Thekid55;61846 wrote: all you need to know here
http://thereeftank.com/forums/showthread.php?t=101447">http://thereeftank.com/forums/showthread.php?t=101447</a>[/QUOTE]
Most of htose responses are in regards to their older magnetic ballast models. However, the par output on the new electronic ballasts is about 1/3rd of other ballasts. Remember you get what you pay for.
This doesn't seem to be a problem any longer as long as you open up the unit and make sure the wiring is fastend securely.Dakota9;62042 wrote: Just FYI, I'd heard about the MH's catching fire, but I truly remember reading that that problem had been fixed
Cameron;62034 wrote: I have read through reams of posts about these guys. Shipping is a pain, support is limited at best but their products are on the upswing. Several people have had great success with the pumps, the new skimmers and the new MH lighting once wiring is checked out and factoring in a fan replacement along the way seems to be pretty good. I have seen PAR numbers from their new MH ballasts and they are actually inline with other MH budget ballasts. I have not seen T5 or PC ballast numbers however.
Shop with caution, but if you are on a budget I wouldn't write them off on some items.
To all those wondering whether it's a 250 watt ballast or not I can answer it. It is definitely a 250 watt. The ballasts just have a low power factor. To those using a Killawatt, check the power factor by pressing the Hertz button twice. I compared a 250 watt Odyssea to the 250 watt Aqualight Pro from Coralife. The Odyssea had a power factor of 0.63 while the Aqualight Pro had a power factor of 0.95 (1 is the best). This means that the Odyssea ballast sends back 0.37% of it's energy on alternating cycles to the supply. Which is why the Killawatt reads a lower wattage than expected since it was designed to measure actual energy usage. Coincidentally this means the ballasts are sending less power to the bulbs. I checked the PAR value at the bottom of a 75 gallon with an Apogee PAR meter in 6 places and averaged the results and got 93 with the Odyssea and 253 with the Aqualight Pro. Both were with the stock Odyssea/Coralife 10K bulbs.
I think you are wrong... just a few posts below mine comes these posts:theplatypus;62325 wrote: Same bulbs different ballasts.
Just had another thought Andy, could you swap the ballasts and see what the aquatraders ballast pulls on the coralife and vise/versa? Just wondering if its the bulbs are doing it...not even sure if its possible for the bulbs to do it.
I could but I would have to rewire the ballasts to do so. I also would have to bypass the ignitor in the Coralife unit since the Odyssea ignitor is built into the ballast not the fixture like the Coralife. I can swap the bulbs from one fixture to the other. I will try that but I don't think the bulbs are affecting the ballast output.
Well I tried putting in the Coralife bulbs into my Odyssea fixture today and getting some PAR readings. One of the bulbs wouldn't light in the Odyssea fixture. Lights just fine in the Coralife fixture. The other bulb lit but had a power factor of 0.61. I didn't take the PAR readings as it would be unfair without both bulbs. I would have to assume that the low power factor of the ballast prevented the bulb from igniting.
P.S. having to pop out the LED's to change the bulb is a PITA. Actually pulled a wire from one of the LED's while trying to put it back and had to resolder it back together.