New Lights at HD and Lowes

[Electrobes]

Okay I learned something new too.. mogul based the lights are (haha sounded like yoda). My question on top I guess (to clarify, and only speaking of the bulbs) is that can I buy mogul based flourescent bulbs like the LoA bulbs, will it work?? Plus IU am a bit confused as to why the prices of these bulbs can be so different... http://www.naturallighting.com/compact_fluorescents/high_output_compact.cfm

for instance.. If I wanted a 65 watt bulb to replace the LoA bulbs.. one bulb goes for 35 bucks while another goes for 70 bucks! Can someone explain to me why this is? If this replacement bulb idea works.. then that would just be sweeeeet! But for some reason I have my doubts that I am missing something big. Thanks again everyone!

 

[justDIY]

hmm

I'm sure LoA went to great lengths to make their bulb, fixture and ballast as propritary as possible, so I doubt you could use another brand bulb in the same system

you'll notice some of the bulbs on that website you mentioned are "two piece" and some are "one piece / self ballasted" ... the self ballasted bulbs are like the regular compact fluorescents you can buy anywhere, but just higher wattage

the two piece bulbs come with a ballast that you mount somewhere, and then the bulb connects to the ballast via the mogul socket ... the replacement 65 watt bulb with the mogul they sell _might_ run with the LoA ballast, but it's $35, which costs as much or more than a complete LoA floodlight, which gets you a bulb and a ballast

 

[Electrobes]

Do you think the LoAs are comparable with the lights that website sells? I just want to make sure my plants get what they need

 

[justDIY]

well, "probably" ...

there are only so many ways to mix doped phopshours (which is what fluorescents use) ... so if the kelvin rating is similar, the spectra is going to be similar ... some expensive "full spectrum" lights have additional phopshours in them to "fill out" the spectra, instead of just relying on rgb color spikes like most "cheaper" bulbs do ... but if you're just growing freshwater plants, they don't care ... as long as it's bright, 'white' and 10 to 12 hrs, they're happy ... it's up to the human to choose what lights look best for their tastes

if you like the color of the LoA lights 'under-water', then you're good to go.



-----
check out

http://www.aquabotanic.com/lightcompare.htm

and

http://trickstr.tripod.com/lighting.htm

 

[loganj]

Replacement LOA bulb at Home Depot...bought one yesterday...$12.00.

 

[Electrobes]

nice! I thought I would have to be paying something like 30 bucks per new.. after these lights go out I would have just bought the freakin' new compact flo's!

 

[Electrobes]

w00t! I found the replacement bulbs at Home depot for 12 bucks just as said! This is awesome... I show my friends the hood being turned on and they feel like the presence of God hath cometh beforeth them! I feel better not that I didn't have to spend about 150 for a compact flo. set, instead my total came to about 80 bucks (2 X LoA 65 watt outdoor lights (30 bucks each) and 2 X 65 watt replacement bulbs (at 12 bucks each)). This has made my day a lot better! Now if only that hood I made would magically fit...

 

[Guest]

I think it is amazing how a thread started by me about these lights have now received 2294 views and 80+ posts...Whoo hoo! I hope LOA stays away from here, I wouldn't want them raising the prices on the fixtures like all of the other manufacturers of lights, just because this is a hobby...

 

[Electrobes]

hehe agreed.. what sucks is that I actually did a search on google once for LoA lights after the beginning of this forum, and it actually showed this thread!

 

[Electrobes]

Well I thought I should tell you guys about something involving these lights and a lot of luck on my part. I made the DIY lights for my whatever size tank it is (either 37, 40, or 45). I just now decided that i wanted those lights for my 29 gallon, but I already installed them in my DIY hood, which I made at the same time. As soon as I learn to resize pictures I will post as to what I am talking about when I mention that I made a box to house the "ballasts" of the two lights I installed. After making the box I screwed it to the ceiling of the DIY hood for the 45 gallon. Well I can now unscrew the box from the ceiling and re screw it into the 29 gallon hood! It only takes 4 screws and the move is completed WooHoo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[kennef]

hey guys,

I was hoping that maybe you could al post the specific model numbers of the lights that you used in this thread, so that i know what i am looking for in my local HD. Also, i would like to know which ones come with plugs finished, or if all them had to be wired up.

