Help - Aquarium Lights Blowing Mains Trip

[**sarahp**]

OK - I bought my tank second hand so all the stuff was already set up. I brought it all home, set it up again and everything was hunky dory for 3 weeks. Then I added in a second filter so had to take things out and move them round and stuff. Anyway - when I put it all back together the one set of lights keeps tripping the mains switch

I've tried plugging it directly into the wall (it was on a 6-gang), I've tried just this light on the 6-gang and last week I took it away from the aquarium completely and had it on the dining room table to dry out (thought maybe it had got water in a connector or something) just plugged it in now - and bam - the trip goes again

Now as I bought it second hand, and the bloke before me bought it as a complete set-up I have no idea what to do? The bulbs dont appear to be flickering before the trip goes. As soon as I reset the trip and plug it in again - same thing - its driving me bananas.

I'm currently doing a fishless cycle so its not the end of the world yet but I would like to get it sorted asasp.

The tank is one of these

http/www.rocketaquatics.co.uk/product_in...8d16b57bc3882a3

the lights in it are 'Arcadia Marine Blue', the other lights set is working perfectly - that has white light in.

Anyone got any ideas or shall I just give up and buy a new one - if so what sort - I cant seem to find a 'rena' light system anywhere - what should I do??

Can you tell I'm getting just a tad stressed and annoyed now

 

[SkiFletch]

Well, it SOUNDS like you have a short in the wiring of one of your lighting circuits, most likely it's a ground fault at the ballast. I'd try removing the bulbs and plugging the "defective" set into the wall and turning it on (if there's a switch). If it still trips the breaker, then you can assume it's a short or a broken ballast. You'd have to take the fixture apart to expose the wiring to make that final diagnosis. If it doesn't trip the breaker, it's possible that the light bulbs are the problem, although I'd think that's HIGHLY unlikely

 

[Lateral Line]

Those blue lights are no good for freshwater tanks anyway. They produce light at the wrong areas of the spectrum for plants to use, but can stimulate certain algae, which is their actual purpose, to simulate the light at some depth on a coral reef.

As above, I would strip the unit down and check the wiring, but I don't know that unit, it might be sealed. If it is a ballast, the coil might have got overly hot and developed a short. This is definitely possible if your "blue" lamps are Actinics, these tend to pull a lot more current at start up then regular lamps. Frequently, they are recommended to use a larger ballast.

 

[steve2000]

Hi before you do any of the above i'd check the plug first, incase you pulled a wire out when moving it.