150 watt DE MH lamps compared

traveller7

Time to get back in?
Premium Member
Following on the heels of JB NYââ"šÂ¬Ã¢"žÂ¢s fantastic 250 watt bulb comparison, the burn in has started on the available 150 watt Double Ended Metal Halide bulb and ballast combinations. My personal reasons are strictly selfish: I have four 2x150 Aqua Medic aquastarlights and four new style PFO Mini Pendants. It is close to replacement time for all 12 bulbs and you can imagine a box of 150 DE bulbs each year is quite a commitment.

Measurements will be conducted in the same size box, with the same type of equipment, same sensor distance, and in the same manner as JB NYââ"šÂ¬Ã¢"žÂ¢s testing here:
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=254667

Equipment to be used in the tests:
Apogee Instruments QMSS-ELEC Quantum Meter with remote sensor. Calibrated for electric lamps.
Apogee Instruments Leveling plate for the sensor.
APC Matrix 3000XR for power conditioning.
Electronics Educational Devices Watts Up? Pro (a Watts Up? is on hand for comparison to the exact device used in 250 SE testing)
Sony DCR-TRV30 for pictures at the moment.

The following bulbs are currently in the 120 hour burn in process on Advance M81 Ballasts:
Aqualine 150 watt 10000K
Colorlite Blue 150 watt PN BLV 224321 HIT-DE 150 blau
IceCap 150 watt 10000K
Ushio 150 watt 5200K? PN DD/UVP

The following bulbs are in transit:
CoralVue 150 watt 10000K
CoralVue 150 watt 20000K
Giesemann BLV Daylight 150 watt TS 6000K
Giesemann BLV Cool White 150 watt TS 10000K
Giesemann Megachrome Marine TS 150 watt 13000K

Sources for the following bulbs are sought and the bulbs will be scheduled pending purchase or confirmation of shipment:
CoralVue 6500K
Iwasaki 6500K
Iwasaki Aqua 50000K DE
Sylvania AquaArc 10000K
Ushio 10000K
Ushio 20000K

Ballasts on hand:
Advance M81

Ballasts in transit
CoralVue 150 watt Electronic Ballast

Sources for the following ballasts are sought and will be added pending purchase or confirmation of shipment:
Aromat
IceCap 150
Reliable

Other bulbs and ballasts can be added depending on the level of interest from the community and availability. Sources for the bulb or ballast along with the request will always be appreciated.
 
Oh Yeah, and I have a couple of other bulbs to add to that list if you want. 150W 20K XDE and 150W DE 6000K Osram. I also have some spare UV glass from a PFO mini pendant if you don't have any conveniently handy. PM me your address if you want them.
 
Awesome!! The only thing i can think of to add is a 14000K Won brothers bulb that comes with there powersolar hoods, i can provide a new one for you in week or 2, i hope thats not too late, let me know.

And also the radium whic i do not have a source for.
 
saltyseaman,

I'll send you a pm with a thank you and shipment details :)

MDLR1,

I actually buy quite a bit of HelloLights gear and have gone back and forth on the ballast based on the flickering reported in the last Sanjay test.

Anyone know whether the current HelloLights ballast is the same or different?

wedfr,

I'll send you a pm with a thank you and shipment details :) Let me know when you need me to send you a Watts Up? for your effort as well.

To all,

I believe or hope I already have all the ancillary gear I need (UV glass, burn in materials, etc) but I am still looking to find someone local that can take some better pics then I can :p Maybe one of those WAMAS professional photographers will lend a hand ;)

Thanks for the support folks, it will be interesting.
 
If you want to wait for them to come in stock you can get the Radiums here

http://hellolights.com/150wat20hqir.html

or pay a lot and get them here

http://www.specialty-lights.com/al00825.html

Another Idea if you feel like making the investement would be to test some European bulbs. You can get these shipped to the US for like $45

http://www.sewatec.de/product_info.php/cPath/65_99_209/products_id/1333

http://www.sewatec.de/product_info.php/cPath/65_99_100/products_id/414/language/en

It would be real expensive to get them here, but it would be real interesting to see the results.

