armygreen11
Member
Don't we all.
Lighting Website Updates
- Thread starter Sanjay
- Start date
- Status
From IceCap:
["... If you look at the manufacturers specs to most of the electronic ballasts imported today you will clearly see these ballasts are not really designed to operate all types of MH lamps which people are lead to believe." ...]
In general a reasonable conclusion and that's why we decided on a ballast with a sweeping, high frequency output so it could light any bulb. Any single frequency would not be the answer to the variety of bulbs available for reef aquariums.
We did discover a whole family of MH bulbs that isn't compatible with our ballast, Ceramic Discharge bulbs. They use the MH arc to heat ceramic to the point it glows at a consistent spectrum from start to finish. Unfortunately, last time I looked the highest K offered was 5K. Only our 70 & 150-MH can run these bulbs.
Andy
["... If you look at the manufacturers specs to most of the electronic ballasts imported today you will clearly see these ballasts are not really designed to operate all types of MH lamps which people are lead to believe." ...]
In general a reasonable conclusion and that's why we decided on a ballast with a sweeping, high frequency output so it could light any bulb. Any single frequency would not be the answer to the variety of bulbs available for reef aquariums.
We did discover a whole family of MH bulbs that isn't compatible with our ballast, Ceramic Discharge bulbs. They use the MH arc to heat ceramic to the point it glows at a consistent spectrum from start to finish. Unfortunately, last time I looked the highest K offered was 5K. Only our 70 & 150-MH can run these bulbs.
Andy
armygreen11
Member
Somebody needs to design an electronic ballast that will burn any MH bulb, and have an adjustable power/frequency output so you could run any wattage bulb and be able to "tweak" the color a bit. A dimming function like the IC 400W ballast would be cool, only implemented in such a way that it could be controlled by a lamp dimmer so you could control it with an X-10 lamp module or even have X-10 control implemented in the design. Better yet, incorporate digital control into the circuit so you could program dawn/dusk and overcast conditions on a small digital display. Make them linkable so you would only have to program one, and the "master" could tell the "slaves" that today is going to be overcast for a few hours or whatever. A battery backup so you could use it with an aquacontroller or such and it wouldn't lose its programming. It should produce nearly no heat, be encased in a NEMA 4X enclosure with watertight mil-spec twist-lock panel mount connectors, look really cool with blinkey lights and buttons, and cost under $50.
northbay-reefer
Active member
Armygreen11, you are dreaming 
hahnmeister
In Memoriam
A friend was asking me if I knew anything about some 'adjustable' halide ballast. One that you could hook up to a computer or something and program the ballast with some software depending on the bulb you wanted to run (so you could crank it up for DE, and turn it down for SE or something). I havent heard of it...but it sure would be a nice feature to have with an electronic ballast. Im sure it would knock up the price a bit...software development and USB interface and all...but it would be nice...
Does something like this exist already?...my buddy seems to think he heard something about it...
Does something like this exist already?...my buddy seems to think he heard something about it...
Sanjay
Premium Member
This one ??? the IEPC ballast looks like it will do some of the things you guys are asking for.. but I doubt it will be $50
www.vb1000.com
They want to talk to me about testing it, I guess I should reply to thier email
sanjay.
www.vb1000.com
They want to talk to me about testing it, I guess I should reply to thier email
sanjay.
armygreen11
Member
Wow, that thing is SWEET! Seriously, when I hit the lottery, I'm getting a few of those. Definately get back with them Sanjay. Even if only for the sheer fun of getting to play with one.
hahnmeister
In Memoriam
My G0D, its a masterpiece! I want 5!!! I wonder what the pricing would be like though...that 1000 in the model number might be a hint, eh?
RedEyeReef
Active member
What would be the best 400w SE Electronic Ballast? PAR, Punch in Blue spetrum, bulb longevity?
EVC
Ice Cap
Blue Line
EVC
Ice Cap
Blue Line
hahnmeister
In Memoriam
Sanjay, I need help. I forget what the exact rule is, and figure you might know, or where to find the exact details on...
The rate that intensity diminishes from a source of light. The square rule, or something like that. Something about within a distance from the bulb less than its length...
It has to do with the reason linear bulbs are able to penetrate deeper than the point source intensity of halides. I remember seeing it, it gets brought up, and forgotten just as quick...but I would like to know it.
Can you give me the details teach'?
How do linear vs point source bulbs vary the inverse square rule?
The rate that intensity diminishes from a source of light. The square rule, or something like that. Something about within a distance from the bulb less than its length...
