Re: [APD] Aquatic-Plants Digest, Vol 34, Issue 24

["Bill Wichers" <billw at waveform_net>]

>Just be sure that your ballast and bulbs can take dimming. Most
flourscent >ballasts and bulbs cannot.
>
>sh

Actually, most bulbs can handle the dimming part just fine -- the problem
is that the ballasts are unable to properly drive the bulbs at the reduced
output levels. There are lots of dimmable ballasts on the market. Lutron
(http://www.lutron.com/) makes a nice unit that can dim based on a DC
control voltage, which would allow several ballasts to be easily ganged
together and controlled with a simple circuit. For a dimmable aquarium
hood that's probably the easiest way to go. The dimmable ballasts that run
on a regular "light dimmer" usually can't dim much below around 20-30% or
so, the dimmable electronic ballasts give a fuller control range.

     -Bill

*****************************
Waveform Technology
Systems Engineer

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