lettheirberock
Member
where can i get a good inexpensive vho ballast? i know the ice caps are probably the best out there,but surely theres an alternative that wouldnt hurt my wallet! thanx
VHO ballast
- Thread starter lettheirberock
- Start date
tiggerbengal
Member
Might want to check the DIY lighting sites, such as Hello Lighting ( <a href="http://www.lampsnow.com" target="_blank">www.lampsnow.com</a> )I think their 4-lamp VHO kit is $129.99
lordofthereef
Member
I went to a local electrical supply store for my two lamp vho ballest. it only cost me 40 bucks!! plus 20 for the ice cap end caps. that makes it 60 bucks! I don't think anyone can beat that!!
jakob4001
Member
pretty good deal LOR,but MUCH MUCH more work than regular retro kit; you would still probably have to buy more wire, powercord, probably no on/off switche(s), do a lot of the wiring yourself...w/ electrical items like that, best to get as close to "plug-n-play" as possible; unless of course you have trustworthy friend knows about those things or you yourself do; would rather pay the double of $60 for twice as less work; sometimes the ballast that elect supply places use are old school tar ballast=lots of heat & heavy
<a href="http://www.***************.com/Merchant2/merchant.mv?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=PA&Product_Code=LN-4LKIT&Category_Code=Phazer" target="_blank">http://www.***************.com/Merchant2/merchant.mv?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=PA&Product_Code=LN-4LKIT&Category_Code=Phazer</a> is the one we have been using for 5 months at least now; they even have decent prices on URI bulbs
<a href="http://www.***************.com/Merchant2/merchant.mv?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=PA&Product_Code=LN-4LKIT&Category_Code=Phazer" target="_blank">http://www.***************.com/Merchant2/merchant.mv?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=PA&Product_Code=LN-4LKIT&Category_Code=Phazer</a> is the one we have been using for 5 months at least now; they even have decent prices on URI bulbs
lordofthereef
Member
well, i'm good at electrical work since my father is a certified electrician, and he taught me almost everything he knows. 
lordofthereef
Member
its a magnetec ballast. i run two 95 w vho bulbs off it. its big and heavy, but i don't care! as for heat, it runs no warmer then any other ballast! I also use workhorse 5 ballasts on my 29 gallon reef. they run two 55w compact 10000k's, and two 20w actinics. I bought two 32w smartlamp fixtures for my 16 gallon reef, then one day i opened up the ballast cover, and what did i find?? workhorse 3 ballasts!! oh yeah!! i use coralife vho bulbs.
lettheirberock
Member
no not a 20 ,its a 55 gallon
lettheirberock
Member
oops, sorry option ,i thought you were addressing me but you were obviously talking to lord of the reef.
reefkeeper1
Member
What about the heat off the bulbs Ice cap claims there ballast not only let the ballast run with virtually no heat from the ballast and greatly reduced heat from the lamps. They also claim a minimum of 1 year usable life for the vho lamps,and that the ballast produces 440 watts of light and only uses 260 watts of electricity.
I have a Ice cap 660 ballast and am very happy with it but I am looking to buy more for my othere tank and am not looking forward to paying 160 dollars for a new ice cap ballast. Do you have any kind of info or know where any info is on magnetic and electro magnetic vho ballast? This would help because they cost half as much.
I have a Ice cap 660 ballast and am very happy with it but I am looking to buy more for my othere tank and am not looking forward to paying 160 dollars for a new ice cap ballast. Do you have any kind of info or know where any info is on magnetic and electro magnetic vho ballast? This would help because they cost half as much.
lordofthereef
Member
the bulbs really don't seem to run any hotter then any other vho bulb. as for info on that ballast, I don't know any web sites, but, go to your local industrial electic supply store. they can usually get you anything you want. all you have to do is ask. the can also get you the wiring diagram if you ask them too.
reefkeeper1
Member
How long do your bulbs last in your set ups before they get dim
lordofthereef
Member
The vho's last about 6 months before i'm do for a change. the pc's on my other tanks last for close to a year. my no actinics that I use get changed every 4 months.
reefkeeper1
Member
with my ice cap My bulbs are good for a year, so you pay more for the ballast but in the long run its cheaper
saltwater in nebraska
Member
The electronic ballast "should" produce less heat (both at the bulbs and ballast), use less electricity, and the bulbs should last longer (because of heat and the flicker of magnetic ballast) As far as how much heat, electricity, and bulb life I have no idea, I'm sure it depends on each unit, not just each brand. I have no experience with Icecap ballast but any brand electronic ballast should give you the better results than a magnetic ballast. I'm not saying you have to use electronic ballast, and is some cases the magnetic will perform almost as well.
By the way everything posted above is from my knowledge as an Electrical engineer, I've never tested them side by side.
By the way everything posted above is from my knowledge as an Electrical engineer, I've never tested them side by side.
lordofthereef
Member
Workhorse ballasts can't run vho bulbs.
lordofthereef
Member
what is the web site???
lordofthereef
Member
well...i looked up every site i could and nowhere could i find that workhorses run vho! i even looked on my own balasts. no vho! they can run ho, but not vho!