Overdriven t-5 output

[Dorado13]

I'm just curious how many watts an overdriven 54w t-5 bulb draws.

[flipcyd]

Overdriven 54w t5's usually run about 85w ea. I don't know the exact numbers though.

[ccoral]

depends on the ballast

[luke33]

On IC's the 54=round 85 and the 80w 60"= 100w

[db_triggerfish]

i have one IC 660 running 4 x54w at 85w each and a 2nd IC 660 running 2x54w at 100w each.

[luke33]

DB, are you sure about the 2x100w's, i've never heard of that before.

[ccoral]

db how much more light are you actually getting lux or par verse
How do you know the bulbs are getting 100 watts

Main reason I am asking is that wattage for lux is it worth it. As I run 54 watt x 6 on a 80 gallon and sps are growing well.

[JediReefer]

I am running 4x54 on an IC 660 @ 85w as well. I have the individual parabolic reflectors too. I have seen great growth on my monti's and LPS.

[ganjero]

Originally posted by db_triggerfish
i have one IC 660 running 4 x54w at 85w each and a 2nd IC 660 running 2x54w at 100w each.

mmm doesnt sound right, I talked to ice cap and they said no matter how many bulbs you wire they will be overdriven at around 85w

[db_triggerfish]

Originally posted by luke33
DB, are you sure about the 2x100w's, i've never heard of that before.

i will tested later tonight again, i was also under the impression that 85w was the max for 54w but i saw 202 to 206 watts for my ic 600 running only two bulbs. Something else i noticed is the IC 660 x54w T5 was was changing every few seconds from something like 319 to 347 making them run in that 80 to 85 range i have read on rc. It is normal to fluctuate like that? as soon as i find my kill-a-watt.

[luke33]

IDONO, lol, hard tellin. That would be a grim question. I'm not disagreeing with you, just curious if its true. If thats true, then what will a 3x54w do, and if they pull 100w a piece, then all i can wonder is how it shortens there life, how safe is it and cool.

[db_triggerfish]

Originally posted by luke33
then all i can wonder is how it shortens there life, how safe is it and cool.

me too.

[JediReefer]

That would explain the growth of my montipora.

[db_triggerfish]

Originally posted by ganjero
mmm doesnt sound right, I talked to ice cap and they said no matter how many bulbs you wire they will be overdriven at around 85w

found my kill-a-watt, well wife found it, that is her job right, finding things. LOL It starts out at 200 watts then works it way down to 190 watts, so it is over driving the bulbs to 95w each. Just for fun i am uploading my first video into Photobucket it is taking a long time for the video to upload, it has been uploading now for like 20 minutes and only at 27%, it shows when i first turn the lights on it goes right to 200w or 100w each, it then drops to 190 sometimes it even spikes to 211 for a very short second, but goes backs down to 190 or 95w each. Video will follow.

[JediReefer]

Is this on the 4 bulb or 2 bulb ballast? I have 4x54 on a 660 as well.

(By two bulb I mean the one you are only running two with)

[sjm817]

Originally posted by db_triggerfish
It starts out at 200 watts then works it way down to 190 watts, so it is over driving the bulbs to 95w each.

A Ballast is not 100% efficient. The amount of energy it uses and the amount that is delivered to the bulb are not the same.

[db_triggerfish]

JediReefer, i have two IC 660 one is running 4x54w T5 and the one in this video is a IC 660 running only 2x54w T5 it looks like at 191w for both or 95.5w each.
Man i sound funny with the cheap point and shoot camera.

[JediReefer]

Have you tested the ballast running 4 bulbs?

[db_triggerfish]

Originally posted by ccoral
db how much more light are you actually getting lux or par verse
How do you know the bulbs are getting 100 watts

Main reason I am asking is that wattage for lux is it worth it.

i don't have a light meter so i can't measure lux. I really don't know the bulbs are getting 95 watts that is the reading on my kill-a-watt meter.

[sjm817]

Your kill-a-watt is reading what the ballast draws, not what the bulbs are getting. Again, a ballast is not 100% efficient. My old Triad ballast drew 124W for (2) 54W bukbs. That didn't mean it drove them @ 62W ea.

[ganjero]

No that I dont believe but I posted a question at the icecap support forum to see what they say. I was thiking something like sjm817 said.

[db_triggerfish]

Originally posted by sjm817
Your kill-a-watt is reading what the ballast draws, not what the bulbs are getting. Again, a ballast is not 100% efficient. My old Triad ballast drew 124W for (2) 54W bukbs. That didn't mean it drove them @ 62W ea.

that makes sense, but i can't see why an ic 660 will not have an output higher than 85w on a standard 54w rated bulb. When i run the 4 x 54 on it, it shows from 326 to 357. What i am trying to say is what makes it stop at 85 watts, clearly the output increases in total output to way more than 200w with 4 bulbs at one time. min 320watts.

[ccoral]

just reading the incoming wattage does not mean that all the power is going to the bulb.
Yes you may have 200 watts going in to the ballast but how much is acutually gong to the bulbs.

Those bulbs should be twice a bright. measuring the amount of light coming from the bulbs may be the easy and cheapest way to find out how effecient over driving t-5 is testing light output in lux, par or FC.
I have a hunch the the power ratio light verse wattage will not equal out. could me wrong. I am trying to find my old IC ballast and test with my par meter

[db_triggerfish]

Originally posted by ccoral
just reading the incoming wattage does not mean that all the power is going to the bulb.
Yes you may have 200 watts going in to the ballast but how much is acutually gong to the bulbs.

I agree the best way would be measure the par levels. But that would be true to all ballast MH included. It is overdriving them but by how much who knows? They get very hot fast.