Conversion Bulbs

Vee

Vee

Ancient Member
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The Conversion Bulb for my 600w HPS arrived 5 days ago .. I've been holding off for years

but as these were at silly prices I dived in ($us25.00)

The thing is massive as in fact its a Metal Halide bulb operating in a mogal socket built to hold a 600w HPS bulb

the size at first worrying is understood to be a protective shield around the lamp in case it explodes

after all I've read over the years .. I'm getting about an extra 25%-35% blue light which is a hidden great!

I'll use this for an average of 30 days before installing the 2700k HPS 'red' bulb for 60 days then harvest

just like old school heat output is about the same as the hps bulb

and am currently looking for a 400w hps thats can fit into a 400w M/H light (covert the other way)

you know of any please post
 
D

Deleted member 60

Guest
I'm not that lucky. ....and I've never heard anyone say it's OK to not match ballasts with lamps. Fucked up once and put a 400 MH in a 400 hps ran mogul and had hot shards of glass careening through my grow about 30 mins later. Ruined it all. That shit was melted into everything

Like using old nutes...at least here...it isn't worth the risk. Even the right bulbs aren't expensive now that the kiddoes are playing with the LEGO LED's. The one above is $30'ish and I saw some for as low as $12 (and they were Horti's)
 
Vee

Vee

Ancient Member
stiickygreen said:
I'm not that lucky. ....and I've never heard anyone say it's OK to not match ballasts with lamps. Fucked up once and put a 400 MH in a 400 hps ran mogul and had hot shards of glass careening through my grow about 30 mins later. Ruined it all. That shit was melted into everything

Like using old nutes...at least here...it isn't worth the risk. Even the right bulbs aren't expensive now that the kiddoes are playing with the LEGO LED's. The one above is $30'ish and I saw some for as low as $12 (and they were Horti's)
Click to expand...
I searched but found nothing have you a link to that 400W HX51830..???

2 months ago I traded my 400w Solar Storm for a Volkswagon (1949) in bits a good trade

cooler with the HIDS in the grow room now ....lol
 
D

Deleted member 60

Guest
@Bodyne .....Digitals will run both/sense what lamp is in the mogul. Still need to match wattages tho.

@vostok ....is this a digital or an analog ballast? My guess is analog or you wouldn't be using conversions.

https://hydrobuilder.com/grow-light-bulbs-ballasts-hoods/grow-light-bulbs-29/hps-mh-grow-light-bulbs/mh-hps-bulb-wattages/400-watt-mh-hps-bulbs/eye-hortilux-conversion-hps-to-mh-bulb-400w.html?ptid=8552139979&gclid=EAIaIQobChMItrHJx4Sn5AIVKSCtBh3fNgkcEAQYBCABEgIXc_D_BwE

Amazon.com : Hortilux Conversion (HPS to MH) Bulb, 400W : Plant Growing Light Bulbs : Garden & Outdoor

Amazon.com : Hortilux Conversion (HPS to MH) Bulb, 400W : Plant Growing Light Bulbs : Garden & Outdoor
www.amazon.com

ebay has stuff as well. Should be able to find someone somewhere to hook you up.

hope tht helps
 
Vee

Vee

Ancient Member
stiickygreen said:
@Bodyne .....Digitals will run both/sense what lamp is in the mogul. Still need to match wattages tho.

@vostok ....is this a digital or an analog ballast? My guess is analog or you wouldn't be using conversions.

https://hydrobuilder.com/grow-light-bulbs-ballasts-hoods/grow-light-bulbs-29/hps-mh-grow-light-bulbs/mh-hps-bulb-wattages/400-watt-mh-hps-bulbs/eye-hortilux-conversion-hps-to-mh-bulb-400w.html?ptid=8552139979&gclid=EAIaIQobChMItrHJx4Sn5AIVKSCtBh3fNgkcEAQYBCABEgIXc_D_BwE

Amazon.com : Hortilux Conversion (HPS to MH) Bulb, 400W : Plant Growing Light Bulbs : Garden & Outdoor

Amazon.com : Hortilux Conversion (HPS to MH) Bulb, 400W : Plant Growing Light Bulbs : Garden & Outdoor
www.amazon.com

ebay has stuff as well. Should be able to find someone somewhere to hook you up.

hope tht helps
Click to expand...
Thanks for that...yes its an old Soviet 1950's ballast I replaced the capaicator myself in 1987

still running strong ...lol
 
jpcyan

jpcyan

Really Active Member
Wait. .on the 400, you're wanting to use an HPS Bulb in an Magnetic MH ballast?
The Metal Ace bulbs are the same as the one you just bought. A Halide that runs in a HPS ballast.
Not what you are looking for.

I'm thinking the Ultra Ace is the conversion for Metal Halide to Sodium.

see: https://www.1000bulbs.com/pdf/EYE- hps- sell sheet.pdf

I have a couple 400's and a 1k bulb that convert to Sodium in an MH ballast. I'd have to dig them out but I'm pretty sure, at the time they were Eye Sunlux Ultra Ace. My first two 400 ballasts were MH. Always hated paying the the ridiculous price for a conversion bulb to HPS. But once in while you get one that is visibly so red.. we saw double the yield on that one, compared to the other 3 (all conversion) in a 4k system with rails running on 4 tables.

I haven't used an MH ballast or bulb for at least 20 yrs now.. Yes, I know I'm missing out on the UV..

