softchxntaco
Reefing newb
i was kicking some ideas around and i was wondering if the halogen bulbs used in cars could be used to light a reef?
car headlight bulbs for reef
- Thread starter softchxntaco
- Start date
little_fish
Moderator
My guess is no, I doubt they have enough power or put out the right wavelength.
kbuser92
Breeder
They definitely have enough power, but I wouldn't count on the wavelength. You can buy aftermarket (non OEM) that are Super Bright (white) and then in colours and there IS a blue one. I'm not sure the cost, I'm sure by the time you bought enough bulbs (probably 2-4 of each) and DIY'ed a fixture, it would be similar to what you would pay for a decent 2-4 bulb T5. It sure would look cool and I'd be interested to see if it works. I think it would have similar PAR ratings to a halide.
softchxntaco
Reefing newb
hmm i may have to check the auto zone and see what the wavelength of the different type of bulbs/reflectors ect ect i know the plasma types have the blue tint in them, that was the basis of the idea ./ design i was kicking around
softchxntaco
Reefing newb
and I dont think the power consumption would be all that high considering headlamps are a 12 volt system
bigford
fish only
what are you going to power them with?
softchxntaco
Reefing newb
any 12-14 volt transformer would work
bjohanson1234
.........
I think you would need more than just a transformer. Headlights draw a lot of amps. I would look into getting a 12 volt power supply. Also, I don't think that head light bulbs would supply wave length and spectrum analysis.
softchxntaco
Reefing newb
yes thats what
I meant silly me
kbuser92
Breeder
If you could figure.out a way to hook it up, the only thing i would worry about is power and spectrum, but again (and i work on cars) Im sure with the right bulbs it would work. Just be warned though that Halogen has a similar heat output to HQI and plasma gets REALLY hot.
softchxntaco
Reefing newb
would the spectrum be stamped on the bulb/packaging or would i need t dig deeper into researching the spectrums
bjohanson1234
.........
I did some looking, it seems that headlights are around 55watts each. So each bulb has the same power usage as a 48 inch T5HO which are 54 watts each. Not sure what size tank you are trying to light, but it might not really save on electricity cost. And depending on the headlight, might cost more in bulb replacement.
kbuser92
Breeder
You probably wont find it. As long as you get blue halogen (its mixed with another gas in small amounts for tint) and the super bright or a Xenon 8,000K, you should be fine. And I dont think the 8,000 has to do with the Kelvin, but I dont remember for sure. I think you would wanna do around one each for every 4 ft2, just like halides. Maybe supplement with a Hagen Glo that has an actinic.
softchxntaco
Reefing newb
the tank is a 55 Gal
kbuser92
Breeder
The bulbs are only a few dollars each. Cant say for aftermarket ones, probably $10ish.
Northstar24
The Tang Herder
What are you going to use as a reflector? Buy the time you get the right bulbs and gerrymander some sort of setup for this, I don't think you'll really be saving any money. My guess is that if this was a viable alternative to the lighting that is generally accepted we would have heard about it by now
Is there any information out there on the phase shift of these bulbs as they accumulate run time? While a subtle shift into the red spectrum isn't important for bulbs lighting up the road at night, its definitely important for someone lighting a reef tank. That shift into the red spectrum will lead to increased algae growth
Is there any information out there on the phase shift of these bulbs as they accumulate run time? While a subtle shift into the red spectrum isn't important for bulbs lighting up the road at night, its definitely important for someone lighting a reef tank. That shift into the red spectrum will lead to increased algae growth
snyderju
Reefing newb
+1 I would assume they would get very hot.
kbuser92
Breeder
I get burned daily by the SOBs. Badly.
315hottuna61
" Take a Kid Fishing "
If for no other reason, they will probably burn out quickly
kbuser92
Breeder
+1 That's actually a good point. If anything like dust or oils from your skin contacts them, they blow up because it weakens the glass in that spot. The heat causes them to explode. You could rig something, but it would be very expensive.
