Difference between HQI, EYE, standard, and electric ballasts

[StirCrazy]

Just another tidbit, HQI is available in both Double ended and Mogual sockets. Most European MH bulbs (Like AB) are actualy HQI bulbs but sence HQI is a copyrighted term used to describe a type of MH bulb made by Sylvaina for the film industry (hapens to be daylight and higher colors for movie sets) in reality there are no HQI bulbs in the aquarium industry as I have never heard of anyone using a Sylvaina bulb yet.

ballasts, that are called "HQI" are realy just ballasts that aproxamate the voltages and currents used in europ to fire there bulbs. for example all HQI will run on a normal ballast with a starter, but they will run at a cooler color temp and lower intensity. this is because a NA ballast pushes a spicific current at 120V. European bulbs are designed to run at 100V and a little higher curent. If you look at a Ansi M80 ballast (the same as the PFO 250 watt HQI) you will see it is a higher curent than you would expect but a lower voltage. This is what the 250 watt european bulbs are designed to operate at.. in some cases they have added starters to make them work reliably with NA ballast but they still are not burning to spec.

what does this mean.. well in theory anyone using a AB, Ushio, BLV ect bulb on a NA ballast should have a shorter bulb life and premature color shift that if you were running it on the proper ballast.. also the output will be less. Now this is theory but it seams to be well acepted theory , Look at Sanjay's results on tests with pulse start and HQI ballasts laitly..

SO the next question you have is " well if this is true why isn't everyone buying M80 ballast for there 250 watt MH?" well simple I can go buy a standard NA ballast for a 250 watt MH for 68.00 + tax.. for a bare Ansi M80 ballast I am looking at 156.00 + tax (hense the reason I have not fired up the bulbs I bought yet I think I might be able to afford two ballast in the early new year).

Steve