HPS with built in ballast vs HPS without

I definitely want to upgrade my t5 set up..I've been looking at HPS light 250 watt and 400 watt lights. Is there a difference between the two in terms of performance?

The difference is 150 watts.
(sorry. had to.)

The ballast generates heat. A remote ballast (not built into HID) placed outside your grow area will help keep temps down.

mrwood said:

The difference is 150 watts.
(sorry. had to.)

The ballast generates heat. A remote ballast (not built into HID) placed outside your grow area will help keep temps down.

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hahahahaha good one. But that makes great sense. I thought it was the bulb that generated the most heat..so it's actually the ballast that does? Or both?

Both of them make heat

Hoods are awkward enough to handle without a ballast hanging on there too.

I have a 400 sun system 2 has built in ballast. Light works great, doesn't put out tons of heat from ballast....warm to the touch. It does make the fixture heavier, not as easy to adjust and tie up but not really an issue either just have to adjust for it. My hood is not the best for dispersing light either. When I upgrade I will get a light with a separate ballast....

Unless you are interested in using a Ceramic Metal Halide bulb, I would recommend a remote digital ballast, of the dimmable variety.

You can get a ballast that runs at 250W/400W, 400W/600W, or 600W/1000W, and just use the proper wattage HPS bulb for the setting on the ballast.
I prefer the brands of digital ballast that don't use a fan inside (Galaxy, Phantom, Lumatek), but brands with a fan aren't bad, just louder (Quantum, NexGen).

the 400w w.the ballast are hard to work with but they get the job done. im using 2, they create alot of heat but they were a great deal!
having the ballast outside the room is the best way.

I have the 400W Sun System 2 like rwbrock, and agree with what he said. The center of gravity is over to the ballast side, which makes it more awkward to handle. Best to put it in place and leave it there. Works fine, though. They do have one now with a digital ballast, which is only like half the weight. I like that mine is switchable between MH an HPS.

The main advantage of one of these is it's compact, which is why I got it. Since I reconfigured my tent since then, I would now have room for an external ballast, and I wish I had gone that route.

i have 2 600w's with remote ballasts and someone gave me a 400w.....don't use the 400....it's very unbalanced and heavy

I hate fixtures with built in ballasts. They are heavy, awkward, hot and hard to center over your plants because the bulb actually is not in the middle of the fixture because the ballast takes up half of the fixture itself.

i have a 250watter MH with the ballast built in i used it once that was it. Like everyone else said there not only awkward and heavy I also had to keep it higher from the plants then usual do to the added heat or the plants would start drooping. So i went back to vegging with my CFLs work like a charm.

I can get my 600watt HPS almost as close as I could a 250 watt hmmm.

i have 2 600w, they are with air cooled hoods which is hooked up to a vortex fan in my attic...very cool, with the ballasts out of the room and air coming in from under the house...my hoods can be a foot away from the canopy....all I can ask for...

I've decided I'm going to stay away from the built in ballasts. I found a 600 watter with a remote ballast that I've got my eye on for maybe 10 bucks more. It comes with one of those batwing reflectors tho..are those things any good?

215roller said:

I've decided I'm going to stay away from the built in ballasts. I found a 600 watter with a remote ballast that I've got my eye on for maybe 10 bucks more. It comes with one of those batwing reflectors tho..are those things any good?

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oh yeah, they're fine....you can't get em as close as a air cooled hood but still give plenty of good light

james2500 said:

oh yeah, they're fine....you can't get em as close as a air cooled hood but still give plenty of good light

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Ive got some seeds I just started..hopefully but the time it is time to flower my grow room will be constructed and I will be able to get that 600 watt HPS. I was a little worried about the electric bill so i was looking to go the LED route but after seeing what the bill is on 20/4 with the t5 I don't see why 12/12 wouldn't be manageable