Diagnosing an icecap 660

So my icecap 660 (model with heat sink) that I bought used doesn't seem to be firing up. I think I am doing everything right. I checked and double checked and triple checked the wiring. That is all correct. I am trying to fire 4x 54 watt T5 bulbs. When everything is wired correctly, all I should have to do is plug it in, correct? Is there any way to diagnose a bad ballast?
Here is the wiring diagram, I used. Seems pretty straight forward.  http://www.icecapinc.com/01/completed%20manual.pdf
I am reading to try and wire for two, make sure everything works, then for 3, then for 4. Will try that and check back here in a bit.

 

Ah, didn't know I NEEDED to have 4 T5 bulbs. I rewired for 2 bulb setup, but it didn't do anything. Sounds like it wouldn't have anyway if 4 are required. What would a bad fuse look like? I am able to take the fuse out, but I am not at all sure what I am looking for.

 

Didn't see that you said you were wrong about running fewer than 4. So running two SHOULD work for me then? Because it isn't /DesktopModules/ActiveForums/themes/_default//emoticons/sad.gif

 

Well, I have the icecap waterproof T5 end caps (the white ones with the orange rubber). I am pretty sure those are the proper ones. They are all the same. The fuse looks good to me. Just looks like a metal wire going from one end of the glass tube to the other. I have messed with the connections until my brain hurt. They seem to be good. The bulbs I had were all used, but I trust they were all in order. I got them from a member here (Slovan) who said they were all 3-6 months old. I have 7 bulbs I could interchange, so unless 4+ of those 7 were bad, I should have at least gotten one combo right. The bulbs don't seem to flicker on or do anything at all. I simply plug the ballast in and nothing happens. If the ballast were blown, is there any way to tell other than it not working? I should also add that this icecap is a 2008 model. It isn't really "older" I just meant to say that it is not the "new" heatsink free ballast that is currently on the market. The bulbs I am using are Geisman's and ATI's. I have 4 Geismans and 3 ATI's that I have tried in I think every combo imaginable.

 

I started a thread on RC on the IceCap forums in case anyone is interested in following along. If this thing doesn't help, I will be looking to buy another (or at least something to light 4x t5s... it's a fish only so I don't NEED to overdrive the bulbs) I am not sure sending it out for repair would be worth the money as I am seeing numbers like $70 plus shipping.

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?p=17696791#post17696791

 

So I haven't touched it at all, but decided to plug it in again just for the hell of it. It was still in the two bulb configuration and it worked. Leaving it burning that way for a couple hours just to make sure it doesn't turn off. Will rewire for 4 bulb later tonight and mess around there. Not sure what the deal is/was...

 

Well, not sure what the deal was, but it is working now. I assume somehow it was a loose connection someplace, although I can;t really figure out how letting it sit for a day would have made a difference.

Now to play with colors /DesktopModules/ActiveForums/themes/_default//emoticons/biggrin.gif

 

I neded up going with 2x actinic+ and 2x fiji purple. I am in LOVE with the color of that combo. If/when I get back into corals it is going to be tough going with anything else. Right now all I have is clowns in that ginat tank, but they look 10x more beautiful than they ever did under an actinic and 1000K PC combo.