Icecap 250W HQI Ballast

[gmh320]

Has anyone tried these new ballasts from IceCap? Your opinions would be appreciated.

[Ltspd]

Save yourself some money and go with the LN ballast. I have (2) of them and have powered both the Iwasaki and the HQI without any problems. I didnt have to send the ballast back to be retuned to accomadate diffrent bulbs. It also allows me to change bulb types without the worry of if the ballast will power them.

http://www.hellolights.com/elbalmethal1.html
http://www.premiumaquatics.com/Merch..._Code=lnhalide

[gmh320]

Thanks Ltspd, Hellolights is out of stock on the 250w ballasts but PA has them for $140. BTW, Oceanencounters has the new Icecap HQI for $150, which is why I asked about them. They can power any bulb without having to be sent back to re-tune...so they say.

[Ltspd]

Nothing against IC but from all I have read on the BB's the IC halide ballast have had problems. IC has always been great to fix and supposivly the problems have been resolved.

[PerryinCA]

The new IC is not like the old one, and will have no problems. It is a little more closely related to the others I believe (ones like the LN) in that it won't get the same output as the tuneable IC, but it will run everything, and is a great buy. Maybe Andy can correct me if I'm wrong. I've always been a fan of icecap....they've defnietly proven that they will make the enduser happy. I'd say go with the extra $10 and get the IC. Not to say the LN is a bad product...just that I have had favorable experiences with Icecap.

-Perry

[ASH]

From IceCap:
Thanks Perry. At IceCap we aren't deaf to the criticism of needing to tune ballasts and that's why we launched two new MH ballasts this year with a third in a month or two. So far the Model 250-MH-HQI has met our need to be able to light any DE bulb as well as any screw-in 250-watt MH we have tried it on, and never flicker.

Our new Model 150-MH is even more versatile in that it will light any 150-watt (ANY) under any voltage environment and maintain constant output from day one till the end of the bulbs life (which the ballast senses and then shuts down). Even if there's a brown out, output stays the same. It's also much gentler on the bulbs terminals providing a longer lamp life. It doesn't even flicker while the bulb warms up. Unlike conventional ballasts, if the power goes out it tries to light the lamp then times it out to allow for cooling before trying again. Same goes for the 250-MH-HQI. Conventional ballasts and even many other electronic ones just keep hitting the bulb trying to start it which doesn't do either any favor.

Soon you'll have our Model 400-MH to bat around. I'm installing our first 120-volt version today over my tank. Tough job but someone has to be first.
Andy

[golfish]

So this ballast will fire all 250 watt bulbs? What would be the difference in output on a DE HQI bulb ran on this ballast compared to a HQI Tar ballast?

[ASH]

Should be the same with less wattage as the ballast is more efficient. It doesn't over-drive the bulbs. It uses a higher, sweeping frequency to avoid flickering and resonance.

Andy

[jsaltzgi]

I agree with Ltspd about the LN ballasts. Theu are great! I recently got 2 of the 250-watt versions, and they lit the 10000K double-ended bulbs beautifully. They also lit an older Iwasaki with no problems, either.