Anyone familiar with the workhorse ballasts?

[TonyMuffTana]

I have a workhorse 5 ballast that I'm using with 4 regular fluorescent tubes. I'd like to upgrade to compact fluorescents but there is a lack of information out there with which CF bulbs can be used with this ballast. I've tried contacting workhorse themselves but the person I spoke to wasn't sure either.

Does anyone know which 55w CF bulbs will work with this ballast, and where I can get them?

[Dabbler II]

You can put 2 55 watt CF lights on a work horse 5 balast.
Here is how you wire it
http://www.fulham.com/NewFiles/wire04.gif
The best place for you to get the sockets and lights is Brite-Lite (http://www.brite-lite.com/CdnShop/Publish/vindex.htm) and get the PLL55W at 6400k (around$15 cdn each and the sockets are $3.01 each

[GulfCstAquarian]

Get straight pin 55w PC bulbs, the square pin 55w bulbs (Panasonic style) require three of the four outputs (http://www.fulham.com/wh5dia12.html) from the WH5 ballast and won't be full brightness with just two outputs a piece. The straight pin 55w PC's should be fully driven with 2 outputs, though.

[TonyMuffTana]

This is where it gets confusing for me. The workhorse manual shows that 2-55 watt "osram sylvania" bulbs will work with workhorse 5 under the wiring diagram 11:

http://www.fulham.com/NewFiles/wire11.gif

that's not the same as the wiring diagram 4 shown by Dabbler, or will they work the same? The other thing, and this is the question no one seemed to know the answer for, are those PLL 55W bulbs from brite lite the same as the Osram bulbs specified for the workhorse ballast? Have any of you actually tested them out on this ballast?

[Dabbler II]

I have them installed on my tank right now,
2 workhorse 7 with 4 PLL 55w on each
1 workhorse 5 with 2 PLL 55w on it
Total 550 watts of CF light
http://www3.telus.net/public/dabbler/New%20Light%20Set%20up.jpg
And I used the # 4 diagram

[Dabbler II]

Either way will work for the wiring diagrams. I have tried both ways (because I had problems wireing them up the first time) and you get the same intensity,

[TonyMuffTana]

Nice tank! (very bright too). I'll place an order with them today, would you mind pointing out where those socket are found?

[TonyMuffTana]

I was also wondering how often you need to change those bulbs?

[Dabbler II]

When I place an order with them I always call them directly, I don't order over the net. I have only had them in for about 4-6 months (they are still very bright). I might change them out after a year I think.......we will have to see.:D

[GulfCstAquarian]

Originally posted by Dabbler II
I have them installed on my tank right now,
2 workhorse 7 with 4 PLL 55w on each
1 workhorse 5 with 2 PLL 55w on it


Do you notice a difference in intensity between the bulbs powered by WH5 or the WH7?

[Dabbler II]

No each work horse 7 is rated 220wats and I have 4 - 55watt bulbs on each one
the workhorse 5 is only rated for 110 watts so I have 2 55 watts on that one