Electrician here...If you need advice or help

[letsgofishin]

a basement? In Hawaii? never heard of such a thing... where in oahu do you live that has a basement...? hehehe

and yea, if you want to try to do 'some of the work' yourself, then have the electrican install a new circuit or two, and run the wires down to the basement, (in conduit preferably) and terminate them in a centrally located box, and then you can finish it yourself but by then you wont really be saving a whole lot of money but will get the satisfaction and experience for future work...

gl

 

[rort]

lol its not a true basement. We live on a pretty steep hill in Kaneohe. So our living room/kitchen is the first floor and then the bedrooms on the second. But below our sun room/lanai is another basement like room, well more of a perfect place to store a few motorcycles.

I have enough "work" planned out for this fish room, if I don't have to, and its not too expensive I will have the electrician do it! ;-)

 

[letsgofishin]

kanehoe side? nice.... great weather over there and kinda centrally located... and right next door to Kailua.....(special bonus points if you can translate Kailua)... and did they ever finish the H-3? is that a real short cut or benefit... there was talk about how that was a boondoggle thing... I guess i should look at the maps or something...hehehe

 

[bigdaddystar]

shouldnt be to expensive my rate is $50 hr and that job depending on how far the run is from the panel would be between $200 to $400 labor and probably around at the most a $100 in material....but most likely on the lower end about $300 to $350 total.

Also, I would spring for (2) 20 amp circuits ran down there, it will not cost much more material wise and it doesnt take anymore labor really to run 2 or even more circuits. You will be glad you did. I have 2 dedicated 20 amp circuits on my set-up. Plus you will probably want one down there just for other things and lights for the basement.

my consumption (and I know I am not trying to conserve any power)
4- 250 watt halides - 12a
1/3 HP chiller - 3a
800 watt heater - 7a
misc pumps - 6a

Ya... I am not comfortable with that so I will not be attempting it! haha

I will probably call an electrician in the next week, but what price range can I expect this to be around? I just don't want to be too shocked if he hands me a bill that is crazy expensive!!

 

[letsgofishin]

hawaii prices are the bigger issue here, I'm guessing, but yea... two circuits shouldnt cost too much more... 12-3 with ground would be just pennies more then 12-2 w/grnd and an extra box and outlet and breaker...

any thoughts as to whether he should use gfi breakers or use a gfi outlet at the box?

 

[rort]

hawaii prices are the bigger issue here, I'm guessing, but yea... two circuits shouldnt cost too much more... 12-3 with ground would be just pennies more then 12-2 w/grnd and an extra box and outlet and breaker...

any thoughts as to whether he should use gfi breakers or use a gfi outlet at the box?

Good Question. I was thinking the same thing. I was leaning towards having GFI's at each outlet, but what would your recommend? Probably more money to have all of them at the outlets?

 

[goodtimes2]

I have a Giesemann light fixture with 2 seperate electronic ballast for 2 250 MH DE lights and 2 T5 lights with a seperate ballast for the T5s. One of my ballasts for my 250 MH lights went bad. I switch the 250 ballasts to confirm it is a ballast issue. Can I switch out the bad ballast with maybe a galaxy 250 watt ballast ? What would I need to do ? The Geismann has a unque light hook fixture from the ballast to the light fixture. I opened up the old ballast and the wiring consist of blue and brown wire that is connected somehow to the ballast and the third wire green/yellow looks like it is a grounding wire. Need Help, do not want to try to buy another Giesmann ballast. Sorry for the non technical mumble jumble.

 

[bigdaddystar]

Sorry been super busy lately...so hopefully you still need a hand....

Basically yeah just make sure the galaxy does DE bulbs...which I think they all do anyway....green/yellow is ground yes.....the other 2 you will have to figure out which is power and which is neutral....almost all ballasts have a line diagram on them of what is what....

I have a Giesemann light fixture with 2 seperate electronic ballast for 2 250 MH DE lights and 2 T5 lights with a seperate ballast for the T5s. One of my ballasts for my 250 MH lights went bad. I switch the 250 ballasts to confirm it is a ballast issue. Can I switch out the bad ballast with maybe a galaxy 250 watt ballast ? What would I need to do ? The Geismann has a unque light hook fixture from the ballast to the light fixture. I opened up the old ballast and the wiring consist of blue and brown wire that is connected somehow to the ballast and the third wire green/yellow looks like it is a grounding wire. Need Help, do not want to try to buy another Giesmann ballast. Sorry for the non technical mumble jumble.

