Do open air t5 ballast need active cooling

Jonathan Troutt

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Basically my ballast are outside of an enclosure exposed to the open room air. Is this passive cooling setup sufficient or do i need to find a way to put a fan on them?
 

Flippers4pups

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Basically my ballast are outside of an enclosure exposed to the open room air. Is this passive cooling setup sufficient or do i need to find a way to put a fan on them?

I the past when I built reef lighting systems with T5's. I always had they exposed to the room air with no fans. They should have built into them a thermal switch to shut them off if they over heat. Some do, some don't. You should be fine.
 
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I the past when I built reef lighting systems with T5's. I always had they exposed to the room air with no fans. They should have built into them a thermal switch to shut them off if they over heat. Some do, some don't. You should be fine.
Right on. Im using HEP ballast i would assume these do given they are pretty much the go to ballast for this hobby unless peeps are overdriving.

Give ya an idea on how i have them installed

95E76D5F-59C4-41EF-85F3-A731D673F9F8.jpeg
 

Flippers4pups

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Right on. Im using HEP ballast i would assume these do given they are pretty much the go to ballast for this hobby unless peeps are overdriving.

Give ya an idea on how i have them installed

95E76D5F-59C4-41EF-85F3-A731D673F9F8.jpeg

Should be okay as long as they don't get wet.
 
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Jonathan Troutt

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Should be okay as long as they don't get wet.
The wires will be getting a plastic c-channel like like strip over them as well as any crimp connector getting filled with silicone. I am also going to be installing splash guard underneath the ballast for just in case purposes
 

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The wires will be getting a plastic c-channel like like strip over them as well as any crimp connector getting filled with silicone. I am also going to be installing splash guard underneath the ballast for just in case purposes

Good, because you never know when something could happen. :)
 

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