Overdriving CF

[ari5736]

Anyone here ever try overdriving a cf fixture? Would like to hear results.

 

[Killerdrgn]

i would just like to ask WHY?
T-5's are better than CF's and you can already overdrive T-5's. Why would you even want to overdrive CF's?

 

[ari5736]

Already have cfs.

 

[bigbris1]

Seeing as to how hot they get, you'd probably start a fire, not to mention shorten the useable life span from 6-8 months to a few weeks

 

[Killerdrgn]

As if you did overdrive a cf fixture you'd probably have to buy new item's, you and your money would best be served by getting T-5's or a MH.

 

[bigbris1]

I totally advocate T5s, as I was an avid believer in CFs until I made the switch, like night & day. Less wattage, less power usage, less heat, more light, more bulb options, more useable life span, T5 bulbs shut off when they are no longer useful, last a solid year or more, lower replacement cost, etc. etc.

You can sell your CF fixture & replace with T5's & spend little to no money. Ask me how.

 

[ari5736]

I'll bite, how?

Btw, found that cf produce 67 lumens per watt vs. t5 produce 87 per watt, sound correct?

 

[bigbris1]

I think so. What size fixture do you have now?

 

[ari5736]

3x 65w watts fixtures with actinics supplementing mhs.

 

[bigbris1]

OK, now I need a pic or name brand so I can look it up. Are the CFs in a separate fixture or is it all in one? If it's in the same fixture as the MHs then you're going to have a tougher time. I didn't know you had MHs, because then it wouldn't make sense to want to overdrive your CFs.

You can, of course, sell the whole thing & just go will all T5s.

 

[ari5736]

Just trying to make my actinics brighter. Coralife 65watts fixtures.

 

[bigbris1]

FWIW I just swiched from a Coralife 2x65W PC fixture to 2 24W T5 (Giesemann Actinics plus) & am blown away. So much so that I bought a new camera to take pics (waiting for it to arrive).

The Coralife fixture sold for $75 & the T5 retro kit was $85. I sold a couple other random items to offset the difference with shipping & all. Broke even.

 

[ari5736]

really!
I might have to check that out. What ballast are you running? Also were you running 2 65watt actinic and switched to 2 t5 actinic? Would love to see photos.

 

[bigbris1]

The retro kit came with an Advance brand ballast which is program start. I have a Workhorse 3 to run the 10,000K bulb when the reflector & end caps arrive.

So it will be a total of 3 bulbs, 2 actinic & 1 10,000K. Night & day difference.

Pics up when my camera gets here