PFO Ballast

[Dive_Master]

I am planning to get PFO dual ballast for 250 W MH. Does anyone have experience with these?

Should I go with icecaps?

[golfish]

I would stick with PFO. I use one dual and one single ballast. what bulb are you going to use?

Mark

[Dive_Master]

10,000k German Made screw in.

[golfish]

I suggest you go with the PFO dual HQI ballast

[Dive_Master]

If I go with HQI bulb, do I need to get some UV protective cover. I learned that HQI bulbs do not have a UV protector.

Does HQI ballast with regular screw in Bulbs.

[bowfront]

Let me start by saying I'm no expert on MH lighting but I've been doing a lot of research lately for my own setup. There are two different types of 10k bulbs one being mogul or screw in and the other being double ended. The Germans make both kinds but since you are asking about the moguls no you don't necessarily have to have a UV protector since they are incased in a glass cover just like other mogul bulbs. It's the double ended HQI bulbs that definitely require a UV shield. Currently there are several popular brands of 10k German mogul bulbs - Ushio and AB. Both will operate with an HQI ballast like Mark is recomending. The Ushio according to some, including one reputable mo dealer that sells plenty of hardware, has been tested with standard PFO ballasts and works without problems. The other AB had a higher than normal failure rate with startup with regular PFO ballasts. With an HQI ballast the AB bulb seems to work without problems. This is all hearsay on my part because I have never tried either bulb on different ballasts.