Icecap ballast and blowing bulbs

[Hudini]

I have the Icecap 430 ballast and it blows bulbs at an alarming rate( 4 in 3 months ). Has anybody ever had this happen to them and how did you fix it?

[bguile]

I have the Icecap 430 ballast and it blows bulbs at an alarming rate( 4 in 3 months ). Has anybody ever had this happen to them and how did you fix it?

We would need more info Hudini. What's the bulb rating? What type of bulb? (double ended or mogul) and how far are these lights above the tank?

[Hudini]

Sorry

VHO, 4-24in, URI, 75watt each, 8in above water, water proof end caps, and

[kevinpo]

Have you contacted IceCap? I am running 10 or so ballast for the last 4 years and only had a problem with one blowing fuses.

Regards,
Kevin

[Hudini]

This is from Ice Cap support

If lamps are going out frequently then it is most likely a result of bad lamps, poor lamp pin to end cap contact connections, moisture in the end caps, or the end caps are not mounted resulting in a gap or excessive play between lamp and end cap. We have never seen an issue where a ballast would blow out a lamp.

I hate to say but URI VHO's are not cheap, I have the best End Caps I can find. They are the 3-Piece German VHO End Caps that champion lighting sells.

[Reefland]

Are you sure that there is a good connection and that the end caps aren't getting moisture in them (despite that their water proof)?

[Hudini]

Any tighter they would bust the bulbs, unless I am missing something. I do not have a clue but I will set them back up and hope for the best. It is just getting a bit expensive.

[vtec si]

I have 2 660s and 430 Ice Cap ballast and have never had a problem with them or the blubs. I did have a end cap that was missing a rubber gasget and I could not get the bulb to fire until I put in a new gasget.