Oct meeting

[awcurl]

Sorry everyone, but I'm going to have to pass on hosting the next meeting. I've got family and property in Lake Charles La and as you know hurricane Rita went right over that area. My brother has over 20 trees down on his property and the home I own has two on the roof Everyone is ok, but I've got a huge hole in the roof. I'll be heading down to help out family and look after my property. I plan on being away for two weeks.

[EvilMel]

Does anyone want to host the october meeting? Maybe Scott (since you kinda volunteered on another thread! hah hah)?

I can always host AGAIN but there's nothing different at my house since the last meeting I hosted (well maybe mine and Art's PHEs).

[Runner]

Let me verify with my wife first. I know she said it would be okay, but I need to check and recheck such things.

Does the host generally provide the topic? I have no clue what to cover. My knowledge isn't that deep.

[EvilMel]

It's not required for the host to provide the topic or present...it's just lately turned out that way. So if you have a topic in mind or someone else does, that's fine. If not, I am sure we can think of something to talk about.

[imsqueak]

May I suggest "how to build a dual electronic 400w MH ballast cheap". I'm ready to upgrade and would be willing to buy all the parts necessary. I think Scott built his and if he needs some direction/sources Dave could help.

[LeftCoast]

Perhaps something about LPS? Dave... *nudge, nudge*

[Runner]

How about "point out all the things that are wrong with Scott's setup?" :)

Nawww. I am sure I can get that as a side topic. ;)

[Pandarian]

I would love to hear Don's topic. I vote for that.

[cee]

Scott, do you know how to build ELECTRONIC ballasts? If so, I'd be interested in knowing how you do it. I could figure it out but it would require a lot of research which I don't have time for right now.

Dave

[Runner]

I'd have to research it, too. I bought a used retrofit kit from "Muttling" and installed it in a hood I built. I didn't make the ballast myself.

[EvilMel]

I'm interesting in this topic as well.

[Runner]

BTW, my wife said it was okay to use our house so long as she didn't have to be there. You could say she doesn't share my *ahem* enthusiasm for my hobby.

How does October 22 at noon sound? I'd hate to wait until the 29th because we are probably getting together with friends that weekend for a fall festival and Judgement House and the like.

[EvilMel]

Sounds fine to me. Unless a ton of people object, let's just go ahead and set that date and time.

[TriMax]

The 22nd is the weekend of the swap in Dayton OH. We talked at the Sept. meeting, at Mike's, about having the October club meeting on the 15th since those of us going to the swap would not be able to attend a club meeting on the 22nd.

Eddie

[Runner]

The 15th would work, too. I can't host on the 29th, though.

[cee]

Building an electronic ballast is going to be beyond the capabilities of most people. Printed circuit boards, an extensive number of electronic components, dangerous voltage levels, soldering, and expensive test equipment are all involved. It is much cheaper in the long run to just purchase them.

Now, a tar ballast DIY is not so difficult at all. Perhaps that's what people are refering to.

Dave

[EvilMel]

Ahhh Ok. So the 15th it is then because then people going to that swap can still come to the meeting. That's cool.

[imsqueak]

See how much I know... I cant even describe the right ballast. I meant the cheap kind that Dave mentioned in another thread that would run about $90 (for a single).

[cee]

Yeah, the lighting stuff can be confusing. Took me quite awhile to distinguish between probe, pulse, ANSI, electronic ballast and SE, HQI, 14k, etc bulbs. Too many terms and options.

You could probably build a dual for about $120+tax (think that's what I paid for a 400W M59 ballast). It's quite easy, but not as pretty as a commercial unit (although functional equivalent).

Dave

[easttn]

I think I could supply the heatsinks, depends on number of people interested. I've made 6 in the past. We need a list of who will attend and what kind of bulb you are going to drive. Dave said it best, "they are not pretty", but will last a very long time.

Everyone wanting to do this will need to have the following for each lamp:

2 heat sinks (at least with this design)
Bulb
Bulb socket (Mogul or Double ended)
12 Gage 3 strand wire, length depends on ballast to socket distance
Ballast, type depends on bulb
Cap, again depends on bulb
Starter (If pulse start)
Extension cord for each ballast
High temp wirenuts

I will bring a soldering iron so people can see how those work. The ballast, cap, and starter (if you need one) usually come as a kit).

They are very easy to do. Either Dave, runner, or I can explain what each piece does and why you need them (I think).

If I can help lmk. Its a bye week for UT fans, so I'm open to the date.

Charles

[RCS]

They are very easy to do. Either Dave, runner, or I can explain what each piece does and why you need them (I think).

Or at worst, tell us "you need this to work your lights". :lol:

If it's the 15th, count me in as there. I won't bring stuff to make a setup, as I've still got Dave's old one lying around (albeit with some fancy-pants new cables and a couple of shiny reflectors) and don't need more electrical stuff taking up space for the time being.

[slipper]

I will be there and if you need I can get some sunlight wire and connectors cheap.

