Anyone use Galaxy Select-A-Watt Ballasts?

[thanhreef]

If there are any inputs, please post
http://sunlightsupply.com/aqua/products.aspx?request=AQUA_GALAXY_SEL_WATT&title=Ballasts&type=product">http://sunlightsupply.com/aqua/products.aspx?request=AQUA_GALAXY_SEL_WATT&title=Ballasts&type=product</a>

thanks,

 

[skriz]

I just bought one. I'll be firing it up soon and comparing I against my pfo hqi

 

[thanhreef]

which one did you buy 250W/400W or 400/600/1000?

 

[skriz]

250/400

 

[smoothie]

Sweet!

 

[thanhreef]

great. That's what I am looking for. Hope it's lot much better

 

[skriz]

OK, so I fired up the galaxy on the overdrive setting. Awesome! I'm using Radiums and it fires just like the PFO hqi, except the ballast is smaller, cooler and quiet! If I didn't already have the other 2 ballasts, I'd order 2 more of the galaxy ballasts.

In fact, if anybody wants a pfo and blue wave 400w hqi ballast, I may be up for dumping them.

Technology rules!

 

[thanhreef]

cool. thank you very much, Raj.
how about color? too much white or blue?

 

[grouper therapy]

vista;482050 wrote: cool. thank you very much, Raj.
how about color? too much white or blue?

How much do they overdrive the radiums? How much Wattage past 400?

 

[lilrobb]

Someone told me:

The 400w radium is designed to run at 340w, the radium 250 is designed to be overdriven towards 300 by an HQI ballast.

Why would you wanna overdrive a 400W Radium then?

 

[grouper therapy]

LilRobb;482054 wrote: Someone told me:

The 400w radium is designed to run at 340w, the radium 250 is designed to be overdriven towards 300 by an HQI ballast.

Why would you wanna overdrive a 400W Radium then?

You should ask someone.:lol2:
Why not?

 

[skriz]

LilRobb;482054 wrote: Someone told me:

The 400w radium is designed to run at 340w, the radium 250 is designed to be overdriven towards 300 by an HQI ballast.

Why would you wanna overdrive a 400W Radium then?

Yep, the Radium is not supposed to be run on a hqi ballast. By doing so, you make the light insanely intense (bright). It takes on a more white colour this way, but it looks really, really nice; a cool blue if you will.

I'll switch the ballast to normal operation and compare the colour and par.

 

[smoothie]

Raj thanks for posting this. Can't wait to see the comparison shots

 

[skriz]

MRK;482232 wrote: Interesting I thought radium was a HQI bulb
Here is a link to their wattages
http://www.radium.de/e/produkte_overview.html?pe_id=181&pcon_list=1854,1855,2498,2569">http://www.radium.de/e/produkte_overview.html?pe_id=181&pcon_list=1854,1855,2498,2569</a>[/QUOTE]

Nope. It's a European bulb that requires a pulse start ballast.

 

[weaglereefer]

Could you also get comparison pics of 2 bulbs on the same ballasts but one being overdriven and one standard? That would be appreciated.

 

[skriz]

au01st;482311 wrote: Could you also get comparison pics of 2 bulbs on the same ballasts but one being overdriven and one standard? That would be appreciated.

Should be able to

 

[weaglereefer]

Any update on these? I'm looking at the 150/175/250/HQI ballasts that will allow me to run my current Iwasaki 175s, and later upgrade to Radium 250s. I don't feel I'll need anything in the 400w range so these ballasts fit my bill. Will this model fire the Radiums in both 250 and HQI modes so I can pick the color I want?

 

[skriz]

MRK;482794 wrote: I contacted the factory in Wipperfürth and was told that they are in fact HQI(mercury quartz iodide)bulbs. Also Skriz is correct that they require a pulse start ballast to operate properly due to the higher voltage requirements. They were also designed to operate on the European pulse start ballast to render their true color which is close to our pulse start. He also said that the "HQI" ballast we have would overdrive them and that they would loose the blue color and turn white.
So it sounds like the ballast that Skriz has covers all the bases and will be an fantastic method to test color and par on this particular bulb or any bulb:up:. If I shipped you an evc bulb could you test it as well?

Sure!

au01st;486581 wrote: Any update on these? I'm looking at the 150/175/250/HQI ballasts that will allow me to run my current Iwasaki 175s, and later upgrade to Radium 250s. I don't feel I'll need anything in the 400w range so these ballasts fit my bill. Will this model fire the Radiums in both 250 and HQI modes so I can pick the color I want?

I haven't done anything. I'll probably get a chance this weekend and i'll run a quick test on par and colour.

Yes,

 

[skriz]

MRK;482794 wrote: I contacted the factory in Wipperfürth and was told that they are in fact HQI(mercury quartz iodide)bulbs. Also Skriz is correct that they require a pulse start ballast to operate properly due to the higher voltage requirements. They were also designed to operate on the European pulse start ballast to render their true color which is close to our pulse start. He also said that the "HQI" ballast we have would overdrive them and that they would loose the blue color and turn white.
So it sounds like the ballast that Skriz has covers all the bases and will be an fantastic method to test color and par on this particular bulb or any bulb:up:. If I shipped you an evc bulb could you test it as well?

Sure!

au01st;486581 wrote: Any update on these? I'm looking at the 150/175/250/HQI ballasts that will allow me to run my current Iwasaki 175s, and later upgrade to Radium 250s. I don't feel I'll need anything in the 400w range so these ballasts fit my bill. Will this model fire the Radiums in both 250 and HQI modes so I can pick the color I want?

I haven't done anything. I'll probably get a chance this weekend and i'll run a quick test on par and colour.

Yes, that ballast will run both versions of 250w bulbs.

 

[weaglereefer]

Wonder how these would do