My 168w CFL cupboard

[qulimax]

Well, one guy told me that the workhorse wont work, but the other guy who's interested in electricity told me that the 277V ballast will work because it's only a starting voltage ( I dont know how to say correctly ). We use 220V/50Hz something like that. Or 220-240V . And that "electrician" guy told me to use the same voltage lamps. So i had to cancel the order from UK, because i don't really know what voltage those pl-l lamps are, and i don't really need 10 PL-L's. I've found 827 spectrum lamps in my country so i think i'll try to get them (if it's possible, because one shop told that they wont sell me if i wont buy 25 lamps ) .

About mounting the ballast's. I'd like to make my box as stealth as possible, but if the ballast's will make a lot heat, i could mount them outside. That's not the problem really.

 

[Hydro-Soil]

i don't really know what voltage those pl-l lamps are

They're just fine, no matter what voltage your country runs on. It's the ballast that's important since it's feeding 55 watts to the PL-L. You do need the correct ballast, yes.


I would look for electronic ballasts that run a wide range of flourescents like the Fulham ballasts do (If you can.) Otherwise yes, you'll have to use the multiple PL-L ballasts. You might want to check thrift shops or local aquarium clubs and such for used hardware. Using something that's adequate, while you save up for what you need, is always good as long as it's safe.

 

[ScrubNinja]

I would trust your friend interested in electricity.

There are two basic standards for voltage and frequency in the world. One is the North American standard of 110-120 volts at a frequency of 60 Hz, which uses plugs A and B, and the other is the European standard of 220-240 volts at 50 Hz, which uses plugs C through M

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AC_power_plugs_and_sockets#World_maps

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/db/WorldMap_Voltage&Frequency.png

So that store you linked to with the 2 voltages is basically selling one for the US, and one for the rest of the world, imo.

 

[qulimax]

Well i contacted a fulham salesman in Europe, and he told me that they have a 230V which will run in my country. But I think he thinks i'm going to buy a lot of the ballasts because he answered me very pleasant
The lamps are not the problem right now, since i've found them in my country. I hope that the salesman will help me to get that ballast asap

 

[Hydro-Soil]

Well i contacted a fulham salesman in Europe, and he told me that they have a 230V which will run in my country. But I think he thinks i'm going to buy a lot of the ballasts because he answered me very pleasant

Excellent ;D Let him know that you're looking for a single ballast. If they don't do sales to individuals, ask if they have a list of retail or electrical/lighting wholesalers that sell their ballasts to the public in your area.

If he can't give you a list of retailers, don't worry. Ask him for the contact information of a distributor they sell to that is in your area of the country. They should be more than happy to give you that information.

Call the distributor and talk to the 'PURCHASING' department. (Not sure what it might be called over there.) The office ladies that handle dealing with purchasing inventory from manufacturers and the sellers that they're distributing them to. They should be the best place to get the retailer info you're looking for.

Above all, be honest and polite and you'll get what you're looking for.

By the way, this works for just about any type of product.

 

[McSnappler]

Depending on how long before you get going, I have a new, budget DIY PL-L concept that will be finished in a few days. I think it's THE single most efficient way to use these lights, and would work in your space. If you can wait, I will post up some pics when I'm done..

 

[qulimax]

Hey Mc ! I'll wait for your pictures man, just tell me when you will post them :smile:
And Hydro thanks for the tips
I'm kind a stuck right now because I cant do nothing till I get my lights setup. I dont want to start painting my cupboard because i definitely will drill some holes for ventilation after I get my lights. I want to make this project fuckin awesome

 

[qulimax]

So, I've got an answer from the salesman. I asked him to write retailers which sell single ballasts, but he only told me that they don't sell single ballasts and offered me to buy 25x So my last hope of getting one of those workhorses is lost i guess.
Or maybe there is something similar to workhorse 8 ballast?

 

[Hydro-Soil]

he only told me that they don't sell single ballasts and offered me to buy 25x

Sounds like you're talking to an ordinary salesman and they're not going to much help unless they're intelligent and actually bring their brain to work.

You want to talk to the person at the company that handles relations with the distributors. It may take some time and you'll probably have to talk to a bunch of different people but that information is invaluable to everyone in your area. I'd actually do this myself but it's another country.

 

[D.I.trY]

whats wrong with phillips or osram twin ballasts that run two bulbs each. this is whgat is available in europe. they are about a foot long but very slim and light and dead easy to mount. when you use a single ballast for them all (eg fulham) dont you run the risk of either overdriving or underdriving the bulbs anyway?- without actually knowing unless u have the equipment to measure the watts delivered to each bulb?

 

[qulimax]

Those twin ballasts cost much more than a fulham( I'm looking to run 6x lamps ) and 3 ballasts give out much more heat than just a single one.
Hydro, i don't think that anyone ( maybe there is few people ) who need that information. Nobody wants to experiment with new things here. Everybody use HPS/MH and just a few people use cfl's.

Damn, I remember a good post about the fans, but i can't find it now. As you all know, I'm not very good at electronics so can someone explain me about the fans and how much you can run on one ac/dc adapter ? I have 2 fans 0,15 A and I have one ac/dc adapter 300mA and I run those 2 fans on that adapter. Can i run more fans through it ?

