ODNO verification please?

[RoseHawke]

Okay, I've been going through old threads trying to glean what I need, and reading articles of course. Let me see if this will work like I think it will ... I picked up a GE electronic ballast from Homer Depot today, (B432l120RH) a "4 lamp instant start" F32T8. Can I also overdrive T-12's with this ballast? Y'all know that the T-12's are just easier to find with more choices than the T-8's.

This is for a 29T by the way. It's my intention to wire two 24" bulbs in series to mimic one 48" bulb. Assuming 20 watts for a 24" T-12, do I read this as 40 watts overdriven 4x to 2.4 times brighter to approximate 96 watts or 3.3 wpg? I just need to know if I'm understanding this correctly and if this should work or not.

Thanks guys!

[ninoboy]

That's about right I think. And yes you could OD your T12 with your ballast.

[RoseHawke]

Thanks NB! It'll be a little while before I get to this, as I think I've got about 6 unrelated projects going on right now but I wanted to make sure.

[jart]

cindy, where did you read about the 4x overdriving producing 2.4 x light? seems to me that the figure is closer to 2 x more light.

of course you would get more light into the tank with good reflectors. at the very least, try painting the inside of your hood gloss white.

there is no reason that i am aware of that t12's would not work, as ninoboy said. as you now know, the t8's are hard to find. but not impossible. forget home depot, you might want to consider looking in the yellow pages and find a specialty lighting outfit. of note, the endcaps that i use will accept both t8's or t12's, so if time is a factor you may be able to set things up with t12's and switch to t8's in the future if you should wish to do so.

and what do you mean you've got 6 projects on the go? you keep fish and plants don't you? the list should be at least 8!!!

[RoseHawke]

Originally Posted by jart

cindy, where did you read about the 4x overdriving producing 2.4 x light? seems to me that the figure is closer to 2 x more light.

(snip)

and what do you mean you've got 6 projects on the go? you keep fish and plants don't you? the list should be at least 8!!!

The 2.4 figure is from here --- "Overdriving Fluorescent Lights" by Jim Haworth. I've been using that as a rule of thumb anyway.

Actually I think I was being conservative I think! I'm in the homestretch (I hope!) of a remodeling project in our living room. Right now putting up ceiling molding and new baseboard and window molding. Then we'll be texturing the ceiling and painting. Then I've got to build a new mantel for the fireplace but before that I have to build a workbench for my shop so that I've got someplace to build the mantel! Along with that I will be building the stand/cabinet for my 90 gallon tank ... but first I have to order the tank ... and somewhere in that I want to find time to do the project upgrade to my 29T, and make the time to keep about two acres of grass cut, various flower beds up to par (my roses look pretty sad right now) the house semi-clean (difficult to do with drywall dust everywhere), I would like to find time to get out on my bike, and I'm sure there's something I've forgotten somewhere, heh. Oh, and I have to find time to get on here and see how everybody else's fishy projects are going too, of course!