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Ice Cap ballasts



---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Mon, 29 Jul 1996 22:35:32 -0500 (EST)
From: DIONIGI MALADORNO <MALADORD%A1%RNISD0 at mr_nut.roche.com>
Subject: Ice Cap ballasts
To: AQUATIC PLANTS <Aquatic-Plants at ActWin_com>

I would like to pass on some information that I received calling a person in
the R&D department of the ICE-Cap ballasts manufacturer. I am interested in
hearing from the lighting experts on the list if the information that was
given to me is likely to be reliable.

The new T-8 high efficiency bulbs can be driven by the ICE-Cap (this
information was not yet available due to tests in progress when I called
months ago), and a 36" T-8 bulb can be expected to produce approximately
3300 lumens. If I understood it correctly, these ballasts are particularly
effective for the specific mercury (?? I should have written it down right
the way) content of the T-8 bulbs.
A 36" VHO bulb would emit slightly fewer lumens, around 3200, and a NO bulb
would emit around 2200.

As a side note, I was also told that Panasonic makes a 3 foot T-8 bulbs in
daylight color (I will check with the manufacturer).

I did not ask any information in terms of efficiency of the ICE-Cap versus
an electronic T-8 ballast in terms of Watts/lumen ratio. 

Any comment on what I heard? Since I bought two ICE-Caps before the T-8 era,
it would be very convenient to be able to avoid using expensive VHO tubes.


Dionigi