lights & canopy - too much heat?
- Thread starter popoty
- Start date
thegrog
Active Member
Originally Posted by popoty
I have a canopy and am looking to upgrade my lights to the PC Orbit .
Will the use of the ORBIT 48" FIXTURE (260 Watts Total) and a canopy with an open back create too much heat? Is it possible to use them together?
You will need to have several fans to keep air moving. Just an open back will not be enough. Otherwise, the heat will build up and you will have fishy soup!
I have a canopy and am looking to upgrade my lights to the PC Orbit .
Will the use of the ORBIT 48" FIXTURE (260 Watts Total) and a canopy with an open back create too much heat? Is it possible to use them together?
You will need to have several fans to keep air moving. Just an open back will not be enough. Otherwise, the heat will build up and you will have fishy soup!
reefraff
Active Member
I had the same fixture on a 55 when they were still called CSL. I had to cut holes in the sides of the canopy because there was no clearance for the fans to have room to draw air otherwise. I wouldn't recomend doing it. Get a retrofit kit of some kind. I would look at T5 fluorescents. They put out a lot of light and don't have the heat PC's do.
reefraff
Active Member
T5's aint cheap but boy are they worth the money
The PC lamps get hot. The fixture has the lamps in a pretty tight space but the airflow around and through the fixture will dissipate a lot of heat. You are talking about putting a fixture that is designed to be out in the open in an enclosed area which prevents it from doing it's already tough job of venting the heat away from the ballasts and lamps.
If you use retrofits you now have the area inside your canopy for airflow. You should be able to find a kit that will be pretty much plug and play as far as the electrical goes.
Current makes a retrofit kit with 4x 65 watt lamps just like the orbit fixture.
The PC lamps get hot. The fixture has the lamps in a pretty tight space but the airflow around and through the fixture will dissipate a lot of heat. You are talking about putting a fixture that is designed to be out in the open in an enclosed area which prevents it from doing it's already tough job of venting the heat away from the ballasts and lamps.
If you use retrofits you now have the area inside your canopy for airflow. You should be able to find a kit that will be pretty much plug and play as far as the electrical goes.
Current makes a retrofit kit with 4x 65 watt lamps just like the orbit fixture.