MH running off MV ballast

[humptrax]

i currently have a DIY set up following these plans:
http://aquarium.union.rpi.edu/articles/DIY_MH.html">http://aquarium.union.rpi.edu/articles/DIY_MH.html</a>
i'm getting tired of the yellow tint of the iwasakis and was wondering what other SE MH bulbs i could fire with the MV ballast. the ballast does fire coralife 10k bulbs but i wanted to go 14k or higher...

 

[photokid]

that was a really good read thanks.

 

[roundman]

Very good info thanks for the link

 

[roundman]

I just went to the Graybar website and cannot find this ballast part number. Where did you get yours and what numbers did you use.

 

[tnyga]

very cool...

 

[humptrax]

i actually purchased a tank with them installed off ebay a few years back.

i don't think any of those part numbers exist anymore (it's an old article) but you need to use an M46 ballast? if you read through the article, it says what type of ballast you need.

anyone care to answer my question? i've switched from the iwasakis to the coralife 10k and really like the blue appearance better. i was wondering if these ballast would fire XM 10k...

 

[skriz]

It would probably fire the other bulbs, but it is not reccomended to do so. You should only use the ballast that is reccomended for the particular bulb.

there is an article

 

[humptrax]

i wanted to get the blueline ballast but due to financial reasons, i cannot replace the ballast at this time.

it fires the coralife bulb but i'm sure it'll compensate it's longevity. i really can't stand the yellowish look of the iwasakis either... it's quite a struggle, to say the least.

the tank is supplemented by two 36" UVL T5 super actinics. even then, the light is WAY too white... i like the color off the coralife bulb but i'm sure it's because my eyes are adjusted to the bright white of the iwasakis.

so i guess the question is, as long as the bulb fires, my only concern is the bulb life?

thanks for the link man. i asked an electrician the same question and he looked at me like a deer in headlights...

 

[skriz]

the info is there on that link, it may take you a minute to find, but it's there.

You can find the correct ballast on the boards for pretty cheap though. I know Rit (reef1973) has some for $35 each; you can't beat that price.

Remember that when you do change bulbs to the bluer bulb, you are going to have a sharp drop off in your par. the iwasaki's have a ton of par. the xm 20k is dramatically less.

 

[humptrax]

roundman;143236 wrote: I just went to the Graybar website and cannot find this ballast part number. Where did you get yours and what numbers did you use.

http://www.advancetransformer.com/ecatalog/HID_LookUp.asp">http://www.advancetransformer.com/ecatalog/HID_LookUp.asp</a>

part number 71A3572.

it's a mercury vapor ballast and thus, its only application (i think... i'm really REALLY unsure) is with Iwasaki 6500k bulbs. i just installed the coralife bulb in its place and i like the color i'm getting off of them much better. i just don't know what the ill effects of a coil type MV ballast is to an MH bulb.

 

[humptrax]

i think i found my own answer. For those curious about trying to run different MH bulbs with your current MH ballast set up:

from: http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2002-06/jg/index.php">http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2002-06/jg/index.php</a>

"The line voltage that the ballast is plugged into will have an effect on the lamp voltage and, therefore, it's light output. Autotransformer type ballasts tend to drop the lamp voltage when the line voltage drops. If the ballast is rated for 120 VAC and it is run on 110 VAC, the lamp will also not be running at full power and so the spectrum and intensity will vary. If a constant wattage autotransformer (CWA) type ballast has a +/- 10% change in line voltage, the lamp wattage will also vary by +/- 10%. A constant wattage (CW) type ballast has the best regulation, in which a +/- 13% line voltage change only produces a +/- 2% lamp wattage change. From these numbers it becomes obvious that the line voltage on which the ballast operates is a very important factor in maintaining the lamp wattage".

side note: only ANSI rated M80 ballasts (250W) gives you the flexibility to switch from an SE to DE and if i remember correctly, the bluelines were M80 ballasts?

 

[skriz]

ballasts rated for HQI bulbs will be m80.

 

[humptrax]

apparently, electronic ballasts will fire both bulbs as well.

i know i'm asking the wrong person but does Rit sell M80 ballasts? after thorough research, i think i want to switch my set up to run XM 10ks off of M80 ballasts...

 

[skriz]

the electronic ballasts will fire both bulbs, but they won't overdrive the SE bulbs, which is what you can do with a magnetic hqi ballast on a SE bulb.

Rit's ballasts are not m80.

 

[humptrax]

awwww crap. looks like i'm going to have to shell out $200+ for a blueline for DIY a new ballast...

it can't be any harder than putting together the H37 MV ballast, could it???

 

[humptrax]

or DIY a new ballast. How do you edit your posts on this blasted site?!?!

 

[blind1993]

Skriz;143387 wrote: the electronic ballasts will fire both bulbs, but they won't overdrive the SE bulbs, which is what you can do with a magnetic hqi ballast on a SE bulb.

Rit's ballasts are not m80.

i heard that electronic ballast will fire any wattage, is that true?

 

[skriz]

Not true. The e-ballasts are wattage specific.