maximum wire run from 600w ballast

[budboy299]

Any of you fellows know what the maximum length of 16awg 600V wire you can run between the ballast and bulb?
I am running a lumatek 600 on a flip flop and need to run aprox 25 feet from ballast to bulb. Anyone know if this is ok? thanks

 

[Green81]

sorry cant help,, but most uk ballast and lights come with over 4 metres on cable, not sure about double the distance on that.. Lights might not fire-up properly.

 

[pikes peak 69]

I think I heard something about it being 15'. But could you increase wire size to 14 or 12, then you may beable to go further.
Also I know that is a pre-built ballast, but I know if the ignitor is placed at the bulb then the cord can be pretty much any length you want. That would require a mag ballast to do.

HTH
pp69

 

[420king-MASSES]

no thats not good after 20 feet your power diminishes and now the cable has to pull more power through it [which it is not rated for] i would just get a thick gaged extension cord [10-20 footer] and go from there just remember to make sure your extension cord is thicker then ballast cord and light cord to ensure proper electrical flow

 

[motherlode]

they make 10 ft lamp cord extensions in 16 ga and 14 ga wire and you can get a replacement lamp cord that is 25 ft. Im gonna be buying some 10 ft extensions myself to get my ballasts out of the grow. I also saw a 50 ft lamp cord but it was made for a certain brand digi only.

you can go 25 feet with no issue!

 

[Papa]

my memory recalls 25 feet as well. 'sorry, i don't have my ballast catalog here. and i'm assuming we're talking bout a mag ballast and not electronic.





Papa

 

[420king-MASSES]

of course they have them but the longer the cord is not better in this case shorter is better shorter =more efficient

 

[budboy299]

you guys are bang on again! I called lumatek and they said 25 feet max and even at that you really should go up one size in wire.
thanks everyone.