Want to hang my HiDs (pic inside)
- Thread starter ebcrew
- Start date
FrostyPelican
Well-Known Member
That's just vertical. Most newer bulbs can be hung horizontal or vertical there is a code to indicate but I forgot what it was. I think "U" . I just chopped a old cheap reflector and hung mine vertical but you can buy a new socket at ebay and other places. http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-Socket-Cord-Set-for-Vertical-Hanging-CFL-Grow-Light-/161621381164 something like that, shop around.
*edit fixed link
correct one is here http://www.ebay.com/itm/Sun-System-Socket-Assembly-w-Pigtail-Strain-Relief-903050-Mogul-Base-MH-HPS-/130814736032
Checkout the vertical growing thread here, it's pretty good.
*edit fixed link
correct one is here http://www.ebay.com/itm/Sun-System-Socket-Assembly-w-Pigtail-Strain-Relief-903050-Mogul-Base-MH-HPS-/130814736032
Checkout the vertical growing thread here, it's pretty good.
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ebcrew
Well-Known Member
That socket says its for CFLs
FrostyPelican
Well-Known Member
Oh my bad was in a hurry. Something like this.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Sun-System-Socket-Assembly-w-Pigtail-Strain-Relief-903050-Mogul-Base-MH-HPS-/130814736032
ebcrew
Well-Known Member
Okay cool, now im complete newb with HID lighting. So where does the ballast come in? do i plug the socket assembly into the ballast?
FrostyPelican
Well-Known Member
Yeah, the sockets plug into the ballast. You can use all kinds of hood/sockets cool tubes, bat wings etc.
All of these hoods
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Indoor-Grow-Light-Reflector-Hoods-For-250w-400w-600w-1000watt-/150796160588
or the vertical socket would plug right into this light kit with ballast. http://www.ebay.com/itm/Apollo-Horticulture-600-Watt-MH-HPS-Grow-Light-System-Set-Kit-for-Plant-Growing-/171231723522
So basically, the easy way to do it is buy a light kit then buy the vertical cord or select a light kit with a simple reflector then remove the reflector and hang it vertical, that's what I did. The vertical cords and the various types of hoods can be bought seperatly and generally work on all the different voltage ballasts. For example you bought a 250 watt light kit with both HPS and MH lamps with a cool tube but you wanted to upgrade to a 600 watt light kit you could just use the cool tube from the 250 watt setup and simply plug it into the 600 watt ballast and screw in your 600 watt bulb.
I should add that if you go vertical you will need really good ventilation due to heat compared to a cool tube or air cooled hood.
ebcrew
Well-Known Member
Found this while researching this, now do u just plug this into the ballast?
https://www.1000bulbs.com/product/93183/SL-903055.html?utm_source=SmartFeedGoogleBase&utm_medium=Shopping&utm_term=SL-903055&utm_content=Sunlight+Supply+Reflector+Accessories&utm_campaign=SmartFeedGoogleBaseShopping&gclid=CLn9od2HjcQCFViUfgodVkYApQ
FrostyPelican
Well-Known Member
Yeah just plug it in to ballast and that one will work.
ebcrew
Well-Known Member
One more question, home depot didnt have ballasts for HPS, can you suggest one online?
indicat33
Well-Known Member
If I were you, I'd try REALLY HARD to hang those bulbs horizontally, with some make-shift reflectors. You will have much more effective irradiation shining on the plants if you run your Lamps Horizontally, with cheap, home-made reflectors. I have used aluminum turkey-pans from the Dollar Store with good results in the pastOk so i want to hang my HPS light exactly like they have in the picture, besides the light and the ballast what else do i need? What is that bulb screwed into?
Happy growing- 
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FrostyPelican
Well-Known Member
Yeah homedepot is expensive for that type of stuff even if they do have it at your store. Online is best. I would just look for a grow light kit that has both bulbs MH for vegetative stage and HPS for flower. For economy I'd go with Apollo or even Ipower. The Ipower ballast has a 2 year warranty and if it goes bad basically you just call them with the serial number and your name and they send a new one without a hassle. Gotta ship the old one back on your dime though.
You will have too look around a bit and decide how many watts you need. I'd recommend a 250 watt or better yet a 400 watt if it's just for personal use and you don't want your power bill going crazy. I'd browse around ebay for something like those below if you're on a budget.
600 watt Ipower kit
http://www.ebay.com/itm/iPower-600w-600-watt-HPS-MH-Grow-Light-Digital-Dimm-System-Indoor-Garden-Set-/150928769289
400 watt apollo
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Apollo-Horticulture-400-Watt-MH-HPS-Grow-Light-System-Set-Kit-for-Plant-Growing-/191055700117
ebcrew
Well-Known Member
How are apollos bulbs?
FrostyPelican
Well-Known Member
Cheap but they work, same with the ipower. You can upgrade bulbs at anytime.
I had a spare bare bones reflector from one of the cheap light kits and it only took 5 minutes with a hack saw and tin snips to try vertical growing, I like it a lot as you get good coverage and can fit more plants.
I finished this and a few more at the same time, they yielded about the same with a cheap 250 watt Ipower bulb and that socket. The bulb had a lot of hours on it too, I used it almost all year prior for my regular garden.
Nothing special but when you're first starting out you can still grow a good quantity of bud with lower end bulbs.
FrostyPelican
Well-Known Member
If you don't want to spend a lot, I'd just get the Ipower kit with the basic hood and make it vertical. It's very easy.
FrostyPelican
Well-Known Member
Get the 250 then, it hardly dents your power bill and will greatly improve your yields and growth rate.
indicat33
Well-Known Member
Untrue, just like you can't do much with an empty head and a poor attitude - know anyone?
indicat33
Well-Known Member
Tell 'em Frosty. I'd run a 250w hps over a "string" of cfls any day.
FrostyPelican
Well-Known Member
Yeah I agree, I started with CFLs too and by the time you spend all the money for all the sockets, adapters etc you just created an expensive fire hazard (not saying the OP did, I know I did) that cost almost the same as a $110.00 cheap 250 kit.
ebcrew
Well-Known Member
going to get either the apollo or ipower 400w since its only $20 more then the 250w.
Im going to take the socket off the hood and make it vertical because that would fit my growroom best anyway. Going to hang it vertically inbetween 2 plants.