No-Name 2x55wPC Ballast run T5HO?

[coyoteseven]

Here's my dilemma. I have a few no-name ballasts that presently are running 2 x 55w PC bulbs each. I'm wondering if they will also run T5HO bulbs?

I went to Fulham.com and found the following wiring diagrams for the Workhorse5 (smallest ballast they have that will fire 2 x 55w PC). This is results:

2x 55wPC and T5 F54HO
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v87/coyoteseven/webpics/wire11.jpg


4x T5 F24HO
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v87/coyoteseven/webpics/wire7.jpg


2x T5 F39HO
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v87/coyoteseven/webpics/wire9.jpg


Proposed Wiring Diagram Using No-Name Ballast
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v87/coyoteseven/webpics/PCtoT5wiring.jpg


All comments (good, bad or ugly) are welcome. BTW, I also posted this same question on the lighting & equipment forum in hopes of covering a larger knowledge base of RC members

[Jester75]

I would say why not, looks good to me.

[FEEDERFISH]

If the Ballasts are powering the PCs they will power the T5s, it just depends on what # of lamps and how your going to wire them to = the correct output of the ballast. With the no name ballast I am not sure how efficient your lighting will be running

[coyoteseven]

Thanks FEEDERFISH

The ballasts came out of a Jebo 4x55w PC fixture and unfortunately had the label peeled off before I got them. There is no stamped ID markings on them, either... 99.9% sure they're a Chinese make.

There was a rumor not too long ago, that the ballasts might be Workhorse 5 made at the Hong Kong plant. Although the actual wires coming out of the ballast (lamp side) I have show 8 (4 power, 4 commons) and the Fulham diagrams above shows only 5 (4 power, 1 common).

It would be great if somebody was able to positively prove/disprove that rumor.

Theorectically, since they will power 110w of PC (2x55w), they should power 96w (4x24w) of T5HO. Actually, the ballasts are firing some 65wPCs and doing a decent job at this time.

I guess the only way to find out for sure, is to get some T5s and give it a try.

[Catharsis70]

I use a couple Coralife 2x65 ballasts on T5HO's. Run great, no issues so I would think what you have would work as well. Keep in mind that it probably is not a soft start and probably doesn have end of lamp life protecion.

[coyoteseven]

Catharsis70, what size T5HO are you running?

[Catharsis70]

54 watt.

[rickh]

It might work, it also might burn the house down. Don't be cheap, use the correct ballast. R

[coyoteseven]

I've decided this is just for an experiment actually, rickh. I have a Workhorse5 on order, but want to see if these will work for backup. They run the PC bulbs perfectly without a problem and are slightly warm to the touch, but not uncomfortably so.

[rickh]

A local person's house burned to the ground last year from an aquarium related fire. R

[coralnut99]

I'm no expert, but I don't think you have anything to worry about from a safety perspective. But I do think you might not get the performance from the bulbs that would expect from a ballast designed to run them. Too bad you couldn't do a side-by-side. I was under the impression you already had the workhorse ballast. If I would've known, I would've shipped you one to give it a try. I have a bunch, from old pc fixtures I upgraded from a few years ago.

[rickh]

Do you know anything about the operating voltage/current of a T5 bulb vs a PC bulb?? If the T5 draws more current, the ballast could go ballistic:) R

[coyoteseven]

I'll have to do a side-by-side when all the parts come in coralnut. Thanks for the idea, should be interesting to see.

[coralnut99]

It really should be interesting to see. I just set up my first t5 lighting settup over one of the tanks in my prop system. I'd remained skeptical for some time, but I decided to buy a retro kit. It took me almost 3 months to find the time to finally set it up, and lets just say I'm convinced t5's are the real thing. I had the same exact thought as coyoteseven, but like the last project, it looks like another 3 months before I get to that, lol. In doing some reading through other threads, the term "frequency" came up, hence my thought that performance may be an issue. I wish I had hung onto the threads.

[30mini]

I have a Workhorse 5, model WH5-120-L, and I am going to try and run 2x24W T5HO's on it. I'll probably be overdriving each one a bit, but still... they are only actinics anyways... supplement for my 175W 10K XM that I have. You guys think I should be okay with that ballast running the T5's?

[Catharsis70]

one red lead to end of each and split the yellow between is all you need of that ballast to run 2x24T5HO..... you could run four of em of a WH5

[30mini]

That's what I thought! Thanks Catharsis for just reassuring my thought