Help! Ballast

[spsrookie]

Hello
I have dual 400 watt t5 fixture that fried the ballast last week.

I.ordered new ballast, however when I took box apart where ballasts are housed, it is "potted" is there any way to get in there or is this light setup junk?

[kouma]

maybe if you can take pictures it would be helpful for us to give a good judgment

[spsrookie]

I am at work, I.will shortly. Basically the wiring harness.comes.down from light fixture, into universal connector in ballast box( big box that houses ballasts)

Took the cover off.ballast box, and everything is encased in aluminum. Literally, the second the universal connector enters box, wires.disappear in this encasing that I don't believe you can take a part.

[theatrus]

It's possible all the ballasts were potted together. At this point, it would be bound for the recycler.

[smmiller506]

If it's got just wires for power, lights and the switch, cut the wires and attach the ballast to those.

[spsrookie]

Ok, so the light is done, cut the wires going in there, followed diagram for new ballast, and everything works, halides, fans and t5's.

Now the only thing I unsure of is the icecap ballast I took out for being bad were aluminum filled.with asphalt to protect.

Now I have the new ballast in the ballast box, no asphauly, there in the open, covered by ballast box and that's it.

Do.you need tar or some sort of filler?

[theatrus]

Weird. IceCap ballasts were originally sold unpotted ("repairable").

Potting is usually done for weather sealing. If your ballasts are clamped to the box walls with a good thermal path (they will get hot) you should be fine. Don't attempt to pot them - it's a tricky process and can cause failures as the epoxy shrinks and cracks parts :)