DIY Icecap...its not what you think

Hello, I have been running a F32T8 x3 ballast (BF=1.2) on one T8 instead of running all 3 and it appears that it's just as bright as running 3 for 1 day now. BTW, the bulb does get hot but not too hot and I will see if my planted tank continues to grow well under these conditions.:D
 
Hi, I've been following this post for some time now and quite intrigued. However I am wondering if OVDR NO bulbs are producing the spectrum of light needed for our reef tanks? Also in Nov. issue of FAMA there is an article on using NO bulbs from Home Depot ($6.00) on an Ice Cap Ballast ($180.00 online)and getting just as much output as VHO bulbs. So my question is if you want to use 4 bulbs and use one ballast to overdrive one bulb at about $35.00 a ballast at Home Depot, ($140.00) plus the space needed for 4 ballast and heat from them, why not just use the one Ice Cap and 4 NO bulbs to get about the same results? Just wondering if I'm missing something other than the $40.00 savings?:crazy1:
 
fins369,
A IceCap 660 will over drive 4 NO tubes to 1.5 times there original power rating as you can see people have been going from 2 to 4 X the original power on the bulbs which a IceCap won't do. for my purposes I am only going 2X the output (driving 30watt bulbs to 60watt. to do this I would spend 4x 15.99 for the 36" actinic bulbs and 2X 45.00 for the ballast (Canadian funds) here here in Canada (at least where I am a IceCap 660 is 299.00 and that doesn't include the wiring harness or endcaps. so you can see for those of use that don't mind building stuff thee is a big savings to be had.

The part about the NO bulbs on a IceCap getting as much light as VHO's is true only if you are comparing it to VHO's on a IceCap as the 660 running 4 x 110watt VHO only sends ~67watts to each bulb where if you run 4x 40watt NO you are sending ~60 watts to each bulb.

Steve
 
Hi,

Actinics for T8 are made by Zoomed, Hagen and Sylvania.

Yes, I am using NOs...not VHOs. They don't have T8 VHOs :)

As for why we are doing this....well, it is a bit cheaper. In Canada, a T8 X 4 ballast costs $30 (or $18 USD). So, 4 of those guys is cheaper than an $180 Icecap. Plus, you have the flexibility of using one, two, three and etc lamps. You aren't stuck with buying a big 4 lamp or 3 lamp version...and only use 1 or 2 lamps. This is particularly important for those who are starting but don't want to spend mega bucks on a system. Two lamp version is sufficient for most softies and LPS. I've got SPS under a three lamp version.

Having 4 ballasts is not actually a bad thing. You have maximum control over your lighting in this manner. For example, if you want to emulate sunrise/sunset...you just stagger your timers. Dimming is actually not very good for fluorescent tube life. If for some unfortunate thing happens to one of the ballast, you still have three others. If your Icecap goes...there isn't much of a safety net.

At this time, we don't know who's overdriving method is better. Icecap's ? the one described here ? It is hard to say. We will do some measurements in the future and see who's better.

- Victor.
 
I just asked them at the place i bought it at (home depot) and i also had the product code from some one else, and i checked it against that.

Scott
 
Hi all,

I went to home Depot today and checked out their ballast. I found a GE magnatec electronic ballast that will drive 4 F32T8 lamps, Model #B432l120RH instant start, $30.00! I'm wondering if this is the proper ballast for to use for overdriving? Also they had available 3 different types of T8 bulbs, but I forgot to write down #s on the lamps. I really appreciate the replys to my post and I'm going to try this set up out. Thanks.:confused:
 
That's the same one I used to overdrive 2 2' bulbs in series. I'm sure it will work for you. Except it cost $37 at my home depot! :rolleye1:

Happy DIYing. :D

-Jon
 
I've done that! now what about reflectors?

I've done that! now what about reflectors?

Someone asked how do you tell electronic from Magnetic?
A: Simple. If it weighs about 20 pounds or more it's Magnetic. (you can also read the label)

I used to run a 36" VHO (T12, Actinic) on a balast intended for an 8 foot T12 bulb (80 W). The bulb was rated for 90W, but I'd have to have shelled out 4-5 times as much for a VHO ballast, while I had the other one lying around. (the prices have come down a little bit on VHOs in the last 3 years, but still...over priced!)

Flourescent lighting is really not that complicated, even less so with Instant start balasts. They have all these numbers and rating and stuff, but it just boils down to voltage and wattage

A flourescent light is just an electrical arc surrounded by some phosphors (coating the glass) that convert the UV emited from the arc into more desirable wavelenghts.

To get the arc started you need a high voltage (about 100 V per foot of tube) (older ones had a heater in the ends to warm up some ions so the starting voltage could be lower) after the arc is started, the ballast just limits the current flowing through the arc to the specified power level (that's all a balast does).

Lamps are constructed so there is an appropriate desity of mercury vapor compared to the size of the tube and the type of phosphors, so you can't get too crazy... for example you could try pumping a few hundred watts through a 40W tube, but it will loose some efficiency, and will probably get really hot and shatter, but it would sure be bright for a little while. The opposite is true, you can buy a VHO bulb, and run it a lower power, but I don't know why you would. I'm not going to say that anything is "safe" even following the ratings exactly, but there is room to play here, and it can be worthwhile in terms of savings on hardware, and overall efficiency, if you know what you are doing.

I am interested in Making a better reflector. "reefburnbaby" mentioned that an optimal specular reflector is shaped like an "M" can somebody post a picture of a cross section of a good design, that could be made from cheap aluminum flashing for DIYers. It seems like 3 lengthwise folds would make an M, and be really simple, but what kind of angles? the "computer designed commercial ones I've seen just have an arc or have many more folds than an "M"...
 
