250watt MH in any 360wattOHP?

[Mystircal333]

i know nothing about OHP, so please execuse me if this is a stupid question.

Is it ok for me to put a 250watt Metal Helide bulb in a 360watt OHP? Does most OHP used the standard Mongul Base bulb? I am currently looking at a Elmo Model HP-L3550 OHP.

 

[multiplexor]

I am not sure, this is just a feeling... but i really think you will need to change ballasts.

My thought is that since these lights need a large amount of power, the ballasts put out that exact amount of power.
If you put in a bulb of lower wattage, i am pretty sure the light will blow. I wouldn't risk it personally

 

[Mystircal333]

oh, so is it possible to swap the old ballast with the new one that handle the metal halide? Then i only need to change the connector interface that connect to the bulb, is that right?

Also, one thing i don't understand, i just won an auction on the ELMO L3550 OHP. The spec. sheet said it is capable of 4k lumens with the ANSI TYPE#EYB (82v,360watt) bulb but the bulb itself can handle up to 10k lumens. So what could prevent the bulb from achieving a 10k lumens.

P.S. Thank you for your reply MULTIPLEXOR.

 

[eebasist]

Ok what you are doing is replacing an inefficient halogen bulb with a MH.......this can be done but basically you need to buy a ballast, bulb and mogul socket....no OHP use mogul bulbs.....now do your research on what bulb to use...If you find a 250W MH putting out 12 or 13K lumens you're all good to go, execept you have to find a way to get it to fit and to focus the light properly to make use of it.....a MH on a mogul is usually a lot bigger than what the OHP was designed around

 

[multiplexor]

Ok what you are doing is replacing an inefficient halogen bulb with a MH.......this can be done but basically you need to buy a ballast, bulb and mogul socket....no OHP use mogul bulbs.....now do your research on what bulb to use...If you find a 250W MH putting out 12 or 13K lumens you're all good to go, execept you have to find a way to get it to fit and to focus the light properly to make use of it.....a MH on a mogul is usually a lot bigger than what the OHP was designed around

so basically he would be gutting out an OHP and replacing all the parts... He could always just build his own outter shell at that point?

I was thinking of buying an OHP and replacing the insides. But now i dunno if i should just make my own box....

 

[eebasist]

Yes and no......the reason for keeping the shell of the OHP is because the fresnel and objective lens were designed with each other in mind and there is no guesswork in optical allighnment.

 

[Mystircal333]

I am thinking about buying a Metal Helide Ballast for my OHP. So all i needed to do is to change the ballast and the bulb connection base. Would the fresnel lense be out of focus with the light source, since the bulb is different from the typical OHP bulb.

Just to make sure, does a ballast connect directly to the power outlet and to the bulb base? Does it need to hook up to anything else?

 

[eebasist]

There is typically a capacitor and ingnitor that follows the ballast then to the bulb. Youll have fun finding the best spot in the OHP to place the bulb though

 

[Mystircal333]

does the old capacitor and ignitor will work in the new setup?

 

[woneill]

Hi Mystircal333,

You might be wise consulting with an electrical contractor or someone experienced in installing this type of technology before commiting to anything.

The wiring of these technologies can be dangerous if you do not know what you are doing, and it is hard to give safe advice in these forums on practical matters such as these.

Try asking someone at a lighting store - if they are half-way knowledgeable, they will be able to show you how the components need to be connected safely.

It will save you a lot of time in the long run because being shown such stuff is much moe effective than reading a description.

Bill.

 

[Tinker]

Hi Mystircal333,

You might be wise consulting with an electrical contractor or someone experienced in installing this type of technology before commiting to anything.

The wiring of these technologies can be dangerous if you do not know what you are doing, and it is hard to give safe advice in these forums on practical matters such as these.

Try asking someone at a lighting store - if they are half-way knowledgeable, they will be able to show you how the components need to be connected safely.

It will save you a lot of time in the long run because being shown such stuff is much moe effective than reading a description.

Bill.

I agree, be carefull. I had 4 years of electronics and two years residential wiring inwhich by the way we covered MH and spot light, track lighting color temp. etc. (By the way most these guys here make me feel dumb!) So yes they are very dangerous, at points in a MH device (like ballast's bulb igniter) you can get one heck of a jolt or even get killed due to the high powered cap that holds a HUGE charge. Now if you have a basic knowledge of residential wireing you will be fine. Like if you know how to wire up 440volt power source to 220 and 120v etc. You will figure it out with the given instructions. There is only a couple wires to it....Its not really that hard, just that dangerous if your unsure of what you are doing. Not worth the risk over uncertainy!

 

[Mystircal333]

I don't have any experience in electrical wiring before, but what if i but the Kit like this one

http://aquaticlight.com/store.html

would that be safe. It seem the kit doesn't come with a ignitor or a capacitor.

( !warning! stupid question)
Are they really needed?. Are they bult-in with this ballast?
I am going to ask the store owner about it.

 

[Tinker]

Thats a self contained unit. Like flourecent ballasts sometimes are if they are rapid start and etc. Its all there just inside that huge black box is all. Easier to wire up but more importantly safer around slat water-this is why those are like that. But check with shop owner to make sure, hard to tell whats inside a sealed box you know.

