Inexpensive MH ballasts?

[Irie Eyes]

Hello all. I am upgrading to MH lighting, and I wish to purchase a cheap ballast for a DIY hood. Any info would be greatly appreciated, as I am anxious to do this right away.

Thanks.

-Dave

 

[Anonymous]

Coil and core is the cheapest type. They are very heavy, so best to get them locally, say, electric distributor, etc.

 

[Anonymous]

Yep, what dupaboy said.

Louey

 

[Fl_Seagull]

The cheapest is to use the 6.5K bulbs for mercury ballasts. It is possible to get 250Watts for under $100 for ballast (~$25), bulb (~$60), and socket($5).

If you want to use 10K, 14K, or 20K bulbs, it gets harder to find a "cheap" solution. http://www.thelogicalreef.com has 175 watt 10K setups (ellectronic ballast, bulb, reflecter, and socket) for $205. If I remember correctly the magnetic setup was ~$175. You will have to e-mail them about it since they don't have it on their website.

I would like to find a "cheap" HQI ballasts. But, I have not seen much below the $100 mark.

Perhaps others on this board have found better pricing.

 

[Fl_Seagull]

For details on using the 6500K 250W Iwasaki Metal Halide designed for mercury ballasts see http://aquarium.union.rpi.edu/articles/DIY_MH.html.

Hope this helps.

 

[sawyerc]

Check Home Depot. They might have a ballast and socket you can use for cheap. Then get a better bulb.

 

[Meloco14]

I know people have used ballasts and sockets from certain halogen worklights or floodlights, but how do you know if they are compatible with MH bulbs?

 

[Yano]

hellolights.com is a great place.
http://www.hellolights.com/magbalsys.html
http://www.hellolights.com/methalbalac.html

 

[Tbrennan]

I get mine at insidesun.com have good prices on 10k bulbs too. You can get the whole setup almost cheaper than doing it yourself. Hope this helps

 

[Chioru]

Good point... I hope someone knows the answer

I know people have used ballasts and sockets from certain halogen worklights or floodlights, but how do you know if they are compatible with MH bulbs?

 

[bashcraft]

Good point... I hope someone knows the answer

I know people have used ballasts and sockets from certain halogen worklights or floodlights, but how do you know if they are compatible with MH bulbs?

Halogen lights do not use a ballast. They are basically incandescent lights.

 

[Meloco14]

Interesting, I guess people only use the sockets then

 

[bashcraft]

The sockets won't work either. HID sockets only accept HID lamps. They don't want you replacing the lamps with anything other than what they were intended for.

 

[Fl_Seagull]

It seems that you can modify some fixtures to hold the 150W DE MH bulbs. You still have to get a compatible ballast.

After spending hours trying to get a handle on the details, I understand why most people will go with a retro kit. The information out there is so incomplete that it is hard to know if a given combination will work successfully.

This thread on nano-reef show how one person did this mod. Note that he had to modify the sockets quite a bit to fit the bulb.

While he doesn't list the ballast, I suspect it is a Advance part #72C5481-NP.

Hope this helps.

 

[coralfarmin]

If im not mistaken you can mod the halogen fixtures & use the sockets and reflector for 150s

Id get a m135 pulse start & 400 radium if I were to go on the cheap for my first light

search ebay under growlight ,metal halide,ballast

you may find something great

you can use a 400 hps ballast for a 10k ushio
you can use the 430 watt son agro for a radium also

or get sunlights 150 watt 50,000k complete system its about the cheapest
complete system