Multiple HIDs on 1 ballast?

Is it possible? Can I take four 250 MH or HPS sockets and wire them to a 1000 watt MH or HPS ballast? If it is doable, do I wire them in series or in parallel?

This isn't for me, it's a question a friend asked me and I couldn't anwer - then we ended up arguing about it. I am not enough of an electrician to know though.. I would guess it is possible but not very safe, not to mention the bulbs might not run at the right spectrum like that.

I am pretty sure the HPS has some sort of igniter device too, so if it does work I would think only MH would be possible.

Anyone ever tried this or seen this?

Anyone know why it wouldn't work? Help me end this debate before my buddy electrocutes himself trying to do it.

in theory it would work you would wire then in parallel so each got the same voltage but the problem is the igniter would only wait for one bulb, its possible if all the lights were close enough in spec and wires were all the same length that they all would light but most likely fewer then the total would light, thus leaving one or more bulbs powered but not ignited, I am not sure if this would hurt the bulb but it would leave your plant unlighted.

you could try a few experiments like placing more then one igniter (each as close to the bulb as possible.

too many unknowns to say, if you have time and the willing to experiment it may work

dude

Definitely not a good idea in theory or practice. Please tell your not-an-electrician friend not to attempt such a thing.

I would strongly discourage any experiments of the nature you describe on any type of ballast. At best, you ruin a perfectly awesome 1000w ballast (why would he do this?), at worse it is, as you point out, an electrical fire/electrocution hazard.

Your in an idiot if you do that. Sounds like a great way to burn your house down moron.

on paper it works but why wouldnt it in practice.

I say try it , but keep that fire extinguisher ready (make sure its the right one for electrical fires) ...Let us know what happens...you never know, it might actually work...but why trade 1000 w for 4 250w lights?

My buddy just wanted the light to be spread out over a larger area - he just bought 2 400s and now has the 1000 in the middle and the 2 400s out on the sides. I thought it was a pretty bad idea in the first place and am glad he didn't try it.

sure said:

Your in an idiot if you do that. Sounds like a great way to burn your house down moron.

Click to expand...

now calm down. no need for name calling. use your big boy/girl words.

guess we will never know....

Yeah - we were too scared to try it.

We figured even if we were going to do it we would only try the MH because of the HPS ingniter thing.

not sure but isnt MH also have an ignitor?