kaptken
New member
Proving the old motto, once again....
"If it ain't broke, don't fix it"
I'm stuck with an emergency midnight repair of my VHO light hood. The 4 x 110w VHO bulbs are ready for replacement and I just happened to have 2 new ones in the closet. So I decided to replace two before I order some more new ones for the coming year. And wouldn't you know it, one of the lamps must have been a little crooked and welded itself to the contactor in one of the waterproof endcaps. So removing it destroyed the cap.
Oh well, no biggie... I could just replace the one endcap and be done with it. BUT... NO!!!! ( The prudent Reefer always has spares of every-thing on hand! That's what the two extra bedrooms are for! Right?? ) I Just happened to have a pair of new VHO E-ballast kits on hand for an upgrade for quite a while now,... and say to myself... Self??... what the hey? let's do it now!!
So, OK, a couple more hours work.... And it will be done before dawn!!! ( At the pace I work at these days ).
For any club DIYer's interested in VHO, I have been using FULHAM WORKHORSE 7 E-BALLASTS the past 4 or 5 years for my home made VHO lighting. Back then they were an economical option at about $30 a ballast that would run 2 x 110w lamps. But, they weren't made to run two 4 foot lamps. just one 96 inch VHO lamp. So most DIYers wired them in series to trick the ballast to run two 48 inchers in a row, end to end. It works, but it does seem to be harsh on the bulbs and runs them pretty hot, at like over 140 degrees. That's extra tank heat!!
For your info, the new ones i'm replacing them with are the ARO ballast kits from hellolights. They seem to run the bulbs at about 20 degrees cooler, ( by my calibrated touch ), and seem to make better colored light. less harsh on the bulbs. and still a very economical kit for a two lamp VHO upgrade for say... adding a pair of actinics to your Halides. Everything included, balast, endcaps and mounts, power cord, connectors and extra wire too!.
So, for anyone looking for VHO, check this kit out. everything you need for a pair of VHO, in one box. That is nice!!
http://www.hellolights.com/2laaroasbaki.html
and for VHO bulbs, I Have been ordering from this place. Saves me a lot of Mullah!!
http://aquariumlamps-factorydirect.com/
Great lamps. Eespecially the actinic.
Well, back to work for me. Need to get them lights back on for morning. Just wanted to share some info for the club.
enjoy!
kaptken
"If it ain't broke, don't fix it"
I'm stuck with an emergency midnight repair of my VHO light hood. The 4 x 110w VHO bulbs are ready for replacement and I just happened to have 2 new ones in the closet. So I decided to replace two before I order some more new ones for the coming year. And wouldn't you know it, one of the lamps must have been a little crooked and welded itself to the contactor in one of the waterproof endcaps. So removing it destroyed the cap.
Oh well, no biggie... I could just replace the one endcap and be done with it. BUT... NO!!!! ( The prudent Reefer always has spares of every-thing on hand! That's what the two extra bedrooms are for! Right?? ) I Just happened to have a pair of new VHO E-ballast kits on hand for an upgrade for quite a while now,... and say to myself... Self??... what the hey? let's do it now!!
So, OK, a couple more hours work.... And it will be done before dawn!!! ( At the pace I work at these days ).
For any club DIYer's interested in VHO, I have been using FULHAM WORKHORSE 7 E-BALLASTS the past 4 or 5 years for my home made VHO lighting. Back then they were an economical option at about $30 a ballast that would run 2 x 110w lamps. But, they weren't made to run two 4 foot lamps. just one 96 inch VHO lamp. So most DIYers wired them in series to trick the ballast to run two 48 inchers in a row, end to end. It works, but it does seem to be harsh on the bulbs and runs them pretty hot, at like over 140 degrees. That's extra tank heat!!
For your info, the new ones i'm replacing them with are the ARO ballast kits from hellolights. They seem to run the bulbs at about 20 degrees cooler, ( by my calibrated touch ), and seem to make better colored light. less harsh on the bulbs. and still a very economical kit for a two lamp VHO upgrade for say... adding a pair of actinics to your Halides. Everything included, balast, endcaps and mounts, power cord, connectors and extra wire too!.
So, for anyone looking for VHO, check this kit out. everything you need for a pair of VHO, in one box. That is nice!!
http://www.hellolights.com/2laaroasbaki.html
and for VHO bulbs, I Have been ordering from this place. Saves me a lot of Mullah!!
http://aquariumlamps-factorydirect.com/
Great lamps. Eespecially the actinic.
Well, back to work for me. Need to get them lights back on for morning. Just wanted to share some info for the club.
enjoy!
kaptken
