ODNO measurements: power consumption vs light output(LONG)

[shalu]

Originally Posted by scolley

So is this going to be a sticky already? Respectfully requesting Sticky please!

Thanks for the nomination, Steve

Ok, Blueram, the ballast consumes 4 WATTs idle.

[HammerJoe]

I just set up a 2X32W ODNO T8 Bulbs.

Does it mean I am getting the equivalent of 108W of light??

[shalu]

If you used a single 4x ballast, then you are getting slightly less than 108w(related to my previous comment about ballast factor being different depending on whether all the leads are connected for not), I say between 100w and 108w, actually might even be a bit less than 100w. Of course, you can easily get more light by adding another ballast if you want.

when I have some time, I will do the actual measurement for you. I have 2 T8 tubes, just need to hook up another pair of endcaps.

[HammerJoe]

I actually used two 2X ballast.
I guess I will need to set up another fixture.

I look forward to your report.

[SCMurphy]

Thread stuck, I'd almost suggest separate threads for individual set up questions, so that this thread doesn't get as unwieldy as the main ODNO thread. HOWEVER, if Shalu gets a good question that he thinks belongs as part of this thread I'm sure that will be accommodated.


Shalu,

I wish I could send you the T-8 36 watt bulbs I have for my 75 gallon tank for you to test, just to satisfy the geek in me.

[lumpyfunk]

I would love to see results for overdirven x2 as well.

Great thread!! Thanks Shalu

[SCMurphy]

Originally Posted by lumpyfunk

I would love to see results for overdirven x2 as well.

Great thread!! Thanks Shalu

Shalu did the measurements for NO, x2, x3, and x4 for most 4 foot bulbs. Did you mean the 15 watt bulbs which were only done NO and 4x?

[standoyo]

hi guys,
great info,
now lets see if the lighting manufacturers[for planteds] pounce in on this idea and make some ODNO's with nice luminaires as my diy skills may cause me to d-i-e...:lol:
wish there was some way to hide it all in and keep it neat...

[SCMurphy]

I use the two bulb, without a reflector, flourescent strips that you can buy at any big box home supply store. I take out the original ballast, wire in the new ballasts to the existing endcaps, install a good reflector, then hang it all in a canopy. Only wires visible are the power cords going to the timers.

[SCMurphy]

Shalu,

You said at one point that at most you could only get 70 watts out of the ballast when the max (with 0.88 ballast factor included) would be 112 watts. Just out of curiousity, if you wired up two T-8's in series and did your test at 3x and 4x OD do you think you could get the full output from the ballast?

[shalu]

I have not tried that, but I DON'T think it will supply much more juice. I might try that later. My logic is, I did not get more total output at 4x with a 55w bulb than with a 32w bulb. I have no reason to believe a 64w bulb(2x32w) will make a difference. To get more total juice from a single 4x ballast, I think it is better to do 2 2xOD, then each will get about 50watts, I think that's what lumpyfunk was asking earlier(I will measure later). I did do 2x measurement, 54w, but with the other two leads free. When the other leads support another bulb 2x, then the ballast factor drops slightly.

[SCMurphy]

It was just a thought I had after rereading this thread. I asked you since you have the whole measurement technique down and might be interested enough in the idea to give it a go.

I wired up a new set of lights for my new 75, I did the 4 T-8's at 2x each with two 4-bulb ballasts. I'm using two 32 watt T-8's and two 36 watt T-8's. I figure, as is, it comes to just 3 watts a gallon using your numbers for the 32 watt T-8. I was hoping that if I my thinking was right I could rewire it and push a little more out. I'm cheap, I should have purchased another ballast or two.

[Jerm]

hmm... after reading this... all i can think of is.. how much did it cost to do all this testing??? Sigh, those of us tight budgeters. It made my brain itch.

[shrimpy2]

Hi All, my first post.

This is a great thread that got me working on my personal OD project, which I just completed.

This weekend, I retrofitted a similar setup and got some results that seem to back up the original findings in this thread.

The set up is:

1 - Advance REL-4P32-SC (4x32W)
3 - Philips T8 48" Daylight 6500K bulbs in the following configuration:
1st bulb - normal output (1 lead)
2nd bulb - normal output (1 lead)
3rd bulb - overdrive 2x (2 leads)

Due to way the hood is set up, the wiring is permanent, so I can only test according to the on/off combinations above by removing or adding bulbs.

Using the kill-a-watt device (which I love), I got the following wattage consumption measurements:

a) No bulbs installed: 5 watts
b) Only 1 NO bulb: 40 watts
c) Only the 2xOD bulb: 54 watts
d) Both NO bulbs: 66 watts
e) One NO and the 2xOD: 80 watts
f) All three bulbs: 102 watts

With all three bulbs on, the 2xOD bulb is noticibly brighter. Unfortuntely, I don't have any light measuring equipment, so that desciption is as scientific as it's gonna get. Thats a shame b/c while the 2xOD is brighter, I don't know if the 2xOD brighter b/c of pure additional lighting, or if it was somehow stealing something from the other bulbs and making them dimmer.

The ballast was plugged into the kill-a-watt device, which in turn was plugged directly into a wall socket.

Any comments, questions or suggestions?

Thanks

[Alight]

Really nice testing Shalu. Just to make a point about cheap, I bought a Shoplight (the brand) from Home Depot that has an electronic ballast and burns two 48", T8 bulbs (32 watts each). This cost $7.50. After reading the article, I did a search for electronic ballasts on the internet, and the lowest price I found for a 2 bulb, T-8 32 watt was $5.66. With shipping, not worth it. So I just bought another Shoplight, cannibalized the ballast, and hooked it to the orignal shoplight, overdriving both bulbs 2X. This is one bright aquarium light! It's definitely brighter than my 2x55 watt AH supply bright kit. It was very easy to hook up. Just two small holes drilled in the shop light to bolt in the ballast. No extra wire needed, or even any connectors. All that were needed were already in the Shoplight. Even the holes to plug the two wires in are already on the bulb end caps.

I was worried about heat, but the light is still much cooler than the AH kit, and I can grab the light anywhere without fearing it will be too hot to handle.