Blue Wave 7 Magnetic Ballast experience?

Kinetic · #1 11/30/2007, 02:32 AM

Has anyone used a Blue Wave magnetic ballast? Is it loud? Anyone have experience with them?

I'm thinking of a blue wave 7 to control two 150watt DE lamps.

Thanks!!

Skorpinok · #2 11/30/2007, 10:22 AM

I have a dual 250w bluewave -yes they're a little noisier that my IC 250w. You'll hear it specially when it starts up. Then again, with all the reef equipment running - it pretty much washes out.

I saw your post that you were selling your current MH/T5 pendant - what's up with that? You don't like it - Art?

Marko9 · #3 11/30/2007, 11:06 AM

Art-They rock! I have mine (dual 7) on my Maristar and the light they produce is very nice and bright compared to many others.
I don't even notice the noice because my T5 fans come on an hour before.
Why are you spending all this cash on you set up and not doing 250'?

Maximus · #4 11/30/2007, 12:44 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Marko9
Art-They rock! I have mine (dual 7) on my Maristar and the light they produce is very nice and bright compared to many others.
I don't even notice the noice because my T5 fans come on an hour before.
Why are you spending all this cash on you set up and not doing 250'?

That's a good question. Why not go 250? Btw, I had the Bluewave's on my last tank and they worked great.

schrun209 · #5 11/30/2007, 12:59 PM

Like Mark I also have a daul 7, but I use mine on the Reef Optix III pendants. Great ballast, I bought mine used a while back from ROAB.

Kinetic · #6 11/30/2007, 01:34 PM

how loud is the hum? My entire tank is super quiet, and I'm hoping the ballast won't turn out to be louder.

I'm going with a different light because I want something without fans in the fixture to keep it even quieter, only giesemann and a few others have this kind of fixture =/

150watt since my tank is only 20" deep, and the water is like 2" below that. It's also going to cut down on energy costs. I don't think I'll need a 250watt even for SPS.

I'd ideally like to get the spectra and stick with my iwasaki 15K 175watt SE's...

hiepatitis · #7 11/30/2007, 01:38 PM

I'm gonna order two of the Blue Wave III 250w ballasts. I've always used Icecaps so I'm afraid of the heat since it will be in my stand. Then theres the added electricity.

Marko9 · #8 11/30/2007, 02:28 PM

I keep mine in my stand below my APC. I have never noticed the humm.

Kinetic · #9 11/30/2007, 02:29 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Marko9
I keep mine in my stand below my APC. I have never noticed the humm.

how close to it do you have to be to hear?

Marko9 · #10 11/30/2007, 02:35 PM

I don't hear it when my stand in closed.

schrun209 · #11 11/30/2007, 02:42 PM

I have mine outside my stand and I really don't hear it until I hunch down alittle. Even then the humming is very light.

Kinetic · #12 11/30/2007, 02:47 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by schrun209
I have mine outside my stand and I really don't hear it until I hunch down alittle. Even then the humming is very light.

that's cool. yeah I don't want to be sitting in my living room listening to it hum that's all. it will most likely be outside of my stand.

Skorpinok · #13 11/30/2007, 03:15 PM

I don't hear the humming when the stand cabinet doors are closed. As stated by schrum209 - you'll have to pretty much get close to it to hear the humming. Almost forgot - my dual 250w get's hot.

Reef Sponger · #14 11/30/2007, 04:34 PM

I have mine outside the stand, right next to it. Never heard any noise from the dual ballast. The fans on the lighthood is more noticeable that the ballast, but the lighthood is quiet too. I have read that some experience noisy fans, but there's a workaround to install rubber pieces or swap them out, but mine is luckily quiet for over 2 years now. I blow out the dust around the vents and fans every 6 months.

SLS also makes the Galaxy electronic ballasts now, Check with Ed (KMA) about them as I've asked him about it before.

raddogz · #15 11/30/2007, 08:16 PM

Art - I have a BlueWave 3 which is the single version of the 7.

I can bring it tomorrow if you want to plug in to check to see what it sounds like.

Kinetic · #16 11/30/2007, 08:41 PM

Hey Eileen, thanks for the offer! No worries about bringing it, I'm still deciding on what I want to do at the moment. thanks!!

Quote:

Originally posted by raddogz
Art - I have a BlueWave 3 which is the single version of the 7.

I can bring it tomorrow if you want to plug in to check to see what it sounds like.

petes97 · #17 12/01/2007, 02:30 PM

I have a dual 250 hqi (blue wave 7) for sale - $250. I'm in Sac, but will be in SF Monday and Tuesday. PM me if interested.