highest PC watts???

[nunofs]

Are you all f-ing jokeing!!!!!

I'm glad you posted some more details because I was going to ask you how the comment above was helping the discussion...

Anyway, watts/gallon are know not to be a useful measure of light intensity for a reef tank... also, as I tried to explain above, PCs are not cheaper to run than MH if you're using the same wattage bulbs, or if you want the same light levels (in which case you'd need a lot more PC watts than MH watts). And that's the only fair comparisons... if you're running 65W of PCs it's obviously cheaper than running 150W of MH, but you're not getting the same amount of light so it's not fair.

Nuno

 

[dz6t]

I agree wit Nuno. For example, a 150w MH can keep SPS happy but not 150 w of PC.

 

[smcnally]

Joe, it doesn't matter if you are running 150W of LED's, PC, T-5, or MH. You are still using 150 Watts. Same load...And as for the size of the tank, none of us new what size he had until after we posted.

 

[BigSmokeShowJOE]

A 150 w mh cost more to run then a 150 or so watts of pc .you pay for amps not watts! a mh pulls more amps then on 120v -115v but if you run a mh on 220v it will pull less amps = cheaper

 

[eSoteric]

Agree with ya on that joe. Theres now way a MH @ 150watts will pull the same amperage as a set of PC's at 150 watts

so cost more to run the MH.

 

[eSoteric]

oh and BTW i keep plenty of sps alive under 260 watts of PC light. little frags that haven broken off mother colonies at the store ended up in my 60 reef. there doing fine! hell some are even growing!

 

[BigSmokeShowJOE]

bump

 

[nunofs]

Well, last time I checked (and I believe Ohm's law hasn't changed recently), power equals current intensity (amps) times voltage, which is the same as, current intensity equals power divided by voltage... so if you're running a 150W load on 120V, you'll always get the same intensity, 1.25A... now, as I mentioned before, different ballasts will have a different level of efficiency, meaning that to put 150W on the bulb they may consume more than 150W... but for rated power, 150W of MH (or of anything, for that matter) will draw exactly the same amperage as 150W of PC.

And electrical service is paid by KWh, not amps.

My last post on the subject, there isn't more to say about this.

Nuno

 

[denvig]

Well, last time I checked (and I believe Ohm's law hasn't changed recently), power equals current intensity (amps) times voltage, which is the same as, current intensity equals power divided by voltage... so if you're running a 150W load on 120V, you'll always get the same intensity, 1.25A... now, as I mentioned before, different ballasts will have a different level of efficiency, meaning that to put 150W on the bulb they may consume more than 150W... but for rated power, 150W of MH (or of anything, for that matter) will draw exactly the same amperage as 150W of PC.

And electrical service is paid by KWh, not amps.

My last post on the subject, there isn't more to say about this.

Nuno

You are correct Nunofs

 

[dz6t]

Your are right Nuno. Thanks for refreshing the basic.

 

[dz6t]

MH and PC are different technologies to produce light. MH is more efficient then PC that is why running MH is cheaper than PC on electricity bill in order to get the same light intensity. On the other hand PC bulbs are more expensive.

 

[BigSmokeShowJOE]

Ha so what your saying is your right and the people that make are ballast are wrong !! did you forget we are using a Ballast-Transformers to run are lights?specs on my ballast are this my 400w mh. pulls 3.33 amps my 175w mh pulls 2.15 amps my 250wmh. pulls 2.83 amps and my 330w of vho pulls 3.58 amps my 96w pc pulls .88 amps no 110-120v. Do the math nunofs! This is my last post on the subject their is no more to say! ps. my amp probe confirmed factory specs.

 

[BigSmokeShowJOE]

At least your right about the kwh"s

 

[denvig]

O.K/ lets do the math using Ohm?s Law. Note these values will change if you use 110 or 115 V just use the same for all.

400W / 120V = 3.33333 Amps
175W / 120V = 1.458 Amps
250W / 120V = 2.75 Amps
96W / 120V = 0.8 Amps

Now assuming that you want to use 4 of the 96W PC?s to get the same amount of light as the 400M MH (There is no way 4 96W PC?s would equal this amount of light or PAR but lets say it did) then.

4 x 96W = 384W / 120V = 3.2 Amps (Wow 4 x 0.8 Amps = 3.2 Amps) who would have guessed it?

Watts are Watts are Watts and Amps are Amps are Amps and by any other name they will not change.

Now we all know that you will need more than 4 96W PC?s to give you the PAR of a 400W MH so lets guess 6 (A very conservative guess it?s probably more like 10), that would be.

6 x 96W = 576W / 120 = 4.8 Amps. Last time I checked 4.8 Amps will cost you more in electricity than the 400W MH at 3.33 Amps.

If you need to confirm you do the math.
http://www.angelfire.com/pa/baconbacon/page2.html

 

[aweeks95]

sorry to have struck up such a debate, but on the other hand i'm sure alot of us reading this are learning quite a bit!!! i know i am....i'd like to thank everyone who has chimed in and if there are any other ideas on how i might be able to cram a little more wattage into my 24" coralife fixture please lay em on me......

ANDY

 

[BigSmokeShowJOE]

ya thats all good but you forgot a bout the ballast. my 400w mh pulls 4amps on my amp probe! so if you use that site and put in 120 v and 4amps it gives me 480w so tell me how ohm"s law apples to are ballast" IT DON"T! ohm"s law is for straight 110-120v like a house hold light bulb or a moter-pump with NO ballast to kick up the power up to the bulb. test the volts comeing out of your ballast and you will see what i meen !

 

[BigSmokeShowJOE]

if you want moor watts use a 175mh retro in it that will do it. but it will bring up the heat too so now you will need some kind of cooling!

 

[BigSmokeShowJOE]

Buy a amp probe you will see.

 

[denvig]

"different ballasts will have a different level of efficiency, meaning that to put 150W on the bulb they may consume more than 150W"

As Nuno said A 400 watt MH light doesn?t mean the ballast is drawing exactly 400W. Just as some PC fixtures may have ballast that draw more current than the bulb. Your ballast is just a little less efficient. But we are talking about the final light at the Clam sitting on the sand (PAR.) It will cost more in electricity to run the same PAR with PC?s than MH

 

[aweeks95]

WOW......yes it does...no it doesn't.....i have to go to bed.....