[StirCrazy]

Originally Posted by BCOrchidGuy

I spoke with Al Brite, the sales man says he doesn't understand how the M137 can replace the M57, he says the 57 has an internal ignitor but the 137 doesn't and the add on ignitor has different characteristics. He doesn't recommend the change. That being said, the prices are out of this world reasonable. M137 is $79 with everything, including a couple mounting brakets etc.. if I wanted to go to the 250watt the M58 is $65 again, everything included.

I guess I've got some thinking to do.

Doug

you'll find a lot of the places we are looking for parts at don't realy have a clue how thin gs will work togeather and all they realy knows is that the book says that a M57 bulb needs a M57 ballast. the problem is that most of the bulbs in the fish tank world are moddles off of german specs so what we think is a M57 bulb realy isn't but it happened to work on a M57 ballast for lack of better understanding. now companies are starting to admidt that the bulb will last longer on different ballast and people are looking into things more than they used to.

you can add a starter to a M57 but this will not make it the same as a M137, there are differences in the way and levels the voltage and current are applied also.

Steve