HPS -What Do I put the Bulb In?

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BigBang01

Active Member
This may sound like an absolutely ridiculous question. I am currently using fluorescent lights. Since reading on here I see many use HPS. What type of outlet/holder can I put the HPS bulb in? I thought it had to be different from a normal bulb socket. Okay thanks
 
VictorVIcious

VictorVIcious

Well-Known Member
you are right. It is different. Its called a Mogul socket and needs a ballast wired to it to fire the light. Visit your local hydro shop and look around. VV
 
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budman56

Well-Known Member
Make sure the bulb matches the ballast, HPS (high pressure sodium) is different than MH (metal halide). You can get these from any commercial electric supply house in many different wattages, but the reflectors are different than the nice ones in grow shops. The big advantage is that you don't have to order them through the mail or go to one of those grow shops, which may be watched by the law. Growers should keep a low profile!!!!! Nuf Said
 
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mobby420

Well-Known Member
just curious..... i have a 400 watt hps, why do we need the ballast exactly? and why does it make a humming sound? what does the ballast do ?
 
pencap

pencap

Well-Known Member
I smell an exploding bulb here soon? am I right?? Or is it smoke I smell??
Its called a Mogul socket and needs a ballast wired to it to fire the light. Visit your local hydro shop and look around. VV
Click to expand...
And it also has an igniter.....that humming is the bulb sayin "Whose Got a match"!!! LOL..."BIG BANG"....huuuuuhhh huhhh!
 
chromer

chromer

Well-Known Member
mobby420 said:
just curious..... i have a 400 watt hps, why do we need the ballast exactly? and why does it make a humming sound? what does the ballast do ?
Click to expand...

I always thought the ballast was needed to keep a constant voltage of electricity going to our precious lights... something about limiting the flow of current to the lamp.. i dunno the science, sorry dude... thats why u see some pretty f*cked up scenarios when there was no ballast.. either a blown bulb or some sorta damage somewhere cause of too much juice
 
ducks13

ducks13

Well-Known Member
The ballast hums because it does not know the words :mrgreen:

Actually it is because there is a magnetic field switching back and forth 60 times per second (50 in the UK), that is what limits the current. Digital ballast don't make noise or at least very little. There should be an ANSI code on the ballast and lamp, they should match if they are compatible.
 
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