HID MH bulb works on HPS ballast??

F

fiberoptx

Active Member
So I got a HPS 250 watt lamp. My bulb went out and I had a GE multivapor MH 400 watt bulb laying around so I stuck it in the place of the hps blub. It actually works. But I'm wondering....a few things. 1 is this dangerous? A MH bulb on a HPS ballast. And then what about using a 400 watt bulb on a 250watt lamp....how many watts would actually be produced....and is this normal that a lower watt lamp/ballast can power a higher bulb? I was under the assumption that it wouldn't be able to power the bulb....?
TIA
Fiberoptx
 
mogie

mogie

Well-Known Member
High Intensity Discharge (HID) Conversion Bulbs make it possible to run a metal halide (MH) bulb from your high pressure sodium (HPS) ballast or a HPS bulb from your MH ballast.

Is what you have a conversion buib?
 
bigballin007

bigballin007

New Member
Ok I'm no electrican but with my knowledge the lamp will work but the bulbs life will be shortened due to the bulb having to little current going through it. as far as the wattate issue the bulb would be brighter and in the correct, as advertised for the the bulb you have, specturm. Electricity will flow but your lamp , ballast or wiring all are at risk. You should discontinue using this as this poses a fire risk. Use the correct bulbs for your ballast.
 
bigballin007

bigballin007

New Member
And by the way a multi vapor is a conversion bulb( ie get it MULTI) And still poses the same riskes as above because of the wattage issues.
 
fat sam

fat sam

Well-Known Member
what happens is the 400 watt bulb trys to pull 400 watts from your 250 ballast causing the thing to overheat, never mind the fact that your using the wrong bulb, if money is the issue go to home depot and get one of those regular mh bulbs for like $15, it will work good
 
U

UserFriendly

New Member
Wow, thanks for digging up this old-ass thread bro. :lol:

FTR: A 400w lamp won't fire in a 250w ballast & yes, a MH lamp will fire in a HPS ballast of the same wattage.
 
wyteboi

wyteboi

Well-Known Member
UserFriendly said:
Wow, thanks for digging up this old-ass thread bro. :lol:

FTR: A 400w lamp won't fire in a 250w ballast & yes, a MH lamp will fire in a HPS ballast of the same wattage.
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Yes a 400 watter WILL fire up in a 250 ballast and even a 150 ballast not sure how dangerous it is but it does work , i ran one like that for over a year......so it cant be too bad...... and i have a 400 hps ballast that i have been using a 400 MH in for over a year....... Oh and multi-vapor IS NOT a conversion bulb, i know its old but i needed to straitin things out for folks who might read it!
 
wyteboi

wyteboi

Well-Known Member
StickyMango said:
Well I appreiciate the correct information, because YES this is an old thread, but an important one at that.

I just got a 150w sun system for my small grow in the closet, and I wanted to get a metel halide(I know smallest is 175, but that shouldent cause problems right?) bulb for the sun system. I already had 2 - 17w metal halide, but they dont have that huge mogul socket...so off to home depot!
Click to expand...
a 175 is great for a closet! it WILL get hot , but you can figure that out. with the door open and a fan blowin in you would be fine but of course it would be better to put a small intake and outake in the closet! good luck man!
(dont try anything i do unless u HAVE to, i was just makin a point)
 
wyteboi

wyteboi

Well-Known Member
StickyMango said:
yeah man we should give some more updated information on this matter, Even though it may decrease bulb life, but I went to my hydro store today and they say it will work as long as the wattage is correct :D

Cheers!bongsmilie
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Danm! you got a hydro store to tell you this!? They are ussally all bout makin more money, and most hydro retailers dont even know the answer to that question.... I want your store........... my hydro lady would have immediatly suggested 2 more 1000's of both, but hey some folks are still cool! bongsmilie
 
Xenosis

Xenosis

Active Member
so i just had a similar issue. ordered an htg 400watt hps ballast that came with an mh conversion bulb and an hps bulb. my ac unit for the house was plugged into the same socket as the ballast (bad idea).

after a few days of having the ballast, it was on during the day and the ac kicked in and then the mh conversion bulb just went out. tried unplugging and plugging it back in but it just glowed a dull blue. thought that the ballast might have been fried which would have royally sucked.

put the hps bulb in and it lit up almost immediately.

so would a surge protector have prevented this? also is it a good idea to have a decent ventilation system for the ballast itself since that gets rather hot or is it ok to just leave it in a semi-cool environment?
 
Homergrown

Homergrown

Well-Known Member
It may take 5 minutes or so for the MH bulb to refire once it's been heated up. Try it cold and see if it works.


Yes MH bulbs will work in a HPS ballast. It's not dangerous either. It will not fire up the other way though.
 
W

wiseguy316

Well-Known Member
the bulb can't pull more the ballast will offer. if the ballast were higher than the bulb that would be a different story.
 
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