Can you help me? Lighting question.

[Splot]

I have a Metal Halide fixture using 250w 10,000k bulbs and actinics. I've been using Halmiton Technology metal halide bulbs, and when it came time to replace them, I bought the same exact bulbs. But, they are not working!

I place the bulbs in the socket, and they flare up with the strong yellow/white light, but quickly flicker out, but the faint blue light remans on. And this keeps happening...strong yellow white light on (but only one at a time)...flickers out...blue light remains on...and so on.

So, the question is if the bulbs are bad, or my ballast...

I would think that the ballast is ok because when I place my old bulbs in, they still work fine (but needs to be replaced since the bulbs are too old). But, maybe the ballast is not ok? It's about 6 to 7 years old (Custom SeaLife).

Or, is it the bulbs. I got a replacement from Hamilton, but have the same problem.

By the way, I've checked out all my connections.

Any help would be appreciated!

Thanks!

[james3370]

deductive reasoning points towards the bulbs since the old ones work fine.....then again, i have heard of new bulbs not working w/ older ballasts. even though they are the same brand, HT may have changed "something" making them incompatible.

i'd try & contact HT to see what they think.

it might help if you have access to another mfg bulb to see what it does w/ your older ballast....same firing problem w/ newer different mfg bulb would lead one to think it is an old ballast/new type bulb incompatability issue then

[Splot]

Thanks James. I plan on contacting Hamilton today, and will let the forum know what I find out.