Hey guys,
In theory a 24" bulb driven by a 4' ballast would be overdriven...Am I correct in this assumption???
Alan
 
Hi,

Dan.

One of the most optimum specular reflector shapes is a M shape. It actually looks like the McDonald's golden arches. In otherwords, if you want a shiny reflector, one of the best shapes is a M shape. But, it is pretty hard to bend a piece of sheet metal in to a complex shape with precision angles, like the golden arches, and not put any scratches on the shiny refector. Your best bet is to make a U shaped reflector and paint it white or sky blue. A white reflector will reflect white light in to the tank while a sky blue reflector will reflect only light that is similar to sky blue (sort of actinic..not quite...but if you like a bluer tank...sky blue is slightly better). You can also design the reflector to prevent light from spilling on to the sides of the tank, the hood and the carpet.

Alan,

Driving a 24" bulb with a 48" ballast would not be considered overdriving - if an electronic ballast was used. The 24", 36" and 48" have similar lamp current specifications. Lamp current is like say the amount of GPH you are running through a tube in plumbing terms. A ballast is like a water flow regulator in plumbing terms -- it controls how much water or current flows through the lamps. Since a 24" blub is twice as long as the 48", the 48" bulb will require the ballast (or the water pump) to pump twice as hard -- but the same amount of current (GPH) must flow through there. Electrically, this means we need more voltage. Mechanically, this means we need more water pressure or PSI. So, most electronic ballasts can drive different lamp lengths by being water flow regulators, but they have the water pressure (voltage) capacity to maintain that water flow regardless of the tube length. Make sense ?

So, if we double drive a bulb with two ballasts, we are essentially running more current (or GPH) through the tubes. Which means...we are overdriving.

Why doesn't a magnetic ballast work ? Well, a magnetic ballast isn't smart enough to maintain a constant current (or GPH) through the bulbs. Think of a magnetic ballast as a sump pump and a bulb as a tube going to your tank. When a longer tube is placed on your sump pump, the GPH slows down...right ? This is precisely what happens with a magnetic ballast. An electronic ballast would pump the same GPH regardless of the length.

It is alright if the magnetic ballast slows down the current flow when a wrong tube is place in it, but what happens if it is too fast. What if it is so fast that it draws more current that it is designed for...then it will burn out.

Hope that helps.

- Victo.
 
I'm having trouble finding anything but 3000K and 4100K NO T8 bulbs at my HD and Lowes locally here in Georgia. I did find the Sylvania 6500K "Deluxe Daylight" T12 bulb at Lowes. What sources have you found for the T8 size in a useable Kelvin? I'm going to build, hopefully, a 4 bulb, 36" T8 overdrive system for my 150 gallon refugium to replace the LOAs I am presently using. Thanks.
 
afss said:
I was able to get 48 inch t8 6500 at HD, but i didn't see any 36" ones. Scott

Scott, Do you have a SKU # for the 48" ones? Do they have a "name" on them like Deluxe Daylight?
Thanks.
 
Hey all,
T-8s come in 18" & 48" (except aquaria brands) I work at Home Depot for the summer and have checked into all the recources I can find, If anybody else has info otherwise, please post as I would be intrested...

Reefbuenaby,
Sorry for the momentary brain loss, I meant, if you wired them in series, and then used a 2-bulb ballast to light them(still don't know if I comunicated clearly:mad: ). I was thinking backwards the 1st post.
Alan
 
well all i must thank you for bringing me the light:D
hahaha. i have a 90 g reef and i used to have 8 no bulbs.
since reading this post a week ago i have rewired my hood to have 5 no t8's ( the are zoo med bulbs) overdriven. and WOW
it is an amazing diffrence. the zoomed bulbs work wonderfully and i have a friend that works at a shop and when i buy one i get one for free. so $30 dollars canadian for 2 bulbs.
i will post a picture. i currently am using 2 50/50's, 2 10,000k, and one actinic.:D
they wont let me post the same pictures again so search for this thread and you will see some examples. there is a before shot as well.
(this is what overdriven no look like)
 
PC question...

PC question...

Was referred to this post by someone on another board.... VERY interesting thread. Hopefully my questions have not already been asked in this thread - I tried to read every reply but I may have missed one or two.

Well, question is... Could I overdrive a 32w CSL PC bulb using a CSL 2 x 55w electronic ballast?

If so, it sounds like I would need to wire the two ends in-line into one of the endcaps. This would then fire the one bulb... is this right or am I completely clueless????

What would the output in wattage/lumens be????


Again, I apologize if this has been asked/answered previously in this thread...

Thanks for the help.

Alex
 
just realized something...

just realized something...

Sorry for the 2nd post but I just realized that my 55w CSL ballast is actually two ballast in one enclosure. Each ballast has its own power cord and end cap...

HOW, if possible, would I wire this to overdrive one 32w PC bulb? Could I just wire the two ballasts in-line? Would that increase the wattage/lumens produced by the 32w bulb? Would it significanlty reduce the life of the bulb?

Hope I am not asking a bunch of reduntant questions.
 
reefburnaby said:
Why doesn't a magnetic ballast work ?


In some instances, it does. I've been overdriving 18" and 24" tubes for years by using 2 or 3 coil and cap ballasts wired in parallel. I tried 4 once, but the bulb got hotter than I was comfortable with.

Bob
 
Back
Top