372 watss for a 150 watt HPS???

[stupidthing]

So I'm putting together my grow box and trying to figure out my amperage needs. I look on one of the two ballasts and it say 120 volts, 3.1 OP Cur. I assume OP means operating current. That means that each ballast is 372 watts. Is this correct? I do not want to run a 1k watt grow box. (After you add in grow lights and pumps and fans.)
what the hell am i going to do. My house has old wiring. A thousand watts is way too much. I'v spent hundreds of dollars on this box so far. And now i'm thinking i'm going to have to scrap it.

 

[MediMary]

somewhere along the way I believe you got confused.
Im not great with electric but thought I would try and help you so you don't get discouraged.

Most houses you can run a continuous load at 20 percent of what the wiring is rated for, most setups are 15 amps(look at your breaker box for confirmation) so 12 amps.
a 1000 watt digi uses only 9.2 amps.

I

 

[Lost]

a 150 hps should run around 180 watts. Your looking at amps I think.

 

[DevilWeed]

Hell, this can be my first post over here! :D

A 3.1a load @ 120v = 372w

Can't imagine the ballasts being that ineficent...too much heat. I would bet that 3.1 amps is based on some factory calculations but who knows. Can you grab a "Kill-o-watt" meter? I think walmart even has them now. Only way to be sure...

 

[stupidthing]

I am looking at amps 3.1 amps x 120 volts=372 watts.
I'm not confused. My house is old and all the circuits already have heavy loads on them. The nearest circuit to where my grow box is, has my entertainments system on it. The second nearest circuit is the same circuit all the exterior outlets are on, so I won't be able to run my leaf blower or electric mower. My house is at or over that 20%.
and my Fuses, not breakers are all 10 amps except for a couple that are 15 amps.

 

[Lost]

Is that for both? Im telling you a 150 watt hps should draw around 180 watts. If its drawing the 372 thats your saying its either a different wattage of so inefficient you should throw it away :)

 

[Dr.stickerdick]

150 Watts

It looks like it says 150 watt. on the left side above HPS. OP Current means opperating Current , from the load or output of the ballast. But your draw is 3.1 amps Peace

 

[convex]

A 400 HPS runs about 4 amps, so either you are misreading or you have purchased the most inefficient light I have come across.

 

[420Gator]

just because its X amount of watts doesnt mean its X amount of amps

im sure your house can handle a single 150 watt hps

 

[420Gator]

blow dryers use more juice

 

[stupidthing]

That is for one ballast. I have two in the flower chamber.
I took a better pic with a real camera.

If it's supposed to run a 400 watt lamp then wouldn't you think it would blow the 150 that it's running now?
I wish I had one of those load meters.

I've got a 400 watt some where in the attic. It was a security light. It's ballast coil is way bigger than these are.

 

[sedate]

Okay. I've read the thread.

stupidthing: The ballast is simply extrodinairly inefficient - this was made for security concerns in commerical spaces - not grow equipment.

Your lights will function just fine - but you will be paying a bit of a premium on the ole' kilowatt-hour usuage.

The markings and amperage use are correct for a 150w security HPS.

Is that for both? Im telling you a 150 watt hps should draw around 180 watts. If its drawing the 372 thats your saying its either a different wattage of so inefficient you should throw it away

And for a grow lamp, seperate ballast-type deal, corded bulb, etc., this would be correct.

However, our OP is not using grow lights, he's using Regent security lighting - which *is* very inefficient.

I actually grew underground out in a Virginia swamp with these exact same lights back in 2001.

Two of them added a good $100 to my electric bill.

 

[MediMary]

:confused0054:

 

[gudkarma]

i have the same light... mine is from HTG Supply.

paid about $80 delivered.

it's 150w HPS, internal ballast, the size of a shoe box, & uses a fucking boat load of amps ...3.2a to be exact.

this light puts off a tremendous amount of heat... so if you're growing in a box you better have a way to exchange air.

basically, i bought this light to use in a small flower cabinet built outside my main grow lab.

will say, when i opened the box & read the label on the lamp backside, i was dissapointed in the lamp's efficiency to say the least.

search around, i know you can get some type of mogual adapter for a regular socket, score 2 HPS bulbs @ 70w (i think) & two clamp lamps (from home depot), and be WAY more efficient.

 

[sedate]

?

MediMary:

HPS lighting was developed to lamp massive commerical warehouses decades ago - this piece is clearly legacy of that - that particular lamp is something of a pain to grow with anyway - it gets as hot as any specialty 400w grow-HID and uses nearly as much juice.

One trick is to seperate the unit - remove the ballast and ignitor and mount them to a board or something with a 120V computer-style fan - this helps alot with heat - but the light itself is a black hole for power.

Additionally, the spectrum is also a bit unsatisfactory - it runs at something like 1700K out of the box - which is a DEEP DEEP DARK orange.

Real grow lamps are blued up nicely.

Anyway, the point is that there was not industry incentive to make the technology more efficient until specialty companies began adapting them to grow lights.

But the bulb will work nicely - I ran a 30 plant SCROG - the only time I've ever hit 1/gpw . . . . not the best weed - but by comparison with what was on the East Coast at the time . . .

 

[stupidthing]

Well crap! I don't have the cash or the space for a digital ballast.
Can you guys recommend a system that will fit in 22 x 27 space? Or better 150 watt ballasts? My "utility room" is only 4" high also. That's why I went with two 150 watters instead of 1 400w.

I've been looking into the quad band LED systems. do you think 2 x 45 watt LED lights will be enough? I'm doing a SCROG system and the screen is only 8" away from the bottom of the hood. So coverage is a concern. Money is tight, but I could buy one now, then another later.

I can fit two of these.
http://www.amazon.com/Sunshine-Syst...TF8&coliid=I3O6M05RFHBIQS&colid=3TZ59SYFX89Q2

or four of these.
http://www.amazon.com/Wholesalers-2...TF8&coliid=I18KM3QD09DZ73&colid=3TZ59SYFX89Q2

I can also fit 4 of these, but they are 120w and $250 each.

 

[convex]

IMO a 250W HPS agro system in a small cool tube would be your best solution.

Cheers

 

[Lost]

Scrap the LED idea, you said you don't have the money, so I would look into some sort of HPS setup.

 

[stupidthing]

Well I can get a 400w hps for just a few dollars more than the 250. Seems kinda silly to buy a 250 when a 400 is close in price.
Also, the 250 is more expensive than the 90w LED. Aren't they supposed to be similar in output? Or I can get 3 of the 45w LEd for the same price.

 

[Lost]

No, the 90 w led will not out perform the 250. Now even close :)