Quick Question About Digital Ballasts

[stides]

I just got up with the times and got my first digital ballast. It's 600 Watts but it has settings to change to 400 watts and 250 watts as well. My question is I assume if you had a 250 watt bulb and cranked up the ballast to 600 Watts that wouldn't be good right? But on the opposite end, is it okay to have a 600 watt bulb and turn down the setting to 250 watts? Or do you have to use the exact watt bulb to the exact wattage on the ballast?

Please only answer if you know for sure, burning my house down is the last thing I want to do

 

[Old_SSSC_Guy]

You match the bulb to the ballast. Use a 600 watt and it can drive it at lower rates. You can switch between the levels with the system on, you don't have to turn it off to adjust.

 

[sunakard2000]

not 100% sure... never tried, my buddy has one of them adjustable ballists and i BELIEVE that you need to have the right bulb in for each setting, and even if you could put a 600w bulb in why on earth would you want to down grade its power to 400 or even worse 250? especially for HPS's 600w is plenty so long as you dont have a massive grow of id day more then 5-6 plants

 

[stides]

not 100% sure... never tried, my buddy has one of them adjustable ballists and i BELIEVE that you need to have the right bulb in for each setting, and even if you could put a 600w bulb in why on earth would you want to down grade its power to 400 or even worse 250? especially for HPS's 600w is plenty so long as you dont have a massive grow of id day more then 5-6 plants

Because I don't need 600 watts of power right now as they are barely out of clone stage. I have a 250 watt bulb in right now and the setting turned to 250 watts. My question is, can I use a 600 watt bulb and turn down the setting to 250.

 

[stides]

You match the bulb to the ballast. Use a 600 watt and it can drive it at lower rates. You can switch between the levels with the system on, you don't have to turn it off to adjust.

Well I'm using a 250 Watt bulb in it right now with the setting on 250. The bulb is not matched to the ballasts max capacity. Is that ok? I do also have a 600 watt bulb that came with the unit. But I didn't know I could use that on the 250 setting.

 

[Locked]

Well I'm using a 250 Watt bulb in it right now with the setting on 250. The bulb is not matched to the ballasts max capacity. Is that ok?

I would believe you are fine. I dont think you can "overdrive" the bulb only "underdrive" it. 600w bulb gets you access to all three settings I would think.jmo

 

[Old_SSSC_Guy]

According to what Lumatek says, you can run a 250 by turning the ballast to 250 before you turn it on, ditto for a 600 watt. Just be careful to not switch it higher that the bulb is rated. However in another chunk of literature they said that you -had- to use the max wattage bulb for the ballast.

That's why to me its safer and makes more sense to just use the maximum size bulb but dim it down when you want.

 

[stides]

I would believe you are fine. I dont think you can "overdrive" the bulb only "underdrive" it. 600w bulb gets you access to all three settings I would think.jmo

And just for fun what would happen if I "overdrove" it ie 250 bulb with 600 ballast setting? Explosions? Fires of hell?

 

[stides]

According to what Lumatek says, you can run a 250 by turning the ballast to 250 before you turn it on, ditto for a 600 watt. Just be careful to not switch it higher that the bulb is rated. However in another chunk of literature they said that you -had- to use the max wattage bulb for the ballast.

That's why to me its safer and makes more sense to just use the maximum size bulb but dim it down when you want.

Yea that would probably be safer just in case somehow the ballast got turned up with only a 250 watt bulb in place.

 

[The Hemp Goddess]

According to what Lumatek says, you can run a 250 by turning the ballast to 250 before you turn it on, ditto for a 600 watt. Just be careful to not switch it higher that the bulb is rated. However in another chunk of literature they said that you -had- to use the max wattage bulb for the ballast.

That's why to me its safer and makes more sense to just use the maximum size bulb but dim it down when you want.

Where is this info--I would like to read it? I did not get info like that with my Lumatek ballast. I have always been informed that the wattage of the bulb must match the wattage of the ballast, even if you are running at reduced wattage.

 

[pcduck]

According to what Lumatek says, you can run a 250 by turning the ballast to 250 before you turn it on, ditto for a 600 watt. Just be careful to not switch it higher that the bulb is rated. However in another chunk of literature they said that you -had- to use the max wattage bulb for the ballast.

That's why to me its safer and makes more sense to just use the maximum size bulb but dim it down when you want.

Where is this info--I would like to read it? I did not get info like that with my Lumatek ballast. I have always been informed that the wattage of the bulb must match the wattage of the ballast, even if you are running at reduced wattage.

THG, I to have read this information. Not sure of web site but will go in search of it.

Something like they suggest to prolong the life of the higher wattage bulb to use a 250 @ the 250 setting and on down the road. But can use a 600 watt bulb and dim it but the bulb life is reduced and never use nothing but a 600 watt bulb on super lumens.

Like I said I will see if I can find you a link.

 

[Old_SSSC_Guy]

hXXp://www.lumatek.co.uk/index.php/products/electronic-ballasts.html

Where is says for the 600 watt ballast:

To light a 400W lamp; set control to 400W and boost output by 10% by switching to 400SL.
To light a 600W lamp; set control to 600W and boost output by 10% by switching to 600SL or dim down to 400SL or 400W.

Where is this info--I would like to read it? I did not get info like that with my Lumatek ballast. I have always been informed that the wattage of the bulb must match the wattage of the ballast, even if you are running at reduced wattage.

 

[pcduck]

I sent Lumatek an e-mail asking

 

[Old_SSSC_Guy]

Faster to just call them. They are real nice folks and happy to help.

 

[dman1234]

for what its worth a friend of mine puts a 400 in and set it to 400, later he puts a 600 in and sets it to 600.

 

[pcduck]

Faster to just call them. They are real nice folks and happy to help.

More then likely they are nice folks, but the contact numbers from your link are from the other side of the ocean. I am to much of a cheapo to pay the long distance charges

I guess I will just wait for the e-mail. I have e-mailed them before and they got back to me in a timely matter

 

[Old_SSSC_Guy]

Sorry about that Duck... I am so damn US-centric sometimes... Sigh...

 

[The Hemp Goddess]

Thanks all! I actually happen to have both a 250 and a 400W MH. I occasionally need to put vegging plants under the 600W HPS and veg for a while longer if I run out of room in the vegging space.

 

[HemperFi]

I have been using a dimmable ballast for a long time now -- all I have ever used in it are 600w MH bulbs -- it dims to either 400w or 250w nicely and there is no change of bulbs necessary.

Peace

 

[Locked]

I have been using a dimmable ballast for a long time now -- all I have ever used in it are 600w MH bulbs -- it dims to either 400w or 250w nicely and there is no change of bulbs necessary.

Peace

Thanks for the info Hemper...that's how I figured it works.