T-5 ballast question

S

Spartan

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Any reason I cant use one from the electrical supply house that my company has a wholesale account with. I talked to them today and they stock a T-5 HO ballast that will rn 2x54 watt bulbs. Is there anything specific that I need to compare and make sure it will work? Thanks
 
Yes and No...

T-5 HO ballasts are all kinda different...

you have magnetic, or electronic.

you also have those IceCap overdrive ballasts, also called T-5 VHO

so a combination of bulbs and ballasts can actually affect the end spectrum and in some cases PAR as well.

so if you took a cheap quality ballast and put on ATI bulbs, you would not get the same results, as having ATI bulbs in an ATI ballast. Companies tend to make a good relationship between their ballast and bulbs and for good reason, one is performance, and the other is for profit.

so while you could in most cases use any T-5 HO lamp on any T-5 HO ballast, you might not get the best results in most cases.
 
gotcha... I just figured if the numbers all match as far as the ballast go it would be ok. I am not gonna do any vho at this time so its just a simple question is a magnectic ballast a magnectic ballast either which way you slice it? idk thats why I ask. The one I was looking at is specifically a T-5 HO ballast made to run 2x 54 watt bulbs its just not from a lfs or online store that sells fish supplys. Thanks for the imput
 
I guess I should also mention this is gonna be a retro fit under the canopy of my soon to be new tank, and in all reality it it just for color cause the tank already has a PC light fixture in it. Im not a fan of PC but its what I have for now and It was what was keeping the tank goin before i had it.
 
I order all my T5HO ballasts online. Anyone that sells Phillips or Advance, program start, end of life, ballast is OK. The program start is a kind of soft start for fluorescent bulbs. I have done several retro fits so if you have more questions please ask.
 
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