new mh, external ballast too hot?

[pastina]

my new light came the other day, 3x250 mh + 2x96 actinic
it came with three large boxes (external ballast)
these ballasts are located under my fish tank inside the wood cabinet. I noticed that when i opened the doors to shut them off last night they were mega hot!! This scares me, can it cause a fire? i thought only the bulbs were supposed to get this hot but why the ballasts?
I have the doors open now but it looks unsightly. is there a risk of fire if i leave the doors closed? the back is vented and open. will this thing get hot enough to melt nearby wires even though its not in contact with anything?
I mean it wasnt hot enough to fry and egg, but it was pretty dang hot!

[partobe]

What kind of system do you have? I have Hamilton and I ran out to the living room and checked them and to be honest they are warm but def not what I would call hot. I can hold my hand on them with no problem what so ever. My friend ordered from aqua traders and his also gets really hot so hot he bought a fan and aimed it at the ballist. His is also in the cabinet mine are under my tank in the wide open that may have something to do with the temp but I dont think it should have that much to do with it.

[pastina]

Originally Posted by partobe

What kind of system do you have? I have Hamilton and I ran out to the living room and checked them and to be honest they are warm but def not what I would call hot. I can hold my hand on them with no problem what so ever. My friend ordered from aqua traders and his also gets really hot so hot he bought a fan and aimed it at the ballist. His is also in the cabinet mine are under my tank in the wide open that may have something to do with the temp but I dont think it should have that much to do with it.

its a coralife aqualight elite 72" with three box ballasts
its hot but i can leave my hand on it, so maybe mega warm?
it does raise the temp under my cabinet if the doors are closed
im just worried its a fire hazzard if i shut the cabinet doors. the back of the cabinet is open though if that helps a bit
i guess it feels a little bit hotter than a plasma tv, kinda like the way an xbox 360 feels

[partobe]

I think thats a much better brand than the one my friend has so I wouldnt be as worried about it. If you are concerned you could do as he did and buy a small fan and aim it at the back of your cabinet. Does your ballist have little vents on the sides? Mine does but my friends doesnt I think thats part of the reason his gets so hot. With his you cant leave your hand on there it feel like it could actually burn your hand.

[luther1200]

I also have a Coralife Aqualight. I have 2 ballast externally mounted. They do get hot, but I have had them for over 2 yrs without a problem. They are on a wooden stand right next to my tank. I also know a guy who screwed them right to his stand, and he never had a problem either.

[pastina]

Originally Posted by luther1200

I also have a Coralife Aqualight. I have 2 ballast externally mounted. They do get hot, but I have had them for over 2 yrs without a problem. They are on a wooden stand right next to my tank. I also know a guy who screwed them right to his stand, and he never had a problem either.

thanks so much, i feel alot better now. i guess im just not used to things getting that hot and with three of them it rises the temperature alot quicker than if i just had one. i tried running one when i first got it to get my corals used to the light and i didnt notice a rise in temp until i had all three running at the same time for a few hours.

portrobe, yes their are vents on the sides

[yellow submarine]

go to walmart & buy a $9 desk fan to blow air across them. displacing the heat will extent the life of your ballasts. only drawback is the fan may create a humming noise you dont like. but if you're deaf like me from listening to Led Zepplin in my car during the 80's thru 400watt amps, you'll probably wont even hear the fan.

[Loverotties]

That's why they are external to get airflow,but you have them closed up.You need at least a fan.

[Jadinop]

I believe the Coralife ballasts are magnetic so they will run hotter than an electronic ballast of the same wattage.

I would recomend getting them out of the stand as some heat will be added back to the tank by the warm air inside the stand. On my old 75g setup, I used a small endtable/bookcase next to the tank for holding the ballasts and other electronics. It kept the ballasts off the floor and protected from the occasional splash as well. It also gave me a little storgae area for the usual reef stuff that seems to pile up near the tank.

[pastina]

I dont mind the tank heating up since the basement is mad cold, im just worried its a fire hazzard.
I actually felt a little bit more comfy with the little bit of warmth added to the air. Instead of sitting around a fire sit around a ballast okee bad joke

I guess i'll just leave the doors open while the mh's are running, a fan would make me sneeze, runny nose the whole thing...i have no blood, im always cold lol

im gonna go take a picture of it and how its set up

[Loverotties]

Originally Posted by Jadinop

I believe the Coralife ballasts are magnetic so they will run hotter than an electronic ballast of the same wattage.

I would recomend getting them out of the stand as some heat will be added back to the tank by the warm air inside the stand. On my old 75g setup, I used a small endtable/bookcase next to the tank for holding the ballasts and other electronics. It kept the ballasts off the floor and protected from the occasional splash as well. It also gave me a little storgae area for the usual reef stuff that seems to pile up near the tank.

Great job!

[pastina]

I took a few pics on how its set up. Its under the left side of the cabinet. I just have the left side doors open, do you think this will be enough ventilation? I tried to push all the wires away from the ballasts boxes, im not sure if they can melt if they get too close?
so how does it look? scary? not so scary? The bottom of the cabinet is wood, it looks like carpet for some reason in the pic.
I added a few tank shots with the new lights, the tank is hella bright now hehe

[Fat Tony]

biggest advice I can make is to get the ballasts off the bottom of the stand... just a lil bit of spilled water can cost saveral hundred in repairs... not to mention potentially losing your house... so in other words, elevate them a couple inches off the bottom of the stand. but, really put a small clip on fan over them and close the dorrs on the stand, let the fan blow from the frant to the back that way you are blowing the slight anount of hotair out of the back of the stand

[pastina]

Originally Posted by Fat Tony

biggest advice I can make is to get the ballasts off the bottom of the stand... just a lil bit of spilled water can cost saveral hundred in repairs... not to mention potentially losing your house... so in other words, elevate them a couple inches off the bottom of the stand. but, really put a small clip on fan over them and close the dorrs on the stand, let the fan blow from the frant to the back that way you are blowing the slight anount of hotair out of the back of the stand

ooo ok
what do i elevate them with? would bricks work?

[wbyoung]

bricks might expel some heat away from the ballast... maybe a good idea.