Overdriving lights.
 

for the 3x test I wired up the power endcap like this
http://members.shaw.ca/stircrazy/wiringFor3xTest.jpg
The curent rose from ainital 0.524 amps (62.88 watts) to a final of 0.549 amps (65.88 watts), the ballast rose to a tempature of 89 degrees F, and the bulb was still only warm ( I could have held my hand on it all day)
http://members.shaw.ca/stircrazy/current3x.jpg
the light output also increased over the 25 minuits from a start of 23 foot candles @ 12" and 400 foot candles at the bulb surface, to 25 foot candles @ 12" and 420 foot candles at the bulb surface.
http://members.shaw.ca/stircrazy/lightoutput3x.jpg

ok now the best for last.. I took a overview picture for each test and I will put them in order of the tests one on top of each other so you can see the difference.
http://members.shaw.ca/stircrazy/test1xoverview.jpg
http://members.shaw.ca/stircrazy/test2xoverview.jpg
http://members.shaw.ca/stircrazy/test3xoverview.jpg

well there is that test, I will be doing it on my 96 watt PC bulbs also to compare there out put and I am thinking I will get a 5900K daylight bulb and try it also (actinic light shows up as a lower output on normal light meters so that is why the numbers for the foot candles look low for a 30 watt bulb. I ment the nubers as a comparason factor not the actual out put of the bulb)

Steve

[ 19 May 2002, 15:47: Message edited by: StirCrazy ]

Overdriving lights.
 

victor
is 10% loss through the water column reaonable? what i remember from physics is an inverse exponential relationship with depth...just curius.

Overdriving lights.
 

do you know whare there are 2 400's running
Shane? I am not doing anything tomorrow I could go measure them..

Steve

Overdriving lights.
 

Reefmaster,

10% loss is due to particulate matter in the water and diffraction loss at the interface between water and air. The 1/distance relation is already taken account with the light meter (the measurements were done in air).

Steve,

Looks really good. I don't know how accurate your light meter is...but it seems that you can generate more light as you overdrive (lumens/watt or lux/watt). But...it sort of makes sense....

Have fun with your new lights [img]images/smiles/icon_smile.gif[/img]

Hmm...maybe I should get one of those meters.

- Victor.

Overdriving lights.
 

I'm sitting here looking at these light threads about diy overdrives and can't help but wonder if you guys are at all concerned about burning down your house? Water and electricity is already a concurn now you start messing with it. Go ahead but I have a hard enough time going away on weekends and worry about stuff never mind playing around with electricity.Murphy's Law is alive and well in this hobby. I have spent plenty money in this hobby and made many diy projects and at the end of the day 9 times out of 10 ended up buying something professionally made with warranties and all that wasted diy money ends up in a rubbermaid box You end up spending more money tring to save money Just my thought Jamie

Overdriving lights.
 

hehe ya I thought about it for a second or two [img]images/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif[/img] , but seriously I was drawing just over 1/2 a amp through that ballast.. it is designed for almost 1 amp.. so I was in no danger of overloading the ballast. as for the light... the worst that would happen at that power is it would burn out. I could see if I was talking about hooking up 440v to it.. hmmm what do you think Victor? 440v 3 phase? [img]images/smiles/icon_eek.gif[/img]

Steve

Overdriving lights.
 

Hi,

You mean 220V 3 phase ? I don't think they have 440V...they have 347V, 600V and 3KV...but I haven't heard of a 440V 3 phase. Must be a new electrical format on the island (just kidding !)

DIY...are we crazy ?

Well, I could buy several Icecaps...and I would not have any problems doing that. But I definitely would not have as much fun as I am having now [img]images/smiles/icon_smile.gif[/img] As Steve said, we are really running 50% to 60% of the ballast's maximum output. Fulham (workhorse) makes ballasts that are specifically design to run in this fashion...I get 5 years warranty and save money (and overdrive at the same time).

To be honest, I am more comformable with running a reef with fluorescent tubes than with HID (MV, MH, HQI and etc). HID dissipates a large amount of heat (so much that some may require fans), draws tremendous amount of power (250W MH draw 3A each), and they are extremely dangerous if you splash water on them or have them fail due to fractures in protective quartz. HIDs weren't quite design to operate in enclosed spaces like a reefs. That's just my personal opinion [img]images/smiles/icon_smile.gif[/img]

Jamie, 9 times out of 10 ... I have seen your tank and your DIY stand/hood - it looks really good. How about that DIY second stage for your calcium reactor ? All those look pretty good DIY to me.

DIY is not for everybody....we just want to tell people it is possible to get a nice reef running for less.

- Victor.

Overdriving lights.
 

hehe 440 3 phase is what our generators produce on the ship. from there we split it 440 and 220, then the 220 we split down for our 120.. some of the bigger electric motors on the ship have starting curents of 600 amps on 440 volt 3 phase [img]images/smiles/icon_smile.gif[/img]

Steve

Overdriving lights.
 

enjoy your projects [img]images/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif[/img]

Overdriving lights.
 

Hi,

Oh...I didn't know that.... I am more familiar with the 120/240/347/600 stuff. I guess there are lots of other different ones too...thanks.

- Victor.