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 tophernotsocool
Friend of Earth
Registered: 05/23/09
Posts: 89
Loc: Milky Way Galaxy
Last seen: 13 years, 6 months
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 getting things straight with digital ballasts 
#248609 - 07/12/09 01:49 AM (15 years, 3 months ago) |
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after 2 successful, satisfying mid-grade bagseed grows under cheap 4' 36watt floro tubes; i am making the change into higher strains and better lighting.
my set up plan is:
400W MH/HPS 120/240V Digital Ballast
[which can be represented here]
400w MH bulb for veg 400w HPS bulb for flower [yadda yadda]
i am completely lacking in knowledge of these lighting systems but i got realllllly high and bored, and this is my illustrated perception on how it works:
do correct if its wrong.
i just wanna get my shit straight before i start blowing more dough.
items i assume i need:
x1 400watt ballast
x1 reflector
x1 HPS bulb
x1 MH bulb
x1 outlet to ballast cord/plug
x1 ballast to socket cord
x1 socket
questions:
1 are there any other items i need to obtain?
2 do i need the lamps that come with the bulbs? or just the bulbs?
3 do ballast run multiple lamps? or do i need a ballast for each lamp?
pretty compulsive post im sorry, but i like to be precise. if your feeling compulsive too then feel free to respond in full detail =]
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"and take me disappearing, through the smoke rings of my mind,
down the foggy ruins of time, far past the frozen leaves,
the haunted frightened trees, out to the windy beach,
far from the twisted reach, of crazy sorrow.
yes the dance, beneath the diamond sky, with one hand waving free,
silhouetted by the sea, circled by the circus sands,
with all memory and fate, driven deep beneath the waves,
let me forget about today, until tomorrow."~bob dylan
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mycomaster_420
God amongst men
Registered: 05/18/09
Posts: 204
Last seen: 1 year, 10 months
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 Re: getting things straight with digital ballasts [Re: tophernotsocool]
#248659 - 07/12/09 08:19 AM (15 years, 3 months ago) |
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Yep thats all u need, great that u found a switchable ballast, let us kno how it works, im stuck using 2 one for veg and one for flower. But as far as ur questions....1) thats all the light accessories you need right there. 2) just the bulbs, Menards like 20 bucks a pop. 3) Most dont, but the ones that do are VERY expensive. Stick to one ballast per reflector.....ps. got all ur ferts, water meter, pH meter, fans??? And what strain u thinkin bout growin??? Good luck and peace out
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Everything I post is in fact entirely fictional
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tophernotsocool
Friend of Earth
Registered: 05/23/09
Posts: 89
Loc: Milky Way Galaxy
Last seen: 13 years, 6 months
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Re: getting things straight with digital ballasts [Re: mycomaster_420]
#248668 - 07/12/09 09:42 AM (15 years, 3 months ago) |
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thanks! i've got a multitude of different ferts, but lately i've been using a soluble miracle grow powder [un-natural and risky i know] no water/pH meters, never had a problem using tap [and spring on and off] got a nice fan, and a small heater that blows through a cardboard tunnel beneath the plants
[TIP: plants love bottom heat, great for root development specially with a fluffy airy soil, i use just potting soil mixed with vermiculite]
i was thinking of femm'ed ak47 and lowryder2 but its so expensive so i just ordered a 10 pack of northern lights, they are on summer sale at marijuana-seeds.nl with a free 5 pack of mazar x something. northern lights is supposedly a good stress resistant indoor strain.
thanks again =]
--------------------
"and take me disappearing, through the smoke rings of my mind,
down the foggy ruins of time, far past the frozen leaves,
the haunted frightened trees, out to the windy beach,
far from the twisted reach, of crazy sorrow.
yes the dance, beneath the diamond sky, with one hand waving free,
silhouetted by the sea, circled by the circus sands,
with all memory and fate, driven deep beneath the waves,
let me forget about today, until tomorrow."~bob dylan
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tophernotsocool
Friend of Earth
Registered: 05/23/09
Posts: 89
Loc: Milky Way Galaxy
Last seen: 13 years, 6 months
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Re: getting things straight with digital ballasts [Re: tophernotsocool]
#248670 - 07/12/09 09:50 AM (15 years, 3 months ago) |
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does a ballast itself get considerably hot as well? because i was thinking of placing it outside of the area and just running a long cord from ballast to fixture to the room.
edit: one last question lol with 400w mh/hps, will the plants require an extra supply of co2, or will regular sea level air still be fine?
Edited by tophernotsocool (07/12/09 10:13 AM)
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SpaceMonkey
Mind Pilot
Registered: 02/09/09
Posts: 3,471
Loc: Hawaiian Islands 
Last seen: 4 years, 2 months
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Re: getting things straight with digital ballasts [Re: tophernotsocool]
#248700 - 07/12/09 12:58 PM (15 years, 3 months ago) |
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yes they get plenty hot!
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 Don't Mistake My Kindness For Weakness
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ragtimewilly
Jimmy Rigging Master
Registered: 06/14/09
Posts: 22
Last seen: 14 years, 8 months
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Re: getting things straight with digital ballasts [Re: SpaceMonkey]
#248836 - 07/12/09 07:57 PM (15 years, 3 months ago) |
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A digital ballast will get hot but nowhere near as hot as a magnetic ballast. Still probably a good idea to not keep your ballast in your grow space though.
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