DIY Overdrive florescent lights question

nealio

nealio

Large Fish
#1
Aug 23, 2006
396
0
0
#1
I have some really crappy lighting that came with my tank. I'm thinking about overdriving some florescent lights with a DIY set up. I have a 28G bowfront and it is exactly 24" wide.

My question would be if I bought a 24" fixture will it fit on the tank? Or is the bulb end to end 24" plus the extra socket at the end.

My second question is if I bought a 48" lighting set up, could I take it apart and make my own hood with two 24" bulbs and overdrive each 24" with its separate ballasts from THIS light?
 

E

Endl98

Large Fish
#2
Jul 26, 2006
195
0
0
long island , new york
#2
i just made a diy canopy with 4 flourescent t8 30w bulbs.

the length of the bulb and sockets are just shy of either 24" or 36" or 48". the fixture may be bigger than your tank, but the bulbs and socket are not.

what i did was bought a electronic ballast and 8 ends. wired it up and its so freaking bright. i could only find 4100k bulbs at depot. so i may buy a 10000k for some bluish light. total cost was $49. for the light set up. total of 120watts.

from what i have found out is that elect ballast are a smart ballast. they work on almost any wattage bulb. so the electric ballast from a 30w 48" fixture is the same as a 18w 24" fixture.

a electrician friend said o.d. them is a waste it just keeps the starter lite all the time and burn out the ends fast.
so i just added more bulbs.

better off buying a new ballast and ends. wiring is on the ballast and very easy.
 

nealio

nealio

Large Fish
#3
Aug 23, 2006
396
0
0
#3
Is there a certian distance you keep them apart? I have 7" of room to work with, do you think I could fit three T-8's ?
 

nealio

nealio

Large Fish
#5
Aug 23, 2006
396
0
0
#5
what did you use for moon lights?

I plan on going to tap plastics and getting some plexi that is solid black, and then on the inside get some of that sticky Mylar stuff and adhere it to the bottom side of it for a decent reflection. I will build a case that is 24-1/4" long and 7" wide and about 6" tall. I want to have them mill out a small section just above the top so I am able to slide in another piece of plexi before I seal the sides up. On that piece I plan to mount the ballasts on the back side, and then wire the connectors on the ends on the other, then slide that in to finish the wiring. I was going to put a 80mm fan I have laying around to pull the air up from the ballast area to cool it a bit.

HERE is a plan I made for it. I would love to know what you used for moon lights, I think that would top this project off.

Thanks again.
 

E

Endl98

Large Fish
#6
Jul 26, 2006
195
0
0
long island , new york
#6
looks nice. it seem you have 3 ballasts? you only need one that can control 4 lights and only utilize the 3 bulbs.

i used aluminum tape for the reflector . its made for ac and heater duct work. its very shiney and sticky. the idea for sliding the light system is a good one.
i had the same idea but decided against it . if i need to change a bulb i have plenty of room inside my canopy.

i used a ballast like eBay: Electronic Fluorescent Ballast 4ft. 3 Lamp T8 120V 5PK (item 320031658264 end time Sep-28-06 23:40:46 PDT)
size and wattage of the bulb doesnt matter. a electronic ballast is a smart ballast. it can be hooked up either 115v or 220v. 18, 24,36 or 48" at any wattage. it applies power and wattage on what it sees. available at depot. $19.95

the ends you can buy long or short . i opted for long tombstones. in case i wanted to use t8 or t12, depending on avaliablity.
the you just wire as the diagram on the ballast.
i used a common household light switch for on/off power and a regular cheapo extention cord cut and soldered on.

the moon light i bought were these eBay: NEW 3 LED AQUARIUM MOON LIGHTS REEF CORAL FISH TANK NR (item 320018401990 end time Oct-16-06 10:21:48 PDT) except 10 leds.
nice bright but dark blue, kinda spot lightish. looks nicce with rippling water .

my total light cost was $49. the cord and light switch i had. the ballast was $20 the ends $10 and the bulbs $12 , tape was $2.99
 

Last edited:
nealio

nealio

Large Fish
#8
Aug 23, 2006
396
0
0
#8
Thanks for the links!!

I have three ballasts because I wanted to OD the lights. I think I'm going to try to get the one ballast and run that first, then try the three if it doesn't give me the effect I'm looking for. I want to use one of the sockets for a Antic bulb for the "pretty colors" as my daughter would say, so I would be running 2.8wpg with the other two bulbs running at 40W. If thats the case, I will be saving a ton of money.

Ill post pics once I get the box back from tap plastics. *celebrate
 

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