Convert 2x54 t5ho to 4x24 t5ho?

[Percher]

Is it possible to use a ballast on a 2x54w (46") to power a 4x24w instead? Most of the info I see on the ballasts saw 1 or two bulbs, but I'm assuming that is for the max length/wattage those ballasts will support?

Right now I'm running two of the Lithonia 2x54w fixtures which have worked really well despite my lack of DIY skills. They are in a DIY hood over a 60 gallon tall tank.

I went to my LFS yesterday and found out they are going out of business . They had some great deals going on to clear out the store and picked up a 60 cube with built in overflow, stand, and hood for $350. I'd like to use as much of the equipment as possible from the 60 tall.

The new tank:

 

[billdogg]

what brand ballast?

 

[Aello]

Most of the time you can do that if you look at the ballast it will show what combination of lights you can run, an easier way is to see how many wires there are if there are 2 power and 2 neutral wires then no, best bet is to go pick up a new ballast or two at lowes or HD.
If you were brave you could attach two bulbs in series and try that, but I am not 100% positive on how that would work.

 

[uncleof6]

No. A 2S54 ballast will not run 4 24w T5/HO lamps properly at all. T5/HO ballasts are application specific to the needs of the lamps, not the ballasts need of the lamps. A ballast is a current limiting device. Improper application leads to improper current limiting. Either too little (not dangerous, but really a waste of the technology) or too much—as indicated by the ability of the IceCap 660 (a T12 VHO ballast) to suck holes in T5/HO lamps (they are not bulbs, they are Fluorescent Lamps...)

However, the stuff from Home Depot/Lowe's is not T5/HO, rather just T5—office lighting; it is little more than a pittance of what T5/HO can do...you cannot get anything that is T5/HO at Lowe's or Home Depot. Even at that, though, the ballasts are still application specfic. T5 is a different technology than the forgiving T12 and T8.

 

[Aello]

Yes you can find t5 ho at lowes. I installed these lights for my father and even did a diy setup with t5 ho with a ballast from lowes. Look in the lighting section.

 

[nemosworld]

cheap and good ballast for this application is a fulham workhorse 5 ballast.

 

[uncleof6]

Yes you can find t5 ho at lowes. I installed these lights for my father and even did a diy setup with t5 ho with a ballast from lowes. Look in the lighting section.

Which ballast did you use:

http://www.lowes.com/Search=ballast...logId=10051&N=0&newSearch=true&Ntt=ballasts#!

I will take correction, it is good. Lowes has 1 fixture listed as T5/`~`/HO. But is it really? Only the lamp designation will tell for sure (not listed.)

This topic has been covered at leats 200 times here, and many more times all over the web. T5 is as little understood as LEDs.

 

[uncleof6]

cheap and good ballast for this application is a fulham workhorse 5 ballast.

They are cheap, and they are widely used, due to *some* aquarium lighting manufacturers using them, in the electrical field, this does not occur *well it is not sanctioned anyway*. They are however, T/8 - T/12 type ballasts. Why? Beacuse they are instant start. (The single pin T12 was the only lamp designed to use an instant start.) T5/HO requires programmable start for longevity of the lamps, and operation. Improper ballasts will fire the lamps, however, they do not run correctly—usually over-driving them causing heat issues due improper current limiting, up to and including physical damage (such as holes) to the lamps, and catastrophic disassembly, in a rather short period of time. Not always, but often enough to be a concern. Enough of a concern that IceCap had special T5/HO lamps manufactured that they felt could handle the characteristics of their T12/VHO ballast, due to the volume of complaints.

Fulham does make a correct T5/HO electronic ballast, programmable start and all, however it is considerably more expensive than the workhorse. On the other hand, Fulham has a reputation for being the most unreliable ballast available, with the most out of box failures than either Osram/Sylvania or Philips/Advance.

 

[Aello]

The bulbs are t5 ho as well. And they sell just the ballasts as well.