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Re: T-8 ballasts
> Date: Sun, 23 Apr 2000 11:00:28 -0400
> From: "Wayne Jones" <waj at mnsi_net>
> Subject: Re: T-* ballasts
>
> Paul wrote:
>
> BTW does Chroma 50s come in 4' T-8 tubes? I like the color of
> these, I'll have to do some more looking around.
> The specs on the ballasts are "PowerLighting Ultra-Miser, Electronic
> Ballasts
> cat.# E432PI120G11". I picked up a number of them (real cheap) when
> Builder's
> Square went out of business.
>
> I reply:
>
> I think the closest thing to a Chroma 50 would be a 950 lamp. The 950s
cost
> a lot more than 850s as they don't sell very many of them. The 850s are
> more of triphosphor lamp but they seem to work pretty well.
>
About T-8 lamps made specifically for aquarium use...
I bought a couple at the Greater Seattle Aquarium Society Auction...
Therefor I know such things exist. One is called "the Tropic Sun, 5500K
daylight" They make the usual claims about the proper spectrum of light for
aquarium plants. The manufacturer on the package is listed as
Zoo Med Labratories
3100 McMillian Rd.
San Luis Obispo, Ca
93401
It also say's "Made in Germany" So, perhaps the California folks are
importers and distributors for the U.S. market...
Another point to be made is the difference between "True T-8" lamps, and
others... A four foot long T-8 should be rated at 32 watts. A 3 foot T-8
should be 25 Watts. Sometimes you will see a lamp that is only one inch in
diameter, like a T-8, but will be rated for the same number of watts as if
it were a T-12. So, for example, you will see a 4 foot T-8 that says 40
Watts on the package... or a 3 foot T-8 that says 30 watts. I've seen
these things in Aquarium Stores...
What these are for, is for people who want to use T-8's but don't want to
change their ballasts to the electronic, energy saving ballasts... Given
the ballasts you are talking about buying, get true T-8s... The 4 foot ones
that are 32 watts.
I work in building management for an office building... We, and everybody
else have switched to the true T-8's and electronic ballasts... Even with
the relatively cheap electricity we have here in Seattle, it's worth it to
make the switch for the savings in our electric bills.
It's just taking people longer to get around to manufacture as many T-8
lamps for the aquarium world.