[Runner]

If you guys want to make one on the spot, I have a mini-shop in my garage where we could assemble it all. No need to bring any tools.

As for more important matters, my wife has agreed to make cookies for the meeting. Although, we could probably upgrade to poppy-seed chicken casserole if need be.
:)

[EvilMel]

I guess it depends on what time the meeting is. We still talking noon? Sounds like pot-luck time to me!

I don't want to build any lighting fixtures but I would like to see it done.

[LeftCoast]

Anyone want a mint green with pinkish tips Montipora circumvallata/hispida frag? I've got one that's colored up and one that's been neglected and has browned out. Perhaps for a trade...

[cee]

Charles:

If you've got the heatsinks, bring them. I've still got my 175 ballast "guts" and the wire, so we can use it as a demo. I'll get a cord for the power cord, and we should be set.

Dave

[easttn]

I've got a dual 250 I'll wire. Heat sinks are free for builders.

[Runner]

Originally posted by EvilMel
I guess it depends on what time the meeting is. We still talking noon? Sounds like pot-luck time to me!

Yep. Meeting is at noon. I'll update the website soon.

[seased]

I've got an old 175W bulb (XM 10k) I could bring for testing. Should I bring that?

[cee]

I have no socket, so we couldn't test it.

[easttn]

Welp, no builders yet. I can get 8 pairs of heat sinks. They look like this:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v461/easttn/HeatSink2.jpg
You need to let me know how many to bring, first 8 only. I also have 3 - 400W reflectors I can sell for $15 each. Art and Eddie hooked me into the "pot reflectors", good weed guys, jk! If you need any help ordering a ballast kit please reply in this thread.

Been working on another meeting project too. I now have all the Luxeon 1Watt blue 470nm LEDS we can use; they were scrap at the plant so relax. All we need now is a simple 4LED circuit. I'll look for something at work and let y'all know. BTW, anyone in the club capable of producing a metal clad PCB? :D

C

[SmartWrasse]

I'd be interested in making a dual 250W ballast...???

[cee]

Mike:

You'll need to go to an electrical supply house (like Roden, etc.) and ask for a ballast kit. The ballasts are speced per ANSI. If you want to run bulbs like XM, Hamilton, etc. you'll want an M58 ballast (for 250 W). If you want to run Radiums or other German bulbs, you'll want a M153 ballast (with the ignitor). If you want to run DE bulbs or overdrive SE bulbs, you'll need a HQI ballast, or M80 ballast. The M58s are going to run you a little over $50 apiece, and you'll need two for a dual ballast. The M153s are a little higher, as are the M80s. Make sure you tell them you're running them on 120 V, although most of the ballasts have multiple taps for different voltages.

If you're unsure of what ballast is required for a given bulb, go here:
http://www.reeflightinginfo.arvixe.com/
You can look up your bulb and see what ballasts it is compatable with. HTH.

DAve

[EvilMel]

Charles, I'd be interested in a moonlight project. But unless you are talking about polychrlorinated biphenyls, I don't know what a PCB is.

[cee]

Printed circuit board. No poisons involved.

Dave

[LeftCoast]

You lost me with the PCB comment...

[EvilMel]

Zack, I know PCBs as a component of jet fuel that is very toxic. It has contaminated alot of waterways and ground waters (plus soils) and the lab that I am working in is one of the pioneers in a field called bioremediation (cleaning up chemicals like PCBs with microorganisms). That's how I know about those kinds of PCBs. I didn't do any of that work, but some of these guys in my lab did. It's pretty neat.

Btw, no idea what a printed circuit board is. Is that the green thingy when I take apart things like my calculator and my pH meter?

[Runner]

Yep, that's it Mel. Those little green boards with the metal tracings to take the place of a mass of wires between electrical components.

There are several shared acronyms that gave me pause when I left the sheltered life of college. PCB was one of them. The other was HVAC (Heating Ventilation Air Conditioning or High Voltage Alternating Current).

So I could rightly say that my company uses PLCs that have PCBs to remediate groundwater that has PCBs. And all of this for a USACE project under SAD/TERC. ;)


BTW, you could use a wire-wrap board instead of a PCB, but it would not be as compact. When I worked on that stuff in college (research and developement), we would work out the bugs with wire-wrap boards, then have them turned into PCBs when we were done. Custom PCBs are expensive, though. They are typically only cost-effective when ordering large numbers.

[LeftCoast]

It's probably because of rarer metals used to complete the circuits.

[LeftCoast]

Turns out neither my dad nor I will be able to come due to a trip out of the country. I believe RCS and I were in the middle of setting up a deal for a trade. Unfortunately, that will not happen at this meeting, but perhaps the next.

[SmartWrasse]

Rats. I can't make it on the 15th. We will be out of town.

[Runner]

Directions have been added to the webite. I still need to update the minutes and roster, though.

[RCS]

Looks like I won't be making this weekend's meeting either. I'll try and find a way to get the chaeto there for people still...