# DIY Light Canopy using ODNO



## Patchworks (Dec 20, 2008)

My tanks is a Oceanic 150, L 72" W 18" H 28" and I run pressurized CO2. Also, I will be following the PPS dosing method.

After doing quite a bit of research and throwing out CFL, and some other approaches, I'm looking at a technique called ODNO (Overdriven Normal Output). The basic concept is that manufactures unpower a fluorescent bulb to make it last longer, which means you can send more power thru the bulb and Supercharge a bulb to produce more output. The side effect is the bulb's life is shortened, but that doesn't matter in aquarium since you only get a year of good light anyway.

What I want to do now is order 5 ballasts that are designed to run 4 - F32T8 48" bulbs, but you rewire the ballast to only drive 2 - F32T8 48" bulbs. The articles below says it makes a normal 32 watt produce 56 watts. I my senario with 5 ballasts driving 10 bulbs, it would produce about 560 watts.

Each Ballasts would be running 2 Overdriven 32 Watt (F32T which each produce 56 watts for a total of 112 watts per ballast. Multiply by 5 and get 560 watts total on a 150 gallon would 3.7 watts per gallon? And the best part is a case of 24 - F32T8 bulbs only costs around $55. That means for $55 bucks, I would have a 2.5 year supply with annual bulb changes!!!

As I said, I've researched quite a few option from CFL to regualar T8 32 Watt, HO, VHO, etc. This option is going to cost about $100 in parts and the ongoing expess is about $30 a year for bulbs. I just want to make sure no one out there has had a bad experience or a good reason I shouldn't go thru with the above method.

Thanks and have a great christmas!!!

Below are some links to info on ODNO:
Tech Thread: http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/pl...ting-odno.html

DIY Project: http://www.aquariumlife.net/projects...ighting/47.asp

Concept: http://www.plantedtank.net/articles/Overdriven-Normal-Output-ODNO/18/


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## cbwmn (Dec 18, 2007)

Patch

When you OD a fluorescent lamp with two power leads, it doesn’t double the light output.
I put 4 power leads into a 30 watt, 
36” fluorescent tube. I figure that I’m getting theequivalent of two 30 watt tubes. I read an article about a year ago on the subject, I’ll try to find it and give you the link.

Charles


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## intothenew (Aug 1, 2008)

Patchworks said:


> I just want to make sure no one out there has a good reason I shouldn't go thru with the above method.


Inefficiency and therefore heat.

One, all the splices, switches and contacts have an incredible loss with temperature gain(Matthiessen's Rule).

Two, the hood and reflectors are only designed with a given heat capacity(eg. heat sink) well below the operating temperatures you will experience.

Three, the bulb life will be a non-linear reduction.

Four, the power factor will be reduced.

You will lose in the long run. You're flying too close to the sun.


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## Winkyee (May 23, 2007)

I've been running 4x ODNO for a couple years now.
Temps did not increase significantly over 1x set up, I can't remember the numbers off the top of my head but I believe it was about 20F at the tubes measured with an infrared thermometer.
Overall, I think that the temps in an open ODNO fixture(even at 4x) would be far lower than in a closed normal output fixture mounted in ceiling with no airflow and diffuser installed.


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## Patchworks (Dec 20, 2008)

cbwmn said:


> Patch
> 
> When you OD a fluorescent lamp with two power leads, it doesn't double the light output.
> I put 4 power leads into a 30 watt,
> ...


Charles,

The article I read said that a 32 watt with 2 leads pushing it would product 56 Watts.

I'm having a problem with links now working so I didn't make this a clickable URL, but this URL has lots of good information about this method.

www.plantedtank.net/forums/planted-tank-faq/175-cheap-lighting-odno.html



Winkyee said:


> I've been running 4x ODNO for a couple years now.
> Temps did not increase significantly over 1x set up, I can't remember the numbers off the top of my head but I believe it was about 20F at the tubes measured with an infrared thermometer.
> Overall, I think that the temps in an open ODNO fixture(even at 4x) would be far lower than in a closed normal output fixture mounted in ceiling with no airflow and diffuser installed.


Winkyee,

Thanks for your input, this is exactly what I'm wanting to hear!! I think this is a technique that most people don't know about and so they won't comment. Hearing from someone who has done it for quite sometime gives me confirmation! What is wild about this whole thing is by my calculations, I'm gonna get about 560 Watts for under $100. That is crazy!!

glenn


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## Patchworks (Dec 20, 2008)

Ok, folks!!

