Dumb question about my VHO setup.

[m0nk]

Ok, so I've got 4x 160w VHOs driven by 2 Ice Cap ballasts. I also have 4x 175w MH... all over my 180g tank.
So I've been thinking lately that I'd just like to slightly cut the light back a tad but not too much. Would it hurt one of my VHO ballasts to just remove one of the bulbs?
Like I said, dumb question, just thought I'd ask. Thanks.
-Alex
m0nk

 

[reefkprz]

not a dumb question, some ballasts are afffected by one too few bulbs.
Ice cap isnt one of them, your fine to remove a bulb. if you wanted you could power just one bulb without affecting the life of the ballast.

 

[m0nk]

Awesome, thanks! I felt like a dumb question but I thought I had read something about having too few bulbs on certain ballasts, so that definitely helps.

 

[m0nk]

So I did it last night and after about 3 or 4 minutes of the light setup working like this the fuse in the ballast blew. I don't know what happened but I'm going to pick up another fuse and try again.

 

[morval]

i hate to disagree with reefkprz because he is always spot on with his info. but icecap ballast will not work if there is a gap in a connection. in fact if a bulb burns out the rest wont work either. i just went threw a problem where my light would flick on for about half a second then go out so i sent the ballast to ice cap and they sent it back and said it was fine to check the bulbs and one of them was out. repalced it and it still would not work so i had to check every connection and there was a loose wire. by just removing a bulb u are leaving a gap in the circut, if you want to remove a bulb u need to rewire ur set up so everything is connected

 

[m0nk]

Originally Posted by morval
http:///forum/post/2799237
i hate to disagree with reefkprz because he is always spot on with his info. but icecap ballast will not work if there is a gap in a connection. in fact if a bulb burns out the rest wont work either. i just went threw a problem where my light would flick on for about half a second then go out so i sent the ballast to ice cap and they sent it back and said it was fine to check the bulbs and one of them was out. repalced it and it still would not work so i had to check every connection and there was a loose wire. by just removing a bulb u are leaving a gap in the circut, if you want to remove a bulb u need to rewire ur set up so everything is connected
Wow, well that explains why the fuse blew. I'm half disappointed and half relieved, I guess, because it'll mean that I have to run 2 bulbs instead of 4, and my MH can run a little longer, which the coral will probably like more. I think it might save me a tad on the electric bill too...
Thanks!