how to install halides into wood canopy

1newfish · 09/12/2007, 10:16 AM

I just got two 250watt halides, no reflectors, and a two bulb vho system, no reflectors.

How can I install them for now without reflectors?

Do I have to worry about the halides burning the canopy?

Thank you in advance for any help.

der_wille_zur_macht · 09/12/2007, 10:19 AM

Do you have sockets for the MH bulbs? If so, the sockets should have mounting legs on them. Still, without reflectors, you're losing a very large percentage of your light output, so I'd just wait until you could save up the $40 - $50 to get two parabolic reflectors for those MH bulbs.

What are the endcaps like for the VHO bulbs? If they are the german-style 3 piece waterproof caps, various companies make little mounting legs that will allow you to screw them into the wood canopy. If they aren't, you should probably think about replacing them with the 3-piece units! In the meantime, various vendors sell clips made for suspending fluorescent tubes from a canopy, so look for those.

FWIW, my favorite vendor for lighting goods is www.hellolights.com

papagimp · 09/12/2007, 11:08 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by 1newfish
How can I install them for now without reflectors?

wood screws.

I agree witht he previous post, seems pretty pointless to install them now without reflectors. And if the reflectors you get are anything like the ones i have, you'll have to remove the endcaps again to mount the reflectors.

westcoastreef · 09/12/2007, 12:08 PM

Your going to lose u to 50 percent efficiency if you are not using a reflector, its really not worth the heat, and cost to run the halides without getting their full wattage reflected in the right direction.

Vin7250 · 09/12/2007, 01:40 PM

i agree with the other posts, absolutely pointless without reflectors.....you can get cheap stuff on hellolights.com or marinedepot, maybe even lowes or homedepot if you are that impatient. But you are better off with good stuff from a vendor like i mentioned above

cdentii1 · 09/12/2007, 02:26 PM

Make sure to use spacers and fans to help remove the heat.

09/12/2007, 10:16 AM	#1
1newfish Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: clinton twp, michigan Posts: 124	how to install halides into wood canopy I just got two 250watt halides, no reflectors, and a two bulb vho system, no reflectors. How can I install them for now without reflectors? Do I have to worry about the halides burning the canopy? Thank you in advance for any help.

09/12/2007, 10:19 AM	#2
der_wille_zur_macht Team RC Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: NY Posts: 17,749	Do you have sockets for the MH bulbs? If so, the sockets should have mounting legs on them. Still, without reflectors, you're losing a very large percentage of your light output, so I'd just wait until you could save up the $40 - $50 to get two parabolic reflectors for those MH bulbs. What are the endcaps like for the VHO bulbs? If they are the german-style 3 piece waterproof caps, various companies make little mounting legs that will allow you to screw them into the wood canopy. If they aren't, you should probably think about replacing them with the 3-piece units! In the meantime, various vendors sell clips made for suspending fluorescent tubes from a canopy, so look for those. FWIW, my favorite vendor for lighting goods is www.hellolights.com __________________ Inconveniencing marine life since 1992 "It is my personal belief that reef aquaria should be thriving communities of biodiversity, representative of their wild counterparts, and not merely collections of pretty specimens growing on tidy clean rock shelves covered in purple coralline algae." (Eric Borneman)

09/12/2007, 12:08 PM	#4
westcoastreef Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Posts: 871	Your going to lose u to 50 percent efficiency if you are not using a reflector, its really not worth the heat, and cost to run the halides without getting their full wattage reflected in the right direction.

09/12/2007, 01:40 PM	#5
Vin7250 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Connecticut "The Big East" Posts: 1,144	i agree with the other posts, absolutely pointless without reflectors.....you can get cheap stuff on hellolights.com or marinedepot, maybe even lowes or homedepot if you are that impatient. But you are better off with good stuff from a vendor like i mentioned above

09/12/2007, 02:26 PM	#6
cdentii1 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Canton, OH Posts: 527	Make sure to use spacers and fans to help remove the heat.