Dimmable Halide e-ballasts from ReefBrite

[acroholic]

I started a thread a few months ago about wanting to try a dimmable halide ballast, not the kind that switch from 400 watts to 250, or 10% overdrive, but something truly dimmable. The only thing available were some expensive stuff for industrial/warehouse applications. Anyways, I scrapped the idea. Look at this announcement on Reef Builders. The post says they will eventually come out with them in 400 watt form. Be nice to be able to dim them down between 50%-100% with just an Apex or RKE.

 

[seth the wine guy]

I wonder how it would impact the lamps kelvin value.

 

[acroholic]

Seth The Wine Guy;913073 wrote: I wonder how it would impact the lamps kelvin value.

I think it would make them blue. I had a Lumatek that switched between 400 and 250 watts, and when you switched a 400 watt Radium to 250 watts, it became very blue.

It would be nice to be able to ramp up to a noon high of 100% intensity, or maybe 110% if possible, then ramp down.

 

[sn4k33y3z]

Temperture is a direct coralation to Kelvin. What fails in a metal halide bulb is the cathode. I think this will cause a premature failure to the halide.

 

[ralph atl]

interesting fodder....

 

[falos]

Didn' t Luma tek have dimmable HQ metal halide ballast 4 400 watt Bulbs a sunlight supply sold them

 

[morganatlanta]

 

[acroholic]

Sn4k33y3z;913085 wrote: Temperture is a direct coralation to Kelvin. What fails in a metal halide bulb is the cathode. I think this will cause a premature failure to the halide.

I think the idea is that if you run the bulb at a lower wattage than it is rated for, the bulb lasts longer.

Not sure what you mean regarding temperature and Kelvin temperature. Are you referring to thermal temperature or Kelvin temperature? Thermal temperature and Kelvin temp are independent of each other. The color rendition, or Kelvin Temperature, of a metal halide light is a function of the gas, elements and any coatings in or on the arc tube.

 

[acroholic]

MorganAtlanta;913151 wrote: http://www.ebay.com/itm/400W-Electronic-Metal-Halide-Dimmable-HPS-MH-Plant-Grow-Light-Lamp-Bulb-Ballast-/161154352097?pt=US_Hydroponics&hash=item25858c43e1">400W Electronic Metal Halide Dimmable HPS MH Plant Grow Light Lamp Bulb Ballast | eBay</a>[/QUOTE]

The difference between what you quoted and what I posted about is that the ReefBrite ballasts are continuously variable at any percentage brightness between 50% and 100%, not just at 50% or 75% or 100% or 110%. These type ballasts have been around for years.

Additionally, the ReefBrite ballasts are programmable using a 0-10mv controller like an Apex. The ballast you show is like a Lumatek. It is only dimmable by manual selection, whereas the ReefBrite will be programmable at, for example, 50% for an hour, 61% for an hour, 73% for an hour, 85% for an hour, 100% for an hour, then ramp back down at whatever percentages you choose to complete your chosen photoperiod.

The unique thing about the ReefBrite ballasts will be their programmability between 50%-100% intensity just using a typical reef controller, a feature before now only available on very expensive industrial type ballasts with expensive programmers.