Ballast box

[Kurt03]

Im setting up the lighting for my 150 and im using 3 250w m80 ballasts. I got the bare ballasts and im making a box myself and wiring them up. My first thought is to use a computer case since i have one handy and can use the power supply in it to power fans in the case and also in my canopy when the lights are on.
any thoughts on something that will work better? or how to make the computer case work better then just simplely mounting everything in it with some fans?

Just wanted to get some other peoples opinions before i start :)

[TXStateUnivReef]

i think yes a computer case is a great idea i might be worried about corrosion or something like that. one of the pros to building your own is you can make it to be exactly what you want

[Kurt03]

yup, never understood why the bought ones dont have any fans in them. they have to help out, i know my ballast i have now gets pretty hot.

[Ehgemus]

I seen on made from a tool box, had two 400w ballast in it. It worked out very well, and had one fan on the side.

[Kurt03]

Just doing some placement testing. Trying to figure out where i will put everything. Dont mind some of the extra wires, they will be cut out soon.

http://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i91/kurt03/150/PICT0123.jpg


Are these too close? I will have plenty of fans and was thinking of some kind of rack with 3 fans above these blowing down
http://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i91/kurt03/150/PICT0125.jpg

Can the capacitors be close together? Do they get hot? Kinda just put them all in here to see if they would fit.
http://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i91/kurt03/150/PICT0127.jpg

Im thinking about putting the igniters above the transformers i think there called. (the big heavy things) anyone see any issues so far?

[magnoliarichj]

LAME! and ugly.

[Kurt03]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9822042#post9822042 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by magnoliarichj
LAME! and ugly.

Thanks! :rolleye1:

So what would you put them in? Its all in the planing stage and im not sure what im going to use yet. Computer cause is just the first thing i thought of.

[Icefire]

Mount them spaced and on the side (hole/screw)
Capacitor do get hot, space them.

[Ehgemus]

Why not a tool box? you know the metal hand held ones with the flip top lid.

[hahnmeister]

Why no fans? Well, you dont need them for one... as long as the core/coils are mounted to something that transmits heat well, like aluminum, the heat will transfer out fast enough.

The other reason: dust. Dust get hot and ballast catch fire...

A sealed, aluminum box is the best idea.

[funman1]

I would go with fans and CLEAN it out every 3 months with an air compressor.

I think it's a great idea, and looks good so far.
If you have the ballasts that close together you need fans blowing DIRECTLY on them.

The caps are kinda close, but I don't remember caps getting that warm in most fixtures, but never really paid attention.

Are those Aquarium ballast kits or regular MH kits for flood lights?
That looks like the ballast kits we use at work all the time.

Good idea that needs some refinement.

Forget the others that think it's "lame", they are lame for not understanding geeks like us.

Forge on!!!

[Rich_1833]

You could always use a sealed box with heat sinks and a fan on the outside of the box.

[Kurt03]

hi guys, thanks!
They are aquarium 250watt m80 ballasts from http://hellolights.com

Harold Edwards
Im not sure a tool box will work, these things are huge, the case in the pics is a normal size mid tower computer case.

The caps where really just sitting there, they will be spaced out a bit more, is it important that they are vertical or does it not matter?


hahnmeister
Thanks for the heads up, not sure how im going to be able to make a sealed box that transfers heat well enough with 3 of these things in there.

did a little googling and found someone that made the boxes using fuse boxes from HD

http://aquarium.union.rpi.edu/articles/box.jpg
http://aquarium.union.rpi.edu/articles/inside.jpg

So where would i put the igniter and cap if i went this route? Or get a bigger box so that they can all fit in it? Will this transfer heat well enough?