View Full Version : Tek Light replacement parts?
JDM_SOHC
08/29/2014, 11:45 AM
I have a 48" Tek Light 46 6x54w fixture and sometimes my bulbs will go out for no reason.. The manufacture date is 2006 on the sticker so I'm thinking maybe it's the ballasts, or the actual little sockets that the T5 bulbs plug in to, given that it's almost 10 years old but I'm having issues finding replacement parts.. Does anyone have any idea where I can get replacement ballasts and the little sockets..??
My ballasts are long and narrow, and I seen in some threads people were mentioning the IceCap 660's and those look short and wide and like they won't fit in the designated space within the Tek Light...
Thanks!
wildman926
08/29/2014, 01:21 PM
See if you can google the part number and find an equivalent ballast
JDM_SOHC
08/29/2014, 02:08 PM
Good idea.. Does my issue sound like it could be ballast and/or socket related..?? Thanks..
moondoggy4
08/30/2014, 08:31 AM
You can get replacement ballast at Reef Geek, at least I was able to get ballast for my Giesemann Infinity.
JDM_SOHC
09/02/2014, 12:13 PM
the reef geek site is down =(
is the a usual occurence for them?
Thanks!
Steveb
09/02/2014, 12:16 PM
I think ReefGeek be gone... :-(
ganjero
09/02/2014, 12:16 PM
ReefGeek is no longer in business
moondoggy4
09/02/2014, 12:19 PM
Sorry they are done for, I was really bummed to see that yesterday. Gone surfing. You could try Premium Aquatics.
Another option is Sunlight Supply horticulture division, or a local hydroponics store.
sirreal63
09/02/2014, 12:37 PM
IIRC most of the TEK ballasts were Fullham ballasts, but if replacing I would try and find a real spec T5 ballast, which you should be able to from the places that are still in business.
revclyburn
09/22/2014, 08:51 AM
I found the sockets on a horticulture site, HorticultureSource.com. I got 10 for 15.50, plus 14.15 for shipping. Not a bad price. As for the ballast, should check with them too, they probably have it. I toommay have to replace the ballast as I can't get the lights to work. Maybe I wired it wrong or one of the ballasts went bad. I'll have to see when I get a meter to read if anything is coming from the ballast to the lamps. But I think I wired it right. Can you do me a favor, see how they are wired on the red/blus side, as that was the only side I changed. I think the go, Yellow, then blue.red/blue/red etc and the last one repeats yellow.Oh, they should both be of the same color, I think. can you check for me so that I don't buy a ballast for nothing?
Thanking you in advance
RevClyburn
moondoggy4
09/22/2014, 10:29 PM
^^^^ One side should be one color the other side should be the other only.
revclyburn
09/23/2014, 01:23 PM
Thanks Moondoggy4,
but this is the original tek ballast, and it red and blue on one side, with 1 yello, that is jumpered from the first bulb. The other side is yellow with a blue and red going to the last bulb. So, confusing to say the least. I think I'll have to open the whole thing up to see how things go. And I definitely didn't want to do that. I wish I could take it to work, let the electrician fix it, but I work in a juvenile prison, and it's not getting in the gate, so, I think I'll just see if Sunlight supply will write me back or tell me how it goes. Wish me luck, lol, because the way they see it it's going to void the warranty, though that is long past.
Thanks again,
RevClyburn - gotta 90g tank, used to be my reef, calling my name and I'm about to hook it back up, lol.
moondoggy4
09/23/2014, 07:09 PM
You can PM me your email and I can send you a wiring diagram I have sent it to many people but lately I have been having problems with my email glitching.
JDM_SOHC
10/02/2014, 07:20 PM
Thanks for the tips guys.. I saw those sockets on that horticulture site and was wondering if they were the same or not.. I remember it asked me if they were a specific type, shunted or not shunted, but idk what that means.. I googled it and it seems like the Tek's came with shunted but maybe someone on here knows for sure which ones I need..
Thanks!
Scallywag
03/02/2015, 01:01 PM
JDM,
Were you ever able to figure out if the sockets were shunted or not? I think I have the same Tek-Elite you have. What ballast did you end up buying?
Thanks,
Paul
lighthouze08
03/02/2015, 03:45 PM
if workhorse ballast (instant start) then use the shunted sockets, if programmed start ballast then the non shunted one
JDM_SOHC
12/08/2015, 10:35 AM
PM'd
Sounds Fishy
12/08/2015, 11:59 AM
The nice thing about Tek lights is they are easy to take apart and find replacement parts on the Internet,yours will last forever as long as you keep replacing the ballasts when they wear out and the end caps when they corrode.You can usually pick them up used inexpensively.
