Ultralife Sunseeker VHO Question

[dsb1829]

Hey, if you have one of these ballasts I got a question. Have you ever tried to fire regular tubes with it? Or is this not a good idea? Just a bit of curiosity getting a hold on me. I have one, but haven't wired it up and have seen no information if they are capable of running the bulbs. Most electronic ballasts can fire almost anything under their wattage, but figured I would see if anyone has tried it.

Thanks

Doug



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"Wait a minute. There's no Shamus McCloud in North Kilt Town" Homer

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[dsb1829]

Guess no one uses these ballasts. I will post a reply once I wire it up.

Doug

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"Wait a minute. There's no Shamus McCloud in North Kilt Town" Homer

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[ASH]

From IceCap:
You say "Most electronic ballasts can fire almost anything under their wattage, but figured I would see if anyone has tried it." is not true. IceCap ballasts can because they use a unique method to light fluorescent lamps. Conventional ballasts, even electronic ones, put out a unique voltage on the lamp's filament made for the lamp it is made to light. If you used a ballast made for NO 6ft lamps and put it with 4ft lamps it would probably cause no danger, but to use a VHO ballast on a NO lamp is looking for big trouble.
Don't do it, and definitely not over your tank! Worst of all you make other people think it's OK to do.
Andy

[icemark]

Ah Ash I don't know if I agree with that.

I use a Icecap and have used NO bulbs on it. Champion used to even run ads saying that it would increase the output of NO bulbs 20% as well as run VHO and HO bulbs.

In fact even in this months AFM it says that Icecap will run VHO, HO, and NO in any combination.

Now wether or not this is true for Sunseeker I don't know, but what's the worse that could happen, you burn out a couple of NO bulbs 3 months early that you were gonna replace them with VHO bulbs down the road anyway?

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Play Well

[ASH]

From IceCap:
First, we don't raise the output of NO lamps 20%, more like 75 to 100%. If you've done this with our ballasts I think you'll agree.
Second, the worst thing that could happen is an exploded bulb dumping mercury into your tank or just a fire from an over-heated lamp. Call the manufacturer before you do something you'll regret and don't suggest potentially dangerous things until you've looked into them.
Someone with a conventional VHO ballast and a bad VHO lamp could look at this and say, well, I'll use this NO bulb until I get a chance to get the right one....
Andy

[icemark]

<Someone with a conventional VHO ballast and a bad VHO lamp could look at this and say, well, I'll use this NO bulb until I get a chance to get the right one....

Yes you are right... bad thing on a conventional tar HO or VHO Ballast to use a NO bulb, but I thought we were talking electronic. Isn't the Sunseeker a Electronic ballast simular to the IceCap. I was under the impression it was.

Again as I mentioned before; in this months AFM the Icecap ad on page 7 says it will run NO as well as HO and VHO.

Anyway the key is: whats Sunseeker say?

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Play Well

[ASH]

From IceCap:
"Isn't the Sunseeker a Electronic ballast simular to the IceCap." No.

Andy

[dsb1829]

Man I was stoked to see so many replies. I think it got a bit off topic though. You have brought up interesting points. I for one don't hold this ballast to the same quality standard as an IC. I have both. I do however hypothesize it will power NO tubes just the same. Whether it is 100% safe is definitely up for debate. The same can be said for IC. They don't manufacture the NO tubes, so there is no gaurantee they give that you won't do damage to the bulb.

The end result is still to be decided.

Doug

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"Wait a minute. There's no Shamus McCloud in North Kilt Town" Homer

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[dsb1829]

Well, last week one of my new VHO tubes burned out. In order to have the other one light there has to be a bulb in the #2 position. I am happy to report that the NO tube is working fine thus far. I will likely post up again after a few more months.

So for the record the Sun Seeker ballast will fire Normal Output Flourescents. The longevity of bulbs is still up for debate.



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Doug

"Wait a minute. There's no Shamus McCloud in North Kilt Town" Homer

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[stang69]

See this http://www.icecapinc.com/famaarticle.htm

HTH Jeff

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What came first the fish or the egg?

[dsb1829]

Hey Jeff, it is an interesting article, but one should question the validity of information on the Sunseeker. It may just be old information. By this I point to the no longer used magnetic ballast. The new sunseekers are electronic. May still be valid information, but a bit outdated in reference to this product.

Cheers

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Doug

"Wait a minute. There's no Shamus McCloud in North Kilt Town" Homer

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