What ballast for home-built t5 fixtures?
- Thread starter fluxlizard
- Start date
fluxlizard
Avid Member
I've got to get to bed so I can get up and go in a few hours.
Thank you so much for all your help Sean.
Another question I have is good way to make reflectors that will throw down a lot of light from these tubes. I have some spare metal from around the roof and doors of my lizard building after the fire repairs now. Maybe the white side of that with some decent bending on the metal break could be the thing. I don't have enough for all that I need though. But wondering if someone else has other ideas or done something else that works well for reflectors...
Thank you so much for all your help Sean.
Another question I have is good way to make reflectors that will throw down a lot of light from these tubes. I have some spare metal from around the roof and doors of my lizard building after the fire repairs now. Maybe the white side of that with some decent bending on the metal break could be the thing. I don't have enough for all that I need though. But wondering if someone else has other ideas or done something else that works well for reflectors...
SPork
Established Member
It does not have to be a workhorse. Advance makes a great t5 ballast as well as vossloh schwabb etc. The 3-4 means it can run 3 or 4 lamps.
Yes the 54 indicates wattage of the lamps, the 48" t5's are 54 watts.
No problem, glad I can help. I worked for one of the major aquarium lighting manufacturers and from our testing the mini parabolic reflectors worked the best for t5's for coral growth, but i'm sure you could get away with any type of reflector for reptile UVB lamps.
CarlC
Established Member
Todd from Light your Reptiles has great pricing on reflectors.
These would work for the end caps- http://www.ebay.com/itm/T5-Lamp-Hol...675?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4d10e3be73
Carl
These would work for the end caps- http://www.ebay.com/itm/T5-Lamp-Hol...675?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4d10e3be73
Carl
Dooley1
Avid Member
I know I'm jumping in late on this thread, but Home Depot sells T5 HO fixtures. They are direct wire & I bought 4 of them. I just wired a plug kit into them. 48" bulbs (actually 46" I think for HOs) are T5HO 54 watt. If it's not 54 watt then it's not the right length or not HO.
I bought the 4' double-bulb fixtures for my set up, but they even had 8' fixtures. My 4' fixtures were only $40 each but you need to buy the plug kit which is an additional $10.
I bought the 4' double-bulb fixtures for my set up, but they even had 8' fixtures. My 4' fixtures were only $40 each but you need to buy the plug kit which is an additional $10.
fluxlizard
Avid Member
Those do look excellent and are exactly what I would get if I were buying for a cage or two. Unfortunately I'm building my own stuff because I'm on a tight budget after rebuilding from a fire and have many lights that are needed. So I'm going to have to go cheaper but functional for now. Looking at those reflectors though- those at light your reptiles are what I would consider optimal for certain. For now- I might just lay a sheet of aluminum foil shiny side against light over the tubes LOL... I don't know though- the extra output would probably be worth it in my situation. I may contact Todd and see if he would give a significant discount for a large lot of reflectors (16).
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fluxlizard
Avid Member
Ah OK thanks - I'll look at those brands as well.
3 or 4 lamps- OK so is my understanding correct- it can light 3 lamps (instead of say 4 lights that must be in 2 pairs like many regular tube fixtures I've seen over the years on ceilings)?
Wow- excellent advice from a true expert! Thanks so much for taking the time to help me understand this stuff
fluxlizard
Avid Member
Thanks for jumping in! Probably not the way I'm going to go as it sounds like I can get custom built for $15 or less per tube but someone less adventerous or less desparate (LOL) will read this thread maybe and find your tip what they are looking for- certainly a year ago I would have gone with your idea when adding new fixtures...
Saldarya
Established Member
You really cant do much better than these fixtures for our application. You cant do it cheaper by the time you buy the ballast, individual reflectors, housing, endcaps, plug, and bulbs. Keep in mind these come with the grow bulbs, so you simply insert a UV T5 bulb.
I was DIYing all of my stuff as well (been in the reef hobby for 30 years) and found this to be cheaper.
HTH.
http://growershouse.com/grow-crew-ho-t5-4-4-bulbs-fixture
I was DIYing all of my stuff as well (been in the reef hobby for 30 years) and found this to be cheaper.