JDM_SOHC
12/08/2015, 01:18 PM
The nice thing about Tek lights is they are easy to take apart and find replacement parts on the Internet,yours will last forever as long as you keep replacing the ballasts when they wear out and the end caps when they corrode.You can usually pick them up used inexpensively.
Yeah I love my Teklight, the only issue I have is that I want to upgrade it to incorporate LED's in it somehow and I also wish I could build a canopy for my 55g but the Teklight extends off the front and rear of my tank so a canopy wouldn't fit.. Those are my only 2 gripes lol..
SkullV
12/08/2015, 01:47 PM
The ballasts are workhorse 5 and workhorse 7. You can definitly use a Hep Group ballast like ATI but will have to re-wire your end caps.
JDM_SOHC
02/02/2016, 08:41 AM
The ballasts are workhorse 5 and workhorse 7. You can definitly use a Hep Group ballast like ATI but will have to re-wire your end caps.
Two of my end caps are actually kinda broke, so I was planning on redoing the endcaps and ballasts all at the same time.. I've run into a slight issue though, it asks for shunted or non shunted and idk which ones I have.. I put the bulbs in and turn them slightly to lock in place..??
Also, when I bought my Tek Light, the power switches don't function, the lights just come on when I plug the cords into the wall so hopefully I could rewire them to actually work off the switches as well.. If only I could find a wiring schematic for my light lol..
TimeConsumer
02/02/2016, 08:51 AM
If you are replacing the ballasts I would skip Workhorse and get a spec T5HO ballast. You will get better performance and more longevity. However you will need to rewire the endcaps as the Workhorse uses a jumper in the wiring scheme. If you buy a program start T5HO ballast you should not need shunted endcaps.
There are a ton of quality spec T5HO ballasts to use. Something like this: http://www.amazon.com/SYLVANIA-Quicktronic-49161-Fluorescent-Programmed/dp/B002CYVBVE/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1454424683&sr=8-2&keywords=sylvania+t5ho+ballast for your 4 bulb section
JDM_SOHC
02/16/2016, 01:20 PM
If you are replacing the ballasts I would skip Workhorse and get a spec T5HO ballast. You will get better performance and more longevity. However you will need to rewire the endcaps as the Workhorse uses a jumper in the wiring scheme. If you buy a program start T5HO ballast you should not need shunted endcaps.
There are a ton of quality spec T5HO ballasts to use. Something like this: http://www.amazon.com/SYLVANIA-Quicktronic-49161-Fluorescent-Programmed/dp/B002CYVBVE/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1454424683&sr=8-2&keywords=sylvania+t5ho+ballast for your 4 bulb section
Thanks for that info and the link, I appreciate it..!!
I've been thinking about doing a retro T5 and LED, do people wire the LED's into a different power source or can you tap into the T5's ballast for those as well..?? I figure if I can avoid having 4-5 plugs going into my surge protector that'd be more ideal..
TimeConsumer
02/16/2016, 03:33 PM
Hm, I don't know a ton about LEDs so keep that in mind.
If you used a driver than doesn't require a separate power supply (like inventronics) you could probably splice them into the 120v line that goes into the t5 ballast. Or if you do need a separate power supply I suppose you could do the same thing if the power supply was mounted inside the Tek housing. But I don't know how these parts handle heat so do some research.
You will most likely need to do a fan mod regardless as the LEDs definitely need some cooling.
JDM_SOHC
02/16/2016, 03:55 PM
Hm, I don't know a ton about LEDs so keep that in mind.
If you used a driver than doesn't require a separate power supply (like inventronics) you could probably splice them into the 120v line that goes into the t5 ballast. Or if you do need a separate power supply I suppose you could do the same thing if the power supply was mounted inside the Tek housing. But I don't know how these parts handle heat so do some research.
You will most likely need to do a fan mod regardless as the LEDs definitely need some cooling.
Yeah I figured I'd need to add a fan of some sort.. I've thought about eliminating the 2 T5's that run off a separate ballast and moving the other four around so I'll have 2 than two empty spaces than the other 2 and in the middle empty space doing some retro LED setup... So than I'd only need that one ballast you mentioned... Just have to find some LED's that will fit in that space of the two empty bulbs.. Hmmmm...
JDM_SOHC
02/25/2016, 11:21 AM
Hm, I don't know a ton about LEDs so keep that in mind.
If you used a driver than doesn't require a separate power supply (like inventronics) you could probably splice them into the 120v line that goes into the t5 ballast. Or if you do need a separate power supply I suppose you could do the same thing if the power supply was mounted inside the Tek housing. But I don't know how these parts handle heat so do some research.
You will most likely need to do a fan mod regardless as the LEDs definitely need some cooling.
Just got all 12 non-shunted end caps and that 4 bulb program start ballast for $50 :)
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