Workhorse Ballasts
 

Can someone fill me in about these ballasts. I have heard that they are electronic and that I could run 4x55watt PC's over my refugium. Are these ballasts any good? Who's using them?

It is my understanding that Albright lighting sells them, anyone know for how much?

They sound too good to be true! Ice Cap ballasts are just too much, and I am not happy with the 2x30watt GloMat system I have on there right now (50 gallon refugium).

Thank you,

Workhorse Ballasts
 

Hi Jeff,

It really depends on the brand of PC bulbs. For instances, it takes a workhorse 7 ballast to drive 2 55W panasonic PC's while 2 55W Sylvania PC's can be drive from a workhorse 5. For the past 3 months, I've been using a workhorse 7 to drive a 24" 20W 6700K t12 as well as 24" 20W t8 marine glo lamps at 110W each. They are bright!!!
You can use these ballasts to drive different lamps in different config. Check out Fulham's website
Disclaimer: The above mentioned lamps are overdriven. I am not liable for anything that happens if you attempt the same

Workhorse Ballasts
 

How does the ballast overdrive the lamps? and how does it do it to that degree... that quite frankly is amazing!

I just phoned and he had 96watt pc's also.

Do you think the workhorse 7 could drive 2x96watt pc's over my refugium at 100%? It should given that the ballast has a max wattage of 220.

Thanks!

Workhorse Ballasts
 

The best person to talk to is "Reef Burnaby". He was the one that provided this thread http://www.reefcentral.com/vbulletin...threadid=48133it explains over driving no's. Although in it, a different ballast is used, the workhorse will work just as well. As to the 96W pc's you mentioned, I assume that "they" you meant Albrite? J&L lowered the prices on their 96W pc's to $60 each. I am planning in the near future to build a new canopy and use a workhorse 7 drive dual 96W pc's for my 33G

Workhorse Ballasts
 

A ballast overdrives a lamp by passing a higher current through it than initially intended. When you hook up multiple wires going into a tube you are sending current that was intended for multiple bulbs into one. That is in very basic terms..

If you know parallel/series circuits in effect you are taking the current in multiple parallel branches and combining them into one wire. The voltage being sent stays the same as it is in parallel but the currents are added together.

A workhorse 7 will work fine for two 96W PC's

That help?

Workhorse Ballasts
 

Jeff

How much are the 10,000K 96W PC's at Albrite?
I talked to this guy who imports them in and he said that he should be able to get them in for $55 including tax. I think he said they were Custom Coral Life.

Workhorse Ballasts
 

Hi,

Like Darren said, it is basically driving a lamp beyond its normal intended operation. Are you familiar with Icecap 440 or 660 ? Basically, the workhorse is a poor man's Icecap -- that was the main idea. It does not have as many features as Icecap, but it gets you 80% of the way there. Stuff like dimming and soft light starting are not on the poor man's version.

- Victor.

Workhorse Ballasts
 

With everything said (and I REALLY appreciate the input), it sounds like this "poor man's version" is exactly what I should use to light my refugium. Those extra features are not really needed on the refugium anyway.

Another few question though,

1. Does overdriving cut the bulb life down?
2. What is the worst case scenario from doing that.... a burnt out bulb or a burnt out house!?

Thanks!

Workhorse Ballasts
 

Tigger,

FYI, here is a price list from Albrite for workhorse ballasts a PC lamps as of Feb. 2002:

WH5-120L $46.00 in stock
WH7-120L $56.00 in stock
FPL55E67 $24.50 in stock
FPL55/03 $65.00 1 in stock
FPL55/10K $63.00 1 in stock
FPR96E67 $81.50 2-3 days
FPR96/03 $83.00 2-3 days
FPR96/10K $83.50 2-3 days

If you can get the 10,000k for $55, Ace and I maybe interested. J&L lowered the prices on their 96W pc's your choice: 6700K ,actinic blue ,10000k or smartlamp $59.95 each

Let me know. Thanks!!

Workhorse Ballasts
 

Danny
E-mail me with your number.
sshong@canada.com

Workhorse Ballasts
 

Tigger,

my # 604 968-6903 Thanks!!!!

Workhorse Ballasts
 

Thank you for all the help!

Cheers!

Workhorse Ballasts
 

Just wondering, will the workhorse overdrive the same as a standard electronic ballast? Or will it put the rated power out? I've read on here somewhere that if you overdrive a NO bulb with 110watt ballast you will actually only get about 80 watts. Now the workhorse 7 is rated for 220 watts, if i overdrive 2 NO will i get 220 watts or 160 watts? Hope this makes sense.

Clinton

Workhorse Ballasts
 

Hi,

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">1. Yes. But, most tubes are designed to work up to 15000-20000 hours. In reefing, we probably turn our lights on for 8 hours a day or ~3000 hours a year. Even if the tube life is degraded by 1/2 or 1/4, we are still fine.

2. Worst case senario...burn down a house due to electrical miswire. Well, everything has risks...especially with electricity around a big box of salt water. With careful planning and proper instalation, it should be as safe as an Icecap. If anything, it will be just the tubes failing like normal tubes (blacken ends).

- Victor

Workhorse Ballasts
 

CHEAPREEF, the only way to know for sure is to put a multi-meter on it and measure the curent you are using. I have had different results from 3 diferent modle ballasts but as of yet I have not obtained double the output from 2X overdriving. now having said that I have not tried a workhorse balast on my tests yet. (mabe I will pick one up this afternoon if they will give me agood price) I would make a guess on a electric balast with two sets of leads instead of he normal one set you would be pushing about 1.5X the normal power, mabe a workhorse would be a bit higher. In reference a icecap ballast over drives NO bulbs 1.5X there normal power.

Steve