I am anxiously awaiting your PM Traveller
 
traveller, I think the "Ushio" 20k and that colorite bulb are the same thing. I've got a couple of those....I can lend you an IC 150w already rigged for the PFO....
www.reefgeek.com carries the iwasaki 50k--it's distributed through sunlight supply--maybe perryinca will send you one....
 
saltyseaman said:
If you want to wait for them to come in stock you can get the Radiums here.......
or pay a lot and get them here
Given the burn in time required and pile of other bulbs already in route, something tells me to wait :D

moonpod said:
traveller, I think the "Ushio" 20k and that colorite bulb are the same thing. I've got a couple of those....I can lend you an IC 150w already rigged for the PFO....
www.reefgeek.com carries the iwasaki 50k--it's distributed through sunlight supply--maybe perryinca will send you one....
moonpod,

I'll send you a pm and I hear you loud and clear. I made an early list of 25 bulbs and it sure is/was tough to separate the OEMs. Some help here would be appreciated. At least Giesemann labels some of theirs BLV, hence why I chased them down early. The Colorlite is definitely BLV. I'll post the master list I have sometime over the next few days.

Side note, I think Perry is actually running a 50K over his personal tank. Maybe he'll swap me one for 45 days or so :D

Goodnight folks.
 
Ya Baby Ya another comparo!

If 250 DE's are said to have as much par as 400 SE's, Then maybe you will find that the, 150 DE's are up to par with the 250 SE's.

Just a thought.
 
Do all these bulbs come with a similar "mean time before Failure", or do some outlast others (with respect to output degredation).

This may be difficult to accomplish, as multiple identicle bulbs would have to be tested (although this applies to the current test also) to ensure that each bulb is manufactured to the same standards - something you should include in your results.

I'm asking this as I read that Geismann bulbs supposedly last 2 years, and I would like to know if this is common for DE bulbs.
 
MadTownMax,

Thanks for the input and that concept was one of reasons I bought the test gear etc. I will be testing the bulbs I own at the 6, 12, and 18 month mark.

Not sure how to tell build quality other then that.

Thanks again.
 
traveller7 said:


Not sure how to tell build quality other then that.

Thanks again.

It would be interesting if people sent you their old bulbs, along w/ their hour usage, and you could get a very good comparison of how long each bulb lasts w/ different ballasts also.... not like it would cost anyone much.
 
traveller7

I have a 1 and a 4 month old BLV 10k. I would be more than happy to send one of them to you.
 
jauringer,

Much appreciated. I am working with folks on an OEM list so we can narrow down the named bulbs to the manufactured bulbs. I may already have the BLV's on hand.

Let's give it a few days to confirm the label versus the manufacturer ;)

Thanks again and sit tight until we can answer some questions.

Scott
 
Scott, will mail the IC to you this week or early next week. Will use that account. Thanks. Chuck
 
Thanks Chuck.

I'll slip the IC into the tables as soon as it arrives.

Thanks again for putting your equipment into the mix.

Scott
 
Ok, after some confusion on my part, I'd like to play too. :)

I guess I'd better start reading more carefully and paying a bit more attention.

Okay. I'll sacrifice one of the 8 SLI 10k's I had intended to keep in reserve. I may also have a Giesseman 6700K that I'd be willing to LEND, as well as what I believe to be a Fulham prototype electronic 150w ballast, and an unknown (but quite blue) 150w DE lamp, just for giggles. The mystery ballast (see here: http://reefcentral.com/forums/showt...&threadid=73842 ) and blue lamp came from the same industry source that imported the SLI 10k lamps that I've recently sold.

Scott and other involved parties, please contact me via PM or e-mail. I'd be VERY interested in the design of the trials, and especially how reflector/luminaire effects are addressed.
 
traveller7 (BUT IN ANOTHER THREAD!!!) said:
SNIP

It would appear I already have 3 of the bulbs via OEM's. I still have not figured out the manufacturing and labeling but that is what testing is for ;>)

SNIP

Scott

Scott, It'd be quite interesting if you could simply post pics of all of the lamps, along with the name that they're being marketed under and their apparent manufacturer... I have a few 150w lamps of unknown make, though I suspect they are the HIT blues.
 
Scleractinian said:
I'd be VERY interested in the design of the trials, and especially how reflector/luminaire effects are addressed.

I'm also very interested in reflectors, and their effect w/ different bulb geometries.
 
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