High Tide Aquatics

Icecap Ballast Question

Wlachnit

Wlachnit

Past President
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Is there an easy way to electrically test an Icecap 660 ballast without having to completely wire it up? Also, what is the ~ typical PAR difference when you overdrive T5 bulbs using this ballast?
 
Thanks Mario. So, basically there isn't a straightforward way to test....oh well. I had an Icecap endcap melt (must've shorted somehow) and now I can't get the ballast to fire. In the meantime, I did connect a standard ballast that I got from BRS years ago and it barely even lights the bulb! So, I think I have my answer to the 2nd question.
 
I might have a 430 or two; have to look for them.
Maybe yours has a busted capacitor and if the 430 shares the same components. Might be an easy fix.
I’ll check for extra connectors as well; I should have a few T5 waterproof end caps.
 
xcaret said:
I might have a 430 or two; have to look for them.
Maybe yours has a busted capacitor and if the 430 shares the same components. Might be an easy fix.
I’ll check for extra connectors as well; I should have a few T5 waterproof end caps.
Click to expand...
I actually have another 660 that doesn't work which I meant to give to you, but forgot to bring it to the last swap. I already replaced the endcap. Do you know if you can visually tell if the capacitor is fried? Or can it be tested with a std multimeter?
 
Wlachnit said:
I actually have another 660 that doesn't work which I meant to give to you, but forgot to bring it to the last swap. I already replaced the endcap. Do you know if you can visually tell if the capacitor is fried? Or can it be tested with a std multimeter?
Click to expand...

The capacitor would look swollen, even burned.
Some capacitors have a cross marking on top and you can easily spot when they go bad. They can also be tested with a multimeter and for thechnicalities on electronic components, maybe @rygh could give us a tip but normally multimeters have a setting for that if I’m not mistaking.
They read AC, DC, Ohm, Amp
 

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xcaret said:
The capacitor would look swollen, even burned.
Some capacitors have a cross marking on top and you can easily spot when they go bad. They can also be tested with a multimeter and for thechnicalities on electronic components, maybe @rygh could give us a tip but normally multimeters have a setting for that if I’m not mistaking.
They read AC, DC, Ohm, Amp
Click to expand...
The average multimeter will not measure capacitance. (Farads)

But yes, when the blow out, it is usually visibly obvious.
 
@Wlachnit One thing very important that I forgot to mention because I completely forgot is that working with capacitors that are or were plugged into power, is to DISCHARGE them !!
I believe you can use a jumper wire between neg and pos terminals in the smaller caps and you can also discharge to the ground? @rygh
Jeez, has been since middle school til these days that I sort of learned some electronics, pretty basic but I recall bigger capacitors can give you a good jolt
 
Well....I opened them both up (had to drill out the rivets). Doesn’t look unusual to me but what do i know.

These babies are old. The older one was manufactured in 1998!
f5fadb58d67af5de1d4a94c635010a08.jpg
 
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