HPS light question

Hey all about to buy an HPS light for my third grow. I know Lowes and Home Depot both have HPS up to 400W but there wasnt any with a ballast and the highest security ballast i could find was 75w.

Is there materials to make a ballast at lowes/home depot? I dont really want to pay a headshop (no hydro shops around me) $170 for a hps :/

anyway u can buy online,ebay has some pretty cheap ones that run pretty good!!!bought my 400 watter for 120 total with everythign

gobears4eva said:

anyway u can buy online,ebay has some pretty cheap ones that run pretty good!!!bought my 400 watter for 120 total with everythign

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Yeah i was about to say that or go with htg supply for 140 with shipping included

yea thats where i bought my first hps the 150 watter i used to have lol.shit worked good and was cheap,the shipping is what was a bitch though

agreed with goberas4eva .. I found a guy on ebay who was selling a ballast and when I got to his house some 200 miles away I found he had an aladin's cave of grow equipment and it was all dirt cheap .. I spend over a couple grand in 3 visits filling then van with gear lol .. He had more kit than anyone would ever want, even if someone was deciding to grow 6000 plants in a warehouse, he had everything .. and he was never short of new stock .. never know what or who you can come across via ebay

Thanks i will check out HTG

Do you guys know if the bulbs at lowes/home depot are different from what i would find on ebay or htg?
Also whats the difference between magnetic ballast and digital?

BlazedMonkey said:

Thanks i will check out HTG

Do you guys know if the bulbs at lowes/home depot are different from what i would find on ebay or htg?
Also whats the difference between magnetic ballast and digital?

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digital is an electronic ballast said you can save money using it magnetic is a remote ballast..I use a 400 from them magnetic works good for me

i hear digital is just a gimmick to get people to pay silly money .. like a PC with linux and a MAC .. both do the same frikin job but one's 10 times the price

Sounds good if its cheaper and works well then i will stick with remote. Thanks for advice guys.
Whats the difference like from 150w-250w-400w???

yea i got a magnetic ballast,and it works pretty damn good,my othe rone was magnetic too.They r usually cheaper and run jsut as good.Good luck,let us know hwat u decide on buying and shit!

My understanding is it is not really worth to cheap out on a ballast, do you want to come home to both your garden and your house burnt down? Not saying to go out and buy the best their is but don't buy the cheapest. Think of it this way how long do you expects a cheap ass car like a Chevy Aveo to last? Versus something like a Toyota Pickup/4Runner? One hand you have a car that is about as reliable as a Wet Paper Bag, and the Other had well...next to indestructible.

Again don't go out and buy the BMW or the Mercedes Benz when you cannot afford them, but buy something that fits your budget and has a good reputation to stand behind it.

Spike what exactly do you mean? Do you mean that i need to get a digital or will a remote work? Or were you referring to rigging up a DIY ballast?