DIY Icecap...its not what you think - Page 21

rksemt · 01/17/2007, 10:55 AM

hey everybody, thanks for the help. turns out i had the wrong ballast. i had the the 277 volt, what a dummy. anyway, i got the 120 and it fired right up. really bright!!! i have two 24" (17 and 18 watts) tubes. each one it running off of one 32w so i guess its not quite 2x overdrive but close. they are a 10, 000K and a 50/50 6500K/actinic. i have them over a 29 gallon. i figure two more like these and i should have enough light for some of the needier corals. probably not the very light hungry ones.

4RJN · 02/23/2007, 06:26 PM

Hi I see you show specs powering one bulb with an ARO ballast. Is there any chance you could give me the wiring diagram for it. I would love to wire my ballast with only one bulb. Right now it is set up from hellolights and pre wired for four bulbs and of course I am unable to find a diagram to switch it over. Thanks

thriceanangel · 03/12/2007, 12:17 PM

Can you use a PC Ballast on a t5ho or t6ho lamp? I'm sorry if this has been covered, but I currently don't have the time to do anything more than skim this thread.

miatawnt2b · 03/12/2007, 12:30 PM

55w pc ballast on a 54w t5 will fire just fine. Now wheather it's safe or not, I'll let you make your own decision, but as long as it was a decent ballast and has overload/short circuit protection on it, i'd feel safe.

-J

gpodio · 03/12/2007, 12:54 PM

It has always worked for me... I've blown (silently stopped working) ballasts using higher wattage bulbs than the ballast was rated for, such as 40W T12 bulbs on a 32W T8 ballast... As long as the PC ballast is rated the same or over (for OD purposes) the bulb's wattage you'll be fine based on my experience so far.

Hope that helps

rksemt · 04/17/2007, 10:06 AM

ok, so i have been running two 24 in bulbs over my tank since jan. or so. 10K and a 50/50. i recently took a look at everything just because, and on the diagram on the ballast it says this ballast can power 4x32w, 4x25w, and 4x17w. i thought by running one wire to one 17W bulb i was overdriving it. am I? or is it just drawing the 17w? its a Advance Standard REL 43P2-SC. its has two red lead and two blue leads on one side. two yellow and the power supply on the other.

rksemt · 04/17/2007, 11:03 AM

ok, so i figured out that i was only getting 17watts/bulb; so, i fixed it. it seems a little brighter but i have no way of measuring, and im completely color blind

now i have a new question, i want a couple more lights and im trying to use the cheap ballast that came with the shop lights i have. i wired them up and they just glow at the end but dont light. is this because they are rapid start and not instant start. i didn't want to leave them going too long because i didn't want to fry my bulb if its wrong. they are both 2 bulb ballast, so i stuck them in one fixture and wired both circuits of each to one bulb.

gpodio · 04/17/2007, 11:25 AM

Keep in mind that a bulb does not draw a certain wattage, without the ballast a bulb would short circuit drawing more and more watts until it burns out. A ballast's job is to limit the current going to the bulb...

That said, ballasts that support different wattage (length) bulbs using the same wiring layout usually have a built-in circuit which uses the bulb's impedence to calculate the required wattage and adjust the output limit to suit the bulb. I am not sure how or if it is possible to trick these ballasts to overdrive a bulb, I would try combining two red leads to a single bulb and leave the second bulb wired up to a single blue lead, if it works you should see the difference between the two.

I've always used "dumb" ballasts that drive a single length of tubes only or use different wiring combinations to drive different bulbs...

As for the other ballasts you are playing with, IS is the easiest to work with as they only require one wire per side of lamp (even though we may use more to overdrive or to better protect the electrodes). Do the RS ballasts you have also use starter coils? If not, can you post a photo/diagram of the wiring layout printed on the ballast?

When comparing bulbs visually, try to dim the view by using dark sunglasses or other means of reducing the light reaching your eyes, it makes distinguishing between the two a lot easier as you're not being blinded at the same time...

Hope that helps

rksemt · 04/17/2007, 01:59 PM

i am glad you are still watchin this thread

i'll try that idea about two wires to one and one to the other, then try to see the difference. nice thinkin. about the the cheapo ballasts, i dont know if it uses starter coils. are those the cylindrical things that look like white batteries? is so, then no, it didnt come with any. i cant get a clear picture or scan but heres is the info:

ballast 1:
Keystone Technologies www.keystoneballast.com
KTEB-220-1-TP-EMI
I cant find on it if it is IS or RS.

