dimmable ballasts

[gregg]

are these complete units or just ballasts to fit into existing lights

[stevew@reefdreams]

GHL supply both. The ones that state ballast are ballasts only for retro fitting. The others should be complete T5 light units
Steve

[AlanM]

Steve, taking the twin tube 39w dimmable ballast (EVG-2D-39-T5) as an example, is this unit completely controlled via the 1-10v output and does not need a socket on the plug bar.

I currently have my actinics on a bare ballast which is plugged into a socket of my Aquatronica, however having been sweet talked into a Profilux the other day by Jon at STM I may as well upgrade the ballast now that I have dimming capability!

Could you also confirm which cable I would need to go from the controller to the ballast, or does the ballast come with one?

Thanks

Alan.

[stevew@reefdreams]

Hi Allan.

I'll try and use this as a reference post for others, your answer is in there!

In theory you could just connect the 1-10v output from the GHL to the ballast, however the way ballasts are made this never actually shuts off the ballast and simply puts 100% resistance in line with the ballast.

That really isn't desirable as you are drawing the full power and wasting it in resistance even when the light is at 0%!

If your light unit shuts off itself or you are prepared to use a socket on a plugbar to time the shut off the power in line with the dimming cycle of the balast then you can use a LBF-AP connection box that has a cable to connect it to the low voltage port on the profilux and you simply connect wires from the ballast to the terminals in the plastic box.


GHL produce a couple of products to overcome the switching at 0%

Where you have a non ghl light unit that accepts 1-10v control, you should use a LF-ABOX. http://www.ghl-profilux.co.uk/acatalog/GHL-Profilux-Lamp-Driver-Box-For-External-Makes.html

This is a little plug adaptor, that unfortunately is only supplied with the European Shuko plugs on so you need adaptors, comes with a 1-10v control cable to connect to the profilux and terminals to connect the wires from the 1-10v connections on the ballast. When dimming reaches 0% it will shut off the power to the light unit.

The best way, which can run multiple ballasts with 2 independantly controlled channels is to use the EVG-AP-2F http://www.ghl-profilux.co.uk/acatalog/GHL-Profilux-Dimmable-Ballast-Driver-Blank.html

This is a circuit board that comes with a connection cable to the profilux and multiple terminals to connect to the ballast The main power is also connected through this circuit board so that it will turn off the power when the dimming hits 0%. This circuit board does require mounting in a plastic enclosure (not supplied). With this board you can independently dim 2 sets of ballasts. Full wiring details can be found here (scroll down for the english): http://www.ghl-kl.de/Produkte/Aquaristik/Download/WiringEVG-AP2_V400.pdf

Ballasts are available in either single tube or double tube versions. To control two tubes independently you need two single ballasts.

Hopefully that is useful for everyone.

Steve
(note: due to the enormous variation in lighting combinations not all ballasts and T5 light units are held in stock, there are over 130 combinations, normally all units are available in 3-4 weeks)

[AlanM]

Thank you very much Steve, very informative post.

From what you say that EVG-AP-2F driver @ £17.65 is stunning value. It replaces the need to run my ballasts through a socket on the plugbar, and they are about £23 per socket (£138.65/6), so that little box frees up £46 worth of sockets!

Thank you for the link to the wiring document, way within what I'm happy to do.

My question was aimed at seeing if the bare ballasts being sold already had this kind of circuitry inside them, but it actually turns out to be better than that.

I'll get my retailer to order a couple, I'm sure I'll find the need to have a few channels controlled that way in the near future.

Thanks

Alan.