Eventually I just built a 1k HPS ballast. heh yeah Ive replaced the cap as well. A couple times. The transformer in that thing is probably 50 yrs old, like your soviet hehe.
Capacitorking is my go to for Caps.

The only way to use an MH and HPS in the same ballast is digital, or check the specs and find a suitable cap that works for both, then put a toggle switch in that removes the ignitor from the circuit for the MH to run on.
Done a few of those as well DIY.
 
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Bodyne

PICK YOUR OWN
yea, those digital ballasts are pretty cheap now, and I guess thinking back that Ive always bought those, but on a 400 hps ballast, you don't need a conversion bulb, you can just plug it in and go. I been doin it and have done it for yrs and never had a bulb break, it does supposedly take some of the life out of the bulb, but at 11 dollars a bulb, thats no biggie, as I use the hps bulb twice as much as the mh bulb. And I thought everyone knew you cant mix wattages with bulbs and ballasts, who in their right mind try to put too small or too big a bulb in a specific sized ballast? lol Again, like most things canna board related anymore, you gotta try it yourself to make sure, you can take 1000 opinions and experiences, but the truth is when you try it. But Im pretty sure nobody in the thread so far was implying you could use diff watt bulbs in diff watt ballasts, lol.
 
D

Deleted member 60

Guest
LOL..I thought everyone knew not to mix types the same ballasts.....but hey...whatever. I sold this shit for years and you are the first person I've heard promote such things. Not here. I'm not THAT cheap. Same $11 buys the RIGHT lamp for the ballast. Makes no fuckin sense to play such games......and yer just damn lucky....cus I saw what can happen when you mix 'em up. Just bad advice, IMO. Safety should be first....always. And that just ain't right or they wouldn't make both lamps for a 400....

hope ya find what ya need @vostok. I'm heading back outside.
 
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Bodyne

PICK YOUR OWN
yep, crazy how it all works out. Especially since everyone is saying you can do it with the digis. But Ive seen on diff boards people doin it, but again, only on the 400's or less. Everything else apparently has to be ignited on the bulb or something. Im no electrician. Im not advising anyone to do anything, Im just relaying my experience. Sorry it dont line up with the pro's, lol, but it is what it is. When I change it next round for a week or two of MH before flowering, I'll take pics of every lil step, and then we'll see when the bulb blows. Again, IM NOT ADVISING ANYONE TO DO ANYTHING THEY DON"T THINK IS RIGHT, IM JUST RELAYING MY EXPERIENCE. IF a person was really worried, they'd have a MH and HPS ballast, just to cover all bases. Im out, everyone grows their own way, we all cant be grow gods or superman growers, lol. just teasin ya. Peace out
 
jpcyan

jpcyan

Really Active Member
I wasnt saying it can't or wont work, but its not safe. The wattage doesn't matter. I've never seen it, and I've never tried for that reason.
I didn't see anything by anyone saying to mix different wattage bulbs and magnetic ballasts.
Digis can do it with a switch or an internal sensing circuit.
I used 400w bulbs with 400w mag ballasts and 1K bulbs with 1K mag ballasts. (150 and 250 as well)
I wasnt trying to be argumentative at all. Apologies if I came off like that.
With the time, money, and effort we all spend trying to get good product, it's just not worth the risk to personal safety or the risk of a fire to use a bulb in a ballasts not suited to its specifics, cheap or not.
Maybe one day I'll move into this century and get LED's or a digital ballast.
Probably LED's as the old mags last forever.
I'm certainly no electrician or a pro at anything lol, but just an old hand at the game.
Always put my home, self, and family's safety first.
 
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Bodyne

PICK YOUR OWN
yea I was wrong, its not safe. APologies for even mentioning it. Didn't mean to seem argumentative. I will buy conversion bulbs from now on. Thanks for the info. Greatly appreciated. Best thing would be if the mods could just delete my posts from this thread, that way there can be no confusion, etc. Again, apologies, but please delete my posts, Ive reported them also.
 
Dirtbag

Dirtbag

Really Active Member
Ahh I remember those days running my old buzzbox magnetic ballasts. I always did seperate ballasts for MH and HPS though.

Picked up digital 1000w ballasts a few years ago and just run either MH or HPS lamps in them now. Got 2 of them for $180 total, they were on half price. Way more convienant and a fair bit less heat comes off the ballast too.
 
Vee

Vee

Ancient Member
Dirtbag said:
Ahh I remember those days running my old buzzbox magnetic ballasts. I always did seperate ballasts for MH and HPS though.

Picked up digital 1000w ballasts a few years ago and just run either MH or HPS lamps in them now. Got 2 of them for $180 total, they were on half price. Way more convienant and a fair bit less heat comes off the ballast too.
Click to expand...
I can relate very much...as the old school stuff gets cheaper and cheaper
the running costs increase sooner or later I'll return to LED
but in the meantime the silly 'tech' and its constant updates(see apple)
HLG and Samson, Cree I'll wait for things to cool
 
Dirtbag

Dirtbag

Really Active Member
vostok said:
I can relate very much...as the old school stuff gets cheaper and cheaper
the running costs increase sooner or later I'll return to LED
but in the meantime the silly 'tech' and its constant updates(see apple)
HLG and Samson, Cree I'll wait for things to cool
Click to expand...
Yeah it reminds me of the cassette, CD, mini disk, laser disk, hodgepodge of tech in the early-mid 90's. Sooner or later one variation of tech will come out on top. Until then I ain't blowing no money on a $900 laser disk player..
 
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