Free Ballast for T5H0's

[bitterman]

I have not tried this, but interesting concept.

http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/lighting/15614-free-ballasts-adjustable-odno-smaller-bulbs-3.html


I am concerned about the following:
1. Matching bulbs to the ballast
2. Fire hazard?

Bruce

[BigDaddy]

Makes sense... why throw out the ballast when it is only the bulb that has burnt out.

[darkdep]

Holy crap, I'm salivating.

23w ballasts, with a 24w bulb means you're overdriving the ballast slightly (or, I guess, more likely underdriving the bulb by a watt, but that probably makes it last longer anyway )

[bitterman]

I'd like to try this on my 20... Hmmm 12 Endcaps and 6 T5ho bulbs on a 20 woudl be descent for SW.

Bruce

[bitterman]

Holy crap, I'm salivating.

LMAO!!! I Figured this would get you attention APW.

LOL!!!

[BigDaddy]

Holy crap, I'm salivating.

23w ballasts, with a 24w bulb means you're overdriving the ballast slightly (or, I guess, more likely underdriving the bulb by a watt, but that probably makes it last longer anyway )

Yup, you'd be underdriving the bulb.  Not a good thing with CF bulbs... probably not a problem for T5's though.

[darkdep]

I've seen 2*7* watt CF's; that might work better.

Oh man, I need to justify a trip to HD.

My BIGGEST concern isn't fire or matching the ballast to the bulb (DIY ballast work is all the same, IMHO) and if it lights, it'll probably stay lit.  It's more a question of safely separating the original twisty bulb from the ballast.  Breaking it is an "option" but there's mercury in there; not something you want around you or your house.

[bitterman]

I've seen 2*7* watt CF's; that might work better.

Oh man, I need to justify a trip to HD.

My BIGGEST concern isn't fire or matching the ballast to the bulb (DIY ballast work is all the same, IMHO) and if it lights, it'll probably stay lit.  It's more a question of safely separating the original twisty bulb from the ballast.  Breaking it is an "option" but there's mercury in there; not something you want around you or your house.

I was looking at that and seen these http://www.homedepot.ca/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/CatalogSearchResultView?D=945574&Ntt=945574&catalogId=10051&langId=-15&storeId=10051&Dx=mode+matchallpartial&Ntx=mode+matchall&recN=0&N=0&Ntk=P_PartNumber

Still probably cheaper to get a wh5 or 7 for a bunch of bulbs, but for a single or dual t5h0 on a tank this would be kewl. Also very small so It coudl be places alot of places ion the hood for a retrofit.

Bruce

[darkdep]

A workhorse 5 is $39.99 at Litemore; these things are effectively $6.50 each.  So, that's $26 to run 4 T5H0 vs $40 for a workhorse.

Given that choice, I'd do a Workhorse 5...IF I was building a 4 light fixture.  Right now I have a WH5 running a single bulb above 4 separate tanks...if this worked, and I could go back, I might do it with the little guys.  More redundancy