Those were good prices, are you looking at the 4000 kelvin or the 5000?

 

[Mystircal333]

Thank a lot for the reassuring words. Now i will not have any real doubt when i buy the kit. I was looking at the 400wat- 5kelvin color since the price different is not going to kill me. My next worry is the MH bulb not being able to position properly in the OHP for focusing since the bulb is bigger.

I ordered an Elmo L3500 OHP (3.5k lumen) which use EYB bulb (very small i think). If focusing do become a problem, i guess i might have to modify the OHP case some how . Any idea if heat might be an issue for a 400 watt bulb?

 

[Tinker]

3,500 lumens, that must be ANSi not bulb lumens. ANSI = is acg. of how bright it appears at the screen. Lumens is bulb brightness....What watts is it? I know a 100watt MH puts out ruffly 4000 lumens. So going to a 400watt may bring some heat issues its hard to tell. Remember the higher watts the more heat. So twice as many watts is gonna be twice as hot! Thats why a bulb is always superior when it has the same lumens at less watts. Like halogen vs. MH. A 90watt halogen is like 1200lumens but a 100watt MH is like 4000 lumens, the MH therefore is higher output vs. power consumption and since halogen only uses 10% of the power it consumes that means 90% is waisted. Since energy cannot be destroyed only change form it becomes heat. By the way the % of loss I got from lights of america and I dont know how acurate they are but its ruffly close.

 

[Tinker]

100watt MH is like 4000 lumens

I was wrong (not unusual). THe 100watt MH I've been looking at is 6,800 mean lumens and initial is 9,000....thats way better than halogen but the point is jus tthe same.
Here is the spec I'm looking at:

"LMH100$34.00, 12/$359.88


Brand: Philips or Venture
Bulb: BD17
Watts: 100
Volts: 100 Volts
Life Hours: 15,000
Base: Medium (E26)
MOL: 5 7/16"
Intial Lumens: 9,000
Mean Lumens: 6,800
Color Temp. (CCT or K): 4,000

Ansi Spec: M90

CRI: 65

LCL: 3 3/8"

Temp is a little low, white might have a tint of yellow to it, not sure. Checking local though at Dauphen electrical tommorow. Wish me luck, hoping they have what I want there.

 

[Mystircal333]

My fault, the OHP actually use an ENX type bulb which go according to the picture of the OHP

http://imagehost.auctionwatch.com/b...17.jpg?&allow_track_link=1&track=01203dccac-&

Since the OHP is already using a 360 watt halogen lamp, a 400 watt MH bulb hopefully be ok. Could MH bulb temp <= 360 watt halogen bulb temp due to MH bulb being more energy efficient?

Jeffrey-from aquaticlight.com- send the following info:

>250 watt 5500K initial lumens 21000, average life 10000 hrs.
>400 watt 5500K initial lumens 32500, average life 15000 hrs.

>250 watt 4300K initial lumens 20000, average life 6000
>horizontal,10000
>vertical
>400 watt 4300K initial lumens 36000, average life 15000
>horizontal,20000
>vertical


> How hot can this bulb get?

>There is no published information from the manufactures witrh >this
>information. But they get very hot.


32k int. lumen is just right. I am aiming for 100inch if the projector let me.

 

[Mystircal333]

Also could luck with your finding. . Do you think they sell Metal Helide ballast? I might need to go to Home Depot or Lowe.

 

[Tinker]

Hmmm, temp. DOnt know really, dont have a 400watt MH bulb myself. But both a 400watt MH and halo in theory should be ruffly the same temp as they both are consuming the same amount of power which is what makes the heat in the first place. So (in theory only) temp should be about the same from a 400watt to 400watt just more lumens output the only dif. Thats what the efficiency of the bulb is about which is rated in lumens per watt.
So my guess is that it will be a little hotter not much but alot brighter-ALOT! Should be able to just add a bigger fan or one more fan maybe blowing on the stage from bottem to counter the extra 40watts of heat. ANYone else got suggestions on this one?

As for lowes- call and ask. my local lowes only had track lighting, nothing of a point light source like real MH. And at the price you could get a real MH setup ballast and all. They have some neat reflectors though for the track lights. So call them and see before running down, you know the clutter those stores are in! Home depot, maybe. I dont have one near hear so I cant tell. Dauphen electric is a electrical contractor store, so if they dont have one I'm gonna have to order one off the .net. But I would think they got em. HOpefully!

 

[Tinker]

Just got back from Dauphin electric and they have just about every type bulb and ballast you want! The only thing they have to order is my 150watt MH. They had larger and smaller but not 150watt.... I decided to go with 150 vs. 100 as the lumens dif. is quite a bit. Dont wanna go higher cause a 200-400watt bulb is gonna take some power and my light bill is high enuff already! Boy those MH bulbs are big I was suprised. This one is a medium mogul base 150watt and its still huge. The bulb online was $34.00 for 100 watt, I got the same (philips bulb) but 150watt for $22.00 so thats good price. And the ballast KIT was $66.00 vs $50 online. But the kit has the mogul socket and everything you need to rewire a fixture so I'm getting more stuff-it ='s out. Plus no shipping charges yah! Anyhow have to wait till thrusday though for it, they orderd the bulb today....so far so good.