150w HPS Club and Resource Guide......

[HeadyPete]

Can't wait to smoke em all!

 

[papertime]

what to do?

what to do?

i just bought this 150w hps light from lowes

http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=productDetail&productId=42543-290-MFL150HPSRC&lpage=none

now my question is do i have to turn it into a remote ballast? can i just leave it how it is and just wire it to a male plug so it can be used in the house? all help appreciated

 

[sugabear_II]

papertime - yes you can just wire a cord and a male plug and run it in the existing housing, however there are many advantages to remoting it and it is pretty easy -- just follow the link in my signature.

-suga

 

[BonsaiGrower]

Exactly ^^^^^^ super easy

 

[papertime]

sugabear, if i left it the way it was just wiring it to a heavy duty male extension cord, is this gonna be a fire hazard?

 

[papertime]

i plan on having it hangin down from chains.

 

[rasta]

dude its totally worth doing it. i mean my buddy did mine cuz im not comfortable with wired....but i watched him and wow its fuckin easy....lol no joke. lol heres a befor and after pic. shitty not remote

remote and lovely

 

[papertime]

what is the huge advantage in a remote ballast? thx for quick reply

 

[BonsaiGrower]

This pic may be over posted but here ya go. This one was made from the exact same lamp as yours Papertime. Just follow sugabear's link and follow the instructions. And you can make any mods you want as you go. The reflector from inside your unit makes a good batwing for instance.




I think my DIY costs after the light was purchased was about 30 bucks maybe. Have fun man it's easy.

BG

 

[rasta]

first advantage is, heat when i was using it all as one thing it was like my room was a fuckin sauna. second, room one bulb takes up waaay less room than the thing together. 3rd, light control u can go get whatever kind of reflector u want and make it work way better than that housing. using as light as possible is very important with such small lights

 

[BonsaiGrower]

Temps Papertime. You can get the lamp closer for better penetration when the hot ballast is outside the grow space.

Peace

 

[papertime]

would the heat be to overpowering for a fan & vent to take care of?

 

[BonsaiGrower]

no but the same effort spent on a remote ballast is better IMHO

 

[papertime]

so this thing dosent have a switch to turn it on and off, does this mean as soon as a plug it in it will turn on?

 

[rasta]

yep

 

[papertime]

well shit i need to get a timer to turn it off and on then. sorry for all the noob questions and thx for all the help.

 

[papertime]

oh yea one last thing, anyone know if this light has a capacitator in it or not?

 

[sugabear_II]

yes you need a timer for when you flower you'll want the light on 12 off 12. I highly recommend the digital 14 program intermatic - the heavy duty mechanical intermatics have a tendency to loose time.

the light doesn't have a capacitor.

i have the same one and it's been running strong over 2 years now.



suga

 

[papertime]

is not having a capacitor gonna be a big deal? exactly what does it do? thx sug.

 

[sugabear_II]

not having a capacitor is not a big deal unless you plan on running more than 2 of them on the same circuit. The capacitor acts as a storage device for charge evening out the current drawn from the circuit. Without it the lamp will draw more current than it uses. The key here is that it just draws it - it doesn't use the extra energy.

-suga