1500ma ballasts NOT required for VHO
- Thread starter ren
- Start date
ren
Member
How? Not being an a>> just that they could appear to be series - remove 1 bulb and they go out - but if you look at the icecap diagram thats because removing 1 bulb breaks the return line opening the circuit. I looked at a few data sheets for some various ballasts and they all said parallel. Not being an a>> but if yours are in fact series and 1500mA then they would be better than icecaps??
ramey70
Member
Here is a link to the HelloLights retro kit I have. I posted part of the description clearly stating it is an in series setup.
<a href="http://www.hellolights.com/vhoretrokits.html" target="_blank">http://www.hellolights.com/vhoretrokits.html</a>
Each VHO ballast can power up to 440 watts of light (with maximum of 16 feet of lamp length). Thus, EACH ballast is capable of running EITHER one, two, three or four lamps if the 440 watt limit is adhered to, plus if the proper lamp harness is used. This is an in-series product; thus for instance, if one uses the 4 lamp harness, one must run all four lamps. If one wanted to downgrade to two lamps, all that needs to be obtained is a 2 lamp harness and the quick disconnect feature allows immediate conversion from a 4 lamp system to a 2 lamp system using the same ballast. Mixing of lamp length on one ballast is possible.
<a href="http://www.hellolights.com/vhoretrokits.html" target="_blank">http://www.hellolights.com/vhoretrokits.html</a>
Each VHO ballast can power up to 440 watts of light (with maximum of 16 feet of lamp length). Thus, EACH ballast is capable of running EITHER one, two, three or four lamps if the 440 watt limit is adhered to, plus if the proper lamp harness is used. This is an in-series product; thus for instance, if one uses the 4 lamp harness, one must run all four lamps. If one wanted to downgrade to two lamps, all that needs to be obtained is a 2 lamp harness and the quick disconnect feature allows immediate conversion from a 4 lamp system to a 2 lamp system using the same ballast. Mixing of lamp length on one ballast is possible.
wamp
Active Member
Not too sure about this but a theroy based one other electronic devices. Even things wired in parallel can act like they are in series.
In some devices, wired in parallel, you can kill the circuit by removing one leg. Its called Free-run. Current limiting circuits will kill all output if you get a surge or an increase that is not normal. Like in a powersupply for televisions. If you spike the Horozontial output you will kill the power supply until the line current returns to normal..
Perhaps this is the case in some ballasts??
Who knows?
In some devices, wired in parallel, you can kill the circuit by removing one leg. Its called Free-run. Current limiting circuits will kill all output if you get a surge or an increase that is not normal. Like in a powersupply for televisions. If you spike the Horozontial output you will kill the power supply until the line current returns to normal..
Perhaps this is the case in some ballasts??
Who knows?
wamp
Active Member
My friend at GE e-mailed me back.. Finally. He bascially said the same some have already stated. If it fires it is working. The output may be a little dimminished and will not last as long since the ballast IS actually working harder to achive the same results as one rated for VHO. Now he also said if you want a cheap ballast that will absolutely posetively be ok you need to get one that bears the name of:
Advance Transformer part number is ---2S102-TP
He said you should be able to find them at lowes. They are made by philips and are the ones that you find in the actuall ballasts in your VHO setup sold by name brands.
If someone trys this let me know how it works out.. PS.. They are for 2 110w VHO bulbs. No more than that..
Advance Transformer part number is ---2S102-TP
He said you should be able to find them at lowes. They are made by philips and are the ones that you find in the actuall ballasts in your VHO setup sold by name brands.
If someone trys this let me know how it works out.. PS.. They are for 2 110w VHO bulbs. No more than that..
david s
Member
hmm hate to get involved but it doesnt matter if u have 2 800ma ballast runin 4 bulbs in simple turms think of amps as the speed of water going thru a pipe if u have 2 pipes it doesnt make the water move faster been a long time since i took electronics i gona pull my books back out there is a equation for this has to do with resistance amps watts or somthin caint remeber gona look now u got me curiuos
ren
Member
David,
The big deal with that is are they series or parallel. In series sure the same current is going through em all however in parallel then the current divides between them. If you have a 1500mA ballast running 4 bulbs in parallel thats
375mA per bulb. Now before these other start yelling all the ballist data sheets I've read say they are wired for parallel. Only hellolights say series but that thier sales pitch - not the actual ballast data sheet. I'm sure that you also know that something can be wired in parallel that will appear to be in series as I really suspect is the case with hellolights.
