Legalbud76
Active Member
Does this work or is it not safe?
600w ballast with 400w hps lamp
- Thread starter Legalbud76
- Start date
darkdestruction420
Well-Known Member
No, you need a 600w bulb.
Legalbud76
Active Member
Ok, thats what i thought.. thnx anyway!
phillipchristian
New Member
Unless it is a dimmable ballast. That will work if you set the ballast to 400w.
JamesBong007
Member
Kinda depends on the ballast. Running a 400w bulb in a 600w dimmable lumatek throws off the spectrum a bit and isn't as efficient. Can still do it though.
209 Cali closet grower
Well-Known Member
Is that just hear say?I keep reading that by other people, and net, but no real prof to back it up.
You can run a 400 bulb, but you shorten the bulbs life every time you turn it on, because the bulb will still strike at 600w, then dim down to what ever you setting is.
wELL THAT'S HOW MY BALLAST WORKS.
FUCK CAP OWNED^
Gastanker
Well-Known Member
It's much better to run the correct wattage bulb at the correct wattage.
The guy above got it backwards - You can dimm a 600w bulb to 400w and it works but the spectrum is changed due to the wattage not heating the larger element as it should which impacts how the element fluoresces. It is better to run a 400w bulb in a 600w lumatek dimmed to 400w than it is to use a 600w bulb - you'll get more lumen at the correct spectrum versus lower lumen at a compromised spectrum. Not to mention this is how Lumatek advertises their systems...
I didn't think the ignitor differed between 400w-600w ballasts... For instance this is a 70-400w ignitor http://www.alibaba.com/product-gs/490394658/ignitor_for_lamp_hps.html
I would assume dimmabale ballasts would use variable ignitors.
You can actually get 35w-1000w ignitors http://www.alibaba.com/product-gs/233419022/Ignitor.html
The guy above got it backwards - You can dimm a 600w bulb to 400w and it works but the spectrum is changed due to the wattage not heating the larger element as it should which impacts how the element fluoresces. It is better to run a 400w bulb in a 600w lumatek dimmed to 400w than it is to use a 600w bulb - you'll get more lumen at the correct spectrum versus lower lumen at a compromised spectrum. Not to mention this is how Lumatek advertises their systems...
I didn't think the ignitor differed between 400w-600w ballasts... For instance this is a 70-400w ignitor http://www.alibaba.com/product-gs/490394658/ignitor_for_lamp_hps.html
I would assume dimmabale ballasts would use variable ignitors.
You can actually get 35w-1000w ignitors http://www.alibaba.com/product-gs/233419022/Ignitor.html
209 Cali closet grower
Well-Known Member
mybad didn't read that right
phillipchristian
New Member
Instead of just jumping all over him why not try reading the post again. You offer no information or reasoning. You just YELL that he is wrong.
When I read the post I could easily see that he was saying you could get ignitors from 35w to 1000w on that website. Not that a 35w would ignite a 1000w.
You don't get point for being the first one to prove something or someone wrong on this site.
Clown Baby
Well-Known Member
depends on the ballast.
Lumatek says yes, run a lower wattage bulb in dimmed mode.
On hydrofarm phantoms, they boot up at full power, and then dim down. So just use a single bulb. You dont want to run 600w into a 400w lamp on startup
Lumatek says yes, run a lower wattage bulb in dimmed mode.
On hydrofarm phantoms, they boot up at full power, and then dim down. So just use a single bulb. You dont want to run 600w into a 400w lamp on startup
Harrekin
Well-Known Member
I have a 400w MH running on a 600w HPS ballast right now as I type this... but believe the people who say you cant if you want, they've obviously just never tried it 
Dimmable ballast, what a money making scam...my 400w MH draws 400w (ish), why bother buying a 600w bulb and dimming it when you can buy a regular magnetic 600w ballast for 1/4 of the price and just buy a smaller bulb?
Dimmable ballast, what a money making scam...my 400w MH draws 400w (ish), why bother buying a 600w bulb and dimming it when you can buy a regular magnetic 600w ballast for 1/4 of the price and just buy a smaller bulb?
legallyflying
Well-Known Member
^ ummm because magnetic ballasts are trash?
I don't know about an HPS bulb but you can definitely overdrive a 400 watt MH bulb with 600 watts. Been doing it for quite some time. I would never try it without a good air cooled hood though as the get hot as fuck!
I don't know about an HPS bulb but you can definitely overdrive a 400 watt MH bulb with 600 watts. Been doing it for quite some time. I would never try it without a good air cooled hood though as the get hot as fuck!
phillipchristian
New Member
I don't know if they are a scam. There are tons of applications for them. Especially if you veg and flower in the same room. Or if you have a long veg. When your plants are small you can dim it to 400w and then as they get bigger you can bump it up to 600w.I have a 400w MH running on a 600w HPS ballast right now as I type this... but believe the people who say you cant if you want, they've obviously just never tried it
Dimmable ballast, what a money making scam...my 400w MH draws 400w (ish), why bother buying a 600w bulb and dimming it when you can buy a regular magnetic 600w ballast for 1/4 of the price and just buy a smaller bulb?
209 Cali closet grower
Well-Known Member
I've been doing it with out a air cooled hood wth no problems yet in a grow cub.Going on a month now.
209 Cali closet grower
Well-Known Member
lol, you got me after I edited it.I read my post and said the same thing, so I edited.
lol. you and your comments too...
209 Cali closet grower
Well-Known Member
yup. end store/:
phillipchristian
New Member
How did I get you after you edited it? Your quote is still in my post for everyone to see.