Ballasts turning on and off

[lisa foster]

Could the heat have anything to do with why my ballasts keep turning on and off? I have two ballasts that two days ago started shutting down every couple of hours they do get warm to the touch I am running the ac but they are inside the cabinet. It just seems strange that they are both doing that all of a sudden

 

[tigerslacrosse4]

you could try putting a fan on them they very well could be over heating what kind of ballast is it magnetic or electronic and what kind of lights are you using and also how old are said ballasts?

 

[Turbosnail]

Is there a fuse on the ballast if there is it could be bad and getting hot and loosing its connection and when it cools off getting its connection back.

 

[lisa foster]

Ballasts are about 1 1/2 years old they feel hot to the touch. They are electronic ballasts. I had another ballast different kind that would be fine in the winter and do the same thing in the summer. I pulled them out of the cabinet I will try the fan. I have the ac running but with this heat it is like fighting a losing battle.

 

[lisa foster]

I don't know about a fuse I am not great with the electrical side of things.

 

[tigerslacrosse4]

well you have to remember the stand is closed off so the air thats cooled is outside the stand and the air under the tank is likely very hot due to the ballasts being hot... open the stand up and put a desk fan down near it to get the cold air in there and see if it does something also keep your lights off for a bit so that they have a chance to totally cool off and check back in an hour and see what they do.

 

[S Hunter]

are they on the same circuit as the AC?

 

[lisa foster]

They could be connected. I asked my husband he of course has no idea. I will try the fan tommorrow.

 

[jtmac]

Lisa I have the same problem with my elec ballasts. They get too hot too touch and just started doing that (on and off ) this year. They are 4 years old

 

[lisa foster]

As long as they can hold out for a few weeks can replace them.

 

[tigerslacrosse4]

try leaving the lights on without the AC plugged in and see what happens if they turn off you can eliminate the variable of overloading a circuit and assume that its most likely heat being the issue I would leave the doors to the stand wide open if that is an option I don't know if you have a dog or cat that would cause problems if that were done so its just an option.

 

[jayman10134]

having them on the same circuit wouldn't make the ballasts turn off and on. it would blow your circuit as mine does. i have the same problem. its just cooling of the ballasts themselves. just throw a fan on them. there is no need for new ballasts.