Kill A Watt on 2X 110 w VHO's

[saltydog64]

To All........

This seems strange, my results using my new Kill A Watt meter.

First, I used this meter on some heaters and got results prettty much inline with the rated Wattages and I also checked one side of my Nova Light, a 4 X 54 T5 HO unit (only one side as they are on two timers) and figured I would just 2X results varying KWH with light cycle and these results seemed in line also as I got 109 Watts (Actinic side) for 1.37 KWH @ 12 Hours ON).

So it seems the meter is OK !!! now checking my DIY 2 X 54 VHO using 2 110 Blubs run by a ICE CAP Electronic Ballast which is very old (not sure, but I have had it for years) , the blubs are 3 months old installed on 10/11/08, these results are the problem....Wattage 116 and for the 8 hr ON cycle...0.7 KWH. That dosen't seem right. I don't have a PAR meter but the output "seems" bright enough....but confussed on results..:mixed: :mixed:

Any thoughts folks .........?????????

[saltydog64]

any one...............

[saltydog64]

Hey guys and gals.......

81 views and NO ideas .......come on give it a shot it .....

[buck50bmg]

You said 2x 54w VHO...Is that the ballast? The ballast is only going to put out what its rated at, even if you use higher wattage bulbs

[widmer]

What exactly do you mean that you have a DIY 2x 54 VHO using 2x 110 bulbs? That doesn't make sense as written.

[waxy]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14194540#post14194540 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by widmer
What exactly do you mean that you have a DIY 2x 54 VHO using 2x 110 bulbs? That doesn't make sense as written.

Maybe he means 2 sets of 110 watt lights?

4 VHO Bulbs at 54ea = 216w

2 VHO Bulbs at 54ea = 108w x 2 = 216

I dunno... I'm confused too...

[ganjero]

are you using VHO bulbs which are 110w or t5 bulbs wich are 54w?

[hpglow]

Does the killawatt take PF into account? If it does then it is taking impeedance into account.

Look at it this way if you have sprinklers on your lawn do you pay for just what water lands on your lawn? No, you pay for that plus what lands on your drive-way and sidewalks. Impeedance is the same thing it is wasted energy that you still end up paying for. Your lamps use X amount and inductive reactance or capacitance uses the rest.

[Arghhh]

The Kill a Watt does take PF into account.

What you are giving us is just a snapshot in time. If you are running the lights for 8 hours at 116 watts you should get .93 KWH. This assumes they would draw 116 watts constantly over 8 hours which may not be the case. If you are taking wattage readings from when you first turn them on you may get higher power draw as the ballast warms up to operating temperature. The unit might draw a bit less once it gets warmed up accounting for the lower total KWH figure. If the lights are working I wouldn't over analyze the results too much.

hpglow: I always used beer as an example for power factor. When you buy a pint of beer you don't always get a full pint, some of that is head on the beer. Your PF is the ratio of beer to foam. Either way the glass is full but only so much of the beer is drinkable.

[saltydog64]

I'm Bad..................

Sorry guys as I was under a some distraction(s) and never previewed it before I posted....

It should have said..." now when checking my DIY fixture using 2 X 110 VHO watt bulbs on a Ice Cap 440 ballast" .

I really am sorry about that and appreciate everyones thoughts...

Dick

[x2uranium]

icecap ballasts overdrive bulbs.

[saltydog64]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14195948#post14195948 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Arghhh
The Kill a Watt does take PF into account.

What you are giving us is just a snapshot in time. If you are running the lights for 8 hours at 116 watts you should get .93 KWH. This assumes they would draw 116 watts constantly over 8 hours which may not be the case. If you are taking wattage readings from when you first turn them on you may get higher power draw as the ballast warms up to operating temperature. The unit might draw a bit less once it gets warmed up accounting for the lower total KWH figure. If the lights are working I wouldn't over analyze the results too much.

hpglow: I always used beer as an example for power factor. When you buy a pint of beer you don't always get a full pint, some of that is head on the beer. Your PF is the ratio of beer to foam. Either way the glass is full but only so much of the beer is drinkable.

Arghhh.............

I like the beer anology.....and thanks for your thought (s).

I used the Kill A Watt this way.....plugged the VHO's into the meter (using it's timer) so I got a complete 8 hour light cycle and noted they ran at 116 Watts and @ the end of the cycle consummed 0.70 KWH. My question is.... the overal wattage seems real LOW.....shouldn't it be +200 watts (110 watt bulb X2). As noted(this is a separate fixture on it's own ballast) one side of my Nova T5's ran @ 109 Watts (54 watt bulb X2) which is what I would except for this fixture.

Is it possible the Ice Cap is dying....?????????

Dick