Lighting Digital ballast

[Nabzter]

Ok so i have a digital ballast with 3 settings.

400w/600w/660w

Q1 - i have this set to 400 can i use a 600w bulb

Q2 - would the actual draw be 400w or would it still be 600 ?

 

[Site]

Ive run a 600W bulb dimmed at the '400W' setting but was told it supposedly alters the wavelengths of light emitted from the lamp. So its best to keep the bulb wattage to the setting on the ballast to get the correct light etc...

I believe it would be 400W plus the energy lost in the ballast...so say its a 90% efficient ballast, if it outputs 400W to the lamp, the ballast will be drawing 444W.

(400W / 90%) x 100 = 444.4W

 

[Nabzter]

Ive run a 600W bulb dimmed at the '400W' setting but was told it supposedly alters the wavelengths of light emitted from the lamp. So its best to keep the bulb wattage to the setting on the ballast to get the correct light etc...

I believe it would be 400W plus the energy lost in the ballast...so say its a 90% efficient ballast, if it outputs 400W to the lamp, the ballast will be drawing 444W.

(400W / 90%) x 100 = 444.4W

Ah thanks for that. so you recommend that i use a 400w bulb whilst running ay 400w and so on ?

Cheers

 

[Site]

I would myself going on advice given to me by friends who have grown for a far sight longer than me, and the cost of bulbs wasnt an issue with me as I needed a 250W and 400W lamp etc to deal with the summer heat...

 

[Nabzter]

I would myself going on advice given to me by friends who have grown for a far sight longer than me, and the cost of bulbs wasnt an issue with me as I needed a 250W and 400W lamp etc to deal with the summer heat...

Thanks for the info.....can anybody else chime in on this before i purchase some 400w bulbs?

 

[jingo]

I used to run dual 600 and dim them down. If you think about it, you dim in an emergency so get the bulb set for your max wattage. I doubt I'll ever be a good enough grower to notice a "wavelength" difference.

 

[Nabzter]

I used to run dual 600 and dim them down. If you think about it, you dim in an emergency so get the bulb set for your max wattage. I doubt I'll ever be a good enough grower to notice a "wavelength" difference.

Cool, the reason i am asking is because i am currently running 18/6 @600w and it costs me a bomb in electricity. now with the winter months approching i am having issues with cold so my solution would be to compromise with the lighting and run 24 hrs at 400w.

 

[Site]

I used to run dual 600 and dim them down. If you think about it, you dim in an emergency so get the bulb set for your max wattage. I doubt I'll ever be a good enough grower to notice a "wavelength" difference.

pretty much what i said to my mate about the wavelength differences....all he said was if money wasnt an issue just buy the correct wattage lamps...i found this thread which was quite an interesting read...

http://www.uk420.com/boards/index.php?showtopic=130751

 

[KonopCh]

I have 250W HPS bulb and 250W ballast. Not digital. So I am paying for 500W? I was always thinking that ballast didn't eat that much electricy, maybe max.50W. Isn't ballast just converter?

 

[jingo]

I have 250W HPS bulb and 250W ballast. Not digital. So I am paying for 500W? I was always thinking that ballast didn't eat that much electricy, maybe max.50W. Isn't ballast just converter?

I don't think the magnetic ballast uses that much electricity. I think you're correct about 50 watts you might use 300 watts Max