Converting MH ballast into HPS?

Discussion in 'Lighting' started by gmtimbear, Oct 1, 2010.

  1. #1 gmtimbear, Oct 1, 2010
    Hello all, I have been growing for sometime now, but I have run into an issue. I ordered two 400 w HPS ballasts. The website ended up sending me a 400 w HPS and a 400 w MH. They are both Sunlight Supply company. Now the website is an auction site, and I have gotten in contact with them and asked if there is a way for me to exchange or something... No reply. I am assuming that means no haha :eek:

    Now my question for all of you is can I just buy an ignitor for the right wattage, hook-it-up and say that its good go?

    I have wired an HPS ballast myself in the past and I know that the only real difference between an HPS and MH is the ignitor, but I am wondering if someone has attempted this before, or has more knowledge than I on the electrical subject (even though I am a genius at it :rolleyes: )... not really I followed a guide and have very basic knowledge about wiring.

    P.S. I don't really want to get into the conversion bulb thing either even though they are out there, they are fairly expensive and I have heard not so great things about the light quality. Help please :)
     
  2. #2 toastybiz, Oct 1, 2010
    You are right that the difference between a MH and HPS ballast is the igniter, but how to wire one into a MH ballast I really don't know. There are some electricians and such around here, hopefully one will chime in.
     
  3. #3 XxNosferatu, Oct 1, 2010
    "Is it possible-- yes. Is it a good idea--probably not."
    ^--That's the answer i got overall after reading like 4 different websites lol.
    I was gonna try it... until i found out one guy had the bulb blow up >.<
     
  4. #4 justmeagain, Oct 1, 2010
    Last edited by a moderator: Oct 1, 2010

    You already have the schmatics to do the conversion at hand.

    Open the case of the HPS and you will see how the wireing should be.

    All you have to do is basically buy the ignitor and rewire it

    If your worried about a warrenty, the company that sent you the two is not replying now so what good is a warrenty that cant be honored

    I also know that you can take the HPS and add a switch and turn it into a MH/HPS switchable

    It has been quite a few years since I had a ballast open so I dont remember how the wireing was done
     
  5. #5 gmtimbear, Oct 1, 2010
    Thanks for the input guys, i actually took a look inside of both the MH and HPS as soon as i posted this. it doesnt look very hard to do, i can basically copy the HPS set up into the MH, and maybe add a switch so that i can have a switchable ballast. The real concern of mine is not exactly whether or not i can wire it, i know i can figure that out, my dad is an electrician and grows as well and he will help me with the wiring. He is old school though and doesnt know much about HIDs and to be honest i dont know as much as i should :rolleyes: and the real concern is some story like the one referenced here about a bulb blowing up. The last thing i need is a bulb to blow up in the closet of a 200 year old house with sodium under high pressure in it. that equals an instant recipe for a bond fire for the whole neighborhood as well as a lot of explaining to do haha.

    Well i guess unless someone comes in and says something crazy about blowing up lighting devices first hand, not that i dont trust the previous post, then i might just go ahead and give the wiring a go, if it doesnt work eh i guess im shit out of luck. hopefully the website just gets back to me a little tardy and says oh yea our mistake heres your shit.. :) ... and keep the MH we sent you by accident too. haha
     
  6. #6 XxNosferatu, Oct 1, 2010
    If it works, make a tut with pics as you go :)
     
  7. #7 JollyStoner, Oct 1, 2010
  8. #8 justmeagain, Oct 1, 2010
    $200 for the bulb that does not put out as much lums as the reg hps would
     
  9. #9 JollyStoner, Oct 1, 2010
    Actually its about $100 not $200.. You are right about the lumens though, 10k difference at 360 watts. Maybe the 400 watt ballast can bump up the lumens just a bit? Lumatek's have a "Super Lumens" switch that basically bumps up the wattage slightly to give the bulb a slight boost.
     
  10. #10 justmeagain, Oct 1, 2010
    If your dad is old school electrician he should have no problems opening the 1st ballast and converting the 2nd one.

    There is no computer programming in this rewire.

    MH = The ballast sends a charge to the capacitor which sends a charge to the bulb

    HPS = The ballast sends a charge to the ignitor which sends a charge to a capacitor and the bulb

    Adding a switch to make the ballast MH/HPS is like putting a 3 way switch in a house light.

    Flipped one way causes the charge from the ballast to by pass the ignitor and make the ballast MH

    Flipped the other way causes the ballast to send the charge to the ignitor first and make the ballast HPS

    Adding the switch can be tricky but only adding the ignitor is really simple
     
  11. #11 justmeagain, Oct 1, 2010
    My Bad, :( My price was for 1000 watt bulb not the 400 watt :)
     

Share This Page