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Help me Pick a 400Watt hps

G

Guest

*****************EDIT**********************
*******I decided to go with CMH instead***********
******************************************



Ok so ive gotten alot of help from my other post(does HTG sell to CANADA) I was shown this website (http://www.canadianwholesalehydropo...ils=1&catpage=3)

Now i just need help getting the RIGHT system. I dont want pay $200 for a crappy system, so heres what im willing to spend... a wooopppping $650. I plan on using the HPS ballast to run the MH conversion bulb.

I need everything u need to run a light.

HPS Ballast
MH Conversion Bulb
HPS Bulb
Reflector
(thats everything i will need, correct?)

Thanks
Nick
 
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G

Guest

la resistance said:
http://htgsupply.com/growlightsubcategories.asp?categoryID=1

everything you need is right there...
Click to expand...


they dont sell to Canada.... those BASTARDS "EH"

BTW FunkBOMB, where do i find the air cooled reflector? This siter u gave me seems to bee good, and since u said i need the digi ballast, u just saved me alot of hassel! :)

Ill be going with
Lumatech Digital Ballast - 120v (+$40)
and if i get the replacement bulb as the
430 HPS Hortilux Bulb (+$50)(will this run in the same ballast? i assume so cause there being sold togather... right?)
and it doesnt allo me to change wether or not i want a different reflector

Thanks again

*******EDIT********
OK i found the air cooled reflector... what should i get? The 6" or 8"?
 
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Merman

Merman

Active member
The HTG products are great...

I highly recommend a 400W digital switchable ballast. You can use both standard HPS and MH bulbs (no conversion). They are going for about US$225.00. Efficient, quiet, reliable..... and, U.L. rated. The U.L. (Underwriters Laboratory) rating is the only way to go... piece of mind that your ballast is electronically sound and won't start a fire if connected to a properly wired and amp loaded GFCI circuit. There are a lot of crappy ballasts out there.

In addition, since you have so much $$$ to spend, make sure to get a quality reflector that fits your space (square, rectangular, etc). Air-cooled hoods or tubes are the way to go if your space is small and enclosed.

Pico did all your work for you in this thread comparing refectors:

Pico's air cooled reflector test
 
G

Guest

Thanks Merman. Where can i find 400W digital switchable ballast? in the HPS section? Or in that dual spectrum section?
 
raygun

raygun

Active member
Nick have you pondered the CMH bulb? You can get a 400 watt bulb for around $55 and a build it yourself ballest for about $55.
http://www.businesslights.com/400w-venture-quad-tap-hps-cwa-ballast-kit-p-33.html
http://advancedtechlighting.com/cdmed18.htm

and Here is the CMH thread with lots of good info.

http://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=72215&page=67&pp=15

You don't need to switch bulbs and the only other thing you would need is a reflector.
It also get rid of that orange HPS glow and so if you needed to work on your grow it does not look like Marcellus Wallace's soul shooting out and more like a bright white light.

I would recomend this set up to anyone looking for a new set up.

 
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Merman

Merman

Active member
That CMH stuff looks awesome.... only drawback from my point of view is using the magnetic vs. digital ballast (looks like you can't use digi ballast with the CMH bulb).

Nick - I got my 400W digi switch and reflector at HTG.... I would pick a different reflector if given another opportunity.
 
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raygun

raygun

Active member
Merman said:
That CMH stuff looks awesome.... only drawback from my point of view is using the magnetic vs. digital ballast (looks like you can't use digi ballast with the CMH bulb).

Nick - I got my 400W digi switch and reflector at HTG.... I would pick a different reflector if given another opportunity.
Click to expand...

Very true you can NOT use the DIGI( :bashhead: ) with these bulbs but I have both a digi and mag ballest and If I had to pick one over the other it would be that combo I posted above. The only benifit I have seen with the digi is a cooler running temp at the ballest. Being able to run HPS or MH on them is not that important to my application. If you go with the CMH they run cooler as a bulb and so you can keep your light closer to the plants so that off sets the slight additional heat put out by the mag ballest. The lesser eletrical usage on the digi has been proven to not be all that much of a differance and I did not notice a thing when I switched from my mag to digi.

I think the benifits greatly outweigh the only benifit to running digi in that its switchable. And if you run CMH bulbs they are cheeper to buy and are like a MH and HPS had a baby and you get some of both in these bulbs.

Safe growing :wave:
 
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FreezerBoy

FreezerBoy

Was blind but now IC Puckbunny in Training
Veteran
I vote with Raygun. At $250 vs $50, it takes a long time to save a few pennies with digital ballasts. Also note cooler temps allow closer proximity. I wouldn't try this with an HPS or MH.
 
G

Guest

raygun said:
Nick have you pondered the CMH bulb? You can get a 400 watt bulb for around $55 and a build it yourself ballest for about $55.
http://www.businesslights.com/400w-venture-quad-tap-hps-cwa-ballast-kit-p-33.html
http://advancedtechlighting.com/cdmed18.htm

and Here is the CMH thread with lots of good info.

http://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=72215&page=67&pp=15

You don't need to switch bulbs and the only other thing you would need is a reflector.
It also get rid of that orange HPS glow and so if you needed to work on your grow it does not look like Marcellus Wallace's soul shooting out and more like a bright white light.

I would recomend this set up to anyone looking for a new set up.

Click to expand...


thaks for the info. So all i need to buy is the ballast u showed me, plus this 400watt CMH and a rflector(that i need to find myself)

Thanks, its helping alot. BTW CMH is MH and HPS in one bulb. All i need to do is switch the timer from 18/6 to 12/12? and it will start to flower?
Ballast
CMH Bulb
Reflector
and im good to grow from seed to bud?
 
Tactical Farmer

Tactical Farmer

Member
Ya - CMH is the future in grow lighting.

Nick - ballast - bulb - reflector = good to go.

18/6 to 12/12 = Bud time

im good to grow from seed to bud ? = basically but you may need LOTS of other stuff.

Heaters - AC - Fans - Ferts - PH / PPM Testers - Temp / Humidity Monitors - Good Water - ETC / ETC / ETC...
 
G

Guest

Tactical Farmer

I just wanna get my light setup and running, i have a fan i can use.. later on i will get my self everything else... like a carbon filter maybe a new fan, and testers.

So im goign to go to these 3 places and get what i need
http://www.businesslights.com/400w-...t-kit-p-33.html(ballast)
http://advancedtechlighting.com/cdmed18.htm(bulb)
http://www.bghydro.com/BGH/itemdesc.asp?ic=HLRECB8&eq=&Tp=(reflector)

Is that all i need to run a light?
thanks
Nick
(im almost ready to order, as soon as 2 ppl say yes thats all i need, meaning all the wires and the thingy to put the bulb into is there, and ready, ill be happy, and on my way)
 
raygun

raygun

Active member
I think you got two right here already :rasta:

Tactical and Freezer.
If you check out the CMH thread I'm sure you will find a lot more. :muahaha:

Safe growing
~Raygun~


Edit- So I see you decided to go with the CMH NICE.
 
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