Ok, so me and my bud have finally decided to get a 250 watt HPS. Thanks for yalls help on that one. Ive been searching and i can't find any 250 watt HPS's that are switchable to MH. Is that not available on only a 250 watter? What exactly is needed to switch between the bulbs? Is it just the bulb or is there something in the ballast as well? And finally, Ive read a lot of posts advising against used or refurbished light ballasts. However we are on a budget so lower prices are very appealing. Are the refurbished lights really that bad?
Yes, switchables come in 250w, I own one. Try hgtsupply-dot-com, they have one for about $165. What makes a light switchable is that is has a dual ballast. MH and HPS require different ballasts. The other possibility is a conversion bulb.
so if i get just a regular hps light i can later get a conversion bulb for MH and it will work in my HPS only light?
Yes, you can put a MH conversion bulb into a socket that is run off a HPS ballast, provided: - the conversion bulb matches the wattage of the light fixture (not higher or lower) - you only do this with a conversion MH bulb, not a "regular" MH bulb