Ballast issue, i think

[Will]

My 250 DE phoenix that i just bout will only flicker (it was starting last week before i went out of town) is this a ballast issue?

included is a picture of the bulb

[+dapettit]

Could be the bulb. See if you can borrow a DE bulb (I usually keep used ones just for this purpose but all mine a SE) to test your theory.

[Will]

anyone have a bulb i could borrow, or even better a 250 ballast and i bulb i could borrow? i can also bring my whole fixture to you if you would prefer.

Thanks

[Will]

after letting it cool off for 45 min it is now working, any thoughts ?

[+Lamont]

after letting it cool off for 45 min it is now working, any thoughts ?

It may be over heating. How much space does it have to breath? Do you have a light on your sump?

[Will]

no light on my sump, i did have it on a power strip with a bunch of other stuff and now i have it by itself on a different plug. but why would the bulb be that color anyway?

[+Lamont]

I've seen bulbs that color but only after several months of use.

[+dapettit]

Take it off the power strip.

[Will]

Now the bulb is clear, I have no clue what's going on

[Timfish]

I've got a big hammer I save for problems like this.

+1 with both Dapettit and Irssix posts

[+dapettit]

Is the ballast still plugged into the power strip? If possible move the ballast connection to its own power source. Not sure but you may be getting power fluctuations from the strip and/or other equipment connnected to the strip. Or remove all the equipment, except the ballast, from the power strip; add each on individually (may need to let the equioment run for a bit, to see which one may be causing the issue.

[caferacermike]

Of all the bulbs I've tried (about 6 different DE brands) Phoenix is the only bulb to have NEVER given me any problems attached to my Ice-Cap ballasts.

Now comes the hard part. First are you positive that it is Phoenix? Can't tell for sure from your pic. Many retailers are selling other bulbs as Phoenix, not sure why. You fail to mention anything about your ballast. Is it magnetic, electronic is it pulse start or probe start? DE bulbs are very fussy about this stuff and must be matched accordingly. Does your ballast hum or buzz either while firing or while running? If you look carefully at your bulb (and I think I can see it and I think it is Phoenix) you should see a firing pin. This is a wire with a pad on the end of it near the bulb part. An arc fires from this and that ignites the bulb. If this pad is pushed away, or broken, it will cause all kinds of problems.

But try to identify some of the points I made or all answers will just be guesses.