Thanks

Kenn

 

[loganj]

I don't have the model # of one handy. If you go to HD and look in the section where all the security lights are, they'll be in with them. They will be the only fluorescent lights in there. The largest one, with the 65w bulb, is what most of us are using.
Here's a thought. When the ballasts die on these things, as one of mine has done, I wonder if a 2x59w electronic ballast would fire them? I'm thinking it should. That being the case, a 2x59 ballast, a couple of mogul sockets, 2 LOA bulbs, and some DIY reflectors would put you in business. Cheaper? Marginally maybe. Easier since you don't have to deal with the LOA enclosures? Probably.

 

[kennef]

Mylar Tape sources?

someone in the thread mentioned Mylar tape as a quick and dirty reflector in this particular enclosure. I used mylar wapping paper in some of my DIY retrofit hoods for my amphibian tanks, but have never used the tape.

Where might i find this stuff, and what does the cost run for such an application?

thanks much,

Kenn

 

[gooyferret]

hey everyone i have read through this LONG thread and just have a couple questions. Those "work" lights that are at HD are they good enough for a SW tank with corals? Also i need some advice on ballasts, im looking at making a light kit that would have 4x96w PC's. It would have 2-10k white, and 2-10k attinic 03's. What is a good ballast i can use for these, am i able to use magnetic ballasts? I only have a home depot and menards where i live.

 

[loganj]

You can use magnetics...eletronics would be a lot better though. You'll have $100 or better in the ballasts if you go with the HD ballasts. You might check into the new potted ballast that Icecap is making. It's supposed to handle 440 watts. It is not repairable. Champion Lighting has them I think. Won't be any cheaper, but you could run all four bulbs on one ballast...if you wanted to do that.

 

[justDIY]

logan;

the connector on the LOA bulb is only 2 conductors right? ... from that I can assume two different scenarios

1) The bulb is designed for instant start electronic ballast usage exclusively, and LOA saved money by shorting the filimants inside the bulb itself... this seems a bit unlikely though

2) The bulb is designed for exclusive use with a current limiting magnetic ballast and contains a starter inside the socket, and wiring the bulb would be similar to how other 2pin PC bulbs are wired to their ballasts ... trying to limit the current on a 65 watt bulb is probably what burns the ballasts out so quickly

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The only way we could find this out, without smashing open a bulb would be to try and find who manufactors the ballast and/or bulb (I doubt LOA makes it themselves), and see what the specs are

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In the event it is compatible with an electronic ballast, I'd go with the 4x32 rather than the 2x59 ... that way you might get more current (from two 'channels' as opposed to one)

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I guess HD has a fairly "liberal" return policy ... if your HD sells these things, buy a bulb, an electronic ballast and wire it up outside, to a long extension cord - so you can plug it in at a safe distance ... if it works, rejoice! ... if it starts on fire, explodes, or some such catastrophe, then think up a good excuse and see if HD will give you store credit

 

[shawmutt]

I love liberal return policies

 

[gooyferret]

well im looking for a good cheap ballast that will run 2x96 pc's wold a 4x32 run 2 of them or just one? Dont you think that a 4x32 pushing 132 w through a bulb is a little overkill on the bulb? If i was to use a magnetic ballast would it work with PC's?

 

[justDIY]

gooy,

I don't think Home Depot sells the Sylvania QuickTronic 2x59 electronic ballast, they seem to carry mainly GE stuff

GE's 4x32 ballast would work, use 3 of the 4 wires coming off of it, tape off the 4th wire, or use it to run a third lower-wattage bulb - you need one for each bulb ... those are $35 each here ...

my original recommendation stands, get a Fulham workhorse 7 ... it's a perfect match for 2x96 watt PCs

check out www.fulham.com ... they have a configuration selector where you input what bulbs you have and they tell you how to wire them and what ballast you need

also check out my post "diy PC lightbox completed" http://www.aquariumadvice.com/viewtopic.php?t=5131

I just did the same thing you are talking about, and it's turned out wonderfully.

 

[justDIY]

oh, one more thing ...

yes, a magnetic ballast would work too ... one of those 2x96 watt magnetic ballasts for the 8 foot long HO bulbs ... however, the draw backs are

1) that ballast costs $60 here

2) it won't run your bulbs nearly as bright as electronic

3) it's very noisey, unless you like 60hz HUMMMMMMM

4) it gets HOT

5) it's HUGE, and weighs about 10 lbs

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there's no way around it ... believe me, I've tried, searched high and low for cheap ballasts, and have found none (cheap like $10 to $20) ... so I settled for the Fulham ... at less than $40 it was a good price, and with Icecap like performance, a good value