Ballast switch queston

Basic Growing Info
1

I’m wondering if I screwed up here. I’m running a single 1000W bulb – actually, one MH for veg and one HPS for flower.

My ballast has a switch on the back. It was set on HPS because I was running an HPS bulb at that time.

Then I changed the bulb to MH, but didn’t switch the switch over to MH.

Does this go in my Permanent Record? Seriously, this was a bonehead move.

As near as I can tell, it doesn’t matter in this case, because the switch on an old magnetic ballast like mine simply triggers an ignition that HPS bulbs require. Or something like that?

Is this correct? Basically, am I hurting anything using an MH bulb when my ballast is set to HPS?

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I believe the wear is in the bulb. They have different amp draw and the ballast you have has basically two tunes on it to make that happen.

But I maybe completely wrong lol…

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As far as I can tell from my experience, it makes no difference to the ballast whether you use a 1000 watt MH bulb or a 1000 watt NDL bulb.

The ignition voltage should be the same for both bulbs. So don’t worry.

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Ballast? Switch? What is this, 2008?

Just kidding. The switch will engage the ignitor when set on HPS, it probably stresses the Halide lamp but I doubt the ballast gives a shit

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Thanks for this! :slight_smile:

In my land, yes. :slight_smile: Was 8 years late to the “Xbox/Halo” thing, too, and I still refuse on principal to buy MJ’s “Thriller” simply because everybody else did.

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I’m ride or die HPS, too. I just run the fancy bulbs and ballasts

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[quote=“kraken, post:6, topic:137416, full:true”]
I’m ride or die HPS, too. I just run the fancy bulbs and ballasts
[/quote]I’m ride or die HPS, too. I just run the fancy bulbs and ballasts

May I ask you a few questions? First off, is it normal that a MH bulb (again, 1000W in my case) runs a lot cooler than an HPS? With MH, it’s easy to keep the temps in the tent under control; with HPS, it pushes 90-95F. Also, PPFD: with MH, I actually had to close the distance quite a bit between the bulb and the plant tops to achieve the proper PPFD. When I switch to HPS, I will have to put the plants a lot further from the light if I’m going to make conditions right. Does this sound like I know at all what I am doing? :slight_smile: If so, good – but I somehow I doubt it. Tia.

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8

Sodium lamps produce quite a bit more light, watt for watt. They also run at a higher operating temperature.
Lumens aren’t really a relevant measure of light for horticulture, but just for the sake of comparison I think 1000w halides are in the 110-120,000 range whereas the Hortilux Super HPS was marked at 145,000.
No need to second guess what you’re seeing, you’re on the money

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I personally prefer the expressions plants throw off for HPS in flower opposed to our new LED tech. Flowers just seem more open and blown up under HPS. Now for veg, LEDs are just plain awesome.

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Funny you chose to cite this: this is the very bulb I’m switching to tomorrow! To prepare, I’ve plopped a window air conditioner on my garage floor next to the tent, built a manifold over the front 4x18 grill that pushes out the air, and attached it to 4 inch duct into the bottom of the tent. I use a 6 inch cool tube + HPS bulb up top, extracting pretty strongly (AC Infinity yada yada).

I am VERY much looking forward to this grow! This is my first time ever with HID, first time using a trellis net, first time trying this particular fert. . .Of course, I won’t have anything to compare to, being a noob. BUT I just get so excited for flower. It’s like watching a birth. :slight_smile:

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My understanding is, it’s the ignition system that’s different, once it’s up and running it uses the same current.

I remember reading mh burnt hotter?
Maybe it does, but relevant to it’s area ime hps puts off more heat watt for watt.

Hid still has a place in growing, especially in cooler climates.