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 Glaucoma
Stranger
Registered: 03/15/10
Posts: 19
Last seen: 14 years, 7 months
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 Cheap HPS 
#384186 - 03/15/10 06:22 PM (14 years, 7 months ago) |
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long time lurker, first time poster 
I was looking to get a hps security light from lowes, there is a 150watt light they have with the bulb and ballast built in. Will that be helpful to me, or do i need a specific bulb (i think i heard something about blue) to make it worthwhile?
i only have about 80$ to spend, and the light im talking about is 74$.
tia
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Crusty Ass Bastard
Pheno Hunting
Registered: 08/02/09
Posts: 786
Last seen: 13 years, 9 months
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Re: Cheap HPS [Re: Glaucoma]
#384197 - 03/15/10 06:32 PM (14 years, 7 months ago) |
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Did it list the color spectrum of the bulb on the box?
FYI: A sunlight supply 150 HPS can be had for under $80 online.
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 mhbound
Ballin out at all cost
Registered: 09/22/08
Posts: 8,144
Loc: High 
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definitely better deals out there but yea that will work
im doing a grow with some right now just to show people
list the bulb type...look on the bulb it should say
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Suck my balls America
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Glaucoma
Stranger
Registered: 03/15/10
Posts: 19
Last seen: 14 years, 7 months
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Re: Cheap HPS [Re: mhbound]
#384241 - 03/15/10 07:25 PM (14 years, 7 months ago) |
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after reading a few reviews about the light i was looking at on lowes.com, i wont be getting it. every review says the ballast failed after 6-12months.
its cool tho, i guess all im really looking to find out is what bulb i need. ie,does any hps bulb work, or do i need a certain one.
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Glaucoma
Stranger
Registered: 03/15/10
Posts: 19
Last seen: 14 years, 7 months
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Re: Cheap HPS [Re: Glaucoma]
#384244 - 03/15/10 07:28 PM (14 years, 7 months ago) |
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also, i wont be ordering anything online. whatever i get will have the be bought from a store.
if someone knows of someplace big like walmart or lowes that has what im looking for, a link or some info would be great.
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mhbound
Ballin out at all cost
Registered: 09/22/08
Posts: 8,144
Loc: High
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Re: Cheap HPS [Re: Glaucoma]
#384246 - 03/15/10 07:41 PM (14 years, 7 months ago) |
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most any of them will be OKAY there are better choices but most will be fine for the time being
um..you remove the ballast from the security light it will extend the life of it by a whole lot
hey at least youll have weed growing and in 6-12 months i would think you would have the money saved up to get a better lamp
i only use my security lights for 12/12...i have some big ass cfls and reflectors for veg
that will also make it last longer
then right before i got to straight 12/12 i start running the lamp at 12/12 with the others still at 24
then i switch them on to the timer as well
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Suck my balls America
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Glaucoma
Stranger
Registered: 03/15/10
Posts: 19
Last seen: 14 years, 7 months
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Re: Cheap HPS [Re: mhbound]
#384263 - 03/15/10 07:58 PM (14 years, 7 months ago) |
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yea, this is the first grow. nothing spectacular, just something to familiarize myself with everything.
of course, im only growing tomatos.
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Amnesiac
Registered: 10/13/08
Posts: 102
Loc: Under the sea
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Re: Cheap HPS [Re: Glaucoma]
#384337 - 03/15/10 10:23 PM (14 years, 7 months ago) |
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I got a 400w hps ballast and lamp repair kit from the electrical supply store, then a mogul socket and wired it together and cam out for less than $90. If you are good with wiring diagrams then its really easy. Here is a guide on how to wire the components up. Look in the yellow pages to find an electrical supply house.
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Glaucoma
Stranger
Registered: 03/15/10
Posts: 19
Last seen: 14 years, 7 months
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Re: Cheap HPS [Re: Amnesiac]
#384342 - 03/15/10 10:50 PM (14 years, 7 months ago) |
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Quote:
Amnesiac said:
I got a 400w hps ballast and lamp repair kit from the electrical supply store, then a mogul socket and wired it together and cam out for less than $90. If you are good with wiring diagrams then its really easy. Here is a guide on how to wire the components up. Look in the yellow pages to find an electrical supply house.
^this is win
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Amnesiac
Registered: 10/13/08
Posts: 102
Loc: Under the sea
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Re: Cheap HPS [Re: Glaucoma]
#384350 - 03/15/10 11:39 PM (14 years, 7 months ago) |
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This is what I'm working with currently. The one in the homemade cool tube is the 400w hps, the one to the left is a 175w mh. I used an old metal lunch box to house the ballast for the mh and an old metal hot plate for the hps. I made the ballasts using household outlets where the lamp cord plugs into. For the chords I used old computer power cords. The 3'x3'x5' room cost me $21 for the 2"x4"'s; $40 for the fan; $25 for the couplings, piping, and glass for the tube; and $90 for the 400w hps. The metal halide I scored the parts for free from a friend who couldn't figure out how to wire it  . So all in all that box (which I have yet to obtain the plywood for) and fixtures cost less than $200 and some salvaging skills.
This is one of the plants that was grown under the 400w hps a few years ago.
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encryptor
Green Thumb #1
Registered: 05/26/09
Posts: 125
Last seen: 6 years, 9 months
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Re: Cheap HPS [Re: Amnesiac]
#386425 - 03/18/10 10:20 PM (14 years, 7 months ago) |
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Talk about a getto design! I have studied circuits and electronics in Calculus-based Physics and I still wouldn't want to mess with this stuff. I have also read in the newspaper how a marijuana grow was discovered after their apartment burned down. It could have been bad wiring, which ultimately blew their cover when the FD and PD come. 
