Anyone DIY ballast enclosures?

[RCS]

Since I've got 15+ of these things I'll need to put in enclosure, I was wondering if anyone in the area had made any DIY ballast enclosure? These are your regular old magnetic 250w ballast with caps...I haven't been able to find anything locally that would seem to work well, so I'm throwing up the white flag here...

 

[yaitisme]

Any pics with measurements?

 

[jmkarcz]

Fred, How about a few computer cases... you should look for some old cases without power supplies... you should be able to put several in each... and a cooling fan if needed... even a powerstrip.

JK

 

[RCS]

I'm guesstimating here, but the ballast itself is maybe 5"x5", with the cap probably 1.5" in diameter and 3" tall or so.

I thought about the computer cases, but they won't really fit what I'm doing. I'll be mounting them in the ceiling behind the tiles, so I'd likely need to be able to mount them individually.

On the up side, I have figured out what I'm doing for wiring...

 

[yaitisme]

Something like this would be nice... but your looking at over $200 and would prob. need to leave the covers off for ventilation.

http://www.grainger.com/Grainger/wwg/itemDetailsRender.shtml?ItemId=1611604100

 

[mako56]

I made a couple of my own out of aluminum, I have a single and a double 150. Never thought about making them for anyone but it is a possibility. They could be made out of any kind of metal I would like for myself either aluminum or stainless but steel would be a bit cheaper I guess. I have been playing with metal for a long time so we could build just about anything.

 

[jmkarcz]

In fireplaces, we have learned that Aluminum disipates (gives off) heat a minimum of 7 times faster than the same shape and size characteristic of steel.

Just another usefull fact from the guy who brings you an opertunity to suck all the nutrient rich water thru an airline hose you want...

Jason