One side has 2 blu, blk, wht, and 2 yellow, the other side has 2 red, 2brn. the diagram has the 2 blu going to one side of a lamp, and the 2 red to the other side of the same lamp. the 2 yellow going to one side of one lamp, 2 brn goin to the other side of that same lamp

ballast 2:
Pacific Ballast
EN-220-TP
This one says rapid start on it

It has a blk, wht, and 2 yellow on one side. 2red and 2 blu on the other. diagram has each red goin to each pin of one lamp and each blu doing the same. then it has a yellow going to ONE pin of EACH lamp and the other yellow doing the same

rksemt · 04/17/2007, 03:06 PM

well, tried the side by side comparision, but the only two bulbs i have that are the same are actinics, one was definately brighter though. havent figuered the other situation out yet, im thinking about just going and getting another advance ballast and firing it up. hmmmmmmmmm....

reefology · 12/09/2010, 05:00 AM

Came across this thread and sounds like a great idea. was wondering what the life of these ballasts are seeing they are being overdriven constantly? hasn't been a post in a while so i thought i'd see if anyone is still running their lights this way.

cheers

H20ENG · 12/14/2010, 08:05 PM

I have not found the ballasts to be affected at all, just the lamps, as you would expect. They burn hotter at the electrodes and blacken the ends of the lamps sooner.

Just so its clear, this is not the best (safest) way to run lamps, but neither is a workhorse ballast. It does work, cheaply, but use at your own risk.

I have wired my garage lights this way to get more punch out of the existing fixtures without adding more lamps. (4 lamp ballast running 2 lamps)

02/23/2007, 06:26 PM	#502
4RJN Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Huntsburg, OH Posts: 158	aro Hi I see you show specs powering one bulb with an ARO ballast. Is there any chance you could give me the wiring diagram for it. I would love to wire my ballast with only one bulb. Right now it is set up from hellolights and pre wired for four bulbs and of course I am unable to find a diagram to switch it over. Thanks

03/12/2007, 12:30 PM	#504
miatawnt2b Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Tucson, AZ Posts: 1,467	55w pc ballast on a 54w t5 will fire just fine. Now wheather it's safe or not, I'll let you make your own decision, but as long as it was a decent ballast and has overload/short circuit protection on it, i'd feel safe. -J __________________ Proud member of the JTCCB (jebao tuners club for cheap bastards)

03/12/2007, 12:54 PM	#505
gpodio Premium Member Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Philadelphia Posts: 895	It has always worked for me... I've blown (silently stopped working) ballasts using higher wattage bulbs than the ballast was rated for, such as 40W T12 bulbs on a 32W T8 ballast... As long as the PC ballast is rated the same or over (for OD purposes) the bulb's wattage you'll be fine based on my experience so far. Hope that helps __________________ Giancarlo Podio

04/17/2007, 11:25 AM	#508
gpodio Premium Member Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Philadelphia Posts: 895	Keep in mind that a bulb does not draw a certain wattage, without the ballast a bulb would short circuit drawing more and more watts until it burns out. A ballast's job is to limit the current going to the bulb... That said, ballasts that support different wattage (length) bulbs using the same wiring layout usually have a built-in circuit which uses the bulb's impedence to calculate the required wattage and adjust the output limit to suit the bulb. I am not sure how or if it is possible to trick these ballasts to overdrive a bulb, I would try combining two red leads to a single bulb and leave the second bulb wired up to a single blue lead, if it works you should see the difference between the two. I've always used "dumb" ballasts that drive a single length of tubes only or use different wiring combinations to drive different bulbs... As for the other ballasts you are playing with, IS is the easiest to work with as they only require one wire per side of lamp (even though we may use more to overdrive or to better protect the electrodes). Do the RS ballasts you have also use starter coils? If not, can you post a photo/diagram of the wiring layout printed on the ballast? When comparing bulbs visually, try to dim the view by using dark sunglasses or other means of reducing the light reaching your eyes, it makes distinguishing between the two a lot easier as you're not being blinded at the same time... Hope that helps __________________ Giancarlo Podio

