New to me HID

[maryjanice420]

Hi folks. Alright I just got my hands on this light and ballast. What we want to do is put it in my box, but we have to make it run a whole lot cooler. Our thoughts are to cut holes in the sides of the hood, run hoses to and from to make it almost like a cool tube idea. Before we do that.....any thoughts or suggestions? Thanks.

[skunkushybrid]

are you going to be using an extractor?

[greenacres]

try it just the way you have it first then do 1 change at a time to see what it needs, less work the better.
you may be surprised at the temps compared to the cfl thing, they are real hot to run them things.so there may not be much diff in temps

[maryjanice420]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (skunkushybrid @ Nov 18 2008, 10:46 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> (index.php?act=findpost&pid=57675)</div>
are you going to be using an extractor?[/b]
Ok Im a noob. Whats an extractor? We are planning to hook it up to its own exhaust fan.

[maryjanice420]

Also I have one of these running in another location. Its HOT.

[skunkushybrid]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (maryjanice420 @ Nov 18 2008, 10:48 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> (index.php?act=findpost&pid=57677)</div>
Ok Im a noob. Whats an extractor? We are planning to hook it up to its own exhaust fan.[/b]

that's what i meant http://www.skunkskool.com/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.gif

well you will need to cut a hole to fit the tubing into or you could hang the tubing near the light.

[greenacres]

yes extractor is the exhaust fan.
and the multiple cfls you have and the larger one in there curently may be close to the same temps. that why i say try it like you have it now

[bfq]

nice rig http://www.skunkskool.com/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.gif

put the ballast out side the grow and put an exhaust duct on that puppy as the others said and you are golden... at that point, if it is too hot, you add a bigger fan http://www.skunkskool.com/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin.gif

[skunkushybrid]

what size light is it? as in wattage?

[greenacres]

she is at a 400 now

[twistyman]

I'm using T12's & T5's now and am going to HPS soon 150-250.. Heat is/was an issue for me.. even with tube lights.. I put one fan above plants blowing out and one below blowing up... it seemed to drop temp about 15 degrees with just small fans.. Some people I've talked too don't use any extra cooling but fans with 400w or less...
I'm still gathering info myself so I'll keep watching your progress....
Oh yeah, good scoff......http://www.skunkskool.com/style_emoticons/default/Big%20Grin.gif

[kochab]

Yeah!
Now people cant come into your journal and tell you about cfls sucking. LOL

I pick on people for them being such a pain in the ass, but if thats all you got, thats all you got so to say....

Im really looking foreward to seeing what you can do with this now.
Hell if you could make a mother plant area or raise a few big ones and clone the crap outta them, you can fill your little area with a canopy of little colas flowered all the way up in that whole space probably....

[maryjanice420]

Yeah this summer was a learning experience with heat. We're already thinkin on how this will work next summer. That room will have air conditioning for sure.

[maryjanice420]

G' Morning.... We hooked up the light and the bulb just doesnt get bright, my cfl's are brighter so its shot. I ran to the local DIY store and picked up this bulb. I know its not optimum but its now. The number on the pkg and ballast match so I'm not gonna burn down the house lol. No lumens, ratings nothing on the box. Before I throw it in there anything I need to be aware of?

[greenacres]

works fine if its in the vertical position....your horizontal

[Jimmyspaz]

HID bulbs(HPS and MH) come in three types, vertical, horizontal, and universal which can be used in either position. Just another little detail to be aware of, you just found out why. Can you exchange the bulb for an equivalent horizontal? If so that would be the way to go.

[greenacres]

aperently she was told in chat by someone that this is ok cause it has a u on it...dont make sence to have vert on it if its universal. i have some real grow bulbs i am sending her.

[Jimmyspaz]

Good one GA! I could use that vertical 400 watter myself, just out bulb shopping today.

[greenacres]

thats what im doin today to. need new 400 stuff for flowering. not sure if i will go with the same 430 or just the 400 hps this time though.
the last 430 watt hps i got i only paid 35 bucks for now i see everywhere else is about http://www.skunkskool.com/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/mega_shok.gif bucks....statin to think the bastard sold me a used one last time. dont deal with him anymore now anyways.

that sucks everytime we type 8...0 in here it shows the smiley guy still.

[Jimmyspaz]

I don't know GA, when I was shopping this AM I noticed that 1000 watt bulbs have all increased about twenty percent (I've started spelling numbers) wholesale. I used to pay about eighty (and there's why) dollars for sunmaster super deluxe, today, my contractor price was over a hundred bucks! I suspect it's a supply issue or something but apparently it's all HID bulbs.

[twistyman]

Damn that eight smiley...... Hi jimmy..

[maryjanice420]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (greenacres @ Nov 19 2008, 06:20 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> (index.php?act=findpost&pid=57904)</div>
aperently she was told in chat by someone that this is ok cause it has a u on it...dont make sence to have vert on it if its universal. i have some real grow bulbs i am sending her.[/b]
Yeah. I was asked what it said on the bulb itself and since its got a U its ok. U I assume means universal? Wow what a difference in temperature! I'm hard pressed to get to 75 degrees in there today. It is cold and the room has no heat. We'll fix that tonite. The light which I thought was so big and bad looks really small and out of place in my box! Ive centered my screen to be right under it. I dont know if the light is gonna be big enough now. Geez.

