DIY Icecap...its not what you think

No one knows...?

No one knows...?

Sorry to repost, but I'm still hopeful that someone can shed some light on my question..

- Can I overdrive (2 times) 2 URI VHO bulbs with an IC 660?

Also, I've been to my local Home Depots and Lowes and have had luck finding a few e-ballasts that I can experiment with as far as the original thread discussed, but finding t8 or t12 bulbs in 36" lengths was a no-go! I found the t12 48" 6500 bulbs - that was it. Also, here in NC the more common bulbs are definitely T12.

Scott
 
Try it, that's really all you can do. I see no problem with it, but I couldn't say how it would work without trying it.

The only 36" bulb I found at Home Depot was a soft white one. You'll need to do some more in-depth seaching if you're looking for other bulbs. WI isn't exactly a bastion of fl. bulb choices either!

Fred
 
I'm doing this with 24" bulbs. Just found the Sylvania QT4X32120IS which is rated for 4 24" T-8 bulbs (among others).

$16 for an electronic ballast. If this works it plain rocks. :D
 
Re: No one knows...?

Re: No one knows...?

ScottT said:
Sorry to repost, but I'm still hopeful that someone can shed some light on my question..

- Can I overdrive (2 times) 2 URI VHO bulbs with an IC 660?

Also, I've been to my local Home Depots and Lowes and have had luck finding a few e-ballasts that I can experiment with as far as the original thread discussed, but finding t8 or t12 bulbs in 36" lengths was a no-go! I found the t12 48" 6500 bulbs - that was it. Also, here in NC the more common bulbs are definitely T12.

Scott
Click to expand...

Scott, the only thing you can do is try it. But it is a big risk. If you blow your Icecap, you are out $150. If you blow an electronic ballast from Home Depot, your out $25. Why don't you just use 4 36" VHO lamps with the 660?
 
LBUSSY
dont know if you know this but you can also wire 2 18 or 24" bulbs in series to make the equivilant on a 48" bulb or so and it will be the same brightness out of 2 bulbs. that's what i do on my nano 3 18" bulbs wired in series OD by 4x.
 
schwaggs

schwaggs

Yep, it would be an expensive test - not really one that I want to perform at my cost... not without others saying they've done it successfully.

I originally got my 660 and 4 URI VHOs for a double tank setup that I was building (one tank is 48" and one is 36" - thus, 2 48" bulbs and 2 36" bulbs). Since I never got that double tank setup going (and can't in the house I just moved into) I am planning a single 36" tank setup and thought I would use the 660 and the 36" VHOs.

With all the OD discussion it made me think about 2xOD the 36" with the 660 since it is capable of running 4 bulbs. If it works fine, this would allow me to run 2 36" bulbs at the intensity equal to 4 bulbs and still give me room for 2 more bulbs running off an e-ballast that I can use to simulate dawn/dusk.... my tank is only 11 3/4" wide, so there's not room for more than 4 bulbs.

So it sounds like everyone is have great success with the OD experiments with the *cheaper* bulbs and ballasts, but no one has taken the risk of ODing *expensive* VHOs with *expensive* ballasts!.. can't says I blame ya!

Thanks, and good luck to all.
 
Canadian Man said:
LBUSSY
dont know if you know this but you can also wire 2 18 or 24" bulbs in series to make the equivilant on a 48" bulb or so and it will be the same brightness out of 2 bulbs. that's what i do on my nano 3 18" bulbs wired in series OD by 4x.
Click to expand...
Yeah but this is more a space issue. I have MH in the hood. I have room for exactly one 24" NO. :-)

I think it's gonna work out great.
 
Canada Man,
I tried doing 2 24" T12 in series and they didn't fire. do you have a diagram or word description on how you got it to work?
Thanx
 
here is a diagram.
 

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HELP HELP HELP

HELP HELP HELP

Anyone know what to do about the TV interference that electronic ballast cause on my tv? Help me to figure it out before my wife unplugs my lights.
TIA
 
Hi,

Okay...VHO overdriving by 2x. Not a great idea since VHOs are pretty hot at 1x. Imagine it being twice as hot.... :)

TV interference.

There are possibly several solutions or problems with your lights.

Are you lights + ballast properly grounded ? (i.e. 3 prong plugs)

Have you tried one of those EMI/RF power supressors on your TV ? You can also put one of those filters on the lamp power plug.

Are you using antenna reception ?

Try plugging your lamps in to a different outlet.


Hope that helps.
- Victor.
 
Thanx Victor,
I am using antenna reception. Where do I find the EMI/RF power suppressors? I did use grounded plugs that ground both the ballast and reflector within 1/2" of bulbs. Even in different sockets the lamps still produce interference.
Thank you again for your time Victor
 
I have been running the T8 off 1 4 bulb ballast for sometime now and it works great. I did not do anything with the ground and was wondering if I need to. I did not ground the ballast to the wall outlet or run a ground from the ballast to the light and there is no reflector. Do I need to do either? The light fired okay and they are running. I talk a guy at HD and he said I need a 3 prong plug and I should get rid of the 2 prong plug fro the ballast 2 the wall. I don't want to re-wire unless I have 2!!


Thanks
 
DIY Electrical Experiments...

DIY Electrical Experiments...

This sounds great... but a word to the wise.

This is not UL approved! Lets take a hypathetical situation.

Your house burns down because the refrigerator shorts out.
We all know how insurance companies are. They are going to be looking for something; more importantly the Fire Marshal WILL be looking for something.
Do you think he will go over to your "UL Approved" refrigerator. No... he will walk over to your burned-out tank with four power strips, three pumps, two heaters, a bunch of hot wired ballasts, "...and a Partrige in a Pear tree."
He may, or may not, find that the frig caused the fire, but that the tank probably CONTRIBUTED to over-loaded house circuits and/or overheating, etc, etc.
And that, my fellow electricians will be all the insurance company needs to deny claim.
All for 200-300 savings.

Just a friendly reminder from a fellow reef grower.
 
I don't think that is a likely (or even possible?) scenario. My policy covers the house for anything except arson, and a short list that includes flood damage (I live on top a hill), and other "acts of God".

I've never heard of a claim being denied due to a circuit being overloaded, and overdriving the bulbs has nothing to do with having a overloaded circuit. I guarantee that no fire marshal is going to be able to determine that you were overdriving bulbs on your tank after a fire. That's just not realistic.

Interesting idea, but I don't see any grounds in reality for it.

Anyone in the insurance industry around?
 
no, brown codes is right, the insurance co does not have to pay when a non UL rated appliance causes a fire -which is why you should never buy a coffee maker or toaster unless it is UL rated, unfortunately quite a few Asian companies claim UL rating on their products whne they do not actually pass the test ...
 
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