It only cost me $300 for reflector, 400w HPS bulb and Quantum Lighting ballast from ebay. Free shipping even!
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encryptor
Green Thumb #1
Registered: 05/26/09
Posts: 125
Last seen: 6 years, 9 months
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Re: Cheap HPS [Re: encryptor]
#386427 - 03/18/10 10:23 PM (14 years, 7 months ago) |
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An heck, don't reflectors also have a built in ballast too?! Double up on safety.
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mhbound
Ballin out at all cost
Registered: 09/22/08
Posts: 8,144
Loc: High 
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Re: Cheap HPS [Re: encryptor]
#386449 - 03/18/10 11:15 PM (14 years, 7 months ago) |
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yea but i like being discreet while growing in an apartment
i bought a security light...nobody thought anything of it
i mean i have lamps as well but gots to do what you gots to do
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Suck my balls America
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Amnesiac
Registered: 10/13/08
Posts: 102
Loc: Under the sea
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Re: Cheap HPS [Re: encryptor]
#386453 - 03/18/10 11:18 PM (14 years, 7 months ago) |
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I just bought a 600w lumatek ballast and lamp socket, waiting on a bulb to implement it. Indeed it is very ghetto but is functioning flawlessly (both have been running for a few months), so I'm not concerned about burning anything down. The type of plug you use makes no difference in the function as long as it is rated for the correct amperage. The only flaw I can find in my design is that the reflector is inefficient and I need to replace the pvc pipe with vent ducting when I put the 600w in the cool tube.
Yes they do make ballast/reflector combos which are usually not over 250w. If you are not sure what you are doing, electricity and lights can cause fires very fast, but I am confident in my wiring skills, I have re-wired my entire house (it was built in the 1920's). Just for you information I'm only growing catnip and some flowers (getting everything dialed in at my new house before I switch).
The only reason I switched to the lumatek is because using a multimeter I found my 400w light is drawing closer to 550w, so if I'm going to be using that much electricity I'm going to get that much light.
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Crusty Ass Bastard
Pheno Hunting
Registered: 08/02/09
Posts: 786
Last seen: 13 years, 9 months
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Re: Cheap HPS [Re: Amnesiac]
#386532 - 03/19/10 07:17 AM (14 years, 7 months ago) |
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Quote:
Amnesiac said:
The only reason I switched to the lumatek is because using a multimeter I found my 400w light is drawing closer to 550w, so if I'm going to be using that much electricity I'm going to get that much light.
Great upgrade since you were basically paying to run a 600 already. Now you'll be using like 605 watts with 600 sent to the bulb. 
That was a really nice plant you grew under the 400 too.
Edited by Crusty Ass Bastard (03/19/10 07:18 AM)
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encryptor
Green Thumb #1
Registered: 05/26/09
Posts: 125
Last seen: 6 years, 9 months
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Ok, yeah if your comfortable and confident with wiring your house and stuff, that seems acceptable. Now when you "over clock" your 400w bulb, aren't you concerned that the bulb envelope might break, causing a fire?
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Amnesiac
Registered: 10/13/08
Posts: 102
Loc: Under the sea
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Re: Cheap HPS [Re: encryptor]
#386638 - 03/19/10 09:32 AM (14 years, 7 months ago) |
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I wasn't overclocking the bulb, as magnetic ballasts age the become less and less efficient drawing more and more power. That is why I upgraded to a digital ballast. 
Thank you 206, that was the first plant I ever grew from some bagseed. 
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Squints
Registered: 05/04/10
Posts: 18
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Re: Cheap HPS [Re: Amnesiac]
#412950 - 05/06/10 10:27 AM (14 years, 6 months ago) |
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Good post. I agree, go here and shop around for some deals. They are WITHOUT A DOUBT the BEST deal for lights online. There are some really nice 600 watt lumatek digital ballasts going for dirt cheap.
Don't grow mid-grade, do it right buddy. Just save up money, and read in the meantime.
Actually, I hope you don't do it, because then there will be less bids on the items I want. I hope you don't take my advice, and smoke stems.
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Hambino: Did you plan that!?
Squints: 'Course I did.. been plannin' it for years.
Edited by Squints (05/06/10 10:33 AM)
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Amnesiac
Registered: 10/13/08
Posts: 102
Loc: Under the sea
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Re: Cheap HPS [Re: Squints]
#413294 - 05/06/10 09:56 PM (14 years, 6 months ago) |
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Damn they do have some good deals, I got my Lumatek ballast in a hydro store for $200 because I haggled the guy down $50, I just picked up a Sun System Yield Master 6" air cooled reflector for $100 and a 600w Ultra Sun bulb for $50. Needless to say I paid more for them than I would have online as a package deal, but I was able to pay cash and get a decent deal. So, no worries about me bidding on things you want  .
As for growing mid-grade I wouldn't waste my power, energy, and money.
Oh yeah, welcome to the growery
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Squints
Registered: 05/04/10
Posts: 18
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Re: Cheap HPS [Re: Amnesiac]
#413317 - 05/06/10 11:04 PM (14 years, 6 months ago) |
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Thanks man, happy to be here. These forums are nice and fresh. BTW, the mids comment was directed more towards the OP, my bad. From what it sounds like, I trust you grow the flame Amnesiac
To the OP - 600 watt is most efficient and is definitely the way to go for a beginner who wants some serious dank, just be conscious of intake and environmental factors, as they can heat up a small space without proper ventilation.
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Hambino: Did you plan that!?
Squints: 'Course I did.. been plannin' it for years.
Edited by Squints (05/07/10 01:32 AM)
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