600 watt bulb, with 660 ballast?

[Ph 007]

Hi everyone, woop woop chicken soup


I have a ballest that has 4 light settings
I have a 600 watt bulb , is it safe to crank the ballast up to 660watt with my 600wat bulb?

And also would their be any benefit's to the extra 60 watt?

Thanks

 

[cemchris]

yeah that is just overdrive for the bulb. Might lower the bulb life some. Doubt you will see a true benefit from 60 watts more.

 

[Ph 007]

Ye I didn't think it be much difference. Also though they might blow the bulb

 

[Ph 007]

speaking of bulb life, how long would you think a bulb would last before replacing, iv had some 2-3 year's in the past. New bulbs do look little bright can't teop difference in yield tho?

 

[Jimster]

Ballasts actually limit the amount of electricity arcing inside the bulb. Once the light tube ignites, the arc is essentially a short circuit and will quickly draw too much power and blow/burn out. The ballasts limits the amount of current that flows, stopping the run-away effect that the arc tube presents.
If you turn it up to 660, you will be allowing more amperage thru the bulb and it will increase the heat and possibly shorten the bulb life. I don't think it will cause the bulb to fail too quickly, but it might effect the spectrum that the bulb produces. You should see a modest difference in light, but probably not more than 5% if you are lucky.

 

[cemchris]

Every 2 to 3 flower cycles replace the bulbs. I take it SE bulbs not DE?

 

[Ph 007]

Every 2 to 3 flower cycles replace the bulbs. I take it SE bulbs not DE?

Ow well I'm on my 6-9 grow same bulb, maybe time to change, iv not noticed different in yield tho? I have read before years ago the need changeing so often, but as years gone by iv not changed very often and not noticed difference in yield, I do notice tho when in change them they do look brighter and the light looks or might be be in my mind as its new, the light in new bulb seem brighter and a more whit sorta light not so yellow.

SE/DE not sure what that means mate, its sodium bulb i think they called,, screw in and in the bulb the metal filliment is cover in like a class tube where the gases at I think init lol never gone that far into it, got their is sine stuff you can know from growing and a lot if science crazy really

 

[cemchris]

Ow well I'm on my 6-9 grow same bulb, maybe time to change, iv not noticed different in yield tho? I have read before years ago the need changeing so often, but as years gone by iv not changed very often and not noticed difference in yield, I do notice tho when in change them they do look brighter and the light looks or might be be in my mind as its new, the light in new bulb seem brighter and a more whit sorta light not so yellow.

SE/DE not sure what that means mate, its sodium bulb i think they called,, screw in and in the bulb the metal filliment is cover in like a class tube where the gases at I think init lol never gone that far into it, got their is sine stuff you can know from growing and a lot if science crazy really

Single Ended (SE) Double Ended (DE). Unless it was a newer ballast and still has the screw type mogul it's SE. Spectrum matters is why. Only matters for bulbs since DE will stay longer then SE

After a while the light starts to shift. If it's doing good for you run it till you notice. There isnt a threshold you have to replace. Ive ran some of my horti's up to a year.

 

[Ph 007]

Single Ended (SE) Double Ended (DE). Unless it was a newer ballast and still has the screw type mogul it's SE. Spectrum matters is why. Only matters for bulbs since DE will stay longer then SE

After a while the light starts to shift. If it's doing good for you run it till you notice. There isnt a threshold you have to replace. Ive ran some of my horti's up to a year.

Ow lol, ye SE