400w HPS ballast w/ 200w bulb?

Yeah

Well-Known Member

Aug 29, 2007

• #1

Will that work? I'm a little tight on funds at the moment and I was think about only growing 1-3 plants at a time, which I could support with a 200 or 250w HPS. BUT I will probably want to upgrade to a 400w HPS eventually and would like to cut the cost of a new ballast.

So, if I bought a 200w bulb w/ a 400 ballast of the same brand, would it work?

 

Yeah

Well-Known Member

Aug 29, 2007

• #2

NEVERMIND!

I was looking at the cost of the ballasts and not the bulbs. There's not much difference in the cost of the bulbs from 200w to 400w.

 

Diesel4me

Active Member

Jan 21, 2008

• #3

no that wont work

 

Diesel4me

Active Member

Jan 21, 2008

• #4

well i am going to try a 400w/ with a 400w ballast for 6-9 plants.

 

johnny961

Well-Known Member

Jun 13, 2008

• #5

400 watt ballest 200 watt bulb = 200 watt light @ 400 watt power = couple bucks for 400 watt bulb priceless

 

BigBudBalls

Well-Known Member

Jun 14, 2008

• #6

johnny961 said:

400 watt ballest 200 watt bulb = 200 watt light @ 400 watt power = couple bucks for 400 watt bulb priceless

Click to expand...

what?????

The bulb draw 400W the ballast draws about 10% more, so 40W. A 200W bulb is not going to pull the extra. Its not a constant current system.

The igniter and/or cap will probably be the prob in the system.

 

fat sam

Well-Known Member

Mar 25, 2009

• #7

if money is the issue go with a home depot 400 watt bulb instead of a $90 hortilux, i would never suggest running a different size bulb in a ballast

 

J.Ruhland

Active Member

May 21, 2009

• #8

I have a 400w bulb and ballast. would that support 9 plants of hydro?