HTH.
http://growershouse.com/grow-crew-ho-t5-4-4-bulbs-fixture
CarlC
Established Member
You could run 3 in a single line. You just need to add more wire the further you get from the ballast and each fixture.
Carl
CarlC
Established Member
Here are pictures of three different types of ballasts that run T5's.
First is an Ice Cap 660. This ballast is capable of running any type of tube bulb up to 4 lamps and 660 watts. This is an expensive ballast, around $160, but is capable of powering any type of tube bulb T4,T5, T8 or T12.
Second is just a standard Advance ballast that is capable of running either 1 or 2 bulbs. I'm just showing the wiring so that you can see the difference between wiring 1 or 2. T5 only
The third and fourth picture you can only wire it to run 2 bulbs. The really nice thing about this ballast is it can be dimmed using a 0v-10v DC controller. T5 only
In the aquarium world we run controllers that are pretty amazing function wise. DC controlling comes in really nice to control pumps and lighting.
First is an Ice Cap 660. This ballast is capable of running any type of tube bulb up to 4 lamps and 660 watts. This is an expensive ballast, around $160, but is capable of powering any type of tube bulb T4,T5, T8 or T12.
Second is just a standard Advance ballast that is capable of running either 1 or 2 bulbs. I'm just showing the wiring so that you can see the difference between wiring 1 or 2. T5 only
The third and fourth picture you can only wire it to run 2 bulbs. The really nice thing about this ballast is it can be dimmed using a 0v-10v DC controller. T5 only
In the aquarium world we run controllers that are pretty amazing function wise. DC controlling comes in really nice to control pumps and lighting.
Action Jackson
Chameleon Enthusiast
Bobby, are you using these 4 bulb fixture for your chameleons and if so what combination of bulbs are you using and where did you buy them?
Thanks
Thanks
fluxlizard
Avid Member
Those are nice fixtures, but overkill for what I need- 4 tubes. Would make a chameleon happy though- that's for sure...
This morning I'm thinking if the claims on light your reptiles website are correct those reflectors triple the output when combined with a t-5 tube vs a t-8 tube- the t-8s are what I have used successfully for years, 1 4' tube over 2 enclosures up to 30" long often combined with a second tube for ambient light improvement. So if I invest in the reflectors and use t5s I should still see actually more light than before in my enclosures (and more UVB too according to DIY, plus I was using reptariums now I'm rebuilding with screen- so even more light and UVB than I was successful with before) using a single t5 tube in a reflector per 2 enclosures (2 like before- similar sized light, more light output).
That should bring my cost without tubes- just electrical stuff (ballast end-caps, wiring, plugs) and reflector only to around $25 per enclosure I think... That's going to be really hard to beat with purchased fixtures I would guess...
Saldarya
Established Member
I use these fixtures for my 2'x4' cages with 3 'blue' bulbs (come with the fixture) and 1 T5 Arcadia. I use the 2 bulb fixture for the 3'x18" cages.
fluxlizard
Avid Member
Oh I didn't notice the site you gave had other fewer tube fixtures. Checking just now I see a single t5 ho fixture for $24.63 wow- I wonder if it is any good? Would mean no wiring for me to do if it is decent? What do you guys think? The wording in the description sounds very promising and I don't think I can make my own for much cheaper.
http://growershouse.com/sun-blaster-t5-ho-fluorescent-strip-light-4
Wow- I really think you've helped me find the way to go maybe- I get those fixtures, add the reflectors from light your reptiles and I'll have a really nice light at a really great price I think.
I'm pretty excited- before I only had regular old fat flourescent tubes (t12? and then later a few t8s). These t5s look really great for the lizards.
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fluxlizard
Avid Member
OK- so now I'm wondering if these-
http://growershouse.com/nanotech-t5-reflectors-for-sun-blaster-fixtures-4
are about the same thing as these-
http://www.lightyourreptiles.com/art546lare.html
http://growershouse.com/nanotech-t5-reflectors-for-sun-blaster-fixtures-4
are about the same thing as these-
http://www.lightyourreptiles.com/art546lare.html
SPork
Established Member
They both look to be parabolic reflectors, you won't notice a difference with the naked eye.
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