I've seen a site out there that said that it's far cheaper to put together your own HPS system. Is it complicated to piece all the pieces together (any soldering involved?)? I'm thinking of putting together a 600W rig. How much do sodium systems drive up your power bill?
I just wrote a post on this a couple days ago and was given the honor of sticky. Pumped! Anyway, refer to here to calculate power usage. As far as building your own, I have no idea where to begin on that one.... http://forum.grasscity.com/general-indoor-growing/349438-electricity-usage-wiring-saftey-you.html
They sell kits that have all the parts needed for making a HPS ballast. Just tie the wires like they say in the instructions. However, don't expect to find the parts in your local hardware store. You better buy the kit online on ebay or something