Light Fixture Problem

[KevJ87]

I finally finished cleaning and setting up the 29 gallons a friend gave me. The setup is one of the old Eclipse 3's where the filter is part of the hood unit etc etc.
 
Well the lights turned on just fine last night and I turned them off again, they use a little button on top of the hood. Later on when I went to turn the lights back on to check on the setup, nothing was happening so I checked the outlet and wire etc all was fine. I tried to push a little harder thinking it was jammed up and of course I pushed the little button thing through the plastic wall into the light fixture plastic housing. Thankfully only aesthetic  damage, but brings me back to the main point. Any ideas on why the lights are not working, the button rig is pretty simple i doubt its the button but I don't know much about light fixtures is there anything in particular I should check, I tried 2 new bulbs still no luck.

 

[KevJ87]

No one has any idea? I guess im going to just mess around with the wires and try figuring something out.

 

[KevJ87]

Here are pictures of the electrical backing of the lights, I believe it might be either the switch itself or the little X-mas looking bulbs that look burnt out to me but I am not sure what I can replace those with. This eclipse 3 is very old the 29 gallon setup, I don't believe there is even a ballast?
 
Any help would be amazing guys.
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[KevJ87]

Fyi, I dont see a ballast... I thought they were all suppose to have a ballast?

 

[attibones]

That's a Marineland, right? I think they do an eclipse series. I've found that the Marineland people are very helpful, though I'm not sure if they could assist with a discontinued model. I would give the manufacturer and see if they can help out. Hard to tell from the pictures, but the metal parts do look a little worn.
The filter is connected with all of this right? Is it working properly?

 

[KevJ87]

The filter unit is completely seperated but yes it is working correct, the pictures show just the back of the 2 fluorescent bulbs. There is no ballast but rather 2 x-mas light looking things that are in the middle connecting each end of the fluorescent bulb wires. I tried the manafacturer and they only suggest trying to locate a used unit to purchase... but the light assembly is not rocket science I just don't understand this unit so I was hoping someone could help.

 

[attibones]

Have you tried replacing the bulbs? 

Oh, you said you aren't sure where the ballasts are, might be difficult to replace the bulbs that way. I'm sorry. I have no clue.

 

[DrRob]

That looks like a blown starter unit. Those little Christmas tree bulbs are the starters that you'd normally find in the cartridge thing you'd put in one of the older style fluorescent light fittings. They shouldn't be blackened like that, might be that something's shorted when you pushed the switch.

 

[KevJ87]

I figured it out ! I cut the button/switch out and just wired the lights right to the plug so sadly I can only turn them on/off by plugging in the power cord but I am purchase a button on/off switch and just re-wire it in

 

[attibones]

Oh cool! Glad you worked it out.

 

[KevJ87]

Thanks Attibones I was so pumped when I plugged it in and saw light. The phrase "let there be light" be have been yelled, unconfirmed source of course 

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