36" VHO’s and Workhorse Ballast?
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URL: http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=2299
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Topic: 36" VHO’s and Workhorse Ballast?
Posted By: Mark Peterson
Subject: 36" VHO’s and Workhorse Ballast?
Date Posted: April 08 2004 at 10:45am
 What is the total length of a 36" Fluorescent tube with those really good white plastic endcaps? Would it fit in a hood that is 36.25 inches long?
How about four 36" VHO lights with a Workhorse 7 ballast. 36" lights are rated at 95 watts. According to Fulhams specs I can only put 2 on the ballast. Could I get away with three in series?
What about 24" 75W tubes? (WH7 handles 220 W and three would total 225 W)
I'm leaning towards two Workhorse ballasts at $80 total, rather than one Icecap at $140. Two ballasts would also allow a blue morning and evening  ------------- Reefkeeping Tips, & quick, easy setup tricks: www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=9244 Pay it forward - become a paid WMAS member 
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Replies:
Posted By: jfinch
Date Posted: April 08 2004 at 12:25pm
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Are you setting up a tank for yourself? I wouldn't run four 36" tubes with one ballast. I would try four 24" tubes with one ballast though (all four in series). Two ballasts will easily power four 3' bulbs. I'm sure you could fit four 96 watt PC bulbs in that hood if you wanted to go that route. You'd still need two ballasts. ------------- Jon https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6y_EzjI_ljbIwf2n5uNzTw" rel="nofollow - What I've been doing... |
Posted By: Sarnack
Date Posted: April 08 2004 at 12:37pm
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36.75" - I think you are a half an inch short. But if the sides of the canopy are thick enough you could use a router to make a 3/8" dado on each side to make room. Dave |
Posted By: Marcus
Date Posted: April 08 2004 at 4:15pm
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Mark, this has been talked about before. Fulham recommends only one VHO bulb, regardless of length or wattage, per ballast. I have run two VHO's but according to Fulham it would be underpowering the bulbs and causing more damage than overpowering. I think Jon Finch posted a letter he found a long time ago regarding this. I called one of their engineers about this very thing when I was at The Pet Factory. |
Posted By: Ryan Willden
Date Posted: April 08 2004 at 8:42pm
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Mark, I wouldn't worry about any kind of damage to bulbs, or the
ballasts. I ran two 110 Watt Bulbs off of one ballast for over a year (even in Parallel) with no problems. I now run them in series per Jon's recommendation. I also talked to Fulham engineers on two different occasions, and the worst thing they said could happen is to underpower the bulb in Amperage not wattage. I also contacted URI (the manufacturer of the VHO bulbs used in our aquariums) and they assured me that underpowering the bulbs would not harm the bulbs, or the bulb life. The engineer from URI even joked it might prolong their life. In doing my Boss' tank we installed four bulbs on two ballasts in Series, and that worked perfectly. Incidentally, I experimented with this schematic we've discussed, and by installing seperate bulbs on seperate ballasts and found the following results: two bulbs on two seperate ballasts, didn't make any visual difference to me to justify buying a seperate ballast for each bulb. That's my experience I've had with them. Jon is correct though in that you shouldn't use 4- 36"ers on one ballast. By the way, I replaced the two bulbs on my tank about a month ago just for grins, and I was disappointed to find that there didn't seem much noticeable difference in intensity after the replacement of the bulbs. (Though I'm not going to dispute that there probably was a shift in color because the new bulbs are much bluer.) If anyone has a Light meter, I have two ballasts, and two bulbs at my disposal. We could check the light output to see if there is a noticeable loss. Really though, I think it's like running Premium fuel in your car, or Regular grade. If it makes you sleep better at night, do it! 
I would make sure that you take Jon's advice by running them in Series, and not in Parallel, as you will trick the ballast into thinking it's running one bulb that is within specs of the ballasts capabilities. Great Ballasts! |