Lights Flicker New!?

[liqourish]

just bought a reg florescent bulb from walmart for 10$ for 2xT8(32 watts 6500k). it wont work but just flicker on the lamp. the reg one i had (3500k) works just fine (t8 40watts). any thing i should no to get it to work? or reg flourescent bullbs dont work with aquarium lamps?

 

[Mikaila31]

The wattages are not the same, which is why it probably isn't lighting. From what I understand, you bought some bulbs and tried to put them in a exsisting fixture, but all they will do is flicker. Are you sure the old blub and the new bulbs are the same?

 

[liqourish]

The wattages are not the same, which is why it probably isn't lighting. From what I understand, you bought some bulbs and tried to put them in a exsisting fixture, but all they will do is flicker. Are you sure the old blub and the new bulbs are the same?

lol they r Difernt. ones from the pet store, and ther other is from walmart. wattage makes a flicker difference? the new walmart ones dont work (32 watts, 6500k)

 

[Mikaila31]

Yeah wattages will make a difference. The ballest is designed to light a certain number of lights with a certain total wattage. If I'm correct in thinking you originally had 2x20watt bulbs and now you are trying to use 2x16watt blubs. I understand the bulbs are different, but do the bulbs look the same? same size around the tube and same lenght? Your fixture is only going to light one type of bulb, type normally depends on the diameter and wattage of the bulb.

 

[SuperColey1]

You have overpowered the tubes and probs burnt them out. If you use a 3A fuse in the plug for a high power piece pf equipment then the fuse will most likely blow rendering it useless.

Try to push 40W (The ballast power) into 32W of tubes and the same will happen.

This is why Fluval tend to underpower their tubes. On a Fluval 125Ltr you will think 2 x 18W means there is 36W of light but they will be powered by a 30W ballast!!!

It is fine to 'underload' the tubes but not to overload them.

AC

 

[liqourish]

You have overpowered the tubes and probs burnt them out. If you use a 3A fuse in the plug for a high power piece pf equipment then the fuse will most likely blow rendering it useless.

Try to push 40W (The ballast power) into 32W of tubes and the same will happen.

This is why Fluval tend to underpower their tubes. On a Fluval 125Ltr you will think 2 x 18W means there is 36W of light but they will be powered by a 30W ballast!!!

It is fine to 'underload' the tubes but not to overload them.

AC

makes sense. thank u all