Icacap 660 to Advance Ballast

[Lo0seR]

This is more of a DIY as well as a review. My Icecap 660 went south on me today and since this is the 2nd one in 5 yrs. I thought I would try another ballast, but first had to find one locally on a Sunday. Icecap 660 spec. was 4.4 amps @ 120v 60Hz so thats what I had to work with. First stop was Lowes in Mission Valley "Bingo" sure enough they had something to work with.
It was an Advance Electronic ballast HO model REL2S110 1.74 amp @120v 60Hz, OK so I need 2 of them to run 4 bulbs instead of 1 Icecap 660 which will run all 4 at once, but the specs are good and at $45 each it's still cheaper and will work so I bought them.
Well pulled out my light setup and removed the 660 and installed the Advanced ballast, took 2hrs total. Here are my pics. of the setup, after completing the whole thing I feel it burns the bulbs BRIGHTER!! Things look good and bought all of it locally on a Sunday.
Forgot..... The bulbs are UV Super Actinic 36" @ 95 watts so had to use, volts x amps = watts which was 208.8 so was good to go.

[GoTakuF1]

Nice write up, thanks! I'm surprised to hear they burn the UVL SA brighter than a 660. I'm using an ARO and it seems to drive it brighter than the 660 as well. I believe these Advance ballasts are the same ones in Tek T5HO fixtures. They're nice at $45 a pop!

[iwantone]

icecap electronic ballasts have never died on me. CHANGE THE FUSE!!! I have had the same icecap ballast for over 10 years!!

[Lo0seR]

Actually only had 1, sent it back and they fixed it for free, so I'll stick with I've had 2 of them. And of course I checked the fuse, kinda the first thing a person would try seeing it at the end of the ballast when it says fuse. To be honest I felt this ballast always ran real hot compared to the other ballast I have put together at work in the past. I feel that may have had been part of the problem with it's shorter life span.

[Moon Doggy]

Any more pictures of the wiring I bought a tek 5 and I wired it but worried that I may have wired it wrong. Ps my company pulled a bunch of metal halides for the parking lot and put in 55 watt t-5 with that ballast. I believe it is a very good ballast.

[Lo0seR]

Here you go...

[SDFISHMAN]

Hey curtis. Are these guys still working good? I might try this..

[Lo0seR]

Ya still going strong.....in fact they just turned on, timer thing hehehe.

[SDFISHMAN]

How much per ballast?

[Lo0seR]

At the time $45, Lowes had them.

[Moon Doggy]

Thanks for the wire diagram now my T-5 work great. Thanks again.

[sandiegan]

Was the voltage, current and frequency the only thing you need to take into account when finding a replacement ballast?

[sandiegan]

Looser ya there?

[DaveMorris]

Two observations here...

The Advance ballast is a tar ballast and not electronic. That is one reason that it is cheaper.

Icecap and most of the other companies that sell ballasts to the aquarium trade most likely don't make them in house. I am sure that they buy them from a company like Advance and slap their own label on it.

The only real trick to doing this, not only with flourescents, but with halides as well, is matching the proper type, wattage, and wiring setup. I am actually surprised that people don't do this more often.

[Lo0seR]

The Advance ballast is a tar ballast and not electronic?

Why then does it say electronic ballast? Anywho...sandiegan it will tell you on the ballast itself. I could look for it later but it's kinda a workout to get to the ballast, so I'll try to get to it this weekend.