Let there be LIGHT! OH YEAH!!

[passthesalt]

Finally, after months of asking, nagging, demanding and finally threatening got hubby to construct my hood and install my PCs. Got them up and running this morning. Now he's got something else to whine about. "They're too damn bright! They hurt my eyes! Those SOB's are gonna catch the house on fire!" Guess you can tell he hates the whole reef idea???
Now to reassure him I have a question. Do you folks that have built your own hood/canopy put any type of insulation between the bulbs and the wood that the reflector and bulbs are attached to? Hubby is really concerned that the house will burn and I need to get him to shut up before I do something he'll really regret!!

 

[SPC]

Pass, I use VHO and the bulbs hang in acrylic holders that are off the hood about 1.5". I use nothing in between this and the wood and the wood only gets warm. BTW, I have 880 watts.
Steve

 

[fishfarmer]

I have my reflector 1/2" off the top of the hood, using wood as spacers. 175 watt MH and 56 watts of PC. This is cooled with a 4" fan. The top of my hood doesn't get warm.

The hood I'm building for my 55 will have an inch space between the reflector and lighting. I will be using the same lighting.

 

[auto_loader]

I like fishfarmer, with my MH's also have my reflectors mounted about 1/4 inches from the top of my hood using stainless steel washers as spacers. Without the spacers and reflecors the top gets very hot. With them in place it is hardly even warm.

I think adding a reflecor mounted so it is not touching the top of the hood will solve your problem.

 

[Tybond]

I use 8x55w on my 55 so I promise if you put a simple 3/4" spacer between your reflector and the top of your hood you will be fine.
If you placed your reflector directly on the top, Yes it will get hot.
I simply added the spacers under where the PC clips mount and used 1-1/2" wood screws to mount the reflector.

It will solve your prob. Promise!

Also, you might want to think about a fan in that hood.
Not for fire but water temp. Even with a 4" fan running in my hood, the far end of the hood still measures around 97 deg. at mid day and the room temp is 68.

Later
ty

 

[passthesalt]

Thanks guys for the help! Hubby is feeling a bit better about the situation. We don't have the actual top of the hood on yet. We're waiting to see if anything starts to smoke...LOL Before I get him to actually put the top on I'll have to go to Home Depot and get a fan.

I can't tell you how much different/better the tank looks with the new lights!! I only have some hairy mushrooms and moon polyps, a couple of condys with their maroon clown in there now but just a few minutes after turning the lights on everything opened WAY UP WIDE!! I kept thinking the whole time that I was "patiently" waiting for the hood to be finished (since last summer actually) that it was a good opportunity to let the tank age and mature which wasn't a BAD thing, just frustrating!! So now we should be good to go and start adding a few corals.

 

[KanUCme]

I have a 4X96w PC retro. I screwed the reflector directly to the piece of wood. The Reflector works as a huge heat sink. The wood is a natural insulator. Even though the lights are hot/warm it would take a lot of "heat" to cause it to catch fire. I mean, how much lighter fluid do you need camping to light the damn fire. You can let the heat from the sun light your fire can you? Lol!

 

[rotorh60]

I have 640 watts of VHO, and 1200 watts Metal Halid in my top. I have 3 Radio Shack Fans for cooling. Top does not get hot, so if anyones canopy should catch fire, it would be mine first

 

[mariner]

It won't start on fire. Don't even worry!