 

[bigdaddystar]

As I have stated before....you should always use gfis but it is uneccesary to use more than 1 gfi on each circuit...1 gfi could protect a 100 plugs after if need be....but as I have also said gfi's can be finicky and I would at the very least either always keep your return pump or at least a circulating pump on a non gfi plug....I will infringe on my safety to not come home to a dead tank thanks to a nuissance tripping gfi.

Good Question. I was thinking the same thing. I was leaning towards having GFI's at each outlet, but what would your recommend? Probably more money to have all of them at the outlets?

 

[imindtim]

400W ballast 250W bulbs

400W ballast 250W bulbs

I have 2 400W ballast using 2 250W Metal Halides.
My question is, will my ballast output only 250W or will they run at 400W?

I'm trying to save as much electricity as possible.

 

[letsgofishin]

As I have stated before....you should always use gfis but it is uneccesary to use more than 1 gfi on each circuit...1 gfi could protect a 100 plugs after if need be....but as I have also said gfi's can be finicky and I would at the very least either always keep your return pump or at least a circulating pump on a non gfi plug....I will infringe on my safety to not come home to a dead tank thanks to a nuissance tripping gfi.

the question was should he use GFI breakers for each circuit or should he run dedicated circuit and have a gfi type of outlet? what is the cost difference

 

[letsgofishin]

I have 2 400W ballast using 2 250W Metal Halides.
My question is, will my ballast output only 250W or will they run at 400W?

I'm trying to save as much electricity as possible.

you can not use a 400 watt ballast on a 250 w bulb


there are some variable wattage ballasts ... but you would need to check and they would be more expensive...

 

[bigdaddystar]

yup...no good....I might be willing to trade ya though...I have been considering bumping mine to 400 watts.....what kind of ballasts do you have? and bulbs? or no 400w bulbs I am guessing

I am running ice caps(the newer expensive ones) with radiums

 

[imindtim]

you can not use a 400 watt ballast on a 250 w bulb


there are some variable wattage ballasts ... but you would need to check and they would be more expensive...

I have been running the 400W ballasts with 250W bulbs

they are coralvue ballasts

 

[imindtim]

yup...no good....I might be willing to trade ya though...I have been considering bumping mine to 400 watts.....what kind of ballasts do you have? and bulbs? or no 400w bulbs I am guessing

I am running ice caps(the newer expensive ones) with radiums

They are coralvue electronic ballasts. I have been running 250Watt 14K XM bulbs. I've havent had a problem in last 3 months.

 

[bigdaddystar]

I had a feeling you would say that they were working already...I had it happen in the past on magnetic ballasts they were suppose to be 400w in these parking lot lights but 250w got put in instead but they worked...it didnt really seem to affect them...they were not as bright still as the 400w should have been but i dont see it being a good idea to run them that way...it would be best to get proper ballasts

They are coralvue electronic ballasts. I have been running 250Watt 14K XM bulbs. I've havent had a problem in last 3 months.

 

[imindtim]

I don't mind trading if you want the 400s. I only have 2 in great condition. Maybe you throw in some bulbs? =)

We are already trading skimmers.

I had a feeling you would say that they were working already...I had it happen in the past on magnetic ballasts they were suppose to be 400w in these parking lot lights but 250w got put in instead but they worked...it didnt really seem to affect them...they were not as bright still as the 400w should have been but i dont see it being a good idea to run them that way...it would be best to get proper ballasts

 

[bigdaddystar]

oh thats you...lol......sure thing......I will have to see what I got.....I got a bunch of bulbs....I like the radiums so I would prolly keep those i will put them back on my other tank...I got at least 2 10k and 14k...geissmans and SPS brand and others

How old are your ballasts? I was going to pick up some watt adjustable ones just so I have options but I am pretty sure I would be happier with 400 watts.

I don't mind trading if you want the 400s. I only have 2 in great condition. Maybe you throw in some bulbs? =)

We are already trading skimmers.

 

[imindtim]

They are about 1 year old. I was actually going for 400W bulbs but decided not to. I am changing my current 3 ft (height) tank to a 2 ft tank. I will only need 250s. Also this is why the change of skimmer.

 

[bigdaddystar]

cool...let me know when you are available...hopefully we can meet up somwhere or prolly this weekend I can take the drive out there