i found a nice lighting setup that i am considering buying ( CSL 1xMH and 2xPC hood ), however the PC Ballast are missing. They are  32W PC --- i know that i can get two retro to replace the PCs, but was wondering ...

1) can i buy a electronic ballast to wire into this setup, locally somewhere?
2) would a 32W ballast from Lowes or Homedepot work w/ PC lighting? OR the ballast from a Lights of America 32w?

thanks for any help!

Thanks! 

I'm not the best speller.

thanks! for the info...

DE 250?

Double Ended.  HQI.

-- thanks for the pointer on the DE HQI 250 --

looks like it would only be about 50$ more AND i could put it off til AFTER christmas. hehe. so which bulb do you guys prefer 10,000k ushio (white) or a 20,000k radium (blue). i've only read that those are the colors that those bulbs put out.

EDIT: doh! just saw the 20K XM bulbs thread

well... i decided to bite-the-bullet and get the hood... i think it will fit my tank better than most of the other options.  so, i'll be going down to pick-up the pc ballast sometime this week and hook them up. I might be posting for advice on the front  

i did look at the workhorse 5 on the fulham website, but i didnt see where it noted an output... i dont doubt that they will work, i just want to understand why the will work. (?) would one of you guys mind explaining it to me

I ended up going with the XM 10k bulb, but i do also really like the color of the aqualine 10k

sarnack: just curious why you said that you feel the PC's are useless? i am thinking that the actinic bulbs will give a nice color to the tank. ?

wondering if this ballast would be ok to power the two 32w PCs?

Work horse 3 Solid State Electronic Ballast, Model # WH3-120-L, 64 max Watts.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2366267137&category=46314 - http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=23662 67137&category=46314

thanks for the help... still a little uncertain on the lighting end of things.

I have a workhorse 3 electronic with 2 32 w pc's.  It fires them right up and I only paid about $20 or a touch more for it.  Easy to wire in also.  Let me know if you need help with it.

Nate

Thanks Nate.  I would have said it probably would not have worked (info from their website).  How did you wire it, one red to each bulb or did you series the bulbs together?

Can you buy these workhorses online, do you have to call them to order?  Is there a place local that sells them?

There is no diagram on their website for running two 28/32 watt bulbs using a WH3.  According to fulham you need at least a WH5.  The panasonic bulbs (:: pin pattern) apparently require more juice to start-up then the osram bulbs (.... pin pattern).  Each bulb would require two red wires from the WH3, but the WH3 only has two wires.  That's why I was wondering if you were running them in series?

Kevin, what wattage and pin pattern is the true actinic bulb that you have?

That wiring diagram is for 24 watt bulbs.

I don't know what Mark's talking about with the "worms", I've never seen them, but if the bulb looks like you can see swirling "plasma" inside the bulb then it's being underpowered and will shorten the life of the bulb.

no, bulbs are doing fine mark metioned how to differentiate actinic from blue the other day and used worms to define it. 

Where does it specify that the wiring diagram is for 24 w bulbs?  My workhorse 3 is rated at 64 w and runs the two 28w pc I have, wired like the link shows just fine.  Never even flicker with startup, just instant on.

also Jon, how do you make the 'beckett' head for the skimmer you made?

Ya, I know.  Mark sees worms when he looks at actinics.  I don't see worms.  Maybe there's something wrong with my eyes.  Go to http://www.fulham.com - www.fulham.com and choose 2x24 BIAX bulbs.  You'll see "WH3 wiring diagram 1" which is what you posted.  Now select 2x28 PA BIAX bulbs and you'll see "WH5 wiring diagram 11".  The WH3 isn't even listed as a possible choice.  I have a WH3 too that I thought I could power a 55w PA bulb with seeing as how the ballast is good for 64w.  Well, the WH3 causes the bulb to "shimmer".  It looks like there's plasma flowing around in the bulb (which btw, there is).  Florescents should not look this way.  There should be an even glow throughout the bulb.  I had to step up to the WH5 for the 55w PA bulb.  It wasn't a matter of starting up, 'cause it started up without problems, but it was underpowering the bulb, imo.  I want you to be right here.  I still have the WH3 that I could put to use with 2x28/32 bulbs and have few qualms about doing things counter to fulhams recommendations as long as they work.  I'll have to stop by next time I'm over your way and have a look.

I didn't make the beckett.  Beckett is a company that makes pond pumps and accessories.  What is used in these types of skimmers is the Beckett Foam Jet 1408.  Here's Beckett's page for it (hope it works):  http://www.888beckett.com/Index.cfm?FuseAction=StoreFront&am p;CommerceCategoryID=3&CommerceSubCategoryID=13&Comm erceProductID=219 - http://www.888beckett.com/Index.cfm?FuseAction=StoreFront&am p;am p;CommerceCategoryID=3&CommerceSubCategoryID=13&Comm erceProductID=219

Here's a picture of one:

And this is what it looks like taken apart:

Home Depot used to carry them but I don't think they do anymore.  I've been to every home depot from centerville to provo and haven't found another one (that's where I got mine).  But there are a number of places on the interenet that sells them.  Just google for "Beckett Foam Jet"...

well ... i'll bring this back from the dead to see if i can get a little help with the wiring on this. i decided to put each 32w PC on a separate ballast so that i can put them on timers and have some sort of a sunset effect. anyway.... this is what i currently have.

this is a picture of the plug that comes from my hood. do i need to cut this off and attach wire to wire? or can i just solder the wires from the ballast to this plug?

i cut the plug off the cord leading to the hood and i have : 1 green - 1 yellow - 1 black - 1 red wires. Its not really clear to me from the WH3 diagrams how to wire this up.... anyone have any ideas??? thanks!

I missed your first post.  The black wire goes to the power prong side with the narrow prong.  The white wire goes to the power prong side that is wide.  Since AC power doesn't have polarity, it will work wired the other way too.  It's just not "proper".

Twist the two red wires together and attach to one of the wires coming from the bulb socket.  Attach the yellow wire to the other wire coming from the bulb socket.  If you don't have wires coming from the socket, attach the yellow wire to one "side" of the socket and the two red to the other "side".

thanks for the help jon ... 

i have the power wired up to the prongs thanks! however... i cant really see up into my hood to see what wires are attached to what... are there a common combination of wires that go to that plug ( even though i cut the plug off) ?

right now i have the 1 green - 1 yellow - 1 black - 1 red wires from the hood and the 1 yellow and 2 red wires from the ballast.

i'm guessing that red goes to red ... but i'm not really sure about the others

ok ... someone else suggested that i pull out my ohm meter... doh! why didnt i think of that!!! LOL

anyway ... got them all wired up ... thanks for the help. just for information the wire combo was --

R & B --> R on ballast
W & G --> Y on ballast

just an FYI the WH3 does power up both of my 32W PCs, but i think i'm going to add another ballast and switch off all my lights over an hour or so ... to get a little bit of a dimming effect.