220V 80W T5 Dimming Ballast

[Osler@thesea]

Could the 220V dimming ballasts be made available to North American Profilux users? The additional cost of a 110V -> 220V transformer would be worth it to have an 80W dimmable ballast, IMO. I am trying to light a 66 inch tank and really don't want to alternate 54W and 80W bulbs if I don't have to.

Osler

 

[AQD_ottawa]

yes on special order only with about a 6 week wait.

 

[Osler@thesea]

Thanks for the quick and informative response!

For the 80W version, would these be 1 or 2 bulbs per ballast?

Osler

 

[AQD_ottawa]

either depending on what you want

 

[Osler@thesea]

Can you point me in the direction of a US retailer I can place the order through and provide me with an estimate on cost(s) (2 bulb/ballast unit)?

Osler

 

[Osler@thesea]

^^^
BUMP

 

[AQD_ottawa]

www.cherrycorals.com contact Todd

 

[AQD_ottawa]

approx price for dual 80W 220V dimmable ballasts = $99.99

 

[Osler@thesea]

Thank you much!!

 

[pjr300]

Osler, I am in the same boat, so to speak, on tank length. This may be a nice option! What do you plan to use for 110-220 conversion?

 

[AQD_ottawa]

why not have a dedicated 220V line installed! far safer!

 

[pjr300]

Not a bad thought.... except for the WAF of course.

(Wife Acceptance Factor)

 

[Stoneyscoral]

Solution to WAF factor. Pick a day when she is gone and just do it!!!

 

[Osler@thesea]

I am looking at transformers. You could put a 10,000W harwired from the breaker box; however, I will probably go with a 4000W plugged into an outlet. If I use a dedicated line I will lose one of my dedicated 20A outlets in the fishroom. Doing this just for lights doesn't seem like a wise use of resources.

(220V in the US vs. the EU are 2 different things. There has to be a step-up transformer in play to achieve the EU equivalent)

Stoneyscoral:

Will be ordering soon. Likely one ballast initially to ensure it plays well with the transformer. Still in the planning stages at this point so I am not in a huge hurry.

Great support, BTW...crabman.

Osler

 

[AQD_ottawa]

Crabman? I assume you refer to me no worries here to help, I will make sure Todd gets this ballast in for you on his next order.

Regards
Michael

 

[Osler@thesea]

Just to clarify/correct my previous post re: 220V in the US. This is actually achievable without a transformer but will require a dedicated circuit from your panel. As opposed to the EU where you would have a 220V hot and a neutral (single phase), in the US you would use a 110V hot and another 110V hot that is 180 degrees out of phase (dual phase). You would need 12/2 or 12/3 wire (with ground) minimum from the panel to the outlet and the breaker would need to be changed to 2-pole 15A or 20A. I am acually contemplating doing this now and sacrificing one of my dedicated 20A outlets due to (as raised by Michael) safety concerns using a transformer in unattended continuous use. A transformer would probably be ok I am just not sold on the idea. If you do go the transformer route, I would probably stick with the ATVR-3000 or higher. These transformers have a built in circuit to limit in-rush current and they appear to get good reviews. For cotinuous use, you should size the transformer such that you only achieve 75-80% of its max wattage rating during continuous use (defined as greater than 4 hours of operation). Even better would be to size it to 1.5X the max anticipated wattage to minimize heating. You should be able to pick one of these up for ~$150 US.

Hope this is useful to someone and not just needless ranting on my part.

Osler

 

[AQD_ottawa]

You are right you need four core two "Hot" wires. This is NOT a job for the amateur.

Red - Hot
Black - Hot
White - Neutral
copper unshielded - earth

I have just had installed a 220V 50amp line for my hot tub, it cost $1,155 in total, the cable is $15 a meter. I am not saying you need this as you are only pulling 20amp load on the circuit, but one thing is for sure get an electrician that knows what they are doing!!!

 

[Osler@thesea]

You could get by with 3 core (12/2) as the neutral is not technically needed in this application, only the two hot and the ground. This would negate the need to run new wire AS LONG AS you already have a dedicated outlet. And yes, I will be having an electrician make the conversion. The older I get the less inclined I am to DIY.

Osler

 

[AQD_ottawa]

depends on your loading you are wishing to put through it, but for a fish tank running on 220V - a 20 amp breaker (cable protection) and a 15 amp GFCI would be the main areas of equipment

 

[AQD_ottawa]

Just a demo of some useful uses of 220V 50amp supply lines in North America

:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

Sorry could not resist, back to topic now