Double ended HQI

gsxrchck · 02/17/2007, 11:44 PM

ok i have a 72" sunpod lighting system. it came with 3 150w 14000k bulbs. i have gotten 2 differnt answers to my questions so i thought i would ask the people who know best. They also sell the same setup as mine but with 3 250w hqi instead. Now that my lights are needing replacing i wanted to know if i had to rebuy 150w hqi's or if i could go to higher wattage? before i buy something higher in wattage i want to make sure i wont melt my lights? my local fish store told me i could go to larger watts and a guy from a fish site told me no they wont fit. please help me before i buy the wrong lights. also i am going to 20000k i think that might be fine for all my corals am i correct? Thank you very much for your help!

USC-fan · 02/17/2007, 11:56 PM

no

this will not work.

bertoni · 02/18/2007, 01:50 AM

The ballast and bulb wattage must match. The 250 W bulbs might fit, but they won't produce any more output than the ballast provides, and they probably won't work properly or last long. You need to buy 150 W bulbs.

Herbie · 02/18/2007, 01:10 PM

No they wont work..........You are stuck with 150's.
The 150w ballasts wont drive the 250w bulbs, and they are different bulbs anyway. 250w bulbs wont fit in the 150 sockets!

150 w bulb.............

250w bulb................

The sizes are not accurate, but..........the 250 is bigger than the 150. Note the difference in socket connections. The 250 is more of a slide connection, and the 150 is held in by spring loaded sockets.

I would go with the 14k "phoenix" bulbs. Great color and PAR ratings. They burn a nice blue/white color similar to a 20,000k but have good PAR numbers. A lot of people run them with-out actinic supplements, as they are blue enough to do so. Plus, they are about the cheapest HQI bulb you will find.

HTH...........Herbie

02/17/2007, 11:44 PM	#1
gsxrchck Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Spring Hill, Florida Posts: 58	Double ended HQI ok i have a 72" sunpod lighting system. it came with 3 150w 14000k bulbs. i have gotten 2 differnt answers to my questions so i thought i would ask the people who know best. They also sell the same setup as mine but with 3 250w hqi instead. Now that my lights are needing replacing i wanted to know if i had to rebuy 150w hqi's or if i could go to higher wattage? before i buy something higher in wattage i want to make sure i wont melt my lights? my local fish store told me i could go to larger watts and a guy from a fish site told me no they wont fit. please help me before i buy the wrong lights. also i am going to 20000k i think that might be fine for all my corals am i correct? Thank you very much for your help!

02/18/2007, 01:50 AM	#3
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	The ballast and bulb wattage must match. The 250 W bulbs might fit, but they won't produce any more output than the ballast provides, and they probably won't work properly or last long. You need to buy 150 W bulbs. __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

02/17/2007, 11:56 PM	#2
USC-fan Premium Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Posts: 3,626	no this will not work.

02/18/2007, 01:10 PM	#4
Herbie Yep,that one Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Central PA Posts: 694	No they wont work..........You are stuck with 150's. The 150w ballasts wont drive the 250w bulbs, and they are different bulbs anyway. 250w bulbs wont fit in the 150 sockets! 150 w bulb............. 250w bulb................ The sizes are not accurate, but..........the 250 is bigger than the 150. Note the difference in socket connections. The 250 is more of a slide connection, and the 150 is held in by spring loaded sockets. I would go with the 14k "phoenix" bulbs. Great color and PAR ratings. They burn a nice blue/white color similar to a 20,000k but have good PAR numbers. A lot of people run them with-out actinic supplements, as they are blue enough to do so. Plus, they are about the cheapest HQI bulb you will find. HTH...........Herbie