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Icecaps -- What's the Watts or Who's on First



IceCap published these numbers in December of 1999 on

http://www.reefcentral.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?s=&threadid=40017

,which is a reefers' message board:

"Model 430 2-lamps 
NO 48" T-12 = 143 
NO 48" T-8 = 151 
VHO 72" T-12 = 200 
55-watt PC = 148 

Model 430 3-lamps 
NO 48" T-8 = 216 

Model 660 4-lamps 
NO 48" T-12 = 255 
NO 48" T-8 = 268 
VHO 48" T-12 = 269 

Model 3000 2 lamps 
NO 48" T-8 = 60 

All wattage figures include total wattage consummed by the bulbs and
ballast . 
Andy"


I haven't found any additonal figures since that date.  But it appears
that everything gets driven about the same by IceCap ballasts, as Wayne
and many others have suspected -- the variations seems easily
attributable to variations in filament design and a few other bulb
features, not to any automatic adjustments that the ballasts make.

The Model 3000, a small ballast originally marketed to run a pair of
4-foot T-8s, is rated for a maximum of two T-8 or 110 bulb-rated watts
and is offered to power 2 55watt PCs.  According to IceCap, the 3000
runs at about 60 watts total with a pair of 32-watt-rated T-8s.  I'm
guessing the 3000 powers a pair of 55 watt PCs at about 60-65 or so
watts total, a tad underdriven compared to the 110 watts for which the
pair of bulbs are designed or the Model 430 which pumps an extra 35%
power (148 watts) into the pair of bulbs.

Please note that I don't think IceCap has ever said a single thing that
is untrue -- well maybe there is a bit of "Ignore the man behind the
curtain" with IceCap's apparent unwillingness to publish much data, but
that's just "keep the romance alive with mystery," eh?  ;-)

Still, if anyone knows of published numbers, I'm all ears (a claim I'd
never dare make on the audiophile lists :-)  )

Still in the dark about IceCaps (or maybe just underpowered),
Scott H.

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