Coralife t5no 30"

[Sugardaddy1979]

So I am on my third one of these fixtures since February 4th. The first one lasted 2 months and the second only 2 weeks. Is there anything other than quality that could be causing them to fail? Both times the 6700k bulb just wouldn't light and both bulbs had a dark black band at the end. Is this a fixture issue, a bulb issue or something else? I run it on a timer for 10 hours a day.

[Edub]

Where did you buy the fixtures? I've had a similar problem with fixtures I bought from a retailer online, but they were only $35 a pop. I have bought one from a LFS for double the price in the past and had the bubls last me for years with no problems at all. A friend of mine has also bought the fixtures from a LFS and has had no problems.

The online retailer shipped me several replacement fixtures and each one of them had their bulbs burn out within a few months. The bulbs also get the black ends pretty quickly. I figured I'd save money buying 2 $35 fixtures instead of one $70 fixture, but with all the bulb replacing I've had to do I haven't saved much. I'm giving up on flourescent fixtures because of these actually, I'm gonna try my hand at DIY led.

[Sugardaddy1979]

I bought it from my lfs. They are awesome there and stand behind what they sell. They have swapped it for me every time. I'm just trying to figure out what the problem might be so I can work out a long term solution if this is just as good as it is gonna get for this fixture.

[Edub]

From my experience it is a problem with the fixtures, possibly the ballasts. I have replaced the bulbs several times and they keep burning out.

[cradleoffilthfan]

I have had my Coralife T5HO running about 11 hours a day for a week. No problems yet (fingers crossed).

[Aquatic Delight]

i am on my second fixture 30t5no since feb. i got mine online, and the first time i turned it on, the 6700k bulb burnt out! with the black spots on the end...so i called up the place i got it from and they sent me a new fixture (because they didn't have anymore 30' 6700k bulbs in stock.)

the new one came in a different box but was the same fixture. the 67000k bulb in that one lasted a month before burning out with same black spots as on the my first fixture.

i run my light about 11hrs a day.

so currently i have two color max bulbs in the fixture because i have been having trouble finding a 30' 6700k bulb

[cradleoffilthfan]

Man, I sure hope I don't have the same luck as you.....Coralife is a big brand, you wouldn't think they would have this many issues with a particular lighting fixture. I wonder if they have the same issue with the HO fixtures. I have heard of them overheating though....mine gets pretty warm, but never "Hot." I had a Current fixture for a couple years with no issues at all, I thought I was getting a better brand when I chose Coralife over Current this time, but I guess maybe the grass is not greener on this side? I swear if this light goes out, I am returning it and just buying a fixture from Catalina. I might do that anyway, so I have one at the house in case the Coralife goes out. I don't want my Glosso to pay the price for my bad judgement.

[somewhatshocked]

Have you emailed Coralife or called their toll-free customer support number?

There may be something they can do for you. I just had some bulbs burn out too quickly and they sent me replacements.

[Sugardaddy1979]

So far my awesome lfs has taken care of me thankfully. I think it just a bad batch of bulbs.

[Edub]

Originally Posted by Sugardaddy1979

So far my awesome lfs has taken care of me thankfully. I think it just a bad batch of bulbs.

I hope that's all your problem is, I've replaced bulbs on different fixtures and still had them burn out. Ive gone through about 5 or 6 of these guys, and every one of them burned out bulbs prematurely. Makes me think the problem is somehow with the fixtures because I sourced bulbs from a few different places.

[Caleb19]

I believe there is an inherent design flaw with the 30" T5NO fixture. I've used other T5NO Coralife fixtures (24", 48") and have not had any problems in 3 years.

[Sugardaddy1979]

What do you think the flaw is?

[TwoTacoCombo]

Do you have these hooked up to any kind of surge protector, or just straight into the wall/timer?

[kamikazi]

My coralife t5no 30" went out recently (lasted about a year). It appeared that the Colormax bulb touched the plastic window b/c there is a spot on the window that looks as if it melted deformed and re-cooled. I pulled out the bulb and there is a pin sized hole in the bulb at the spot where it would have been touching the plastic melted spot. My fixture was plugged into a timer, which is plugged into a power strip (not sure if its surge protected)

I tried running the light on one bulb and it doesn't seem to work. unless my other bulb is burned out as well.

Is there a way to tell for sure if my other bulb is burned out, without hooking it up to a fixture?

I would like to at least test the fixture somehow before spending money on bulbs. I might just take the light to the store with me and ask a sale rep if I can stick a couple bulbs in it to see if the fixture still works. Trouble is finding a store that sales any 30" t5NO not to mention 6700ks

At any rate if the fixture is dead, or bulbs are going to cost alot I will probably switch the tank to vertically hung CFLs in work lights like I have on my other tanks.

[Sugardaddy1979]

Originally Posted by TwoTacoCombo

Do you have these hooked up to any kind of surge protector, or just straight into the wall/timer?

I am plugged into a timer and then into a power strip. It has some surge protection, but nothing stellar.