the sockets/terminals looks like may have a burnt area....

I'm now at a stand still and need someone with electrical knowledge to weigh in. Do I need to replace this part/socket? If so can you tell me where I could possible find, are these ballast for the halides ok to use or is there any danger to them being older/ do the ballast need any attention? I'm trying to avoid purchasing a nice bulb and damaging it because of faulty ballast or socket/terminal. Or do you think my best bet is to just trash the halides and use the housing for a retrofit. Be honest it won't hurt my feelings.

Thanks in advance for the help!

 

[Brew12]

Good evening,

I picked up this older coralife fixture a couple days ago, it had some issues but I scooped it up for $20. I figured worst case scenario that I could use the housing and do a retrofit of some sort. The seller said that the PC lights didn't work, one of the two halides worked and the other they think had a bad bulb because it was making a "buzzing noise" when they tested the light. No worries because I didn't plan on using the PC lights anyway, and of course I knew that new bulbs were a must for the halides the 1ok bulbs that came with it were probably original to the fixture and looked way gone. I had some time today to tinker with the light and ended up taking it apart because the factory paint was bubbling in some areas so I planned on stripping the housing down to clean metal to repaint. Removed all the power compact lights, ballasts, and components, removed all the moon lights and wires/ switches for those lights, removed the old halide bulbs and inspected, notice one of the old halide bulbs appears broken and one of the sockets/terminals looks like may have a burnt area....

I'm now at a stand still and need someone with electrical knowledge to weigh in. Do I need to replace this part/socket? If so can you tell me where I could possible find, are these ballast for the halides ok to use or is there any danger to them being older/ do the ballast need any attention? I'm trying to avoid purchasing a nice bulb and damaging it because of faulty ballast or socket/terminal. Or do you think my best bet is to just trash the halides and use the housing for a retrofit. Be honest it won't hurt my feelings.

Thanks in advance for the help!

With that much corrosion on the connectors, I would replace them. I don't see any visual reason to replace the ballasts.

Without taking it apart, I can't tell exactly what you would need as a replacement part but likely something like this.
https://www.amazon.com/SYLVANIA-690...34776558&sr=8-14&keywords=metal+halide+socket

 

[CC13]

Good evening,
1) Do I need to replace this part/socket? If so can you tell me where I could possible find?
2) Are these ballast for the halides ok to use or is there any danger to them being older/ do the ballast need any attention?
3) Do you think my best bet is to just trash the halides and use the housing for a retrofit. Be honest it won't hurt my feelings?

1) You absolutely need to replace the sockets. Any electrical plugs or connections that have burn marks should be replaced. Always
2) The ballasts are more than likely shot. Ballasts don't need care, they simply get old and burn out. The lights still may work, but a worn ballast does not fire properly to spark the bulbs and they do not keep the bulb at their optimal operating intensity. Do you know when the manufacture date is on this fixture? Or how long the prior owner ran it for?
3) I would scrap fixing it. The connection clips (In question #1) all need to be replaced more than likely you aren't going to just replace 1. You have dual ended halide bulbs in that fixture and all 4 should be replaced. You also have to replace the 2 ballasts (more likely than not).

In all honesty I used to have a Coralife Halide fixture very similar to this one. I found that it ran very hot inside. You can get more life from the bulbs if you can run a halide pendant open with some air flow. I would look on here for people selling the ballast, pendant (might even get some bulbs). It would be a far better option than spending all the money to replace the stuff in this fixture. Coralife also didn't use the most optimal reflectors. The ones they use(d) give you more loss and less coverage. Just be patient and you can find good deals with superior parts and equipment on this forum.

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/metal-halide-set-up.383112/

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/reefbrite-halides-led-for-sale.432061/

 

[Lawnmowerblenny]

ok so that basically answered all my questions thanks gentlemen, It looks like best bet is probably to retrofit or make it an led build based on serial numbers i think ballast and light is 06 or 07 but i could be wrong

 

[CC13]

ok so that basically answered all my questions thanks gentlemen, It looks like best bet is probably to retrofit or make it an led build based on serial numbers i think ballast and light is 06 or 07 but i could be wrong

10 year old ballasts are more than likely shot and need replacement.

 

[Lawnmowerblenny]

my thoughts also... thanks for input

 

[jda]

High quality ballasts of that age should still be working, but those are not really high quality. Sorry. If they are heavy (magnetic), then they still might work. If they are light (electronic), then I would bet against it. Plug them in and see if they will fire the good bulb... just a few seconds will not hurt anything.

If you ever retro those, be sure and use the glass. Double ended bulbs do not have UV shield built in like single ended bulbs do, so you need the glass covers to do that job.

 

[Lawnmowerblenny]

High quality ballasts of that age should still be working, but those are not really high quality. Sorry. If they are heavy (magnetic), then they still might work. If they are light (electronic), then I would bet against it. Plug them in and see if they will fire the good bulb... just a few seconds will not hurt anything.

If you ever retro those, be sure and use the glass. Double ended bulbs do not have UV shield built in like single ended bulbs do, so you need the glass covers to do that job.

ballast are very heavy for the size in my opinion, so possibly magnetic, I will test it out and see how they do.