Okay, I just scored a 400 watt HPS with a digital ballast and batwing reflector. I've been using the sun or cfls for years, but I'm definitely a noob when it comes to HID lighting. Gimme a hand and I'll give you some rep. First off, the ballast is from Green Lighting Works and says it can run MH or HPS, but I'm not seeing a switch. Is that true? Is it true that my standard HPS bulb is going to experience a shorter life? Should I only run the Sunpulse? The dude said I have a one year guarantee on the bulb, so that further adds to my confusion. And finally, what is the ideal spacing for 3 gallon pots with the batwing? I was thinking four plants in a square with one extra on the side looked good. Anyone?
not too sure with the digital ballasts, but IMO, a switchable ballast may overdrive a metal halide light (since it takes more power to light a HPS)causing it to prematurely burn out. as for the orientation of your plants in relation to the hood, just go with whatever seems to light them up the best. happy growing, and welcome to samsons thread. also visit the lounge if ya want, lots of helpful peeps in there.
a 400 will give you about 3x3 give or take. the number of plants and spacing depends on a lot of things. i run 400 for flower as well and i never put more than 4 inside. sometimes with bushier plants and may only be able to fit 2 comfortably. the guarantee on your bulbs is because they are expensive as shit for a light bulb and you dont wanna go pay 40 bucks for a new bulb and have blow after a week. hence the guarantee i dont hve any experience with your brand of ballast so i cannot say how it works or should work. srry cant help ya there
Word. My current bulb is a $20 part, but somehow I thought that a specialized bulb was called for with a digital ballast. Said bulb costing 3x the price. I was also under the impression that all of the ballasts that could run either MH or HPS had a switch on them. Hopefully someone with experience on this specific model will see this and chime in. Thanks for the advice gentlemen.
Magnetic ballasts have switches and digitals don't. You may have a premature failure on the bulb because they are not designed for digital ballasts. They were designed for magnetics. SunPulse bulbs are designed for digital ballasts and they say will last longer and so on and so forth. If your bulb doesn't go out on you by the end of the year you should be replacing it anyway because of HID's horrible degradation values. Should replace them about every 3 full grow cycles. So about 9 months. If the bulb fails and you obviously didn't drop it by then just get another one for free with the warranty. Otherwise you should be getting a new one anways. Who knows, might save you on bulb costs.
I use a digital 400 w mh/hps ballast myself .I originaly used the general use HPS from Eye Hortilux until I researched into what I realy needed.I uses T5s to veg ,so My HID is only for flowering so I picked up a Sun Pulse 3k 400 w bulb about a month ago and its stomping the hps s ass. Its a little hotter so I has to step up air flow a little .That and it cost $165.00 was the only thing bad about it.
I have a switchable digital ballast as well. There is no switch. I use specialty digital bulbs and switch from mh to hps when I'm ready and restart the ballast by unplugging it.