question about HPS ballast

So I'm planning a grow tent for flowering and I'm thinking of going with a 150W HPS from the top and then 6 26W CFLs on the side. It's either going to be 2X2 or 2.5X2.5 and probably 5 feet tall. Here is the ballast I was planning to buy: 150 W ballast on Amazon. They're selling it on needabulb.com for DIRT cheap, it'll be like $30 for ballast and bulb, shipping included. I'm new to growing but pretty familiar with electronics so the idea of a kit doesn't really bother me, I'm just realizing I have no idea what actually comes with the ballast. It looks like a transformer with a bunch of screws and crap but I have no idea how a bulb hooks into it. Do I need to buy anything else? I'm picturing a finished product that's just a bare bulb plugged into this thing so I'm wondering what else I'll need to mount it. I assume I'll need to purchase a reflector, but is that it?

Thanks!

Looks like all you need is a housing and a male 110 plug.
If its a cash thing, have you checked craigslist? I got a 400w ballast hood and bulb for $100

You know that 150 with those cfls on the side will only grow one plant and you will only get like 1/2 oz max.
With a 400 you will be able to get at least a zip.

Actually it turns out I was wrong about the shipping so it's not actually that great of a deal, but anyway, you really think that light is inadequate? I'm not trying to go too crazy with my first grow. By my calculations that would be hitting the plants with about 25,000 lumens, 6,000 lumens/sqft seems decent to me.

i actually just built one this summer something very similar to what ur buying. all ur really gonna need is some electrical tape and the light bulb socket other then that it looks like everything included, same as mine brudduh. believe me when i say this setup works wonder for your buds, this is only my first grow but i went with an easy first time grow pant, i went with autoflowering easy rider. now i got two very nice full budded plants and the trichomes are wonderful. hell even tested it by drying some out in the oven, killed some thc by doing so but i still managed to get high as hell. your going to love your setup brudduh, enjoy.

P.S. dun be an idiot (not saying u are since u said ur familiar with electronic work) like me and having the fuckin thing plugged into the wall to test ur ballast to see if it will light the bulb and work and accidently touch the wires... shit hurts heh...

haha, it's been a while since i got myself in between the positive and negative terminals of line power but it's not the kind of thing you forget quickly.

can you post an example of a socket? i assume you mean i need something like this, but it looks like it's included with the ballast, although i might be looking at something else.

Maybe i can be of help. You are buying a 150w ballast and bulb, thats it. In that case, you will need to purchase a ceramic "MOGUL" socket <--- thats important, as a regular socket will not fit (most) Hps/Mh/Mv bulbs. They can be found very cheap. Heres a link for one thats 13 bucks. Hope i helped good luck on your grow!


http://www.amazon.com/Leviton-8756-One-Piece-Porcelain-Lampholder/dp/B0034G64G6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1315969293&sr=8-1

HTGsupply.com has cheap lights ready to go, i got a 150w hps under $70+$15 shipping all included

I then seperated the ballast and hood with a few small screws, a peice of metal to cover the hole, a metal elec. box, 2 wire nuts and some wire to have a remote ballast(2x2x4 box helped with heat) and it has option for cooling flange+$4.
Works great will show pic possibly (slow internet conn.) if intrested.

This is my first grow with this setup so im not sure on the outcome. I posted a thread requesting similar setups a couple days ago. good luck

http://htgsupply.com/Product-FLORALUX-150w-HPS-Mini-Grow-Light.asp

All that info is good but I got a question for you guys growing under 150 watts.
How many of you guys get better then 1/2 oz off a plant under those? I think the OP would like to know what to expect.

I would like to know myslef, i use to get 3 - 4 off 400w hps per plant, i was hopeing for closer to 1 per plant myslef, will have to wait and see

I will watch and see what you come up with good luck

@cruzer i dont grow under a 150w, i just know more about how a ballast is rigged up. Ive got a 1000w HD ballast sitting in my grow room, waiting for my 400w bulb to arrive >.<

Thanks for the input guys. I think I might end up going with a 250W HPS because on ebay they aren't much more than a 150. I still don't think a 150W HPS with an extra 150W in CFLs is that bad an idea but it's probably less of a pain to just get the 250W HPS. If I get an O per plant I'll be more than happy.

wish i would have went bigger, but was concerned with heat, and the 250s i found were only a few dollars less than the 400s. good luck

If you are going to go through the trouble of venting for a 250w then you may as well just do it right in the first place and get a 400w.