OLD 400w mh ballasts

[SoupySteve]

The warehouse I work at just ripped out ~40 or more 400w mh lighting (industrial grade stuff) system to replace with brighter flourescents.
These things are friggen HUGE and the bulbs are about the size of footballs. I THINK they may just toss all of 'em ... could these be used/gutted & used/etc for reef-keeping purposes?
I told the maintainence dept to let me know what they plan to do with them.

 

[triggerjay]

The ballasts would work... the bulbs would not. They would prob be 6500k or less. The problem with these ballasts is they run hot, and are NOT energy efficent. More than likely they are multi-tap, and are prob wired for 220, or 480... They are a magnetic ballast, not electronic. But yes, they would work.. just remember to change the voltage to 120, and replace the bulbs...oh yeah, the magnetic ballasts contain mercury..


Jason

 

[SoupySteve]

Thanks for that mercury info!!! Maybe I can let them know that so they don't end up making a huge environmental no-no...

 

[fewells]

Hey soup if they throw them away and I will come and let them use my truck bed as a dumpster.

 

[John Kelly]

Are you sure they aren't mercury vapor? They are similar looking.

 

[DrBDC]

Are they something like this?

I have 3 of them from a local club member that is an electricican. I have one hanging over the top of my sump with an Iwasaki 6500K bulb and 2 more that will be going over my frag tank.

 

[triggerjay]

IF the bulb part # starts out with MH they are halides... Example - MH400-U The U stands for Universal, meaning they can be run in any position. They also have -H for horizontal, and -V for vertical..High pressure sodium bulbs say HPS-wattage

Jason