muskieswen
02-27-2004, 9:03 AM
Here I am again with another lighting question. I just updated my reflector from a two lamp to a four lamp fixture. The hood and reflector came with two lamps although it could be converted to a three lamp. All I did was to add another two lamp ballast and two more sets of lamp holders. The problem is now the lamps are too hot to the touch and I am concerned about a fire hazard. It is set up with two t-8 ballasts and two t-8 32 watt 10,000 kelvin lamps and two t-12 (could not find the right color spectrum in t-8) 40 watt 18,000 kelvin powerglo lamps. Lamps are pretty close to one another as in almost touching. The hood sits directly on the glass so there is really no where for the heat that is generated to go anywhere. Did I bite off more than I could chew? Any ideas to lower the heat? The hood and reflector is one of those made by All Glass... the standard one made out of plastic with the fake wood sticker on the front. The good thing is that the plants loved the extra light and even my lower level plants are bleeding out oxygen bubbles. Any suggestions from anyone would be appreciated. Has anyone else tried this and came up with the same trouble, and if you have, what did you do to correct it? Thanks for everybody's patience.