Yet another dumb, cheap light idea.

[Brian]

I was at walmart and I was looking at headlight bulbs. Not the plain
ones but the blue/white type. Did anybody ever think of using them with
a 12 volt transformer. The package says they are made to not put out the
yellow light and only give off a blue/white type light. They are cheap
as far as salt water bulbs go (around $9 ) they put out a lot of light
as a car headlight, but I never saw how much light a metal halide would
put out if it was on a car :)

[Marc Levenson]

Can you switch on the Hi Beams for High Noon lighting? <grin>

What a crazy idea. Let us know how that works out for you. And figure out the
spectrum.

Man, that would be funny showing people your new setup, unveiling the
headlights! LOL

Marc


Brian wrote:

> I was at walmart and I was looking at headlight bulbs. Not the plain
> ones but the blue/white type. Did anybody ever think of using them with
> a 12 volt transformer. The package says they are made to not put out the
> yellow light and only give off a blue/white type light. They are cheap
> as far as salt water bulbs go (around $9 ) they put out a lot of light
> as a car headlight, but I never saw how much light a metal halide would
> put out if it was on a car :)

--
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[nanoreef]

In article >, Brian wrote:
> I was at walmart and I was looking at headlight bulbs. Not the plain
> ones but the blue/white type. Did anybody ever think of using them with
> a 12 volt transformer.

Those blue halogen replacement bulbs are just halogen lights with a
filter. The bulb actually gives off less light then a regular
bulb. Halogen is not very efficient compared to power compact and
metal halide. The unfortunate truth is that if you want the light of
metal halides or power compacts you are going to pay for it.

I found a local industrial lighting provider that can supply aquarium
lights for less then half the cost of mailorder. I would expect that
there is a similar provider near you. Be warned that "power compact"
is not a lighting trade name. I took in pictures of the lights I
wanted and the salesmen instantly recognized them as "PLL twin tubes"
or some such.

[Pszemol]

Halogen lights are not as effective as metal halide.
Remember, these are just a type of incandescent bulb.
Long run it is not cost effective. You will have low light per watt.

"Brian" > wrote in message ...
> I was at walmart and I was looking at headlight bulbs. Not the plain
> ones but the blue/white type. Did anybody ever think of using them with
> a 12 volt transformer. The package says they are made to not put out the
> yellow light and only give off a blue/white type light. They are cheap
> as far as salt water bulbs go (around $9 ) they put out a lot of light
> as a car headlight, but I never saw how much light a metal halide would
> put out if it was on a car :)
>

[Pszemol]

"nanoreef" > wrote in message le.rogers.com...
> I found a local industrial lighting provider that can supply aquarium
> lights for less then half the cost of mailorder. I would expect that
> there is a similar provider near you. Be warned that "power compact"
> is not a lighting trade name. I took in pictures of the lights I
> wanted and the salesmen instantly recognized them as "PLL twin tubes"
> or some such.

Who is the manufacturer of the lights you have found?
Are they full-spectrum, tri-phosphors or 10000K lights?
Usually as a "daylight" they sell not 10000K but 6500K.

[nanoreef]

In article >, Pszemol wrote:

> Who is the manufacturer of the lights you have found?

Various.

> Are they full-spectrum, tri-phosphors or 10000K lights?

Anything you want. These are the same lights you will find in the fish
shops with a different brand name. The only light I have trouble
getting is real atinic's.

There is no trouble getting the popular metal halides as well.

[Pszemol]

"nanoreef" > wrote in message able.rogers.com...
> In article >, Pszemol wrote:
>
> > Who is the manufacturer of the lights you have found?
>
> Various.

Could you then give 2-3 examples with model numbers?

> > Are they full-spectrum, tri-phosphors or 10000K lights?
>
> Anything you want. These are the same lights you will find in the fish
> shops with a different brand name. The only light I have trouble
> getting is real atinic's.

I am having problems finding them - could you help me?

[Bill]

Maybe not such a dumn idea... If I remember right some cars (expensive ones)
use metal halide bulbs, (ballast and all). But it'd probably be a lot
cheaper to go the usual higher wattage metal halide route :)


"Brian" > wrote in message
...
> I was at walmart and I was looking at headlight bulbs. Not the plain
> ones but the blue/white type. Did anybody ever think of using them with
> a 12 volt transformer. The package says they are made to not put out the
> yellow light and only give off a blue/white type light. They are cheap
> as far as salt water bulbs go (around $9 ) they put out a lot of light
> as a car headlight, but I never saw how much light a metal halide would
> put out if it was on a car :)
>