Ballast size relative to lamps used ?

[malc01m]

I'm a bit worried about putting a smaller wattage lamp onto a larger ballast..

My two 600W ( MH + HPS) are making my grow room overheat, but I have a 250W and a 400W lamp...So, without the chore of changing the wiring and ballasts, can I just screw these two other lamps into the existing sockets with the 600W ballasts. The overpowered ballasts won't blow them up?

I have thought of using just 1 lamp, but I want to experiment with changing the lamps around to get the temperature and lighting coverage optimised with what I have...

Inversely, out of interest what is the result of using an underpowered ballast with a lamp?

 

[Wetdog]

Ballast wattage and lamp wattage must match.

A 400 or 250 in a 600 ballast=a good possibility of seeing your local FD in action.

Wet

 

[malc01m]

What a pain in the arse, thanks for the reply Wetdog...

Not like my sound-system where I run a 3000W amp to drive 1600W of speaker drivers....

 

[wiseguy316]

you can run a larger bulb in a smaller ballast, thats it not the other way around, the ballast is a power supply and can only power so much, so if u put a 1k bulb in a 600 watt ballast it would be running at 60% illumination. Doesn't work the other way around.

 

[malc01m]

Thank for the reply wiseguy316....

That might be a useful solution ,,, I can use the smaller ballasts as a kind of dimmer.. thus, hopefully, regulating my heat problem.

Can smaller different sized ballasts be used in parallel to give a total sum of output wattage to a lamp, Like, three 40w ballasts with the 250W ballast to give 370W output?

 

[wiseguy316]

That might be a useful solution ,,, I can use the smaller ballasts as a kind of dimmer.. thus, hopefully, regulating my heat problem.

Can smaller different sized ballasts be used in parallel to give a total sum of output wattage to a lamp, Like, three 40w ballasts with the 250W ballast to give 370W output?

that sounds like trouble, only because i wouldn't want to wire it up. you should be able to run them in series but, i wouldn't try it.

 

[thegrouch34]

Next time buy a ballast that dims. I have dual 600's that will dim all the way down to 300. Its nice for clones and seedlings.

 

[malc01m]

I'm quite a handyman..wiring doesn't worry me..and I will only tackle it when I'm sure of how everything works...

In series...it all seems the opposite of what I'd expect..Surely,.running in series would choke the powerflow, and overheat them?

Next time buy a ballast that dims. I have dual 600's that will dim all the way down to 300. Its nice for clones and seedlings.

I didn't know one could get dimming ballasts..Now I'm.interested to know how the dimmer circuit works? Maybe a bit of DIY trickery with the existing ballasts....I'm not rich at present..and that is an understatment.

Maybe I'll experiment with a domestic dimmer on the 40W flourescent strip light in the kitchen... the principle has to be the same with the flou light's ballast...then find a pair of dimmers rated to 600W...

 

[wiseguy316]

if ur up to it then , R1 + R2 + R3 = Rt , E = I x R, & P = I x R..have at it..(that's all you need to know)....lmao

 

[malc01m]

if ur up to it then , R1 + R2 + R3 = Rt , E = I x R, & P = I x R..have at it..(that's all you need to know)....lmao

I'm guessing what the letters mean.R = resistance, t = total...E = ?, I = impedance, P = watts (power)

But the formula still doesn't explain if the total is achieved in parallel or series...


Actually thinking about it the ballasts are simply wound inductor coils...I think.. I.m off to check..back in a bit..lol

If so, it is the same principle as inductor coils in crossover filters on a sound system...

 

[wiseguy316]

E is voltage measured in volts, also I = E/R, all i am saying is if you don't understand ohms law, it isn't a good idea to try this, buy a ballast for 150 bucks

 

[wiseguy316]

also there is a knucklehead electrician on this site, has a thread, called something like bored electrician to answer all your questions..bounce it off of him,, i would just buy the ballast

 

[wiseguy316]

I'm guessing what the letters mean.R = resistance, t = total...E = ?, I = impedance, P = watts (power)

But the formula still doesn't explain if the total is achieved in parallel or series...


Actually thinking about it the ballasts are simply wound inductor coils...I think.. I.m off to check..back in a bit..lol

If so, it is the same principle as inductor coils in crossover filters on a sound system...

same principles apply

 

[wiseguy316]

not saying u are a rock , cuz it doesn't sound like it, but if you have to ask , then buy the proper ballast

 

[malc01m]

Ohms Law is something I am familiar with (working and building soundsystems, and now I'm pretty sure ballasts are simply inductor coils)...thanks for the replies wiseguy316,, I think we are getting somewhere now... I'll have a good head-scratch and then I'll bounce it off "bored electrician"

 

[wiseguy316]

Ohms Law is something I am familiar with (working and building soundsystems, and now I'm pretty sure ballasts are simply inductor coils)...thanks for the replies wiseguy316,, I think we are getting somewhere now... I'll have a good head-scratch and then I'll bounce it off "bored electrician"

same principles apply, wire it up, take a volt meter to it and see what ya get. I will help ya any way I can. I just dont want some jerk off taking my advice to burn down his house. let me know how it works out

 

[wiseguy316]

did i just call u a jerk off????..lol..all in fun

 

[malc01m]

not saying u are a rock , cuz it doesn't sound like it, but if you have to ask , then buy the proper ballast

Money is a problem, I'm in debt at present..

.I just like to understand how things really work, and it gives me more options... The problem with overheating is a real one. I'm just trying to find a solution that doesn't upset my set-up too much..And I have chronic back and neck problems caused by arthritus, hence I grow for medicine pain relief.. So I don't like moving stuff around too much and I live on my own... Anyhow that's how it is . But I'm sure you don't want my life history...lol

Jerk off? I thought rock meant I'm literally like a rock..and rocks don't think...I'm English so american slang goes over my head.. We English think Americans don't think..So don't sweat it...lol

 

[wiseguy316]

i'm in ur corner bud give it hell!

 

[wiseguy316]

We don't think, we just borrow money from china and stick our nose in others business.

and "jerk off" would be slang for someone that has no business messing with electricity. not you of course.