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 NurturethePlantsYo
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Registered: 07/23/16
Posts: 13
Last seen: 7 years, 1 month
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 using a shop light/security light 
#822754 - 01/18/17 01:37 AM (7 years, 9 months ago) |
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My friend is willing to give me a 250w mh with a parabolic reflector/ballast on top. I'm sure you knowthe kind. They are on ebay for 70$.. i am thinking i will use my hydrofarm reflector and make the ballast remote. If i buy a light bulb specifically made for growing will this setup work well? And do they make affordable 250w hps conversion bulbs?
Edited by NurturethePlantsYo (01/18/17 01:38 AM)
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 phychotron
Medicated
Registered: 02/17/11
Posts: 1,995
Loc: Earth (mostly) 
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In order to run a HPS or MH bulb you need to have the correct ballast. Some ballast are "switchable" and will take either bulb depending on the setting. If it doesn't say on the ballast then assume it is not able to run an HPS.
250W is on the low side, but it really depends on your expectations of yield. I don't actually use HID lighting so I'm not too sure what all is out there.
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Any help given is for educational purposes only. Its your responsibility not to break any applicable laws
 Bamboo Bongs I make | Perfect Dry and Cure | Grapegod under LED
“Human beings, vegetables, or cosmic dust, we all dance to a mysterious tune intoned in the distance by an invisible player.” ~ Albert Einstein
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NurturethePlantsYo
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Registered: 07/23/16
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Last seen: 7 years, 1 month
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I have a 2x2 space. I figured as cheap as high bay lighting is I would grab a 250w and a 400w and see what works best for me. Think I could just cut the plug off of the cord for my hydrofarm reflector and attach it to the ballast?
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phychotron
Medicated
Registered: 02/17/11
Posts: 1,995
Loc: Earth (mostly)
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That's getting pretty dangerous when you start chopping wires. I'm hesitant on giving you any electrical advise. The Mogul base (light bulb socket) should allow for both an HPS or a MH bulb to screw in. Some ballast have a hard-wired Mogul whereas others can be unplugged from the ballast for convenience.
If your going to get a new ballast to run an HPS it's probably best or easier to get one that you can unplug from the Mogul socket. You might be able to just attach another end on the Mogul wire so it will plug right in and out. Your ballast should have plugs for wires to connect to instead of being hard-wired.
If your in the market for a new ballast you should consider getting one that is both switchable (HPS or MH) and adjustable output. If you got the 400w version you could always run it on low to compare to the 250w bulb but still have that extra bit of juice in reserve if your plants need it. But if you only get the 250w ballast and need more light you will need to buy another one.
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Any help given is for educational purposes only. Its your responsibility not to break any applicable laws
Bamboo Bongs I make | Perfect Dry and Cure | Grapegod under LED
“Human beings, vegetables, or cosmic dust, we all dance to a mysterious tune intoned in the distance by an invisible player.” ~ Albert Einstein
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TrueHerbCrystal
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Registered: 02/07/09
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Loc: Emerald City
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Cutting wires is a bad idea. U would need a cord from the ballast that has a plug on it.
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NurturethePlantsYo
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Registered: 07/23/16
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What am i to do? The light i got has severed power supply cord and it's recommended that you make ballast remote. with some wire nuts and electrical tape i think i can do it.
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Data
That Guy
Registered: 08/12/08
Posts: 4,035
Loc: Southwestern US
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If it's the wire that plugs into the wall, then you can easily splice a new length of wire and plug onto a 250W ballast. Just make sure that the cut end of your wires are clean and not tarnished (if you have to, cut off an extra 1/4" or so to get into fresh wire).
Make sure you buy wire that easily EXCEEDS the current requirements, remember that at 250W and 120VAC, you need something that will handle at least 3 or 4 amps, and I would personally shoot for 10 or 15 just to feel safe. Also don't run the wire for too long of a distance, and if you can afford them, install some ferrite beads on the new wire to avoid any RF noise being transmitted by the random length of wire.
Use wire nuts at the very least, look up how to properly size and apply them. DO NOT RELY ON ELECTRICAL TAPE AS AN INSULATOR, that stuff is not designed to be the primary insulation around a live mains wire.
