pyro2006
New Member
hi every one i just found a 250w hps in my house and i mounted it in the ballast of the 400w mh and worked so i wanted to know will it work for a long time or it will get burned its working untill now.
Electricity
- Thread starter pyro2006
- Start date
Let me get it strait.
You are running a 250 watt on a 400 watt ballast? If so...........>
NO. Take it out right away. The lamp could explode at any time. You MUST match lamp watts to Ballast output watts. There is a huge potential for a fire. ESCPECIALLY if you are in an older home and the panel is old and the breakers are not functionaing correctly. In other words.....STUCK in on position !! If the breaker doesn't trip when it should, that light will surley start a fire. Its not worth the risk.
The filliments, starters and misc crapola inside that bulb is not designed to handle that kind of watts. Its not the same as a regular household light bulb.
I am an Electrical Conrratctor and have been an electricain for 25 years.
Trust me on this.
I am going to PM you just to make sure you get this info.
You are running a 250 watt on a 400 watt ballast? If so...........>
NO. Take it out right away. The lamp could explode at any time. You MUST match lamp watts to Ballast output watts. There is a huge potential for a fire. ESCPECIALLY if you are in an older home and the panel is old and the breakers are not functionaing correctly. In other words.....STUCK in on position !! If the breaker doesn't trip when it should, that light will surley start a fire. Its not worth the risk.
The filliments, starters and misc crapola inside that bulb is not designed to handle that kind of watts. Its not the same as a regular household light bulb.
I am an Electrical Conrratctor and have been an electricain for 25 years.
Trust me on this.
I am going to PM you just to make sure you get this info.
bigfanofpj
New Member
Abort Abort!!!
Racefan
Well-Known Member
Let me get it strait.
You are running a 250 watt on a 400 watt ballast? If so...........>
NO. Take it out right away. The lamp could explode at any time. You MUST match lamp watts to Ballast output watts. There is a huge potential for a fire. ESCPECIALLY if you are in an older home and the panel is old and the breakers are not functionaing correctly. In other words.....STUCK in on position !! If the breaker doesn't trip when it should, that light will surley start a fire. Its not worth the risk.
The filliments, starters and misc crapola inside that bulb is not designed to handle that kind of watts. Its not the same as a regular household light bulb.
I am an Electrical Conrratctor and have been an electricain for 25 years.
Trust me on this.
I am going to PM you just to make sure you get this info.
This is a big debate on several grow sites and has been for years. I've heard from so called electricians that a 250 bulb can only pull 250watts so it won't hurt a bigger ballast but that a 400 bulb in a 250 ballast will hurt things. Then you get posts like those above screaming for people to hurry and pull it out. I myself have no idea wich way is safe or unsafe and would be a idiot if I tried to tell you what to do. I say ask a expert rather than us stoners.lol
If it were me I would find out the truth BEFORE I experimented though just to be safe.
Stix
New Member
I'd have to agree with Pirate on this one.
I've always been told that you should NEVER mix bulb wattage and ballast wattage ratings. Took me a little while to actually find it on the net but here it is.
Can I interchange bulbs between systems?
No. You should never interchange bulbs between systems unless they are specifically made to do so. Lots of people ask if they can use a 250 watt bulb in a 400 watt system and the answer is definitely not. You could put yourself at risk by doing something like this because the bulb could become unstable and explode. You should also never put Halide bulbs in a High Pressure Sodium system because the ballast's are only meant to run the type of bulb they are rated for and a Halide bulb in a Sodium system could overheat and explode also. There are conversion bulbs manufactured that are High Pressure Sodium bulbs that are meant to run off of a Halide ballast. But once again only put the bulb in a system it is rated for.
info found HERE
I've always been told that you should NEVER mix bulb wattage and ballast wattage ratings. Took me a little while to actually find it on the net but here it is.
Can I interchange bulbs between systems?
No. You should never interchange bulbs between systems unless they are specifically made to do so. Lots of people ask if they can use a 250 watt bulb in a 400 watt system and the answer is definitely not. You could put yourself at risk by doing something like this because the bulb could become unstable and explode. You should also never put Halide bulbs in a High Pressure Sodium system because the ballast's are only meant to run the type of bulb they are rated for and a Halide bulb in a Sodium system could overheat and explode also. There are conversion bulbs manufactured that are High Pressure Sodium bulbs that are meant to run off of a Halide ballast. But once again only put the bulb in a system it is rated for.
info found HERE
Torco
Well-Known Member
I agree with Pirate and stix it’s not worth taking the risk of a fire or getting yourself hurt. Only use the correct bulbs with the correct ballast.
Lilstinky420
New Member
Jebus Christ! Abort! I'd easily rather do jail time than be responsible for burning down my house and possibly others.
- Thread starter
- #9
pyro2006
New Member
untill now its workin great with no problems wish it continues like that
