Ballasts & Bulbs

[Diane11]

I have a small apartment and am running a 1000w ballast with a HPS 1000wbulb, it is waaaay too hot in there! This IS my first grow and was super excited but now I have concerns.... I have the opportunity to change out my ballast for a 600w one, and a free 600 w bulb.... Should I do the exchange? Or if by turning the ballast down to 50, can I still use that 1000w bulb In it and it not be sooo hot (basically, will it work as if it's a 600w by turning the ballast down?) First time female here trying my best! Any thoughts, advice, ANYTHING! I will take it all in! Nothing can get me mad if the advice is real, be raw if ya need to! I need to hear it! Thank you!

 

[Smokey503ski]

@Diane11 Welcome to the farm.
A few questions for you.
How big of a tent are you using?
Do you have a air cooled reflector?
If you could take a few pics of your setup we can get a better idea of how to help you.

 

[Diane11]

Welcome to the farm.
A few questions for you.
How big of a tent are you using?
Do you have a air cooled reflector?

Hello!! And thank you! My tent is 3x3x6, and no I don't have an air cooled reflector, still buying what I can little by little. But I need help knowing what's most important first. So trying to see what I can do to make this work;) thanks for the welcome and the reply!

 

[Smokey503ski]

Hello!! And thank you! My tent is 3x3x6, and no I don't have an air cooled reflector, still buying what I can little by little. But I need help knowing what's most important first. So trying to see what I can do to make this work;) thanks for the welcome and the reply!

Honestly that 1k is a little much for that size.
I would trade for the 600 if you still can.
I seen you're in Washington, where about? I'm in Ridgefield.
I have a air cooled reflector you can have. You would need to get a inline fan though.

 

[Diane11]

Honestly that 1k is a little much for that size.
I would trade for the 600 if you still can.
I seen you're in Washington, where about? I'm in Ridgefield.
I have a air cooled reflector you can have. You would need to get a inline fan though.

Awesome! I'm in Tacoma.. Yes! I still can trade for the 600w ballast. I would be interested in the air cooled reflector for sure! And I have a 4" inline fan. I'm trying to learn this site so I can post pics

 

[Smokey503ski]

You would be set with that fan.
Although the reflector has 6" ports you would need a 6" to 4" reducer.
Some 6" tubing and your golden.

 

[Diane11]

Awesome! I'm in Tacoma.. Yes! I still can trade for the 600w ballast. I would be interested in the air cooled reflector for sure! And I have a 4" inline fan. I'm trying to learn this site so I can post pics

You would be set with that fan.
Although the reflector has 6" ports you would need a 6" to 4" reducer.
Some 6" tubing and your golden.

You would be set with that fan.
Although the reflector has 6" ports you would need a 6" to 4" reducer.
Some 6" tubing and your golden.

Great! I can get the tubing no prob. :) how should we go about the rest?

 

[Diane11]

I definitely needed to move that fan up for sure anyway! Haha!!

 

[Smokey503ski]

I'm not heading up to Tacoma anytime soon. Not sure if you're heading down this way sometime in the near future.
I can't see where you have the fan in the tent.
Hopefully you have it up at the top exhausting the hot air out.
To get this hot air out, you need to direct it outside. This way it pulls cooler air from the house, instead of recirculating the hot air in the room.

 

[Diane11]

I'm not heading up to Tacoma anytime soon. Not sure if you're heading down this way sometime in the near future.
I can't see where you have the fan in the tent.
Hopefully you have it up at the top exhausting the hot air out.
To get this hot air out, you need to direct it outside. This way it pulls cooler air from the house, instead of recirculating the hot air in the room.

Actually I have to move the fan up today! I just found that part out, real fast! Lol. I don't drive on the freeway hahaha, so I suppose I'll have to say thank you VERY much.... But I can't come get it. But I DO appreciate your advice and I'm going to take it! Have a great day, thanks again for your advice and the first person to talk to me. Haha!! I Anticipate being on here quite often!

 

[DrMcSkunkins]

Is it a switcha

Honestly that 1k is a little much for that size.
I would trade for the 600 if you still can.
I seen you're in Washington, where about? I'm in Ridgefield.
I have a air cooled reflector you can have. You would need to get a inline fan though.

I wouldnt trade a brand new setup for a used one, bulbs and ballasts both have a life expectancy. You would be better off just buying another bulb if your ballast will handle smaller bulbs.

 

[Diane11]

Is it a switcha

I wouldnt trade a brand new setup for a used one, bulbs and ballasts both have a life expectancy. You would be better off just buying another bulb if your ballast will handle smaller bulbs.

I guess that was part of my question, with the 3 different adjustments, 50,75,100..... Can I just lower it to 50 and use a 600w?

 

[DrMcSkunkins]

The lower settings are mostly for heat reduction but they also dim your 1000watt bulbs

If you get a 6inch inline fan and filter and use the 50 or 75% setting you should be ok on heat with the 1000 watt, if you run the fan full blast you might be able to just run it full power. Take that cool tube if you can get it...

 

[fishwhistle]

I guess that was part of my question, with the 3 different adjustments, 50,75,100..... Can I just lower it to 50 and use a 600w?

You can but it wont work nearly as well,when you dim a bulb much more than 15-20% you change the spectrum the bulb was designed for.Maybe you could reach out to smokey by PM and send him a few dollars to cover the expense and he would ship you that air cooled hood?In your setup that would be an ideal combo with the 600.

 

[Diane11]

The lower settings are mostly for heat reduction but they also dim your 1000watt bulbs

Okay! Thank you for the help;) I'm definitely going to keep it on 50 for now and I'm most likely going to change my bulb to a 600w and KEEP my 1000w bulb for perhaps a later date and a bigger grow space.

 

[Diane11]

You can but it wont work nearly as well,when you dim a bulb much more than 15-20% you change the spectrum the bulb was designed for.Maybe you could reach out to smokey by PM and send him a few dollars to cover the expense and he would ship you that air cooled hood?In your setup that would be an ideal combo with the 600.

Yeah that does make a lot of sense. Okay so I need to definitely move my fan up, change the bulb to 600 WITH a air cooling hood, and keep ballast on 50? 75? Or exchange it for the 600w ballast? JUST want to make sure.... A lot of blood, sweat, and tears involved.. Hahaaa

 

[DrMcSkunkins]

Yeah if you get a 600watt bulb you will need a 600watt ballast, with an air cooled hood and a 6 inch fan you should be ok to run the 1000watt on 100% imo

 

[DrMcSkunkins]

Take the ballast out of the tent, out of the room if the cord is long enough...
Put the fan drawing air out of one of the top ports, that should help with your heat, you might not even need an air cooled hood but it will help.
Put a small oscillating fan in there circulating air.

 

[DrMcSkunkins]

Edited♤

 

[Diane11]

Take the ballast out of the tent, out of the room if the cord is long enough...

Ok perfect! Will do. My local grow store, they are pretty bomb in working with me big time, as far as the equipment goes.... But the advice is what I REALLY needed! Now I can go back and talk deals lol, thanks VERY much guys!!