Just bought a metal halide from a guy... Little help understanding lighting and such pls!

flower

flower

Well-Known Member
Thanks for explaining, a few months back, the guts of the bulb is what someone was showing me.... so I mistakenly assumed there was some kind of special difference and I said what I had said.
Sorry, I know Lighting is confusing enough without my input of misinformation.
I have a 175w retrofit with a short, and I'm pretty sure what I have will work with Kilofey's $40.00 ballast and mogul base. The Hamilton retrofit is not the "pulse" my Coralife unit is. Seeing pulse on the mogul base had me concerned that I was wrong about them working together. I'm pretty sure I can save Kilofey money and hassle getting new lighting up and running.
 
tangs rule

tangs rule

Active Member
No problem Flower -
It so horribly frustrating - espically when you have mixed/matched stuff and nothing works! been there before -more than once.
And we've not even discussed Double Ended bulbs & HQI yet!

There is a difference in the bulb "guts" but looking at it alone really can't determine if it is probe or pulse start - and once you've bought it and took it home - most places WILL NOT accept a return on it.... Been there too.
Post a picture of your retrofit that you want to provide Kilofey with, and lets see. . . The 40.00 PFO magnetic ballast Kilofey's got is gonna be either pulse or probe start (most likely)
Hopefully they aren't scared off yet cause we're almost done
 
flower

flower

Well-Known Member
Okay..LOL..Pictures
Kilofey asked me for pictures and having you right there to say yes or no to it being good to go is the best way...LOL..since Kilofey and I know so much about lighting....I'm glad you are right here to help.
The unit is in the garage so a little dusty...This is made for a 48 inch tank 55g...75g or 90g 2 X175w MH and 2 X 96w actinic...this unit is retrofit and has quick disconnect cables (not permanently attached to the ballasts) they plug into the box. This shot shows the two mogul sockets, reflector and the two 4 pin, 96w actinic sockets...and the cables. It is all attached to a white thin sheet of preshaped aluminum? Which must be put in a canopy with fans to cool everything. (I don't remember which side has the short it will have to be tested to find out)

This is the back, it looks like 4 or 5 screws hold each MH base

Closer look

Each cable has it's own box...2 ballasts go to MH lights and one for the actinic (top cable) = 3 cables

Actinic plugs into this box

This is the only writing on the entire unit, nothing on the mogul base or anywhere. This is the actinic box

Each box plugs into the wall and then the 3 cables plugs into the box but no on/off switch on any box, it is just pluged in or not to work..this shot is one of the MH ballasts

The actinic has a longer different box and a different connection...sorry for the blurry picture
 
tangs rule

tangs rule

Active Member
OK - so I guess the mogul side that is shorted would need to be replaced with the OP's socket base & cord. The OP will also need to find out what style ballast they already got (the pfo one) cause your hamilton is pulse start (i think) and I'm sure the OP would prefer to run identical bulbs. And yes - your unit kinda needs a hood or somthing to protect the hot stuff from water splash and creep/spray.
That's a nice setup - I wish I needed one!
 
kilofey

kilofey

Member
Im so sorry ive deserted my own thread, we are at a birthday party, so I cant take pics atm... I will disassemble the ballast to take a pic of the guts tonight. I really appreciate the help guys... Im sure I never would have started this hobby if it werent for all the helpful ppl here!
 
flower

flower

Well-Known Member
The Hamilton is not a pulse start, the Coralife elite on my 90g is...I just saw pulse on the socket of Kilofey's picture and I was concerned it wouldn't match the Hamilton.
 
tangs rule

tangs rule

Active Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by Flower http:///forum/thread/386842/just-bought-a-metal-halide-from-a-guy-little-help-understanding-lighting-and-such-pls/20#post_3400375
The Hamilton is not a pulse start, the Coralife elite on my 90g is...I just saw pulse on the socket of Kilofey;s picture and I was concerned it wouldn't match the Hamilton.
Ok - I got tottally lost on what's what - - The only reason I replied to the thread in the first place was the OP had an older PFO ballast - and I know how impossible they can be to tell what's inside - The marker on a generic placard was a really bad way to identify a makers part number....Those placards are usually bare, and I've bought several from people on ebay that didn't know what it really was they had and I bought it to see if it was right for my needs, and then sell it if it wouldn't work for my lightning needs.
 
kilofey

kilofey

Member
Flower- my hubby said no about your set up :( he said since we just bought a new car that I need to wait a while & just stick with my mushrooms & kenya tree for now... Which I suppose he is right. He did say if I found a cheap enough reflector tho that I could get one of those for my current fixture cause I still have a small "fish fund" from when I sold my 55gal fw tank
Im sorry I cant buy your lights, wouldve been very helpful... But I suppose I cant get too upset with him, I put a stop to him buying this "really awesome gun for a super good price" lol
 
tangs rule

tangs rule

Active Member
It would still be good to know what style ballast you have bought - any way you or hubby could remove the screws on that ballast and slide the cover off to reveal the guts? - this way, you can shop for a bulb & single fixture. just thinking, before this thread gets forgotten.
 
