MH Dimmable ballast

[kidney514]

What MH ballast would work the profilux dimming structure?

I have been looking at the coral vue ballast but I think that they don't work with profilux.

And is it worth it to dim MH?

 

[bmwaaron]

The Coralvue ballast is not dimmable in the same matter, The Coralvue ballast has a rheostat to dim it and is not controlled via a 0-10 volt signal.
So no a Coralvue ballast will not dim via the Profilux.

 

[kidney514]

Unfortunatly i decided to search after posting and found one of michael post saying that Dimmable MH is not really worth it!

Since I am on the market for 3 x ballast, should I even bother with the dimmable aspect?

 

[bmwaaron]

If you want good reliable E ballast I would go with Icecap. They have great customer service and I have never had a problem with any of there ballast

 

[AQD_ottawa]

The dimmable aspect is very much worth it, although only available in 54 watt T5 @ 48" tubes, if amalgamated with your existing lights you can have proper dawn and dusk light ramp up and downs, taking away the stress and shock of sudden light on scenario's associated with lamp start ups.

My personal views of reef keeping is that we are trying to simulate the wild as much as possible and have lights that suddenly come on at full intensity goes completely against that theory, so balancing some nice 54W T5 dimmable in the mix with your MHO's gives a good balance to this.

Implement that with the LED effects and you have full enviromental patterning.

 

[kidney514]

But dimmable MH is still in it's enfancy and are not worth it, that what my research is letting me to believe! Is my conclusion right?

 

[AQD_ottawa]

Pretty much yes.

From what i have been told it puts great strain on the bulbs for starters, and some ballasts on the market create a very yellow light on dimming, not exactly the effect you want.

Stay with T5 for dimming you cant go wrong.

 

[kidney514]

Michael or mat, does your T5 dimmable system requires a s sockets too turn off the T5 or it totally controlled with the 1-10v cable. Basically will 0V turn off the T5 or it requires a sockets for on/off operation and dimming is with 1-10v interface?

 

[AQD_ottawa]

If you go for the I bars then it is plug and play you dont have to use a socket to turn off the lights (you do need a socket to power it obviously), it has built into it the EVG-AP-2F card that has zero volt switching.

Also if you decide to build your own as long as you utilise this same card, again you do not need to rely on an external switching source.

Best bet go for the I bars! Not much difference in price concidering the time and wiring.