? on DIY 70w NC Retro

[AquaticEngineer]

What do you use to secure the UV glass into the splash guard? I've heard of people using "high temp silicone", but can you get that in clear? If so, wheredo u get it?

 

Or is there some better way to do it?

 

Also what is the best wayto secrue the HQI into the hood? Epoxy?

 

I plan on utilizing the existing 2x24watt pcs in the hood as well. Can you use the existing reflector with all of them in there? Should I just make a custom reflector to fit the xtra fans, 2 PC's and HQI all in there?

[supernip]

depending on the silicon type, it will withstand heat of 55-450F. That said, I would not use it because I don't know how well it bonds to metal. I would consider drilling a hole for screws or finding some clips [ala illuming] or something

[ebin]

agree with the nipster some sort of clamp would work best and prolly make you sleep better at night.

[RBuddha]

Is the splash guard plastic? I had a retro i did but replaced the plastic with glass and used glass glue/epoxy to bond it to the glass splash guard.

 

Check out krackerg's retrofit in the diy library.

[BruiseAndy]

RTV silicone would hold up, but as others have said try to fab a metal clamp

[AquaticEngineer]

I was planning on cutting out a hole just smaller than the uv glass in the stock plastic splash guard and laying the glass on top of it and siliconing it in place.

 

I like the idea of a the metal clips. Do u think aluminum would be the best for those? Probably just get some small pieces and bend them over on themselves a couple times use a dab of high temp something to hold those in place. Think that would work?

 

Also, adding fans to the hood. Should I just silicone those in place so I can remove them later if need be?

[AquaticEngineer]

I got some aluminum to make the clips, and some high temp silicone to hold them in place. I got quick disconnects and heat shrink to do up the wiring on the hood. Waiting on the fans to show up still.

 

Any recomendations on fans? Any words of wisdom?

 

Wish me luck

[shao-lin nano]

I bonded my 70w MH to the canopy with high temp epoxy, lots of it. I used the UV glass over the bulb/reflector like the way it comes from the manufactur. I then cut out a large square out of the splash guard, pretty much all of it except for the perimeter, got a peice of glass just larger than the hole and used epoxy again. This has held up for 2 years and just began to fall appart. Good luck.

[AquaticEngineer]

Does anyone know if Home Depot or some place like that would carry the high temp uv glass? The piece that came out of the fixture I am cannibalizing was to large.

 

Should I just have them cut that one down?

[shao-lin nano]

The peice that came with your fixture is probably tempered too, trying to cut it down will shatter it if it is tempered. My suggestion is just getting another peice cut to size and getting that tempered.