Electronic MH Ballasts

[Chris Emler]

Curious, don't these ballasts look identical with different labeling &
color:

1) New IceCap 250W (~$117 from Champion Lighting & Premium
Aquatics)
2) New Hamilton 250W ($179 mogul, $189 HGI from AquaDirect)
3) ARO 250W ($139 from HelloLights

Both the new IceCap and ARO are listed as "Will fire all 250W metal
halide bulbs, regardless if they are "probe start", "pulse start", HQI
or Standard mogul in design."

The Hamilton, even though looking the same, has two different models
for mogul vs. HQI.

If identical, who really is manufacturing these?

Also, anyone have first had experience? Comments....

Best,
-Chris

[kim gross]

I'm not sure if they are the same ballasts or not. In general
electronic ballasts will work with about any bulb of that wattage rather
than starting the bulb with a high voltage spike they use a high
frequence to ignite them.

As for the different listings for the hamilton ballast I don't know why
you would need a different ballast, unless they are over/underdriving
one type of bulb more or less than the other.

Another question though.

Has anybody tried out the new CoralVue electronic ballasts. My wife has
just ordered a couple in to try out and I was wondering what people
thought of them. The pricing is great.

http://www.jensalt.com

Kim


> Curious, don't these ballasts look identical with different labeling &
> color:
>
> 1) New IceCap 250W (~$117 from Champion Lighting & Premium
> Aquatics)
> 2) New Hamilton 250W ($179 mogul, $189 HGI from AquaDirect)
> 3) ARO 250W ($139 from HelloLights
>
> Both the new IceCap and ARO are listed as "Will fire all 250W metal
> halide bulbs, regardless if they are "probe start", "pulse start", HQI
> or Standard mogul in design."
>
> The Hamilton, even though looking the same, has two different models
> for mogul vs. HQI.
>
> If identical, who really is manufacturing these?
>
> Also, anyone have first had experience? Comments....
>
> Best,
> -Chris