Can you use a HPS bulb without a ballast?

Can you use a HPS bulb without a ballast?

You can’t run an HPS bulb without a fitting ballast. At best you’re going to break the bulb, and in the worst case scenario you’re setting an explosion up. A ballast is what powers your HPS bulbs.

Do high pressure sodium bulbs use a ballast?

HPS lamps require ballasts to regulate the arc current flow and deliver the proper voltage to the arc. HPS lamps do not contain starting electrodes. Instead, an electronic starting circuit within the ballast generates a high-voltage pulse to the operating electrodes.

Do I need a ballast for HPS lights?

Metal Halide (MH) and High Pressure Sodium (HPS) lights require a remote ballast to work. When building your own plant grow light, it’s important to match the ballast with the wattage of the bulb you will be using. You must also match the type of light (MH or HPS) you’re looking for with the ballast.

What is the difference between MH and HPS bulbs?

Metal Halide (MH) lamps provide more of the blue spectrum, which is ideal for leafy crops, and/or plants that are in a vegetative stage. High Pressure Sodium (HPS) lamps provide more yellow/red spectrum, which is ideal for most plants that are actively fruiting and flowering.

Can I veg with 600W HPS?

In response to the general question, can you use an HPS bulb for veg, the answer is yes. Basically you can use just about any light out there for any stage of growth, the real question is how well do each bulb work for veg.

Is HPS better than LED?

LEDs are much the same. Though they’re generally more efficient than HPS (with some clocking 2.8 µmol/joule), some LEDs are less efficient than high-quality HPS fixtures, and they give you less light. All too often, the µmol/joule rating on HPS products states the lamp efficiency, not the actual product efficiency.

Which ballast used in sodium lamp?

ANSI HPS ballast codes

Power output ANSI codes
50 W S68
70 W S62
100 W S54
150 W S55 (55v) or S56 (100v)

Do metal halide bulbs require ballast?

Metal halide (MH) ballasts are required to start the lamp, regulate the lamp starting and lamp operating currents, and provide appropriate sustaining supply voltage. Regulating lamp current and power: The ballast regulates the lamp operating current flowing through the lamp after the lamp has been started.

What can ballast be used for?

Ballast is a mixture of sharp sand and small stones or gravel, used to make concrete for a variety of landscaping uses – from path edgings and shed bases to kerbs and securing fence posts. We also supply recycled ballast as part of our Eco-Range.

What does a HPS ballast do?

What Does a Ballast Do? High intensity discharge lamps (mercury, metal halide and HPS) are common in that they have inner arc tubes through which we must establish an arc path to strike or start the lamp. The ballast controls current and provides the proper power supply as needed for the lamp.

Is HPS stronger than MH?

In addition, HPS lights provide higher light intensity (lumens) than MH. This can be around 25-40% more lumens/watt than MH lights of the same wattage, and when it comes to flowering; the more light – the better the results.

Can you use HPS for the whole grow?

While either type can be used for the full growing cycle, when combined, using an MH grow light for vegetative growth and flowering under an HPS grow light is the most recommended HID grow light setup because utilizing the strengths of both types at the right times produces the best results.