Thread: awesome job
View Single Post
Unread 04/11/2007, 08:53 PM   #9
ReeferAl
Premium Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: Fond du Lac, WI
Posts: 2,040
Joe, I hope you don't mind, I made another graph from your data. I calculated the "PAR efficiency" similar to what Sanjay has done with his more recent tests. I divided the PAR values (in PPFD) for each bulb and ballast by the corresponding power (in watts) and graphed the values. The curves would be similar but not identical to curves generated just from the PAR values. The efficiency values though give a slightly better idea of "bang for the buck" so to speak. It's interesting to note that comparing the highest to lowest values gives almost a 4X difference. IOW, to get the same PAR levels to your corals would require 4 times as much electricity with the least efficient bulbs compared to the most efficient. With electricity prices what they are, this is something people may want to pay more attention to.
Here's the graph:


I also find it interesting that the electronic ballasts don't seem to be any more efficient in terms of light output per watt than the non-electronic PFO ballasts.


ReeferAl is offline   Reply With Quote