stacking metal halide ballasts

[CarlaW]

Jeff
Just an update, it's been a few weeks. It's been rather toasty outside this week and I haven't had a problem at all with the setup. The only thing that is suffering is the bush outside of the window. I think it's gonna die. Due to the lack of "waf" involved, I really don't think this is a big deal , plus there is another one just like it right next to it.

 

[Ritsuko Nashida]

I have both of my 400 watt PFO ballast (firing three 400 watt bulbs) stacked with about 3 1/2 inched between them vertically under the tank in the sump area. There is a 12 inch fan thats set on the low setting to move air across the sufaces of both keeping them cool to the touch. Granted I am in Yokohama not Oregon but the temp here is a little warmer than the PNW and we dont really use A/C here for the most part. My 135 has a total of 1600 plus watts over it with Halides/VHO lighting. The Temp in my tanks dont make it above 80 except for the 10 gallon Nano that does make it to about 82 durning the noon time hours. That tank has a 10 watt per a gallon light that sits about 1.5 inches off the surface of the water though.

 

[CarlaW]

Ritsuko,
Do you have any humidity issues?

 

[Ritsuko Nashida]

Lets try this again since the 1st one didnt go through....

Is the humidity high here?

Oh yes! I am not a "Weather Guesser" as I think you call them but I dare to say that unless you are in the deep DEEP South, its higher here in most parts of Japan

Do I have a problem with it?

In regards to my tank not yet, but it is bad enough to have me hating life in the summer time here!!!

Did that answer your question of did I lose it in the translation?

 

[CarlaW]

Ritsuko,
No everything came thru loud and clear. Where I live, it is not usually humid. When I lived in Chicago, we got to sit there and watch the walls sweat in the summertime tho. Thanx for the input . Have you posted any pics of your tank on here yet, I would like to see it

 

[Scooterman]

95% humidity here is a breeze, but hey this is Louisiana LOL. Having a good A/C pulls most of the moisture out. Charlie I'm installing a new 250W MH Ballast soon, I'll see how it turns out.

 

[CarlaW]

Scooterman,
Is that the only ballast you are gonna have? I can't remember how many lites you got on your setup. My 250W ballast doesn't run near as hot as the 400W. The one I have is sitting on a concrete floor, so not much heat there.

 

[Scooterman]

I'm running 420W Icecap, for the VHO's, I plan on having two 250W MH also but for now I only have one. Yea, I'd imaging they do run cooler, my next system, I'll design & build an electrical distribution system consisting of protected circuits with multi outlets, ballast wiring, and all equipment that is electrical in a self contained unit that is cooled. I think this is a good project for me to build & post the steps.

 

[CarlaW]

What I am actually thinking of doing is taking the window out where the ballasts are stacked, and enclose it with a fan and about an 8" hole to the outside. I think I'd leave 1/2 the window, ( it is a 6' window). I'd really like to see the steps you are gonna go thru when you design and build the next system. That would be really good for everybody to see

 

[Ritsuko Nashida]

No, no picks or write up yet. My camera really sucks! I am getting to it soon though. I got a few decent close ups that arent too blurry fo a few things, no "real" eye candy yet...