Making Use of Old VHO Setup

[LobsterOfJustice]

I have one or two of the old IceCap ballasts and a wiring harness with endcaps set up for running two VHO tubes. Just no bulbs. Given that these bulbs seem to be impossible to find now... How can I retrofit this for modern (i.e. I guess that means T5) use? Can I just swap out the endcaps with T5 endcaps and call it a day? Or is it more complicated than that?

 

[Saltyreef]

I have one or two of the old IceCap ballasts and a wiring harness with endcaps set up for running two VHO tubes. Just no bulbs. Given that these bulbs seem to be impossible to find now... How can I retrofit this for modern (i.e. I guess that means T5) use? Can I just swap out the endcaps with T5 endcaps and call it a day? Or is it more complicated than that?

The ballast will only run VHO bulbs as they are a much higher wattage and lumen output but like you said, near impossible to find.

I would just recycle them myself lol.

 

[oreo54]

I have one or two of the old IceCap ballasts and a wiring harness with endcaps set up for running two VHO tubes. Just no bulbs. Given that these bulbs seem to be impossible to find now... How can I retrofit this for modern (i.e. I guess that means T5) use? Can I just swap out the endcaps with T5 endcaps and call it a day? Or is it more complicated than that?

You didn't mention what size?
Anyways not sure of "real" availability though.

Search > Champion Lighting & Supply

Champion Lighting & Supply is your number one source for Saltwater & Reef Aquarium Supplies.

www.championlighting.com

Might need to buy 24 at a time..

UV Lighting International T12 V-HO

But as stated above the ballasts aren't normally usable for T5HO bulbs.

 

[Saltyreef]

You didn't mention what size?
Anyways not sure of "real" availability though.

Search > Champion Lighting & Supply

Champion Lighting & Supply is your number one source for Saltwater & Reef Aquarium Supplies.

www.championlighting.com

Might need to buy 24 at a time..

UV Lighting International T12 V-HO

But as stated above the ballasts aren't normally usable for T5HO bulbs.

That link to the bulbs is for T12 bulbs not t5

 

[oreo54]

That link to the bulbs is for T12 bulbs not t5

Well afaict op didn't specify the vho size, only converting to t5's
Anyways second link has t5's vho's listed
24/ case..Think you " might" get them right from UV lighting direct .

UV Lighting International T5 V-HO

 

[jda]

You can still get VHO bulbs from Champion or order directly from UVL. A few locals got some Super Actinic from Champion a while back in a group buy. They are twice the wattage as T5, half the bulbs, but also twice the output if you can get them on good reflectors, which you usually cannot so people wrongly think that they are less efficient, but it is a reflector thing, not a bulb and ballast thing, but it is real issue unless you can make some good reflectors or find some older good ones. The internal reflectors in the VHO bulbs help, but not as good as a good parabolic reflector. IceCap 660 can run T5 bulbs at about 96w for the 48" versions and they put out some good power. Bulbs definitely need changed at a year if you overdrive T5s, or whatever you consider half of normal life - for me, normal is 24 months, so I would change them at 12. @Big E used to do this, but I don't know if he still does anymore... 4 bulb setup has more output than a 6 bulb, but not as much as an 8, or the one that I saw did. In the end, if the reflectors are good, you don't save or miss much with whatever you do with similar wattage, but the reflectors can be a big deal with VHOs and retrofit T5s too.

The reason to use VHO is if you just love the look and pop of the Super Actinic or Actinic White since nobody has gotten these the same yet. If you don't have any love for these, then it might be more trouble than it is worth.

People still want IceCap ballasts if you want to give them away and not waste them - they are still in use by people who love them, want 6' bulbs and have the good reflectors already.

 

[Big E]

You can still get VHO bulbs from Champion or order directly from UVL. A few locals got some Super Actinic from Champion a while back in a group buy. They are twice the wattage as T5, half the bulbs, but also twice the output if you can get them on good reflectors, which you usually cannot so people wrongly think that they are less efficient, but it is a reflector thing, not a bulb and ballast thing, but it is real issue unless you can make some good reflectors or find some older good ones. The internal reflectors in the VHO bulbs help, but not as good as a good parabolic reflector. IceCap 660 can run T5 bulbs at about 96w for the 48" versions and they put out some good power. Bulbs definitely need changed at a year if you overdrive T5s, or whatever you consider half of normal life - for me, normal is 24 months, so I would change them at 12. @Big E used to do this, but I don't know if he still does anymore... 4 bulb setup has more output than a 6 bulb, but not as much as an 8, or the one that I saw did. In the end, if the reflectors are good, you don't save or miss much with whatever you do with similar wattage, but the reflectors can be a big deal with VHOs and retrofit T5s too.

The reason to use VHO is if you just love the look and pop of the Super Actinic or Actinic White since nobody has gotten these the same yet. If you don't have any love for these, then it might be more trouble than it is worth.

People still want IceCap ballasts if you want to give them away and not waste them - they are still in use by people who love them, want 6' bulbs and have the good reflectors already.

To add to what Doug mentions---

Over driven 54W bulbs will pull 75w.

4x54" LET is the same width as a 6x54 Sunpower.
An Ice Cap ballast driven bulb tests out at over 1000 par middle of bulb 1/4" away and in the center. Normal driven 800.

I change them out at 6-7 months but you can go longer, you"ll just see a little lose in color of acros.......growth is the same.

Ice Cap ballast can be had for free. Old ones will blow out eventually(3-5 years) and Ice cap will rebuild them for $90
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Another way to go is just get the standard LET with the HEP ballasts. You'll get the same 2 years as a Sunpower and more par as you don't have the acrylic shield.

Again, 4x54 LET = 6x54 Sunpower in coverage. This is because the reflectors are wider.

6x54 same coverage as a 8x54 Sunpower
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***Direct anwser to OP -------------Just rewire with T5 end caps.

Each ballast will run a max of 16' of bulbs