It has to do with the reason linear bulbs are able to penetrate deeper than the point source intensity of halides. I remember seeing it, it gets brought up, and forgotten just as quick...but I would like to know it.
Can you give me the details teach'?
How do linear vs point source bulbs vary the inverse square rule?
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Sanjay
Premium Member
If you have a point source of light, (a source is approximated by a point source if the distance of measurement is greater than 5 times the size of the source), then you can assume light follows the inverse square law.
According to the inverse square law, the intensity of a point source of light decreases inversely as the square of the distance from it. So if you were to double the distance the light intensity would drop to 1/4 of what it was.
A MH has the light source size of about 1.5-2", whereas a 4ft FL lamp has about 4ft of light source. So to really measure a 4ft FL as a point source you would have to be about 20ft from it.
Measuring FL lamps is kind of tricky at short distance.. since the light source is quite long. A FL would spread the light over a larger area. So if we assume we have a FL lamp and MH lamp generating the same number of photons/sec, they would be spread very differently, resulting in very different values of PPFD if single point reading was taken. I have not found an easy way to compare the FL with MH that I feel would be acceptable to the reefing community. Hence I have not ventured into testing FL lamps. The best caparison in my book would be to compare the output of FL lamp fixtures, in a manner similar to what I did with reflectors. Since what we really want is the spread distribution.
On a 4 ft fixtures, this woould mean collecting even more data points than what I did with the MH reflector using a 3ftX3ft grid, and several (6-8hrs) of just data collection if we go with larger grid. It would need a whole new setup and hell of lot more time than I am willing to put into it right now.
I did test some 2ft T-5 fixture from Sunlight supply..... to see that result come to WMC
It will eventually get written up, but for now its only available in my talk.sanjay.
hahnmeister
In Memoriam
Ok, thanks Sanjay.
What I am getting at in particular....
T5s, or any linear bulb for that matter, would penetrate deeper than halides (up to a distance of say, 48" for a 48" bulb). So while halides would be more intense closer to the bulb, the T5 would be more intense at say, 24" or 30" down into the tank. Correct?
What I am getting at in particular....
T5s, or any linear bulb for that matter, would penetrate deeper than halides (up to a distance of say, 48" for a 48" bulb). So while halides would be more intense closer to the bulb, the T5 would be more intense at say, 24" or 30" down into the tank. Correct?
Sanjay
Premium Member
I do not know if this will be the case.. definately worth checking out. I know that for a 4X24W T4 Sunlight supply fixture, the peak intensities are lower than that of metal halide up to the 12" that I tested. I would doubt that the t-5s will be more intense as you go further down. This is something that can be put to rest with some tests. Next time I get setup for testing, I can try to test this.
sanjay.
sanjay.
hahnmeister
In Memoriam
Sounds great & thanks. From the tests that I saw Grim Reefer doing, the T5s penetrated much deeper than the halides, and the halides had only a slight advantage over the T5 in the top 6". The penetration of T5s would make sense with their abilities to melt many LPS and softy types that are used to hanging out on the bottom w/o as much intensity.
Sanjay
Premium Member
Just so you all know.. most of my testing is at a halt right now. There is very little spare time to do it, and additionally my basement is all tore up with the ongoing construction for my new tank. When the new tank gets here (soon.. like next week) that will start consuming my spare time.
I know everyone wants a lot of results, but testing takes the lowest priority in my list. Testing of items that I have no interest in is even lower It will eventually happen.. but within my time constraints.
sanjay.
I know everyone wants a lot of results, but testing takes the lowest priority in my list. Testing of items that I have no interest in is even lower
It will eventually happen.. but within my time constraints.sanjay.
Travis
10 and over club
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7212224#post7212224 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Sanjay
Just so you all know.. most of my testing is at a halt right now. There is very little spare time to do it, and additionally my basement is all tore up with the ongoing construction for my new tank. When the new tank gets here (soon.. like next week) that will start consuming my spare time.
I know everyone wants a lot of results, but testing takes the lowest priority in my list. Testing of items that I have no interest in is even lower
sanjay.
Sanjay, this just is not acceptable at all. You need to put your job, free time, and new tank setup on hold until you get everything tested for us. :lol: J/K I know it has to consume a ton of your time to do all that testing so take your time. You are doing this hobby a huge favor with what you are doing.
I know that if I was setting up a tank like your new one, I would have everything else on hold also.... until it is up and running. BTW, that is going to be one awesome tank.- Status
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