One Ballast - Multiple lighting options?

johnd651 · 03/19/2010, 11:47 AM

Outside of an IceCap ballast, i was wondering is there any reason why you cannot use a ballast rated in the appropriate Watt range to run different bulb combinations?

i was replacing Current Model# SL60T ballasts, and noticed that they are rated at PL-L 65W, PL-L 55W. The 22" PC's are 65W, and work great.

Can I convert the ballast to fire a 48" T5HO at 54W? Why or why not?

johnd651 · 03/19/2010, 02:01 PM

any ideas?

johnd651 · 03/19/2010, 09:44 PM

i am kind of surprised... has no one ever heard of this/tried it?

mrbigshot · 03/20/2010, 11:32 AM

i suppose you could, the ballast is rated to run 1 bulb. imho your better off spending the $14 and getting a ballast that will fire two of them.

johnd651 · 03/20/2010, 11:37 AM

that was just the ballast i was using, but i am wondering, if it is possible to use any ballast in between different style bulbs as long as the watts match?

03/19/2010, 11:47 AM	#1
johnd651 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: UT Posts: 406	One Ballast - Multiple lighting options? Outside of an IceCap ballast, i was wondering is there any reason why you cannot use a ballast rated in the appropriate Watt range to run different bulb combinations? i was replacing Current Model# SL60T ballasts, and noticed that they are rated at PL-L 65W, PL-L 55W. The 22" PC's are 65W, and work great. Can I convert the ballast to fire a 48" T5HO at 54W? Why or why not? __________________ -John D 55 Gal - Agg African Cichlid ~ 55 Gal - Comm African Cichlid ~ 75 Gal - Empty ~ 75 Gal Hex - Empty ~ 10 Gal - Fish Timeout tank (N. Fusco) ~ 5 Gal Marineland - Fry Tank(24 M. Auratus) ~ 240 Gal Acrylic - Empty and possibly failure waiting to happen

03/19/2010, 02:01 PM	#2
johnd651 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: UT Posts: 406	any ideas? __________________ -John D 55 Gal - Agg African Cichlid ~ 55 Gal - Comm African Cichlid ~ 75 Gal - Empty ~ 75 Gal Hex - Empty ~ 10 Gal - Fish Timeout tank (N. Fusco) ~ 5 Gal Marineland - Fry Tank(24 M. Auratus) ~ 240 Gal Acrylic - Empty and possibly failure waiting to happen

03/19/2010, 09:44 PM	#3
johnd651 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: UT Posts: 406	i am kind of surprised... has no one ever heard of this/tried it? __________________ -John D 55 Gal - Agg African Cichlid ~ 55 Gal - Comm African Cichlid ~ 75 Gal - Empty ~ 75 Gal Hex - Empty ~ 10 Gal - Fish Timeout tank (N. Fusco) ~ 5 Gal Marineland - Fry Tank(24 M. Auratus) ~ 240 Gal Acrylic - Empty and possibly failure waiting to happen

03/20/2010, 11:37 AM	#5
johnd651 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: UT Posts: 406	that was just the ballast i was using, but i am wondering, if it is possible to use any ballast in between different style bulbs as long as the watts match? __________________ -John D 55 Gal - Agg African Cichlid ~ 55 Gal - Comm African Cichlid ~ 75 Gal - Empty ~ 75 Gal Hex - Empty ~ 10 Gal - Fish Timeout tank (N. Fusco) ~ 5 Gal Marineland - Fry Tank(24 M. Auratus) ~ 240 Gal Acrylic - Empty and possibly failure waiting to happen

03/20/2010, 11:32 AM	#4
mrbigshot Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: mn Posts: 387	i suppose you could, the ballast is rated to run 1 bulb. imho your better off spending the $14 and getting a ballast that will fire two of them.