# Urgent: Hagen Elite 60 Hood Lighting Failure



## skinz180189

Bulb was flickering, so tried a new bulb. Nothing. Old bulb in, nothing again, no light, no buzzing, nothing.

I can't see a starter, and the whole unit is sealed. I can't find a replacement hood unit on their site, so do they even do them? This is quite an issue, as my tank now has no lighting.


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## skinz180189

I've fixed it.


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## skinz180189

skinz180189 said:
			
		

> I've fixed it.



It's broke again. I can't see a starter to replace, plus the unit is all sealed. New unit time?


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## andyh

Probably, try contacting Hagen see if u can buy a new lid?


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## skinz180189

They list everything bar the lid on their site. Don't know what to do about lighting the tank either for the next X days it takes to sort. I've no spare unit, no lamps or anything like that.


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## skinz180189

LFS says Hagen don't list them as a stock item. Rang Hagen, got fobbed off to a bloody answer phone, told to press a number to return to the operator, did that and it hung up. What a crock of blahblahblahblah.


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## squiggley

The same happened to my Elite 35litre. A complete new hood was available from Seapets but was just short of 50 pounds.


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## skinz180189

Â£50 for the 35 litre. Damn, that's a stupid price. Can almost get the whole setup again for that.


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## bogwood

You have my sympathy Garath.
Mine failed after about 4 months, i returned it to the shop, and after a short discussion left with a new hood.

Ok since. Have however fitted a second light,[not very pretty] but certainly improved plant growth, and useful should the original fail again.

Hope you get it sorted.


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## skinz180189

Mine's over a year old now, so will be out of warranty if my memory serves me right. I don't particularly want to fork out Â£50+ on something I was meant to be getting rid of soon for the larger tank sat in the garage!


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## Anonymous

Just buy another hood like the one for the Eheim MP Aquapro 60 or Aquastar 60 or the one for Jewel Rekord 600 etc, it's the same size.


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## skinz180189

Can only find them for the Juwel and it's still not that cheap.


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## Anonymous

Can you show us a photo Hagen's hood interior?


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## skinz180189

There's nothing to see. Just a slot for a T8 bulb, and a flap. Everything is hidden in sealed plastic.


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## Anonymous

So you have 2 choices .. either to buy a new one or to cut the box where the ballast and starter is, replace it and seal it back.  Try replacing the starter first and after that if it doesn't work replace the ballast. It's kinda weird you don't have access to replace the starter. Good luck!


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## skinz180189

Maybe there's no starter to replace?


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## Anonymous

You'll never know until you open it unfortunately .. even though you have to do that if you want to save some $$.
or you can buy one of these and mount it in your hood: http://www.theaquariumshop.co.uk/offeri ... gs_id=1446 or http://www.theaquariumshop.co.uk/offeri ... ngs_id=167 if you think you can't handle it.


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## skinz180189

How would that work then? Electrics are far from my strong point, I'm a mechanical minded person.


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## squiggley

If you can wait until tomorrow I will get the hood out of the garage and try to see if its possible to open it and see what's inside.

The other option could be as I have done

viewtopic.php?f=35&t=12214

I made a cover glass from the glass from an old picture frame, its held in place by some modified greenhouse clips.
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=270389001548&ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT

and lamps from Hong Kong.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... K:MEWNX:IT

Total Cost Â£12.00


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## skinz180189

I can wait, don't know how the fish/plants will cope with only daylight mind! 11w is a big drop down from 15 in the 60 though.


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## arty

If bulb only flickering probably with Yours ballast everything is ok. try replace bulb, clean all contacts too. if old T8 type then try to replace starter.
In old t8 flickering almost in 90% due ignition fault - need replace starter after some months if cheap quality
http://www.maplin.co.uk/images/Full/n02cc.jpg
I don't think it's ballast fault.

Best Regards


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## squiggley

The ballast is completely sealed into these hoods with no access to the starter


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## Mortis

If you just need light and dont need the hood itself then just get a clip on light. The Haiyang light on aquatics online is pretty reasonable and well built. Been using it for a while now with no issues. I think it will do the job fine for the Elite 60


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## skinz180189

I'd prefer to have a hood TBH, I've done the open topped aquarium thing.

Hagen will replace it, but I need my proof of purchase, which I can't find. Looks like I need to fix this somehow.


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## bigmatt

it'd be easy enough to replace the T8 with an 18w PL tube in the same place.  Should just be a case of running the wires through the holes that are already in the lid and then hoding the light in place with clips/cable ties.  I'd offer you my lid but i'm using it next week when i go on holiday!  You could probably fit a T8/T5 on the flap itself, if you don't mind not being able to open the flap fully.  
I know Ferrybridge Aquatics (about 15mins drive from you) had some PL starters in a while back
Cheers
Matt


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## skinz180189

I'm currently car less so can't get to Ferry unfortunately.

What about those things Clonitza linked me to? Just a case of finding a place to mount the light and plug it in?


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## bigmatt

Light units like that are available in  most aquatic shops.  If you used one of them you could replace the holders that are in there for the "broken" light unit - just take one off and securely glue the replacement on.  They don't have to carry a lot of weight so glue should work (insert usual "be careful with electricity and water" comments here!).  Run the wires out through the holes in the back of the hood, plug it in and you're away!
M


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## skinz180189

Araldite will hold them no problem.


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## foldgish

Hi.
 I have the same tank with the same problem (that's what brought me here). There is a sealed compartment in the hood at the back which houses the starter and ballast. This was quite easy to prize open with a flat headed screwdriver. 
Having opened the compartment I find the ballast has completely burnt out where the wires go in. 
So, My question is where would I find a replacement ballast? It is a 15W DEC triangel. I think the part number is S15F-1.

Any help appreciated.


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