PLASMA lighting not too far off?

[snowmansnow]

Check out this vid.

amazing.

http://glassbox-design.com/2009/eco-friendly-plasma-lighting-technology-reaches-aquariums/">http://glassbox-design.com/2009/eco-friendly-plasma-lighting-technology-reaches-aquariums/</a>

B

 

[snowmansnow]

reef related video

 

[snowmansnow]

Todd at Cherry Corals is apparently testing it out

Heres thread

 

[oil_fan]

I remember seeing the cnet video back in the spring. Definitely quite interesting. I wonder how much a single bulb costs.

 

[oil_fan]

Yep.

I went through the thread they have over at reef2reef and saw a post of around $1000 for the setup. Still the long term costs should make it worthwhile for a good size tank.

 

[snowmansnow]

I think its very interesting too.... The future of reef lighting is always cool to me.

I really believe that we aren't too far away from lighting becoming much... MUCH cheaper. I mean really... Say you want 500w of decent lights over a 48" tank.. WHY should that cost ANYWHERE CLOSE to a thousand dollars?

the actual components of the lamps, ballasts, and hoods should be made of solid GOLD for that.

ok.. im done with my rant. now ill go hunt for a 1k lighting fixture just for kicks.

 

[smoothie]

Sweet baby Jesus! Now I know what I'll be reading up on for the rest of the night. Thanks for the link

 

[krb]

SnowManSnow;405005 wrote: I think its very interesting too.... The future of reef lighting is always cool to me.

I really believe that we aren't too far away from lighting becoming much... MUCH cheaper. I mean really... Say you want 500w of decent lights over a 48" tank.. WHY should that cost ANYWHERE CLOSE to a thousand dollars?

the actual components of the lamps, ballasts, and hoods should be made of solid GOLD for that.

ok.. im done with my rant. now ill go hunt for a 1k lighting fixture just for kicks.

for around $500 to $1200, depending on installation and availability, you can get solar tube lighting and it doesn't cost anything per month.

 

[smoothie]

If you were basically on the equator I would say go for the solar tubes. Not so much here.

 

[oldschool52]

I think the only way to actually use solar for tank light (unless you live close to the equator) is to use the sun to charge batteries, solar panels, and have them power your lights. Expensive way to go but it is feasible. After initial expense of solar panels, batteries, inverters and installation it would be all gravy.

 

[weaglereefer]

ares;405341 wrote: firstsolar is doing some pretty cool stuff. they have brought the cost of panels WAY down. and are using govt money and bank of america to create a financing system that lets you pay off the costs at a rate of the savings they generate...

so like if your power bill is 200 now, and you install panels, your power bill will be 100$, and your bill for the panels would be 100$, and then eventually 1 day its paid off and your home free but no up front costs or increase in your monthly costs.

That's cool.

Since I'll be looking to purchase a home in the next few years, I've been thinking of some way to get solar and have it be part of the cost of the mortgage. I know that over the life they would cost more than they would have up front, but the energy savings could be paid on top of the mortgage and pay off the loan a few years earlier. But that's a ways off, hopefully they're significantly cheaper of more efficient by then.

 

[oldschool52]

My wife and I have talked about solar power and a well for water if we build a house. We went one step further though, up the system enough to generate a little extra power and put it back onto the grid and sell it back to the utility company. Be totally independent of them. Yeh !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[oil_fan]

oldschool52;405610 wrote: My wife and I have talked about solar power and a well for water if we build a house. We went one step further though, up the system enough to generate a little extra power and put it back onto the grid and sell it back to the utility company. Be totally independent of them. Yeh !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I remember hearing about one guy out in California who had solar panels put onto house years ago right before that major electricity shortage. He was producing more than he used and sold back the extra at the majorly inflated prices. I'm pretty sure that helped pay them off quicker than normal.

But when it comes time to replace my roof in a few years, I'm seriously going to be looking into solar energy myself.

 

[cwalt]

In the realm of possibility - is one to two of these plasma bulbs lighting the whole house with the use of light tubes and fiber optics-

Given the way that they fire the Sulfer plasma bulbs could not be hung directly over the tank,

however i did just see a Metal halide led @ 140 lumens per watt

http://www.treehugger.com/files/2008/04/luxim-plasma-lifi-light-bulb-led-cfl.php">http://www.treehugger.com/files/2008/04/luxim-plasma-lifi-light-bulb-led-cfl.php</a>

they might be more design friendly to aquariums As VHO's have ~ 54 lumen per watt

and metal halide are about 90 per watt

the draw back would be you would need about 500 of them to put out the Lumens of 2 400 w halides, but would just be using about 2/3 of the power.

 

[ichthyoid]

Cwalt;405702 wrote: In the realm of possibility - is one to two of these plasma bulbs lighting the whole house with the use of light tubes and fiber optics-

Given the way that they fire the Sulfer plasma bulbs could not be hung directly over the tank,

however i did just see a Metal halide led @ 140 lumens per watt

http://www.treehugger.com/files/2008/04/luxim-plasma-lifi-light-bulb-led-cfl.php">http://www.treehugger.com/files/2008/04/luxim-plasma-lifi-light-bulb-led-cfl.php</a>

they might be more design friendly to aquariums As VHO's have ~ 54 lumen per watt

and metal halide are about 90 per watt

the draw back would be you would need about 500 of them to put out the Lumens of 2 400 w halides, but would just be using about 2/3 of the power.[/QUOTE]

That is the same bulb as at the beginning of this thread. I checked these out last year. Very expensive and not ready for prime time.

Induction coupled, or 'electrodeless' bulbs will certainly be in the cards soon. Very high efficiency while eliminating electrode issues (degradation, sputtering, etc.)

The battle is on between these and ultra high efficiency LED's. On the horizon are OLED's (organic LED's). OLED TV's are on the market for ~50%+ premium.

A great time in history to have a reef!