SLOreefer Posted December 13, 2002 Share Posted December 13, 2002 ok electricity wise what will cost more to run....an ice cap 660 ballast with 4 75w bulbs or a single 250w metal halide.... im not concerned about bulb replacement...since i have 4 roomates and they get mad about electric bills and am trying to keep it down for them....maybe ill just run a 175 hmmmm...would that be much cheaper? Link to comment
Pikelet Posted December 13, 2002 Share Posted December 13, 2002 250W MH should be slightly cheaper to run with an efficient electronic ballast. 250W is still less than 300W whichever way you cut it. If 175W will give you adequate growth rate and coloration and you intend to run it for the same photoperiod as the 250W then go for the 175W. That should save you some dollars. Link to comment
Physh1 Posted December 13, 2002 Share Posted December 13, 2002 I don't think there will be much of a difference in running either on but the halide would probably be a little cheaper. I'd go for the 175 or 250 myself but some may prefer the VHO just because you have more flexibility for adjusting color. On a side note: I'm going to be in the Bay Area from the 27th to the 3rd or 4th. Are you going to be working at AC at all during that time? I am going to stop by and pick up some stuff just figured I'd see if anyone I knew would be there......besides Tommy:P Cameron Link to comment
ChrisIsBored Posted December 13, 2002 Share Posted December 13, 2002 Either choice isn't going to make a big difference in your electric bill. If you know how much you're paying per kwh, check this out. Link to comment
SLOreefer Posted December 13, 2002 Author Share Posted December 13, 2002 hey cam...ill be working on the 27th and the 29th...after that ill be heading back down south. well i wont be leaving untill around like the 4th but im not working after the 29th. thanks chrisisbored...ill check that out once i find my bill so i can figure it all out. Link to comment
Glenn Posted December 13, 2002 Share Posted December 13, 2002 From the horses mouth: Ice Cap 660 ballast draws 4.4 amps (max) http://www.icecapinc.com/660.htm Ice Cap 250w MH HQI ballast draws 2.35 amps (max) http://www.icecapinc.com/specsheet250&400MH.pdf Ice Cap 175w MH ballast uses 185-189 watts (depending on bulb) *sorry couldn't find the amps for it, and I forgot the conversion formula...... http://www.icecapinc.com/article.htm Link to comment
Pikelet Posted December 13, 2002 Share Posted December 13, 2002 The quoted figures are ratings not typical currents. I have seen a few articles on this subject somewhere. I suggest that you give Advanced Aquarist a try for accurate comparisons. ... and YES w.r.t. your electricity bill a 250W or 175W bulb burning for 12 hours isn't going to make a huge difference to the total but every little bit counts AND it looks like you're doing something about the problem in the eyes of your flatmates Link to comment
BCOrchidGuy Posted December 13, 2002 Share Posted December 13, 2002 A=Watts/Volts IE 250Watts/120 Volts = 2.08 amps Link to comment
Glenn Posted December 13, 2002 Share Posted December 13, 2002 Thanks, BCOGuy! Picklete: What do you mean ratings? Link to comment
DeskJockey Posted December 13, 2002 Share Posted December 13, 2002 If this is for your 10gal then I would go with a 150watt HQI w/ electronic ballast. These put out tons of light and they use a little less energy than the 175watt. Plus an electronic ballast is a little more efficient because you are not loosing any energy to heat. Link to comment
SLOreefer Posted December 13, 2002 Author Share Posted December 13, 2002 this will be for my 20....im setting it up after the holidays when i get some time to myself. im kinda leaning towards the 175...but am thinking of the 250 because of the radium bulbs....i already have the icecap 660 but would rather run a halide. hmmm ill have to firgure this out soon so i can get everythign together. Link to comment
Pikelet Posted December 13, 2002 Share Posted December 13, 2002 Originally posted by Glenn Picklete: What do you mean ratings? The typical current drawn by a piece of equipment is normally 80% or less of the equipment's maximum rating as stated on the label. This is to allow for a design safety margin. In some cases, actual measured current drawn(A RMS) during operation is only 50% of the rated current. As a result, maximum rated current does not give you a true indication of current draw when used in power consumption calculations. Link to comment
BCOrchidGuy Posted December 13, 2002 Share Posted December 13, 2002 One thing to keep in mind is bulb availability, check around and see if one is substantially more $$ than the other. Don't forget MH run really hot, mine runs about 1000 degrees so keep it in mind. Link to comment
Guest AbSoluTc Posted December 14, 2002 Share Posted December 14, 2002 I second the 150w halide. Its a killer setup. And hella lotta light! Look into it. Brighter, is not always better Link to comment
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