turn it on, it warms up purple/red and stays on for 2 minutes then cuts off.

cut it back on a few minutes later... warms up red/purple, then 2 minutes later cuts off.

I gotta go find a bulb seller on ebay I think.

 

I'm gonna ****** these if it's the bulb as i suspect.

http://cm.ebay.com/cm/ck/1065-29392-...m=260026634940

 

??????????????? bulb, right?

 

i think it's bulb. easiest way is to swap bulb from the other side and see if it works. if so, then it's bulb, otherwise it's ballasts. keep in mind NEVER fire it unless bulbs are on both sides. fire it up with a socket empty, very bad idea.

(though i know you already went ahead with some new bulbs )

 

I'm guessing it arcs if there is no bulb in the socket?

 

It makes a taser-like noise. Which... well... doesn't sound very harmless.

 

in my case, i did that and fried a fuse too