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New Lighting

Printed From: Utah Reefs
Category: Specialized Discussion
Forum Name: Equipment
Forum Description: This is the place to ask question about reef equipment.
URL: http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=1147
Printed Date: June 27 2026 at 1:41am
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 12.03 - http://www.webwizforums.com


Topic: New Lighting
Posted By: rfoote
Subject: New Lighting
Date Posted: October 19 2003 at 10:45am
I am kind of tired of babying a long my very old lighting system. My actnic ballast looks like it finally crapped out on me this time. I could just get a new ballast I guess, but the connection to the canopy is like nothing I've ever seen. It is like a 9 pin vga connector.

I want to keep my present bulbs(250W 10k Ushios, and 40W Actnics) Just bought them last month.

Does anybody have any suggestions on the best stuff, pricing, location and all. I might be looking to replace the hood and all. Thanks!



Replies:
Posted By: SSpargur
Date Posted: October 19 2003 at 3:10pm
Ryan - Check out hellolights.com

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Sean Spargur
West Valley, UT


Posted By: jfinch
Date Posted: October 19 2003 at 4:15pm

If all you're looking at replacing (upgrading) is the actinics, I'd suggest a WH7 ballast.  I can help if you've got wiring questions.



-------------
Jon

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6y_EzjI_ljbIwf2n5uNzTw" rel="nofollow - What I've been doing...



Posted By: Ryan Willden
Date Posted: October 19 2003 at 5:46pm
I'd agree with Jon. The WH7 Ballast is a great value. You can get them at Commercial Lighting Supply in Salt Lake.


Posted By: mdawson8931
Date Posted: October 20 2003 at 9:24am
If your looking for a new canopy, I have a friend that will build to suit. He's an excellent carpenter. He built my canopy and is working on the stand now.

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Mike
Layton, Ut.


Posted By: rfoote
Date Posted: October 20 2003 at 9:59am
Jon and Ryan - the WH7 - is that for VHO's or Actnic? What does everyone recommend as a good MH ballast as well? I need it for my Ushio Bulbs - I know its probably dumb, but I don't know if I need pulse or Electronic start? Thank!


Posted By: rfoote
Date Posted: October 20 2003 at 10:31am
Actually right now - I am running them on a M57 Ballast which would be a Magnetic ballast right?


Posted By: Crazy Tarzan
Date Posted: October 20 2003 at 11:22am

I have a wh3 ballast to run my two 28w actnic pc's.  Starts right up everytime, very quiet, and low heat with the ballast.  It's an electronic ballast for flourescent lamps.  Was easy to wire in.  You could always just re-wire the canopy, you can buy everything you need at an electrical supply store, from shrink tubing to the wire it's self. 

 

p.s.  someday I'll actually learn to spell antinic right.



Posted By: rfoote
Date Posted: October 20 2003 at 11:26am
I'm thinking I am just going to go the re-wire option. My canopy/hood is still in good condition and I don't see any reason to spend that extra money. Ok - So workhorse ballast for Actnic or VHO's right? Any suggestions on best MH ballasts?


Posted By: Ryan Willden
Date Posted: October 20 2003 at 1:08pm
Workhorse will work with VHO, HO, NO, PC, etc...

Actinic just refers to the Color Temp of the bulb. I have Actinic VHO's currently. But yes, the Workhorse 7 will work with them all.


Posted By: jfinch
Date Posted: October 20 2003 at 1:27pm

FLOURESCENT:
The Fulham ballasts (workhorse brand) are electronic flourescent ballasts.  They will drive either normal output (NO), high output or very high output (VHO) bulbs.  Actinic is just a "type" of bulb.  Actinic bulbs come in the VHO variety and the NO variety. 

VHO = more light, higher energy requirements (less efficient)
NO = less light, lower energy requirement (more efficient)

The cost of the bulbs are about the same.  Given the choice, most prefer vho.

METAL HALIDE:
Metal halide bulbs come in two varieties.  Probe start and pulse start.  These bulbs require different ballasts.  Here's the ballast designations:

                                  Probe                 Pulse
                                  start                   start
                            --------------------------------------
175 Watt                     M57                     M137 or M152
250 Watt                     M58                     M138 or M153
400 Watt                     M59                     M135 or M155

The difference is mainly in how the bulb is started.  Probe start is the mainstream MH system in the USA.  Pulse start is more popular in Europe.  The bulbs are not (under most circumstances) compatible with each other.  Pulse start ballast and bulb combination results in a longer bulb life, higher lumen output and better color retention when compared to probe start ballast/bulbs.

The Radium bulbs and all HQI double ended bulbs are pulse start.  Most other reef bulbs are probe start.  The Ushio is a probe start bulb.  The AB bulb is, I think, a pulse start bulb, although some people say it works fine in a probe start ballast.