kilofey

kilofey

Member
we both just tried, the screws are rusted on or something gaaahhh!!!!!! im going to try to see if i can find any info on their website... i found pfo lighting inc on the lable, im assuming thats the company?
 
tangs rule

tangs rule

Active Member
Yup - PFO is the maker - but they kinda went out of business a couple years ago. The ONLY way to tell what it is without opening it up is to attempt to read every letter/number on the model # placard - sadly this was HAND WRITTEN in pen, and over time goes away - so attempt to read the actual indentation marks left in there and see if you see:
AQ1-175PS-120V
or
AQ1-175MH-120V
it's the PS or MH that;s critical
 
kilofey

kilofey

Member
hope i dont get in trouble for this... but im only posting a link cause it tells about my ballast.... http://www.saltysupply.com/PFO-175-Watt-Single-Metal-Halide-Ba-p/pf1411.htm?utm_source=Shopzilla&utm_medium=shopping&utm_campaign=Shopzilla its in the catergory of magnetic ballasts... does that help any? i wish i could get it open, but i cant and neither can the hubby, so research will have to do.
what i have:
-175 watt pfo magnetic ballast
-plug that goes from the wall to the ballast
-plug going from the ballast to the light socket
-light socket w/ little wire box
what i think i need:
-reflector (does it really matter what kind? can i just bolt it into any reflector since i have all the chords i need?)
-light bulb (dunno what kind)
am i simplifying it waayy too much? is it more complicated that what im thinking?
 
kilofey

kilofey

Member
the ps or mh is critically not there!!!!!!!!! it just says aq1 175, mh or ps was never written there gahh, i would totally call this guy if he didnt move to IDAHO! maybe my mom can talk to his mom (they do business together) im hoping i can get this narrowed down... if no, i quit lol
and if theres 2 different ones, i suppose it might not be the magnetic one?
 
teresaq

teresaq

Active Member
I have a quick question?? do you have a wooden canopy for your tank. Do you have a picture of your set up?? The light you have is a retro kit and would need to be mounted in a canopy or a pendent.
I may have an old reflector in the garage and I have a lrg metal pendent - I took the light out to mount in my wooden canopy. I would gladly give them to you if you could use them, but the shipping may be a killer. its kinda heavy.
How about a full tank shot of your tank
T
 
tangs rule

tangs rule

Active Member
PFO put ALL their single ballast units in the IDENTICAL aluminum housing - MH/PS & HQI cannot de determined from the outside - AND in their double & tripple ballasts - it;s the SAME EXACT aluminum heatsink/housing, only those bigger units are longer by 2 or 3 times - and heavier by 2 or 3 times too. And they used the SAME EXACT housings for the 175, 250, & 400 watt units in pulse start, probe start, and HQI - single/double/tripple- - - -SO
All you can tell (sadly) from the outside is it's a 175 watt unit and from the placard (and legnth in your picture) it's a single
I dunno if a really nice local fish shop would let you install a 175w bulb and see if it lights? be ready to buy the bulb though if it does. I dunno where else to turn.
 
tangs rule

tangs rule

Active Member
From post #16:
Note: typically when pfo left the "MH" or "PS" blank on the placard - it's a MH style
(3/5th of the time)
 
kilofey

kilofey

Member

I have a quick question?? do you have a wooden canopy for your tank. Do you have a picture of your set up?? The light you have is a retro kit and would need to be mounted in a canopy or a pendent.

I may have an old reflector in the garage and I have a lrg metal pendent - I took the light out to mount in my wooden canopy. I would gladly give them to you if you could use them, but the shipping may be a killer. its kinda heavy.

How about a full tank shot of your tank
T

I do not have a canopy... I dont know much about mh lights... But I dont think mine HAS to go in a canopy... Possibly u were looking at flower's retrofit that she was going to sell me? Mine has just the ballast, chords and thing u screw the bulb into, no reflector
Edit: I think im just going to use my fish tank fund $ & buy a different setup. I think flowers would be too much in shipping plus to buy it and fix it, I think im just going to get something that is ready to use.
I was pokeing around on craigslist... What about these 2? (which is better) keep in mind, I have a 75 gal tank & I can suspend it from the ceiling....
http://sfbay.craigslist.org/sfc/for/2511005853.html this one is a 400w pfo ballast for $50 &reflector for $50
http://sfbay.craigslist.org/sfc/for/2511005853.html this one is $230, and is much much newer, but also more watts
Im thinking the newer mpre expensive one, but I figured id ask which is better cause I dont understand light "language" lol
 
teresaq

teresaq

Active Member
lol, that what I was trying to say - that is a retro kit and it does need to be attached to either a canopy with the reflector or into a pendent that hangs over your tank. I have a simular MH unit.
T
 
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