So for some odd reason I've been having stupid problems with lights.

I have 2 - 4ft floros and for some reason one of them just started to turn off out of no where. I'd unplug it for about a minute and then plug it back in, works fine.

Then 5-30mins later it just shuts off. I've replaced the light and the new one started to do it, replaced it again, worked fine for a couple days. Then the new one started to do it again. Replaced it again. Working fine at the moment.

Now my OTHER light is doing it.

Talk about stressing the shit out of the plants. 5-30 mins of light then a period of darkness ranging from just a couple seconds if I'm standing there when the light goes out up to hours.


Has anyone had issues similar to this at all?

Thanks,
Mr.Bud

Check the starter and/or ballast. There is not very many things that can be wrong.

How do I do that?

These are just regular shop floro lights? Everything is internal.

you may have to take it apart.

If it is the starter, it should be visible if it has them. They should be just sticking out of the unit in between the bulbs. Usually they are no more than 1.5 inches long and about the diameter of a nickle. Just twist it out. The ballast is inside the assembly you will need to take it apart, but for what they cost if it is the ballast just go buy a new light.

There should be a piece you can pop off to get to the ballast. Mine is under the bulbs. So i had to flip it over take out the lights and use a screwdriver to pop off the panel.

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I'm wondering if it would be something with the power setup or maybe bulbs? I'm just using glo-lux type bulbs 40w i believe?

With extension cords to each of the lights.

Should I be able to physically see if the start/ballast is bad?

These lights are like $7 bucks but i dont wanna waste any money since I'm picking up a HPS/MH shortly.

I think it's just the fact that they are walmart junk.

In my experiences with ballasts going bad, they will usually get hotter than normal and they will smell like burnt plastic.

Wal-mart could have something to do with it also. Heck just take it back and trade it in if it is new.

So I pulled the end off of the light and found that there was this green wire that was pressed in between the metal guard. I'm assuming it is the ground for the light. So I took a wire wheel and took the paint off of the metal and used a zip-it screw to make a good ground.

Well it seemed to be working fine. Stayed on for about an hour and then...off it went.

*shrugs*

Junk.


Mr. Bud

And I've returned 3 of these lights to wal-mart already for exchange already =/

I'm just waiting on getting my HPS/MH light

Mr. Bud

I was assuming you got the light from Wal-mart just from hearing about the problem you're having with it. I had the same exact problem with one of my shoplights I picked up from there. I tried to mess around with my light but nothing worked so I just returned it. It sucks and it's a hassle, but you can't beat $7.92 for a light fixture.