Overdriving NO's

[fishboy]

Hi,

Can anyone tell me if I could overdrive 2 36" T12 actinics with a fulham workhorse 5 electronic ballast(60W each tube)? Or is this ballast designed to run T8 bulbs?

[StirCrazy]

The workhorse line is designed to run various types of bulbs. I can't tell you right now if it will over drive a NO bulb as I have not had the opertunity to try one yet. hopefully with in a week or so I will know as Adam got a workhorse 7 and we are trying to arange a time to test it out.

Steve

[reefburnaby]

Hi,

The answer is yes (never tried, it but...). Think of the 2 X 36" as a long 72" lamp (connect the 36" in series). Then just wire the lamp in the F72T12HO configuration.

The Workhorse can drive many types of lamps. See www.fulham.com for the types of bulbs it supports.

- Victor.

[fishboy]

Ok, I should be able to install my MH this weekend. This means I'll have the electronic ballast from my PC's(2x55W) left over. The ballast say's All-Glass on it but it looks identical to the fulham units.

Would it be better to run the two 36" NO's 55W each bulb or 110W through the two 36" NO's wired in series?

[StirCrazy]

Victor, have ou managed to get a amp probe on your balast yet to see exactly how many watts you are pushing throught a bulb?

Steve

[reefburnaby]

Hi,

Not yet, but an amp-probe won't work too well because the inductive pickup isn't designed for 20kHz signals...more like 60 Hz.

I am still searching for my scope. It is somewhere in the house....I'll keep you posted. But, it should be pretty close to 80W on a F32T8 -- the power drawn from the AC outlet.

As for what is better... I think a 55W PC is better, but the cost is pretty high. At least they are design to run in that fashion. The Overdriven 36" NOs will most likely draw less than 110W...it depends on lots of factors.

- Victor.

[StirCrazy]

ya thats what I meant was total power used by the balst.. easy to estamate after that useing the efficiency.

Steve