How do you connect your lights to a ballast?

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I bought a 1000w switchable ballast and 1000w mh and hps bulbs. but there is no socket on the ballast?

Kricket said:

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I bought a 1000w switchable ballast and 1000w mh and hps bulbs. but there is no socket on the ballast?

Click to expand...

rly? i think you are missing something here. What about the reflector? like these http://www.google.com/search?q=light+reflectors&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a#q=1000w+light+reflectors&hl=en&client=firefox-a&hs=g1T&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&prmd=ivns&source=univ&tbm=shop&tbo=u&sa=X&ei=wc5gTu7sDoTu0gGy7rAV&ved=0CGEQrQQ&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.&fp=b21aeac2d6e9f9cb&biw=1440&bih=836

that has a cord to plug into ballast and a socket for the bulb
or
just buy the socket part with cord and hang bulb vertical.

pi[pictures would help

Okay, the ballast only came with the heavy white box and a cable to connect that to the wall. Nothing to connect my bulbs to the box. So I just have to buy a connector?

Picturesssss

Kricket said:

Okay, the ballast only came with the heavy white box and a cable to connect that to the wall. Nothing to connect my bulbs to the box. So I just have to buy a connector?

Click to expand...

Yes, pictures would help, but what Phillip said is correct, you'll need a reflector to hook into the ballast, which has the socket for your lights.

you don't need any stinking pictures, lol.. the same exact thing happened when i bought my hood used from the hydro store..well not so much as used, but rather an in store display model..
all you need is the socket set that they sell for like $20 or so.. give me a second and i'll find you a link for one.. i know mine was made by hydrofarm..

this is what you need, and i was right, $19.95 from htg supply.. http://www.htgsupply.com/Product-High-Yield-Lighting-Socket-Set-with-15-foot-cord.asp

you also may need one of these if your ballast and socket have different plug ends on them.. i know i also ran into this problem with my hydrofarm socket set and my ballast, they both had different pins in them, so i needed this converter plug thingy for another $10...

http://www.htgsupply.com/Product-Ballast-Receptacle-Adapter---Hydrofarm-to-HYL.asp

but you may get lucky and have your ballast and the chord set with the same plug ends on them..

So I don't need to buy a reflector if I used that cord, correct?

i would be a good idea unless you are trying a vertical grow