Lights turning on then off????

[diycarwash]

I have a few light fixtures that turn on and then turn back off. Put new bulbs in, but the problem still exists. Do you think I need to get a complete ballast kit for them or is there something else it can be?
Thanks,
David

 

[Eric H]

I usually find that replacing just the capacitor fixes it. It is sometimes difficult to find just a capacitor so a lot of times I end up doing the ballast too.

 

[washtubman]

Are your lights on timers or photo eyes? I tried my MH fixtures on photo eyes and they would turn off and on. Could'nt get the eye adjusted so they would'nt do that, so I put them back on timers and no problems since.

 

[MEP001]

I've only seen that happen on metal halide fixtures where the wrong bulb was in use.

What kind of fixtures are they?

 

[Mel(NC)]

I had this happen on a couple of MH lamps when I installed cheap bulbs. I have been using GE or sylvania since then and have not had any problems.

 

[coincarwash.ca]

I bet they are vertical bulbs being used horizontaly. Check the bulb for the code to see.

 

[diycarwash]

These a bulbs I bought on ebay. TopStar is the brand. The fixtures are the LSI 320W pulse starts. The bulbs are 320W pulse start also.

 

[MEP001]

I got GE brand bulbd from 1000bulbs.com last time - they're rated for 20,000 hours, so even though they cost 50% more, they last twice as long and therefore are cheaper.

 

[coincarwash.ca]

I use the Sylvania 320 watt pulse-start Metal Halide bulbs from Kleen-Rite.
$30.99 ea. I have never had a problem with them and they are very white light. I use them horizontal in my Scottsdale fixtures.
item # LIB320 at Kleen-Rite.

Some other brands of bulbs do not work properly horizontally, I had a fried who was driving himself crazy trying to fix the lights....all it was was the bulbs.