12/09/2010, 05:00 AM	#511
reefology Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Ontario, Canada Posts: 40	anyone still ODing NO lamps? Came across this thread and sounds like a great idea. was wondering what the life of these ballasts are seeing they are being overdriven constantly? hasn't been a post in a while so i thought i'd see if anyone is still running their lights this way. cheers

01/17/2007, 10:55 AM	#501
rksemt Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: michigan Posts: 13	hey everybody, thanks for the help. turns out i had the wrong ballast. i had the the 277 volt, what a dummy. anyway, i got the 120 and it fired right up. really bright!!! i have two 24" (17 and 18 watts) tubes. each one it running off of one 32w so i guess its not quite 2x overdrive but close. they are a 10, 000K and a 50/50 6500K/actinic. i have them over a 29 gallon. i figure two more like these and i should have enough light for some of the needier corals. probably not the very light hungry ones.

03/12/2007, 12:17 PM	#503
thriceanangel Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: South Livonia, NY Posts: 1,729	Can you use a PC Ballast on a t5ho or t6ho lamp? I'm sorry if this has been covered, but I currently don't have the time to do anything more than skim this thread.

04/17/2007, 10:06 AM	#506
rksemt Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: michigan Posts: 13	ok, so i have been running two 24 in bulbs over my tank since jan. or so. 10K and a 50/50. i recently took a look at everything just because, and on the diagram on the ballast it says this ballast can power 4x32w, 4x25w, and 4x17w. i thought by running one wire to one 17W bulb i was overdriving it. am I? or is it just drawing the 17w? its a Advance Standard REL 43P2-SC. its has two red lead and two blue leads on one side. two yellow and the power supply on the other.

04/17/2007, 11:03 AM	#507
rksemt Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: michigan Posts: 13	ok, so i figured out that i was only getting 17watts/bulb; so, i fixed it. it seems a little brighter but i have no way of measuring, and im completely color blind now i have a new question, i want a couple more lights and im trying to use the cheap ballast that came with the shop lights i have. i wired them up and they just glow at the end but dont light. is this because they are rapid start and not instant start. i didn't want to leave them going too long because i didn't want to fry my bulb if its wrong. they are both 2 bulb ballast, so i stuck them in one fixture and wired both circuits of each to one bulb.

04/17/2007, 01:59 PM	#509
rksemt Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: michigan Posts: 13	i am glad you are still watchin this thread i'll try that idea about two wires to one and one to the other, then try to see the difference. nice thinkin. about the the cheapo ballasts, i dont know if it uses starter coils. are those the cylindrical things that look like white batteries? is so, then no, it didnt come with any. i cant get a clear picture or scan but heres is the info: ballast 1: Keystone Technologies www.keystoneballast.com KTEB-220-1-TP-EMI I cant find on it if it is IS or RS. One side has 2 blu, blk, wht, and 2 yellow, the other side has 2 red, 2brn. the diagram has the 2 blu going to one side of a lamp, and the 2 red to the other side of the same lamp. the 2 yellow going to one side of one lamp, 2 brn goin to the other side of that same lamp ballast 2: Pacific Ballast EN-220-TP This one says rapid start on it It has a blk, wht, and 2 yellow on one side. 2red and 2 blu on the other. diagram has each red goin to each pin of one lamp and each blu doing the same. then it has a yellow going to ONE pin of EACH lamp and the other yellow doing the same

04/17/2007, 03:06 PM	#510
rksemt Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: michigan Posts: 13	well, tried the side by side comparision, but the only two bulbs i have that are the same are actinics, one was definately brighter though. havent figuered the other situation out yet, im thinking about just going and getting another advance ballast and firing it up. hmmmmmmmmm....

12/14/2010, 08:05 PM	#512
H20ENG Pro builder/aquarist hack Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: NORCAL (Vacaville, CA) Posts: 5,125	I have not found the ballasts to be affected at all, just the lamps, as you would expect. They burn hotter at the electrodes and blacken the ends of the lamps sooner. Just so its clear, this is not the best (safest) way to run lamps, but neither is a workhorse ballast. It does work, cheaply, but use at your own risk. I have wired my garage lights this way to get more punch out of the existing fixtures without adding more lamps. (4 lamp ballast running 2 lamps)