Expensive Devices

Why are some things so expensive?

A 1/2 hp chiller runs over a $1000. The BTU's don't even rival a window
AC unit which runs under $100. Or, an office water cooler that runs $150.

Ballasts over $800.
Protein Skimmer for $250. Seems like a simple plastic device.

Sure they need to be rugidized for a salt environment, but Jeez! There
doesn't seem to be enough competition in these products. Or, am I
missing something?

--Kurt

I hear ya, man. Our new lights just cost like $200, which is alot for
us, and I'm sure that's on the cheaper end. It's just a specialty
niche, where they know people understand they're going to have to pay
up the wazoo. And I don't know you'd need a chiller for (I'm curious)!

KurtG wrote:
Why are some things so expensive?

A 1/2 hp chiller runs over a $1000. The BTU's don't even rival a window
AC unit which runs under $100. Or, an office water cooler that runs $150.

Ballasts over $800.
Protein Skimmer for $250. Seems like a simple plastic device.

Sure they need to be rugidized for a salt environment, but Jeez! There
doesn't seem to be enough competition in these products. Or, am I
missing something?

--Kurt

KurtG wrote:

Why are some things so expensive?

They don't make enough of the things to bring the cost down. If there were a
reef tank in every other home, lots of this stuff would cost less.

George Patterson
Forgive your enemies. But always remember who they are.

Joe wrote:

And I don't know you'd need a chiller for (I'm curious)!

Put metal halides on your tank, and the light would come on. :-)

George Patterson
Forgive your enemies. But always remember who they are.

Ahhhhhh... That makes sense!

George Patterson wrote:
Joe wrote:

And I don't know you'd need a chiller for (I'm curious)!

Put metal halides on your tank, and the light would come on. :-)

George Patterson
Forgive your enemies. But always remember who they are.

I really do not see much "regedizing" of any of these thngs since the
materials they are made out of are common every day materials to begin
with., Its the old addage. If its a hobby folks will pay through the
nose for it . Granted there may not be as much of a demand for special
ized chillers or thre high power ights etc so the manuf and scale of
sales is much smaller but I also have a hard time believeing even with
such a small audience these items need to cost as much as they do.

For example ballasts for lights. Ballasts are not rocket science, and
even if the parts inside some of the ones like Ice CAp are slightly
different, odds are th eactual cost of th eparts is not that much
different if at all from a common electronic ballast would consist of.
It is no any harder to solder in a part numer such and such with three
leads as it is to solder in part number such and such that is almost
dientical to the first part except for its values. Its just a typical
rip and gouge of the folks who want and are willing to spend what it
takes to get what they want or think they needs to have.

Just like the chillers, titanium for the most part is not as expensive
as some would have y think it is. There is all kind sof grades and
alloys of titanium.I have lots of it myself. Yes its a might more $$
than say stainless but not overly expensive to warrant the price
differences in chillers.



On Mon, 11 Dec 2006 13:34:33 -0500, KurtG
wrote:


Why are some things so expensive?

A 1/2 hp chiller runs over a $1000. The BTU's don't even rival a window
AC unit which runs under $100. Or, an office water cooler that runs $150.

Ballasts over $800.
Protein Skimmer for $250. Seems like a simple plastic device.

Sure they need to be rugidized for a salt environment, but Jeez! There
doesn't seem to be enough competition in these products. Or, am I
missing something?

--Kurt



-------
I forgot more about ponds and koi than I'll ever know!

Joe wrote:
And I don't know you'd need a chiller for (I'm curious)!

Just looking ahead. I live in florida, so I set the house temp at 83
for the summer. If my tank climbs to 80 degrees with lights on, then
I'm going to have some issues in 6 months.

--Kurt

Hi Kurt for one thing the Evaporator in the chiller is Titanium, a very
expensive metal. My 6ft light system was over $1,000 and the light bill
doubled but the tank looks great and ever is growing , Bill
"KurtG" wrote in message
...

Why are some things so expensive?

A 1/2 hp chiller runs over a $1000. The BTU's don't even rival a window
AC unit which runs under $100. Or, an office water cooler that runs $150.

Ballasts over $800.
Protein Skimmer for $250. Seems like a simple plastic device.

Sure they need to be rugidized for a salt environment, but Jeez! There
doesn't seem to be enough competition in these products. Or, am I missing
something?

--Kurt

Titanium is not that expensive. I bought 3/32 titanium tube and also
some 1/4" titanium for other projects in cut lengths (could have
shipped full sticks of 20 foot, but shipping was costly so I elected
to have them cut in max shipping lengths USPS handles as it was more
than suitable, and I paid less than $100 for both pieces plus
shipping.....It cost approx 18 bucks more than what I paid for
stainless tube a year or so earlier. Its true we as hobby tuypes may
pay somewhat more , but its usually more from rippoff and greed on
manufacturers and lfs part than it is on actual cost to make the
items. Hey whats a grand if a person ha s$10 grand in corals and $2
grand in fish in a setup that cost problely at least $4 grand...A
grand is small change as is 800 for lights to ensure things prosper
and grow........its no wonder they charge what they do for hobby crap.


On Mon, 11 Dec 2006 22:34:24 GMT, "William Marsh"
wrote:

Hi Kurt for one thing the Evaporator in the chiller is Titanium, a very
expensive metal. My 6ft light system was over $1,000 and the light bill
doubled but the tank looks great and ever is growing , Bill
"KurtG" wrote in message
. ..

Why are some things so expensive?

A 1/2 hp chiller runs over a $1000. The BTU's don't even rival a window
AC unit which runs under $100. Or, an office water cooler that runs $150.

Ballasts over $800.
Protein Skimmer for $250. Seems like a simple plastic device.

Sure they need to be rugidized for a salt environment, but Jeez! There
doesn't seem to be enough competition in these products. Or, am I missing
something?

--Kurt




-------
I forgot more about ponds and koi than I'll ever know!

Tristan wrote:
Ballasts are not rocket science, and
even if the parts inside some of the ones like Ice CAp are slightly
different, odds are th eactual cost of th eparts is not that much
different if at all from a common electronic ballast would consist of.

Actually, if you try to come up with a self-starting ballast that doesn't put
out a lot of heat and is small enough to fit in a typical hood, you're into
rocket science territory. The common ballast typically runs too hot to touch and
measures about 10" x 2" x 1.5". It also corrodes easily and has a tendency to
ooze polluting acids when it fails.

George Patterson
Forgive your enemies. But always remember who they are.