Ice Cap 250w New Style Trips GFCI

[InsaneClownFish]

I just picked up an Elos E-Power pendant second hand from a fellow reefer that came with the new style Ice Cap Ballast.

I have two different make GFCI. I have an identical Ice Cap ballast that tips one but will run smoothly on the other.

This new one trips both. It runs fine plugged into the wall- no buzzing.

It does get hot. I can hold my hand on it for 4-5 seconds before I need to remove it. If I remember correctly, this is a good amount warmer than the other, and slightly older, but identical IceCap I have.

Concerns?

[InsaneClownFish]

^^^ Still looking for help on this.

[InsaneClownFish]

Morning bump. ^^^

[alton]

I thought I was seeing things until I went back to your other post in Reef Discussion

Heat is wasted energy, that is why you do not use mag ballast. It is called wasted money. If one of your ballast is getting hot compared to the other and tripping you GFCI then call Coral Vue and see about sending it back.

[jim.l]

If it's hot enough to burn you, it's broken! Ice caps run warm to the touch, not hot.

[InsaneClownFish]

Heat is wasted energy, that is why you do not use mag ballast. It is called wasted money. If one of your ballast is getting hot compared to the other and tripping you GFCI then call Coral Vue and see about sending it back.


This is an IceCap Electronic ballast. It is neither magnetic nor a Coral Vue product.

If it's hot enough to burn you, it's broken! Ice caps run warm to the touch, not hot.


Yea this was my concern. I read back through some of the old posts from the Icecap folks and they seemed to intimate that this was sorta normal ballast to ballast and had more to do with the mounting surface- ie if it sits on wood it will get exponentially hotter.

I just talked to a family friend who's an electrician. He wasn't concerned. He said there can be a significant difference in the amount of current leak from ballast to ballast- even with identical models. If there was a short of some type, the light would not fire. Subsequently, if there are real issues with the ballast the circuit should trip.

In particular, he said lighting is prone to these nuisance trips. He deals with ballasts all the time, and in his estimation, even the florescent ones get extremely hot on a consistent basis.

All this being said, I'd like to hear from more people who have actually had experience with these ballasts. Thanks much.

[Randy D]

I have been using Ice Cap 250W ballasts since 2000. I have both the new and old style. Both styles do run warm to the touch but not hot. As far as the GFI. I do not have any problems with the tripping of the GFI mine are on. However if you are pushing the Amp limit on the GFI, or if the GFI is old or a inexpensive one, this could be causing the GFI to trip.

As far as the one poster saying call Coralvue, I believe they now service Ice Cap since Ice Cap the company is out of business.

HTH
Randy

[InsaneClownFish]

I'm doing a side by side comparison of both ballasts running on the same surface.

This is by no means scientific.

9:10 am ballasts on
9:20 am both ballasts cool to the touch- hint more of a warmth on ballast A but very subtle
9:50 both ballasts slightly warm to the touch- hint more from ballast A
A- 81 ish (alternate reading 97.3)
B- 79.5 ish (alternate reading 95.5)

I will continue to update for giggles to see where this goes.

[InsaneClownFish]

10:10 am 1 hour on
Ballast A- 80.5 (alternate reading 102.7)
Ballast B- 79.5 (alternate reading 99.3)

Both ballasts warm to the touch with Ballast A being noticeably warmer. I will do another reading at two hours on.

[InsaneClownFish]

11:15 am 2 hours on
Ballast A- 93 (alternate reading just says "hi")
Ballast B- 92 (alternate reading 108.3)

Ballast A is hot to the touch, but I can hold my hand on it.
Ballast B is more warm/hot to the touch- easier to hold my hand on.

[InsaneClownFish]

Where are they located? In the cabinet or outside of it?

You might be able to fix some heat issues by mounting a fan to blow air across them when they are on.

[InsaneClownFish]

1:35 pm 4 hours in

Ballast A- Can hold 4-5 seconds.
Ballast B- Can hold without removing hand.

Both are hot- not warm.

[InsaneClownFish]

So here's the kicker. After running 16 hours Ballast A was actually not as hot as it was at the 4 hour mark. Got me on this. I could hold my hand on it without needing to remove it.

[InsaneClownFish]

I've mounted the ballast up on two brass legs. I'm now using an OZ fan blown across all ballasts. To my utter surprise it doesn't even get warm- cool to the touch. Incredible difference..