Anyways All I'm saying is this works for me, its my tank, and I'm happy
To everyone else - its your tank and your money. The facts have been placed here that they do work, so its your decision which route to follow.
Hey Wamp - thx for the info <img src="graemlins//angel.gif" border="0" alt="[angel]" />
The big deal with that is are they series or parallel. In series sure the same current is going through em all however in parallel then the current divides between them. If you have a 1500mA ballast running 4 bulbs in parallel thats
375mA per bulb. Now before these other start yelling all the ballist data sheets I've read say they are wired for parallel. Only hellolights say series but that thier sales pitch - not the actual ballast data sheet. I'm sure that you also know that something can be wired in parallel that will appear to be in series as I really suspect is the case with hellolights.
Anyways All I'm saying is this works for me, its my tank, and I'm happy
To everyone else - its your tank and your money. The facts have been placed here that they do work, so its your decision which route to follow.Hey Wamp - thx for the info <img src="graemlins//angel.gif" border="0" alt="[angel]" />
1
10k
Guest
Originally posted by Ren:
[QB]David,
The big deal with that is are they series or parallel. In series sure the same current is going through em all however in parallel then the current divides between them. If you have a 1500mA ballast running 4 bulbs in parallel thats
375mA per bulb.<hr></blockquote>
Actually Ren, just so you know, if you run the bulbs on a 1500ma ballast in parallel you will actually wind up with more than 375ma per bulb. Acording to Ohm's law, "If voltage remains constant (120v AC), resistance (ohms) is reduced,then the effect is that amps (current)are increased". If you run the bulbs in parallel then the resistance (ohms) of the complete circuit is then decreased, therefore increasing the amperage. "parallel circuit resistance will always be less than the leg with the least resistance" (ohms law). Just thought you might want to know. Oh by the way this means that in parallel, the ballast IS working harder, but the outcome is brighter bulbs with a shorter life span due to early phosphor exhaustion...
[QB]David,
The big deal with that is are they series or parallel. In series sure the same current is going through em all however in parallel then the current divides between them. If you have a 1500mA ballast running 4 bulbs in parallel thats
375mA per bulb.<hr></blockquote>
Actually Ren, just so you know, if you run the bulbs on a 1500ma ballast in parallel you will actually wind up with more than 375ma per bulb. Acording to Ohm's law, "If voltage remains constant (120v AC), resistance (ohms) is reduced,then the effect is that amps (current)are increased". If you run the bulbs in parallel then the resistance (ohms) of the complete circuit is then decreased, therefore increasing the amperage. "parallel circuit resistance will always be less than the leg with the least resistance" (ohms law). Just thought you might want to know. Oh by the way this means that in parallel, the ballast IS working harder, but the outcome is brighter bulbs with a shorter life span due to early phosphor exhaustion...
the bluedevil
New Member
If you want to know why you need a 1500ma ballast just look at a VHO bulb. My Coralife VHO bulbs have a litte sticker on them that says "75watts 1500ma T12". You need a 1500ma ballast to get the full effect of a VHO bulb. No two ways around this. Needless to say this has been an amusing thread listening to everyone saying they have VHO quality light from a HO ballast. It doesnt matter what the wattage is as long as your bulb wattage doest exceed the ballast wattage. If you run a 1500ma VHO bulb on a 800ma ballast (reguardless of wattage) your only getting 800ma of High Output light. I dont know why most of you cant see this. The companies in question told you guys this, bulb manufactures told you this, but you just dont believe this. If you want to waste a VHO bulb on a HO ballast, go ahead. Its not my money your wasting. It has been stated that you will get less light and less life out of the bulb. If you want a cheap ballast to run your VHO bulbs then buy a cheap VHO ballast. Do as you please but i will continue to run my 1500ma VHO bulbs on a VHO ballast rated at 1500ma like the bulbs manufacture recommends.
1
10k
Guest
LOL, Wamp I think it's dead now...lol
the bluedevil
New Member
Originally posted by wamp:
<strong>The Bluedevil,
Ok, you feel better now?</strong><hr></blockquote>
Yes, much better! Thanks for asking!
<strong>The Bluedevil,
Ok, you feel better now?</strong><hr></blockquote>
Yes, much better! Thanks for asking!