Is there any hazards of using metal halide lighting like your coralife hang on hqi or the jbj viper halides? I know about drip loops and stuff like that. Is there anyone heard of having a fire or being shocked etc? Anything anyone who looks at this thread should know encluding myself? Expierences that you may have had would be useful, thanks guys
metal halide hazards
- Thread starter Lpoole
- Start date
ReachTheSky
Active member
They get VERY hot so it's a wise precaution to keep them secure and far away from anything that can potentially catch on fire.
While I don't hear of shock or fires very often because people take that hazard seriously (GFCI outlets, cooling fans, solid mounting), I do hear of burns quite often. Just be careful when cleaning your tank or feeding or what not. If your bare skin touches the glass, it will hurt like heck.
While I don't hear of shock or fires very often because people take that hazard seriously (GFCI outlets, cooling fans, solid mounting), I do hear of burns quite often. Just be careful when cleaning your tank or feeding or what not. If your bare skin touches the glass, it will hurt like heck.
AcroporAddict
There is no substitute.
One big hazard of halides is they will make your power bill swell up!:lol2:
The quartz outer envelopes of metal halide bulbs reach about 250'C (the inner reaches about 800-1000'C in the arc). It goes without saying you don't want water coming into contact with an active bulb. Like any glass, if it gets "lightly sprinkled" with water while it's hot it -may- be okay once or twice, but it may also "pop" and that's the end of the bulb. Many single envelope bulbs also require UV shielding. This is why many fixtures include a tempered glass shield.
As with anything that gets really hot during operation, exercise caution when working around them. An acquaintance of mine forgot that tip servicing some tanks in the mid 80's and removed a sizeable patch off of one of his forearms when it contacted a bare bulb (in the days prior to the tempered glass shielding).
As with anything that gets really hot during operation, exercise caution when working around them. An acquaintance of mine forgot that tip servicing some tanks in the mid 80's and removed a sizeable patch off of one of his forearms when it contacted a bare bulb (in the days prior to the tempered glass shielding).
GatorAlum05
Member
hush hush before the MH backers chime in and start a flame war. :uhoh3:
If you have a few fans in your fixutre, the outer glass will be only slightly warm to the touch and will not burn you. I would not touch the plasma or bulb or anything - ouch. Go ahead and touch a T5 or LED without a fan.
I hang pendants over my tank with the wire cables - if they do fall in the water, the breaker will blow but the tank will be fine (ask me how I know?). Both the tank and the lights stay cool with some small fans. My 1000W heater does not run for most of the day while the MH is on (it will run a bit, but WAY less) - the lights mostly heat the tank instead. This can save quite a bit of money since tank heaters are no joke. If the temp rose, then this would be an issue, but it doesn't.
I hang pendants over my tank with the wire cables - if they do fall in the water, the breaker will blow but the tank will be fine (ask me how I know?). Both the tank and the lights stay cool with some small fans. My 1000W heater does not run for most of the day while the MH is on (it will run a bit, but WAY less) - the lights mostly heat the tank instead. This can save quite a bit of money since tank heaters are no joke. If the temp rose, then this would be an issue, but it doesn't.
Chillers are high energy and the waste is cyclical - chillers will heat the room making them want to run more later. Avoid a chiller if you can or only depend on it as an emergency. You don't need a chiller to use MH in most climates. Fans and open tops or well ventilated hoods will take care of it in most cases. If you are using like 3000w of metal halides in a small room, then you might need a chiller.
When doing electrical costs, factor in the heater too. The best way to do it is to kill-a-watt the whole system for a few days. They are going to be about the same all-in except for maybe small tanks with excessive lights that need chilled. When I had a 750G system, it cost about $3 a day to heat it with several 1000W heaters - when I put halides over it instead of VHO, the heating costs went down to about 2.00 and the halide costs were about $1.00.
When doing electrical costs, factor in the heater too. The best way to do it is to kill-a-watt the whole system for a few days. They are going to be about the same all-in except for maybe small tanks with excessive lights that need chilled. When I had a 750G system, it cost about $3 a day to heat it with several 1000W heaters - when I put halides over it instead of VHO, the heating costs went down to about 2.00 and the halide costs were about $1.00.
Another thing: NEVER go near a ballast you are unsure of with even slightly damp hands. found this one out the hard way when testing a used ballast at the shop. my hands were slightly damp when i tried to move it and i nearly blacked out from the shock. when i unplugged it and opened it up i found out a wire had come undone and caused a short!
My electric meter doubles as a meat slicer.
Win, win.
Watch it, pal.
buffalo123
New member
Here is the solution to that if you want to keep your MH. Change the rest of the house bulbs to LEDs. Get rid of double 40 watt flourescents they pull 100 watts.
If thats too costly to go all leds , CFL will do.
You reduce your electric bill and keep your MH.
Ok if you change your MH for Leds and your house to LEDs then you save alot and the electric company will increase the KW/hr rate so they continue to be paid the same or more. hmmm
alton
Well-known member
Single ended lamps are safer and cooler. Using pendants with glass lenses help the lamps last longer. Electronic ballast are more efficient. The biggest mistake most make is using. 250 watt when 175w would of been fine. I have never used a chiller with any of my MH tanks. My home stays at 75, tank stays around 77.
moondoggy4
Team RC
Never put a MH while on, on a hamper of clothes even for 30 seconds. Melted my sons bathing suit to the glass shield and melted the wires. I usually did that with the T-5's, with no problem, but not MH o no.
buffalo123
New member
can get quite a sun burn while working on the aquarium under the lights. Also Arc flash
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