b careful and check ballast for all switches.
Typically you would use a MH during veg and a HPS in flower. The difference is the spectrum of light. You should have a switch to go between MH and HPS. 600w is the most efficient but 1000w can get you a little more as long as you can deal with the heat.
HID of that size may be too hot and cook them. Hps in veg will cause greater internode spacing,it immitates light during flowering but it is cooler than halide. Hps gives you 140k lumens or better to build up resin,your strain choice matters as well.
Wouldn’t a digital ballast be better nowadays? He’s running an old magnet ballast that’s super heavy. The digital ballasts you can run many different bulbs with.In your position I would buy a 600 watt balast and run the 600 on that, its a funny thing running a thousand watts through a 600 watt bulb, some seem to get away with it, but a lot don't. Ideally you need a 1000 watt balast that switches down to 600 so you can run both. As for a time to swap, I'd use the 600 in veg, then swap out to the 1000 for flower, that's if the 600 is MH and the 1000 is HPS.
I use a 1000w hps mechanical ballast, I started with one and when it finely went after 15 yrs I bought the new digital ballast $250 with a 60%-70% & a 100%-110% switch so you could boost a 600 - 700 & 1000w - 1100w. it lasted 2 years...I bought another 1000w....$250 it lasted less than 2 years....I bought another mechanical kit a year and a bit ago and built another out of the ....3... components....3.....components......each one can be replaced....total cost $113....shipped taxes in.........I have an open room in the basement and I can use the heat from it 10 months of the year......I'd like to switch to a lower intensity late in flower but I have to move the plants or raise the light rather than flip a switch.
That is interesting, I have both styles but have not used them yet. I’m thinking of adding one to my room next to a led just for the heat lol
The only thing I don't like about digital ballasts is they burn up most light timers.. Does anyone know if they make a good 7 day programmable light timer for digital ballasts, yet? Last I checked, I couldn't find one.... Here's what happens when you put a 1000w digital ballast on a light timer not designed for digital -
That looks more like a lose connection problem. I hear what you are saying about digital but there's a lot of current going through those prongs on a 1000w ballast and if one side is just a little bit lose you'll get arcing, heat build up and fires. We all have to see your pic and check all of our electrical connections now.....Its a good practice to get into. warm equipment & plugs are okay hot is notThe only thing I don't like about digital ballasts is they burn up most light timers.. Does anyone know if they make a good 7 day programmable light timer for digital ballasts, yet? Last I checked, I couldn't find one.... Here's what happens when you put a 1000w digital ballast on a light timer not designed for digital -
(It even says not for digital ballasts, but hey, I like to live dangerously)
Yeah it wasn't a loose connection that's actually the 2nd light timer that specific ballast has burned up. It's one of these ballasts -
I'm not exactly sure what the difference is, but according to Titan's website I guess this is why my timers failed -
| Q: | Why does the instructions state that this device cannot be used with "digital ballasts"? |
| A: | The wall timers that we offer are not for use with digital or electronic ballasts due to the high in-rush current of the ballast. The in-rush current from electronic/digital ballasts can be from 10 to 40 times the rated amperage for these products and this burns the contacts inside of the timers making them inoperable. We recommend the use of the Apollo 4, 120 Volt or Apollo 5, 240 Volt ballast timer to operate a single digital and electronic ballasts. |
