just a quick question on bulbs

[wambam123]

are mh bulbs for vegging plants and hps for flowering, if i have a 600w ballast can both mh and hps bulbs be used?

 

[cway]

Yes and No


Mh is for Vegging, Keep NOdes tighter and keeps plant from stretching

HPS for flowering



Only if you have a switchable ballast can you use both bulbs.. Other wise you need to stick to what the ballast is.

 

[ScrogaholiC]

there are some MH bulbs out wich you can use with your normal HPS ballast ;)

 

[cway]

there are some MH bulbs out wich you can use with your normal HPS ballast ;)

Well all be damned... You learn something new everyday.. :banana:


Where can one find such bulbs. ??

 

[KingCrimson]

theyre called conversion bulbs I believe, just pop em into any appropriate balast.

first link for googling conversion MH

thanks again c

 

[British_Hempire]

Most ballasts these days will run MH or HPS, all the ones I've had in the last 5 years, which is 7, have done.

 

[hubcap]

^^thats good to know

ive never had the stones to try it.

prolly still wont but good ta know i wont send the tent into orbit.
tks.

 

[cway]

prolly still wont but good ta know i wont send the tent into orbit.
tks.

Yeah I second that... Its messed up that the companies that make ballast charge you extra for "Switchable Ballast " when they are really capable of both bulbs..

 

[hubcap]

i think i would, cway, have a better understanding of it all, if someone laid it out, in stoner terms, what 'exactly' happens when a bulb (MH and HPS) sparks and ignites.

because if its as simple as only applying the correct voltage to the bulb...than any bulb will work with any matched wattage ballasts. in theory, of course.

where i get fuzzy, is what exactly happens when the ballast discharges those fat capacitors and the charge is sent "down the line" if you will.
"what exactly happens in the bulb that requires a 'special ballast?" i guess would be a better question?

can any fellow farmer expand?

 

[JayBee]

just a note on 600w bulbs- I have heard of 600w MH bulbs but never seen them. There must be some scientific reason, but only MH bulbs that are available for 600w ballast are conversion bulbs...

jb

 

[Rural_GrowOp]

I'm not 100% sure but I believe that the only difference is that an hps bulb needs a starter cap and a mh doesn't. I have a friend that converter an old hps ballast to mh and it works pretty well.

 

[thesoftdrugbaron]

just a note on 600w bulbs- I have heard of 600w MH bulbs but never seen them. There must be some scientific reason, but only MH bulbs that are available for 600w ballast are conversion bulbs...

jb

sun master make 600 m.h .... and there good.. and all other wattages are available to.

i grow with the white light ,and bloom with a mix,[ E.G .. running 4x600wt sodium .. i run 1 x600 m.h in the middle to give you a nice mix.].+ and bit more wattage

but you can also use sodium light all the way throo..

SDB :icon_cookie:

 

[n0dn4rb]

Yep RG you are right. The only difference between the two ballast systems is the HPS ballast requires an Ignitor or starter and the MH doesn't. I have converted many ballasts and that's all that's needed to convert the two.

Hope that helps

 

[hubcap]

lemme throw a question into the ring?

who has used cermaic metal halides? and are they worth getting them?

thanks guys. sorry ta interrupt. wanted ta get some 'non biased' opinions.