Why do we need ballasts for HPS bulbs?

Ok so i was thinking of changing my 150w CFL which im currently using for flowering to a 250w HPS - but apparently it wont just screw in to the socket of the reflector and work

What are ballasts and why do we need them for HPS thx.

The light would explode.

cuz they run on a diff elc current..u need a ballast to switch it over..u canget a ballast at any home-depot.menards...
and that 150 watt cfl is prolly more like a 23 watt. its just like a 150 watt lightbulb..it just uses 23 watts,and puts out the same amount of lummins as a 150 watt lightbulb..correct me if im wrong somebody?

No dude you have hit the nail right on the head what a ballast does is takes some of the power used by the light makeing it much safer.the same thing has a 110 transformer that builders use.never seed a ballast for a cfl i have seen connecters that allow you to use one plug instead of say 3 .all these have is a fuse that will blow before anything else or trip the electricity so you won't have fires.

So if i changed my 150w red spectrum CFL for say a 250w HPS for flowering or even a 400w - what kind of yield can i expect per plant?

I got told the way im doing it just now ill only get 1/4 to 1/2 an oz per plant?

lazy88 said:

cuz they run on a diff elc current..u need a ballast to switch it over..u canget a ballast at any home-depot.menards...
and that 150 watt cfl is prolly more like a 23 watt. its just like a 150 watt lightbulb..it just uses 23 watts,and puts out the same amount of lummins as a 150 watt lightbulb..correct me if im wrong somebody?

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the 150-200 watt eqivalent cfl's are usually the 42 watt

whitewidow2 said:

So if i changed my 150w red spectrum CFL for say a 250w HPS for flowering or even a 400w - what kind of yield can i expect per plant?

I got told the way im doing it just now ill only get 1/4 to 1/2 an oz per plant?

Click to expand...

it all depends, i am running a cfl setup right now with just 42 watt 2500k's with only 2 plants until i can get my full setup again, there almost ready to harvest, i am lookin at about 3-4 oz.

wannaknow033 said:

it all depends, i am running a cfl setup right now with just 42 watt 2500k's with only 2 plants until i can get my full setup again, there almost ready to harvest, i am lookin at about 3-4 oz.

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3-4oz off of just two plants?...

Is that before you have dried it out?

If i could get that id be pretty chuffed considering i have 5 plants in total and only two so far have proved to be female (i think the other 3 might well be hermies!!) How many CFLs are you using?