Electronic Ballasts. I found one on eBay for $24 bucks from a plant grower. "flame me please"

[CayeCaulker]

This sure looks familiar to an icecap. The plant-growing community uses these and they pop up on eBay all the time.

The real limiting factor on electronic ballasts is the quality of the electronics in the switching power supplies. The FETs use to operate and switch the buck converters. The quality of the coils and caps they use. In the early days, the frequencies at that power were hard to pull off. Today you can't even source FETs that bad. Now it's a piece of cake. I remember the old-school icecaps that flickered like mad and drove me crazy. Then they fixed them.

I bet this thing rocks it.
Lumatek LK400w

And the lamp cords are 1/2 the cost!

 

[blaxsun]

Don your asbestos suit!

 

[MichaelP]

I had those on my last MH fixture and they were great ran very cool and fired up every time.
I played around with the settings with a 250w phoenix 14k and there was a noticeable difference between the 250 and 250sl.
About 250w on regular and 285w on sl, I ran them on the sl setting and it was a perfect crisp white

 

[CayeCaulker]

I had those on my last MH fixture and they were great ran very cool and fired up every time.
I played around with the settings with a 250w phoenix 14k and there was a noticeable difference between the 250 and 250sl.
About 250w on regular and 285w on sl, I ran them on the sl setting and it was a perfect crisp white

I am happy to hear that. I have two on the way that I sourced from different sellers. I just couldn't imagine that much of a difference between a "reef brand" and a "grow room brand". The technology should be the same.

I still have my asbestos suit on. Just in case.

 

[BroccoliFarmer]

Happy?

 

[CayeCaulker]

Yes! Mmmmm.

people on this channel are nice

 

[PigFarmer]

These also will run 250w MH bulbs.. I currently have 48 of them running at 400w for over a year now at a greenhouse in oregon and only have had 1 blow a fuse in that time. 1 did also arrive DOA but other than that we have had zero problems

 

[CayeCaulker]

These also will run 250w MH bulbs.. I currently have 48 of them running at 400w for over a year now at a tax paying legal greenhouse in oregon and only have had 1 blow a fuse in that time. 1 did also arrive DOA but other than that we have had zero problems

Pushinwhat bulbs do you run

 

[PigFarmer]

T

 

[YOYOYOReefer]

I prefer to use non aquarium specific products if their are better options. Masterflex, cole parmer, mettler toledo, Iwaki, co2 regulators, dj power strips, etc, just cuz its an aquaruim specific product doesnt mean its the best they make in that product, in many cases its a cheaped out version at a higher price or that its made to last a lifetime, never had an aquarium specific co2 regulator last more than a few years. And a ballast is a ballst no matter what the light is hanging over , be it an aquarium, a tomato plant, some electric lettuce, etc.
I find used masterflex and cole parmer gear to hold value or appreciate vs aquarium grade lucky to recoup at 60% loss rate.

 

[CayeCaulker]

I still need to do a test fill and placement test to find proper reflector diatance before I build the aquascape. Have not picked the bulbs yet. Figured I would buy a few different ones and measure par and current draw readings. Shooting for around 250-400 over most of the grow area.

I have a 30” deep tank so I’m hoping for some low zones in the 100-150 range at the bottom.

 

[CayeCaulker]

I prefer to use non aquarium specific products if their are better options. Masterflex, cole parmer, mettler toledo, Iwaki, co2 regulators, dj power strips, etc, just cuz its an aquaruim specific product doesnt mean its the best they make in that product, in many cases its a cheaped out version at a higher price or that its made to last a lifetime, never had an aquarium specific co2 regulator last more than a few years. And a ballast is a ballst no matter what the light is hanging over , be it an aquarium, a tomato plant, some electric lettuce, etc.
I find used masterflex and cole parmer gear to hold value or appreciate vs aquarium grade lucky to recoup at 60% loss rate.

I tend to agree. Especially with ballasts. I’m still shocked at Exhotech power head prices. I will probably just buy the echo tech power heads anyway but holy crap! $800 for a MP60?

 

[YOYOYOReefer]

ya when i used to grow i had 4 10 foot troughs, $99 sale bass pro trolling motors were a bit more power and a bit better priced, and ran off batterys hooked to chargers (so less than mp60 with real backup power)

 

[scchase]

These ballasts are great been using them for more than a decade now, also my step sister has a place on Caye Caulker

 

[Bpb]

Those are great ballasts. They run reliably, silent, and cool to the touch. I’d not hesitate to run them

 

[CayeCaulker]

These ballasts are great been using them for more than a decade now, also my step sister has a place on Caye Caulker

what part of the island? N/S of the split?

 

[scchase]

what part of the island? N/S of the split?

South near the runway

 

[djf91]

Nice find. People have been running Lumatek and Galaxy ballasts for a long time with great results. I would recommend Radium bulbs.