 

[D.I.trY]

why does this thread list 3 pages, and when i click on page three it just sends me to page 2? Anyways...


3 ballasts will cost you about £60, so i take your point about the expense. When you say that 3 ballasts will create more heat than one, this is absolutely wrong. Ballasts create heat because they are not 100% efficient at stepping voltages. 3 ballast working at the same efficiency alltogether delivering the same watts as a single ballast also at the same efficiency creates the same amount of heat.

I remember somewhere that a phillips 36w ballast delivers 32W to the bulb. So thats about 90% efficient, and that's pretty damn good for a ballast. The wasted 4w heats up the ballast (well actually i think only some of it).

In my experience they dont even feel warm when they have some air around them. Also i think they need to be mounted onto a grounded metal plate, or each individual ballast earthed by wire, because there seems to be a charge that builds up on the balast with every one i've tried so it wouldnt be a good idea to let that charge build up

I read that you were thinking of putting them below the soil containers. Oh geez, please dont do that. Get them above the water line. Use the law of gravity to ensure no leaks to find their way to any electricity! This is so important. They are only 3 or 4 cm wide and high and can all be mounted on the external backside of the cab for example.

 

[qulimax]

Yeah, I thought about mounting them on the outside of the cab and I think it's the best place for now. I can't find better. What tips you could give to mount them safely in case of the fire ? I'm thinking to mount them on the backside of the cab.

 

[D.I.trY]

just anywhere where there is absolutely no chance water can leak on them - so at the top of the external side of the cab is ideal. They are very easy to mount with holes to screws at each end. I think it really will surprise you how light they are. also you will need some electrical cable with a solid copper core. The terminals in the ballasts are designed to take this wire. You should also get some cable connector strips so you can change from the stranded copper wire to the solid one (just before the ballasts) because you can't really wire a plug easily with the solid core stuff.

 

[qulimax]

Oh yeah, they are easy as a pack of chips. I think i'll stick with those ballasts which can run 2 lamps only. It's easier to get right now. Thanks for the advices. Tomorrow i'll begin to fix my doors for the cab. The next task for me is to make a good ventilation plan, so I'm going to surf the net

 

[Hydro-Soil]

when you use a single ballast for them all (eg fulham) dont you run the risk of either overdriving or underdriving the bulbs anyway?- without actually knowing unless u have the equipment to measure the watts delivered to each bulb?

Fortunately, No. Fulham ballasts are electronic ballasts that automatically adjust for the type of lamp connected to them. Really sweet ballasts. They can power nearly every CFL on the market without any modifications or switching anything. Just wire it up and plug it in.

Hydro, i don't think that anyone ( maybe there is few people ) who need that information. Nobody wants to experiment with new things here. Everybody use HPS/MH and just a few people use cfl's

That was a joke, right?

It seems you're not aware that Icmag wouldn't be here if people weren't interested in experimenting with 'new things'. Were you under the impression that HPS/MH grew on trees since the beginning of time?

This particular 'New thing' needs to be used more and be available in more areas. It's proven itself to be valuable to a large number of people who speak a language different than my own. I've also found them to be extremely capable and excellent in situations where HPS/MH aren't.

Please come again.

 

[D.I.trY]

that's good news for fulham owners hydro-soil :smile: the ballast calculates the rating of the lamp and delivers accordingly? or does it work that you buy a specific model that delivers 55w, for example, on each output no matter what? Not quite sure why only twin ballasts are available in europe but they are good products and im not complaining.

if both you and I get a voltmeter + ampmeter then we can calculate which one is more efficient too!

 

[Hydro-Soil]

that's good news for fulham owners hydro-soil :smile: the ballast calculates the rating of the lamp and delivers accordingly? or does it work that you buy a specific model that delivers 55w, for example, on each output no matter what? Not quite sure why only twin ballasts are available in europe but they are good products and im not complaining.

if both you and I get a voltmeter + ampmeter then we can calculate which one is more efficient too!

The workhorse 8 model maxes out at 220w. It has 6 power leads.

Essentially you can run a lamp on each power lead, as long as the total wattage doesn't exceed 220w. The ballast automatically adjusts, most likely according to what the return feed looks like to it. Not sure.

They list a bunch of different CFL lamp types that it runs. Twin, Flat Quad, Quad, Triple, 2D, Circleline, T5 Circleline, T5, T5HO, T6, T8, T8HO, T10, T10VHO, T12, T12HO, T12VHO. I don't think you can put two different wattage lamps on the same ballast(edit: At the same time), but I could be wrong. I've never tried.

 

[D.I.trY]

really does sound like an excellent product for being so flexible. Maybe they dont sell them here because companies like philips are powerful enough over here to wipe out the competition through anti-competitive means! If i want to change to different wattage bulbs i must add another ballast to my collection- oh well.

 

[qulimax]

That was a joke, right? ...

I wanted to say that "here" is in my country, not the whole world
And I want to show people from my country that it can be done with cfl's and there is new technologies in growing marijuana. I'm sick of those hps/mh even i didn't used any of those.