[edit]  Most electronic MH ballasts will run either bulb.



-------------
Jon

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6y_EzjI_ljbIwf2n5uNzTw" rel="nofollow - What I've been doing...



Posted By: KeoDog
Date Posted: October 20 2003 at 1:49pm
Jon, My Ushio is a pulse start bulb. It would not light on a probe start ballast.

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Kevin Kunz (Sandy, UT)
300g reef

"A trade by which one gains and the other loses is a fraud."   Ayn Rand


Posted By: jfinch
Date Posted: October 20 2003 at 2:13pm

Kevin,  are those 175 watt bulbs?  I've heard that about those.  I've got 250 watt Ushio 10K's with a probe start ballast without problems. 

The euro bulbs (Ushio, AB, other kockoffs) are a bit of mystery to me.  I think (this is IMO) they're actually pulse start bulbs, but they've incorporated a "probe" into the bulb for USA sale and it's hit and miss, especially with the euro knockoffs, on whether or not a probe start ballast will fire them.



-------------
Jon

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6y_EzjI_ljbIwf2n5uNzTw" rel="nofollow - What I've been doing...



Posted By: KeoDog
Date Posted: October 20 2003 at 2:33pm
Yes, they are 175 watts. I got them from www.hellolights.com.

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Kevin Kunz (Sandy, UT)
300g reef

"A trade by which one gains and the other loses is a fraud."   Ayn Rand


Posted By: rfoote
Date Posted: October 21 2003 at 8:42am
Still no opinions on what Dual MH 250W Ballast to go with? I'm shocked!


Posted By: Ryan Willden
Date Posted: October 21 2003 at 8:48am
I bought mine from www.cooltouchlighting.com
Their website is currently down, but they sell on E-bay, and I highly recommend them. A+++++ Customer Service!!!

I thought I had a problem with mine, and they sent out a replacement free of charge. (As it turned out, the problem was with the bulbs, and not the ballast.)

I bought my ballast kit from them for $150 + shipping for a dual 250 watt...


Here is the item number. http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=3212&item=2353736204 - http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=3212&item=2353736204


Posted By: SSpargur
Date Posted: October 21 2003 at 9:03am
I didn't opt to go with a dual ballast.  I'm running 2 Icecap HQI 250 ballasts for my MH lighting.  For the VHO's I have an Icecap 660.  They work great.

-------------
Sean Spargur
West Valley, UT


Posted By: rfoote
Date Posted: October 21 2003 at 10:22am
Are the dual's not really just two seperate ballasts in one case?


Posted By: Kevin
Date Posted: October 21 2003 at 10:56am
I also bought a cooltouchlighting dual ballast. It works great for me. It isn't electronic but it still works wonderfully. I bought mine for 210 but it included a reflector.   As far as the cooltouch ballast yes it is just 2 ballasts in the same box.


Posted By: Ryan Willden
Date Posted: October 21 2003 at 11:29am
Kevin is correct. It's much nicer for me to have it all in one case, but everyones needs are different.


Posted By: jfinch
Date Posted: October 21 2003 at 12:36pm

I don't think it really matters.  Pick a type of bulb you want to run and buy a ballast to operate it.  Unless you want to spend the extra bucks on an electronic ballast.  They operate more efficiently and can usually fire either type of bulb without an drawbacks.

I bought a couple Advance 250 W ballasts and will mount them in an old computer case (gut everything out other then the fan and PS).  It looks fine sitting next to the stand and it has a built in fan that comes on when the lights come on to keep everything cool.  An old computer case can be had for almost next to nothing ($5 or so from the DI or free if you look hard enough).  But $150 for a dual 250W bare boned system is a very good price...



-------------
Jon

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6y_EzjI_ljbIwf2n5uNzTw" rel="nofollow - What I've been doing...



Posted By: Will Spencer
Date Posted: October 21 2003 at 3:43pm

Don't post stupid questions until you know what your talking about like I just did.



Posted By: rfoote
Date Posted: October 23 2003 at 9:19pm
Maybe a dumb question - but I want the Workhorse 7 220W 120V ballast right?


Posted By: Will Spencer
Date Posted: October 23 2003 at 9:38pm

Not your question, the one I wrote then erased because I didn't do my homework first.



Posted By: jfinch
Date Posted: October 23 2003 at 9:57pm
Ryan,  That's the one.

-------------
Jon

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6y_EzjI_ljbIwf2n5uNzTw" rel="nofollow - What I've been doing...



Posted By: Ryan Willden
Date Posted: October 23 2003 at 10:22pm
Ryan, unless you're running the ballast 6' from the lights. Then you want a Longhorse 7 Ballast



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