If you could post some pics, I'll be glad to weigh in on how difficult it would be to wire this up.
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“The Universe is under no obligation to make sense to you” -NDT
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TrueHerbCrystal
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Re: using a shop light/security light [Re: Data]
#823021 - 01/26/17 06:42 PM (7 years, 9 months ago) |
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good advice Data 
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NurturethePlantsYo
Stranger
Registered: 07/23/16
Posts: 13
Last seen: 7 years, 1 month
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Re: using a shop light/security light [Re: Data]
#823400 - 02/04/17 09:46 AM (7 years, 9 months ago) |
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That's what i was thinking, using a heavier duty cord than necessary. Then wire nuts (figured I'd get a kit with all different sizes because i do alot of diy) what are the beads you describe and is rf disturbance that suspicious?? Please and thank you for the knowledge!
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NurturethePlantsYo
Stranger
Registered: 07/23/16
Posts: 13
Last seen: 7 years, 1 month
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 here's the full setup, so you can see my intentions, and if I'm as crazy as i think haha
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TrueHerbCrystal
Uncertified Oregrowian
Registered: 02/07/09
Posts: 1,352
Loc: Emerald City
Last seen: 6 years, 1 month
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Looks legit.
Just make sure to babysit it so theres no chance of electrical fires.
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NurturethePlantsYo
Stranger
Registered: 07/23/16
Posts: 13
Last seen: 7 years, 1 month
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Re: using a shop light/security light [Re: TrueHerbCrystal]
#823407 - 02/04/17 10:33 AM (7 years, 9 months ago) |
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You mean just for the first couple of days right?
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Data
That Guy
Registered: 08/12/08
Posts: 4,035
Loc: Southwestern US
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Quote:
NurturethePlantsYo said:
That's what i was thinking, using a heavier duty cord than necessary. Then wire nuts (figured I'd get a kit with all different sizes because i do alot of diy) what are the beads you describe and is rf disturbance that suspicious?? Please and thank you for the knowledge!
RF interference will bring cable repairmen or FCC officials to your door. The frequencies emitted by cheap or unfiltered ballasts can interfere with AM radio and look like the signature radio signals from an improperly connected cable line.
It may not get you arrested, but it can get you fined by the FCC and draw attention to you.
Ferrite beads are available from most electronics supplies like mouser or digikey for cheap. They install very easy, and change the resonant frequency of your power cables, thus limiting their ability to efficiently emit radio frequency energy. I highly recommend them for all but the nicest ballasts.
The repair looks good.
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“The Universe is under no obligation to make sense to you” -NDT
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TrueHerbCrystal
Uncertified Oregrowian
Registered: 02/07/09
Posts: 1,352
Loc: Emerald City
Last seen: 6 years, 1 month
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Re: using a shop light/security light [Re: Data]
#823416 - 02/04/17 03:22 PM (7 years, 9 months ago) |
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wow, cheap ballasts create RF interferrence?
Interesting...
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Data
That Guy
Registered: 08/12/08
Posts: 4,035
Loc: Southwestern US
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Re: using a shop light/security light [Re: TrueHerbCrystal] 1
#823418 - 02/04/17 03:48 PM (7 years, 9 months ago) |
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Cheap digital ballasts are the worst.
Because they rely on high frequency transistors, without the proper circuit design they create extremely high frequency harmonics (think of it like the water hammer and vibrations running through old or poorly designed piping after you slam a valve shut). This can happen on both the primary (outlet) side, or the secondary (light) side, and if either of the cords are some multiple of 1/4 of the wavelength of the harmonics, then the wire can act like a reasonably efficient antenna, and radiate that energy out beyond your growspace.
Ferrite beads magnetically couple to the cord in the near field like an inductor, creating a natural low-pass filter that converts the harmonics into heat (a tiny amount of it) while allowing the normal supply to pass through the cable with minimal dissipation.
You can probably shop around and find beads built for different frequencies, I might look into that for the lamp end cord later tonight and post anything that I find.
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“The Universe is under no obligation to make sense to you” -NDT
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