70w hps?!?

jooooooosh1934

Active Member
does anyone know of using a like four 70w mh bulbs then for flower four hps? i saw them at home depot today and it got me thinkin
 

wannabe grower

Well-Known Member
Heheh. I am with you man. I bought 4 70Watt security lights at Lowe's (they're cheaper than Home Depot $28.95 ea). I got 2 100W MH security lights at Home Depot cuz they're cheaper there.($64.95) All told I should have bought a 600W switchable ballast and could have spent approx the same $$ ,but with multiple lights I can move 'em around. I took the plastic housings off to expose the bulbs since they can be open to the air. And I must say so far the results are far better than just flouros which is what I used on my first 2 grows. Plants are stockier and more bushy, nodes are closer together, and very little if any stretching. I started 12/12 4 days ago and they are definately getting more horizontal growth than vertical. Won't know about total weights until about 6-8 more weeks go by but so far very good.
 

Muni

Well-Known Member
For the cost of those 8. Just get a good swithing ballast that can run HPS or MH. A 400W most likely will save you money than all 8 of those.

As for plugging them into the wall. All those things have a ballast built into the housing.
 

UnderPhire

Well-Known Member
Heheh. I am with you man. I bought 4 70Watt security lights at Lowe's (they're cheaper than Home Depot $28.95 ea). I got 2 100W MH security lights at Home Depot cuz they're cheaper there.($64.95) All told I should have bought a 600W switchable ballast and could have spent approx the same $$ ,but with multiple lights I can move 'em around. I took the plastic housings off to expose the bulbs since they can be open to the air. And I must say so far the results are far better than just flouros which is what I used on my first 2 grows. Plants are stockier and more bushy, nodes are closer together, and very little if any stretching. I started 12/12 4 days ago and they are definately getting more horizontal growth than vertical. Won't know about total weights until about 6-8 more weeks go by but so far very good.

lil dangerous for my taste, heat heat heat, exploding bulbs, no ty. Stay away from security lights/flood lights/work lights, don't let the numbers trick you, they get hot and explode.
 

wannabe grower

Well-Known Member
Heat is not a factor. I have a full room dedicated to growing with fans to move air around lights and to draw old air to the outside. It's probably 75-80 in the room consistently with lights on and around 70-72 when off.
 

Muni

Well-Known Member
if you got a full room. Step up to the big leagues with a 1000 watt switching ballast. Then your set for anything. If you don't like it. sell it. I'm sure there are about 100 people on here who'd buy it.
 

Mr.KushMan

Well-Known Member
So do you need a ballast or can you use just a regular socket. Or do you have to get a mogul base socket.

Peace
 

Gregito

Well-Known Member
Chances are you need a ballast even for a 70w bulb, i just went and bought one the other day and it has a ballast built into it. Not to mention the fact that the guy at lowes said that no hps bulb will work without the proper ballast. Look heres how i got mine set up, but dont get me wrong because this is only for one plant. I have one 70w HPS bulb, Along with one dual florescent light fixture (each bulb being about 55wts), one more florescent light, and 2 22w cfls. Itz obviously not nothing special, but it does work. I can tell you right now im running under 300wts, but its putting out the right light spectrum, and enough of it. So itz not really running up the electric bill. And my plant is totally happy. But then again i guess it depends on how much yer trying to grow. If you want poundage, id recommend getting the more powerful lights. But if you just want a decent crop, do something like what i got. Really it all just depends on what your trying to do mann.
 

GypsyBush

Well-Known Member
HEY GUYS >>> CHECK THIS OUT...

HPS bulbs need a HPS ballast
MH bulbs need a MH ballast
MV bulbs need a MV ballast
Fluorescent lights (even CFLs) need a fluorescent ballast...


OF THE APPROPRIATE WATTAGE


THERE IS NO WAY AROUND THIS...

It may just not work or it may set your house on fire...

My 2 cents...

Cheers...

Gypsy...:joint::peace:
 

Gregito

Well-Known Member
Yesss you definatly need a ballast for any HID bulb. It dosent matter if its a 50w HID bulb or a 1000w HID bulb, either way you still need the correct ballast. There is ABSOLUTELY no way around it. Listen to hillbill and gypsy they know what they are talking about. I cant tell you this much, you can get switchable systems that switch from metal halide bulbs to High Pressure Sodium bulbs, BUT the bulbs themself have to be the same wattage, and it has to have a switchable ballast. And they are available belive me. Look around on google or 1000bulbs.com. Im sure you can find something that will work quite well. Or you can do something like what it says in my quote. Like i said it all depends on what your trying to do mann.


Chances are you need a ballast even for a 70w bulb, i just went and bought one the other day and it has a ballast built into it. Not to mention the fact that the guy at lowes said that no hps bulb will work without the proper ballast. Look heres how i got mine set up, but dont get me wrong because this is only for one plant. I have one 70w HPS bulb, Along with one dual florescent light fixture (each bulb being about 55wts), one more florescent light, and 2 22w cfls. Itz obviously not nothing special, but it does work. I can tell you right now im running under 300wts, but its putting out the right light spectrum, and enough of it. So itz not really running up the electric bill. And my plant is totally happy. But then again i guess it depends on how much yer trying to grow. If you want poundage, id recommend getting the more powerful lights. But if you just want a decent crop, do something like what i got. Really it all just depends on what your trying to do mann.
 
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