ELECTRICAL:using the one to power the four. . .

[FRANKENBLUNT420]

i am really trying to wrap my head around why a 1K ballast cant be used to power 4 x 250watt lights.

i have always asked the question of others when i go to my local electrical supply shop and i always get an evasive answer. i figured i'd post the Q here since ill get a more honest/informed or just better overall answer i would hope.

specifically in the realm of METAL HALIDE, i am thinking that if there is a capacitor that would go before the bulb then why is it not possible, since the capacitor would control the flow of energy to the bulb?

the setup i am thinking about would be a 1k ballast connected to a power bar and run the cap's from there to their respective bulbs, or just splice them to each cap accordingly.

this i something i would like to try down the line once the math gets worked out, but if the GURUS can just chime in and tell me if its possible or am i blowing smoke up my own ass, i'd appreciate it either way. tear me down, build me up but just tell me why or why not and i'll be good.

i am eventually going ot try and get a spot to flower plants in that is about 15 x 6 x 10. power usage is somewhat of a concern so about 3k in total usage would be most efficient wattage to operate within. i figure 2k would go to lights since i want to utilize the length of the space and the other 1k for fans (circulatory, intake, output), aerating the res and other incedentals i may not have forseen.

i want to have 20x 1gl plants under each light apparatus (consisting of 1x250mh and 1x250hps; 4 rows of 5; open end reflectors), and plan to keep them short (4' tops) since i want a pretty quick turn around so keeping the plants short (kinda like how its done in jamaica) and thick is what im looking for. i was also looking at the stadium style grow plan as well and am still considering it, but for now, the above plan is where im at.

can the ballast(s) be wired as how ive suggested above? why and why not?

 

[knna]

Doable, with a very good electrical background.

Not advisable at all.

The first and main task of the ballast is to limit the current flow to the lamp: dischargue lamps dont have any that limits it apart of the ballast. As gases heat into the bulb's discharge arc, electrical resistance drops, allowing the pass of more current. If you dont limit it, finally the bulb fail or explode.

A 1000w ballast gives the current and voltage required for a 1000w lamp, wich in some cases may be similar enough to 4*250w bulb requeriments. But in many cases, not. Before trying to do it, you would ensure its possible to do it for the concrete bulbs you are going to use, by knowing accurately the output of the ballast and the running specs of the 250w bulbs.

But wiring in paralell 4 bulbs to a single ballast, still when the sum of the four matches the output of the ballast, dont give any guarantee of a even distribution: dpending of the bulbs, ones will draw more power than others, resulting on the four running out of specs, that lead to reduced bulb's efficacy and duration. And if one bulb fail, all may result damaged or lead to a catastrofic failure (strong risk of starting a fire). Solving this issue requires similar work than doing 4 ballasts yourself. If you dont feel able to do yourself 250w ballasts, then you shoudnt try to use a 1000w ballast with 4*250w bulbs.

So much things may work the wrong way that dont worth at all the risk involved: its not only firing the house, its you are going to be busted for it, and asked for civil responsability. Dont play with electricity if you arnt a master on that. And still being one, why assuming such risks for saving 150$? From a risk/benefit perspective, it dont make much sense.

 

[stoner.hr]

a good idea but i like the sound of it but i think the same as @knna

 

[yamaha_1fan]

I think knna hit the nail on the head with the risk versus reward comment.

I am sure somehow,someway a circuit could be built to address all the issues knna mentioned, but at what cost?

I would just buy seperate ballasts and find something else to tinker with

 

[FRANKENBLUNT420]

knna, stoner.hr, yamaha_1fan

thank you all for responding, it was really important to me that you did. i am seeing/realizing/understanding the reasons as to why it cant be done.

that was the main thing though. in my research of the idea, which consisted of mainly asking supposed pros, i just heard too many blatant "no you cant do that" without proper explanations as to why not.

thanks for the responses, and atleast the information is here for others to see and search out. thanks once again