# "My light Bulbs are blinking" thead.



## jomeza001 (Jun 19, 2010)

Hi there guys. After seraching and replacing Bulbs and Starters, i have not had luck to make my lights to stop blinking.

I have a JEBO 90 gal freshwater Tank. The original lighting system consist of one 10" fluorescent bulb (round corner) and Two 36" Bulbs. The small 10" is working fine so i gues i'll put this aside of this problem.

Both large bulbs were doing perfect until one night when i got home i noticed both large bulbs were blinking. I though it was the starter so i replaced it. It didn't worked. I though i got the wrong starter and went to a different pet store to buy a different one. Nothing. ( i am assuming the starter is for all three bulbs? or is it only for the small 10" bulb?)

One thing to mention is, if i only connect ONE large bulb, it works perfect. Regardless if it's bulb # 1 or # 2. Blinking comes when i connect both of them.

I just disassembled the lighting dock and there are one Small ballast (LighSpeed Ballast) and one and one JEBO Large Ballast. 

All connections look in place and fine. 

So i'm wondering what is wrong with the large bulbs? What should i replace?

Any advice will be appreciated.
-JM


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## redchigh (Jan 20, 2010)

I would take a shot in the dark and assume the larger ballasts are for the longer straight bulbs...

You mentioned that you came home and started blinking-


Look at the lamp-
It makes a huge difference, so are the ends of the bulb blinking and the center doesn't light at all, or is the whole lamp flickering?

If it's the whole lamp, I think I have a relatively simple yet uncomfortable solution....
Turn your air conditioner off.
Flourescent bulbs will flicker if their internal componants are under 50 degrees farenheit. As an experiment, move them to another part of the house and try to plug them in. (Leave them plugged in for a couple hours.)

If it works properly, try running an extension cord to the aquarium from the first plug. (low current coming from the wall could also be the culprit, this is the easiest way to determine if it's current or temperature)

Beyond those two, I have no idea.


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## jomeza001 (Jun 19, 2010)

Actually bulbs seem to be perfect. As i said before, if i plug ONLY one bulb ine\sead of two simultaneously, each will work perfect.

Now something i did not mention is, if i let them blink for a couple of minutes, the blinking stabilizes but do not dissapear. So i guess it could be the ballast.


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## redchigh (Jan 20, 2010)

jomeza001 said:


> Actually bulbs seem to be perfect. As i said before, if i plug ONLY one bulb ine\sead of two simultaneously, each will work perfect.
> 
> Now something i did not mention is, if i let them blink for a couple of minutes, the blinking stabilizes but do not dissapear. So i guess it could be the ballast.


Maybe check this out:

http://nemesis.lonestar.org/reference/electricity/fluorescent/trouble.html


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