How often do you replace your HPS bulbs?

[Ryry94]

Would an aging ballast also dim the light?

 

[deno]

I'm not sure if they degrade with age. Seems to work just fine. Thing is built like a tank - bigger than a 50cal ammo box, and heavy.

Leaning toward picking up another ballast that can ignite an HPS bulb. Those things look completely different than mine. Mine is hard wired to the bulb. These new ones look like they've got plugs(?)

 

[Kerovan]

I'm not sure if they degrade with age. Seems to work just fine. Thing is built like a tank - bigger than a 50cal ammo box, and heavy.

Leaning toward picking up another ballast that can ignite an HPS bulb. Those things look completely different than mine. Mine is hard wired to the bulb. These new ones look like they've got plugs(?)

Yeah, the newer electronic ballast that I bought about 7 years ago has a plug, I just a bought a new socket to go along with it and used the existing hood.

 

[CanadianDank]

I still use my old magnetic hard wired MH ballast, the newer electronic ones are much easier to store though.
I hate having move that thing with all those wires attached.

I use all my bulbs at least a few grows.
Got one with 5 grows on it lol, probably won't use that one again.

Really wanna upgrade to one of those 315's though. Anyone wanna chime in about those?

 

[jonsnow399]

I still use my old magnetic hard wired MH ballast, the newer electronic ones are much easier to store though.
I hate having move that thing with all those wires attached.

I use all my bulbs at least a few grows.
Got one with 5 grows on it lol, probably won't use that one again.

Really wanna upgrade to one of those 315's though. Anyone wanna chime in about those?

Good choice, you'll love it

 

[chemphlegm]

That's the one I got - TY. Measure at the plant top?

sure, or around your space for optimization, maybe down inside the canopy so you know, for training etc.

 

[chemphlegm]

You can also use a cheap killawatt meter from homedepot/lowes....... set it on the power factor.

Brand new, decent setup should be around 0.98..... once it ages/ drops to 0.93 or under you've lost about +/- 10% of output and should be replaced. Obviously this testing should be done at full brightness of the hps lamp.

Good luck

wait, the killowatt meter will show less power use with an old bulb than with a new bulb? less heat too?
then lowering the lights sounds like the trick until they remain viable at their new height.

 

[CanadianDank]

Good choice, you'll love it

Thanks I figured it would be good for my small 4x4 set up. Maybe not enough, in winter I could run two though.

Is a 4x4 a little big for one 315?

 

[jonsnow399]

Thanks I figured it would be good for my small 4x4 set up. Maybe not enough, in winter I could run two though.

Is a 4x4 a little big for one 315?

yeh,3x3 is more like it

 

[CanadianDank]

yeh,3x3 is more like it

Yeah that's what I been hearing thanks man.
Just means I'll supplement.