1000watt digital ballast dimmable setting.

Discussion in 'Lighting' started by 000DankStank000, Mar 30, 2014.

  1. #1 000DankStank000, Mar 30, 2014
    How am I able to run a 400 watt bulb on a 1000watt ballast dimmed to 50%.?

    Everyone said it wouldn't work but it does. The build is a hortilux bulb.
     
  2. #2 todderfran, Mar 30, 2014
    It will work but it is not safe.  Eventually the bulb will probably burn out, or blow up possibly causing a fire.  Now a 1000 watt bulb in a 400 watt ballast is safe but not as bright as the 1000 could be.
     
  3. #3 Phil N. Bowls, Mar 30, 2014
    Last edited by a moderator: Mar 30, 2014
    My best advice is to not do it. A fire would be a catastrophe...
     
    Just to add, these bulbs are a fawking mess to clean up when they explode on your plants. Hazardous too. 
     
  4. #4 000DankStank000, Mar 30, 2014
    Has anyone have first hand experience with that happening?

    Hoping my cheap china ballast running at 50% is closer to 400watts then 500watts and having a top of the line bulb that's well built will hold up a bit better.

    I am buying a 1000watt bulb for flower and I'm tossing the used and abused 400watt in the garbage.

    Thanks of the info Blades
     
  5. #5 MyDogSmokesWeed, Mar 31, 2014
     
    I've had a bulb blow before. Not from using the wrong wattage or anything. I guess it just happened. I have a XXXL hood with an glass front so I didn't have any cleanup on my plants. Just had to open it up and clean it out from the light, then change out the bulb of course.
     
    Just for reference, I think almost all of the ballasts are made in China. Most of the brands of ballasts even have the same exact design and look. Wouldn't surprise me one bit if most of them are from the same factories with different shells. 
     
  6. #6 Cactus Ed, Mar 31, 2014
    Don't toss it, you can use it for a spare.
     
  7. #7 Honest American, Mar 31, 2014
     
    I thought it was the other way around, you could use a 400 watt in a 1000 watt ballast but you can't use a 1000 watt in a 400 watt ballast... anyone?
     
  8. #8 MyDogSmokesWeed, Mar 31, 2014
    Nope other way around. A ballast that produces 1000W can produce more output that the 400W bulb can handle and has the potential to blow. They all theoretically have the potential to blow, but it has much more potential. A 400W ballast produces 400W output and the bulb is capable of 1000W. Now the 1000W bulb won't light up as much as if it were in a 1000W ballast, but its still adequate to run 400W's on and will do it fine without raising the potential for the bulb exploding because it's well within it's range of power output. 
     

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