Here is an update!! It appears that overdriving the bulb 2 times will only give it 50% more light. So a 32 watt will only burn at 48 instead of 56 watts.

The formula is as follows:

2xODNO (2 power leads per bulb) - ~50% increase 
3xODNO (3 power leads per bulb) - ~75% increase 
4xODNO (4 power leads per bulb) - ~100% increase 

g


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## Cory Keeper (Dec 11, 2008)

no your not. Your going to consume 560w (I think, I'm not too sure on your power calcs). 4x ODNO will not put out the same amount of light as 4 NO bulbs. If you can go 4x32w NO x 5 ballasts, well, that is a ton of light. Alot more than 560w of 4x ODNO. 

Watts does not equal light people, learn this, its important. Yes, typically higher wattages of the same TYPE of bulb will USUALLY produce more light, but again, watts does not mean light.


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## m-jackson (Dec 23, 2008)

Are you also assuming that in the shorted life span the spectrum remains constant? If the spectrum shifts earier you might be back in the boat rowing (replacing the bulbs). I had look into this and I finally decided to bite the bullet and just buy t5ho.(well the guys here help convince me on them over cpf(Thanks corykeeper and others). Basically you are just increaseing the current thru the bulb by using a different ballast. At one time I had located a website that stated max current but I do not remember it. I see if I can find it again.


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## Winkyee (May 23, 2007)

My hood houses 2 48" T8 tubes with nice reflectors . The reflectors increase the amount of light by a large margin..I change tubes once a year just to make sure they are putting out the best possible light.

When working with the connections , it's probably a good idea to use a small amount of dielectric grease in the marrets due to humid environment.


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## Patchworks (Dec 20, 2008)

Cory Keeper said:


> no your not. Your going to consume 560w (I think, I'm not too sure on your power calcs). 4x ODNO will not put out the same amount of light as 4 NO bulbs. If you can go 4x32w NO x 5 ballasts, well, that is a ton of light. Alot more than 560w of 4x ODNO.


Cory Keeper, maybe your misunderstanding the math!

5 Ballasts - each running 2 - 32 watt bulbs with 2x ODNO. Each bulbs will produce 48 watts!

Math = 5 * 2 * 48 = 480 watts over a 150 Gallon.

480 / 150 = 3.2 watts per gallon.

Now keep in mind, I don't have to have all those on. I plan to do a sunrise/sunset thru the day. Since I'm taking the time to do this, I would rather have slightly more lighting than I need in case I decided to do more difficult high-light plants like that tear drop carpet stuff (don't remember the name). 



m-jackson said:


> Are you also assuming that in the shorted life span the spectrum remains constant? If the spectrum shifts earier you might be back in the boat rowing (replacing the bulbs).


m-Jackson, based on my research from the link above which is pretty detailed, I will still get a year out of the bulb. What bulb doesn't need replaced after a year in aquariums? I'm sure the life is accelerated also, but again, if I can get a year, I don't care since I can order a case of 24 for $50 and that is a 2.5 years supply. I don't know of any other type of lighting other than Sun Light that is cheaper than that!!!



Winkyee said:


> My hood houses 2 48" T8 tubes with nice reflectors . The reflectors increase the amount of light by a large margin..I change tubes once a year just to make sure they are putting out the best possible light.
> 
> When working with the connections , it's probably a good idea to use a small amount of dielectric grease in the marrets due to humid environment.


Winkyee, what size tank do you have? The grease would probably a good idea in any situation. I'm planing on encasing the hood so the lights are not even accessible to the water. The hood will be on a hinge and raise and lower for maintenance. The lights and all will be inside the hood. I plan to have some sort of weather strip around the top of the hood.

glenn


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## Winkyee (May 23, 2007)

My fixture is on a 75 gallon tank.
You will get condensation in the hood unless you have some free airflow. Condensation will only be an issue when the lights are off.


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## Patchworks (Dec 20, 2008)

Winkyee said:


> My fixture is on a 75 gallon tank.
> You will get condensation in the hood unless you have some free airflow. Condensation will only be an issue when the lights are off.


Yes, I work on computers for a living and I plan to have 3 pretty high-end computer fans in there pulling air out the back. The back will be completely open.

g


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