t-5 lighting question

[Fin Mike]

I have been out of the hobby for a while, but I am in preparations to start back up. I will be using my IC 430 and 660 on a lighting rig using t-5 bulbs. T-5's weren't available/ being used when I exited the hobby, so I have a few questions for the fellow reefers out there.

1. When I would change my VHO bulbs in the past, I would have to raise them a foot above their regular position and slowly, over a few weeks, lower them so that I could avoid the UV burning that would occur from the change in light intensity. Do you still have to do this with t-5s? It is my intention to replace them in a staggered order instead of all at once. Might this mitigate the effect of UV burning, thus eliminating the need to raise and lower the lights over time? My wife gets rather irate when the hood is not properly enclosed. :mad2:

2. Could someone explain what over-driving the lamps mean. I understand the concept, but what I'm a little hazy about is whether hooking them up to my IC will automatically "overdrive them". If not, how can I and what affect will it have on the bulbs long term?

 

[Butterz]

Lets say you have a ballast that can handle 220watts. Instead of having 4 54watt bulbs, you can run two 80 watt bulbs. Doubling up the red wires, and the bulb will actually overdrive past the 80 watts per bulb. They will burn out faster.

 

[Fin Mike]

Any info on raising and lowering the bulbs?

 

[areze]

Lets say you have a ballast that can handle 220watts. Instead of having 4 54watt bulbs, you can run two 80 watt bulbs. Doubling up the red wires, and the bulb will actually overdrive past the 80 watts per bulb. They will burn out faster.

eh? I did not know this, I thought icecaps could overdrive T5 bulbs in standard configuration, they run VHO bulbs that are more than twice the voltage in the standard configuration, why wouldnt T5s be overdriven then without doubling up on wires(sounds dangerous)?

 

[areze]

Any info on raising and lowering the bulbs?

staggering is fine, your mostly concerned with the output change, bulbs loose intensity over time, thats why we change them, you swap them all, more light, could possibly shock corals. IMO its a bit overstated and I doubt it would be a big enough change to severly effect anything, but thats for each his own. staggering the bulb replacement would certainly reduce the shock of each upgrade to what should be an negligible amount.