[kochab]

sucks to get new toys that you cant quite play with yet dosent it? LOL

[bfq]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (greenacres @ Nov 19 2008, 01:20 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> (index.php?act=findpost&pid=57904)</div>
aperently she was told in chat by someone that this is ok cause it has a u on it...dont make sence to have vert on it if its universal. i have some real grow bulbs i am sending her.[/b]

yeah, sure is nice to see stuff twisted out of context... the question at the time was whether or not the bulb she got already would work safely... not that it was THE bulb for growing http://www.skunkskool.com/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/wink.gif

good on you for sending some real gear http://www.skunkskool.com/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.gif

[greenacres]

ok got you the stuff that you requested today so hopfully over the next couple days i can get it packed and shiped off to ya. i got a bit busy with a job for a couple days.

i knew the bulb would have been safe i just dont understand why the bulb would have the u on it but the box says vertical only.
unless someone changed the box somewhere along the line.
no worries though i have both a mh and a 430 hps. i think i will send the 430 bulb, i thinks its a better bulb. you can use it throughout the whole grow if you want.

[bfq]

i couldnt tell you about that U... truth is, my way of picking bulbs is by asking a smarter type what they think, and do what they say http://www.skunkskool.com/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin.gif

Jimmy, for instance, has some good info on which bulbs to use!

and it does seem that you, greenacres, know a thing or two about bulbs http://www.skunkskool.com/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/wink.gif

my malfunction is i am dyslexic, so remembering which spectrum specifically is better than the other gets random... and we wont even go into deciphering model numbers LOL

i stick to fundamentals and rely on brains to check my math and keep me from working very hard to come up with the wrong answer.

[Jimmyspaz]

Well I learned about lighting because of my jobs. Some from contracting but more from working as a theater lighting and sound technician. I also don't understand the U in the bulb number but it seems like the box was right. If you try a horizontal bulb and it doesn't improve performance it's probably an issue with the ballast, maybe a failing capacitor?? BTW what are the numbers on the bulb??

[maryjanice420]

BTW what are the numbers on the bulb??

M400/U Seems to be the least of my worries today :-( I'll explain in another post, somewhere more appropriate. Thanks ya'll.

[kochab]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (maryjanice420 @ Nov 20 2008, 07:55 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> (index.php?act=findpost&pid=58089)</div>
BTW what are the numbers on the bulb??

M400/U Seems to be the least of my worries today :-( I'll explain in another post, somewhere more appropriate. Thanks ya'll.[/b]

Ive seen no other post from you today...whats the issues chicka?

[maryjanice420]

Current setup

[kochab]

Is that a green bulb? and if so why?

Is the bulb just not powering up as should be or whats up?

[maryjanice420]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (kochab @ Nov 20 2008, 03:26 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> (index.php?act=findpost&pid=58108)</div>
Is that a green bulb? and if so why?

Is the bulb just not powering up as should be or whats up?[/b]
Ok well my plants are all hermies. Im very frustrated and feel stupid cause I didnt know. I dont know whats up with the light, its not green might be my camera?

[kochab]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (maryjanice420 @ Nov 20 2008, 09:45 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> (index.php?act=findpost&pid=58115)</div>
Ok well my plants are all hermies. Im very frustrated and feel stupid cause I didnt know. I dont know whats up with the light, its not green might be my camera?[/b]


Probably is the camera, they look odd sometimes because of that.

hermies are a part of the game and very frustrating. For what Ive seen of your grow you were doing REALLY well for a somewhat beginner. What seeds did you plant?
If they are from a seedbank there is a chance that you did something in their environment to make them do that, More than likely a light leak into the area somehow....

If you just planted random bag seeds then chances are that the genes in them are just hermie genes and there is nothing you could have done to save them either way.

You just happened to get the short stick in the luck of the draw either way. All I know to do is make sure you have no light leaks and start over.
I HAVE had a hermie that was caused b a light leak and removed all balls (and kept them picked off which is a rigorous task to say the least) and when I fixed the light leak the plants reverted to being female.
but chances are with 6+ of them you can never save them.
Im sorry to hear this maryjanice....
Ever consider growing from clone? The internet can bring you amazing things through the mail....

[HarleyFXST]

The lamp (you plant bulbs) is marked M400U ,because it is a Metal Halide 400w universal mount. The fact that seems to be confusing......ppl........is that she showed a footnote. The observant will notice that it says " * Performance when used in a vertical operating position". This is in reference to the specs listed. Different lamp orientation produces different specs, and they listed one example with a footnote explaining that. I've installed a couple of these lamps, and I can't believe the amount of disinformation that was being spouted about. Yeah,just because I have 'that little piece of paper' doesn't mean I'm the only one that knows about electricity, but it does mean I make my living doing it, and I'm not just guessing.


Peace: ™

[Jimmyspaz]

<span style="color:#4169e1">Yes Harley that's right on info. The U does mean "universal" that's why I asked MJ420 what the bulb markings were,and why I suggested a possible capacitor failure. I've seen that cause poor ignition in MH systems. Any other ideas? I don't think it would be the transformer, usually they fail completely, and as the lamp tries to light I'm thinking cap failure . If is a cap they only cost $50.00 retail.</span>

[maryjanice420]

Ever consider growing from clone?

LOL! Ok Im so busted here.....this was a clone. I didnt know what I was looking at with the mama and cloned from her before I smoked her and found seeds! So knowing her enviornment has TONS of light leaks I chalked it up to that. WRONG. It is what it is.


So whats the scoop on running a 430w bulb with a 400w ballast?

[maryjanice420]

And my ballast makes noise if it gets bumped??? Kinda like something clackin in there. Whats that about?

[Jimmyspaz]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (maryjanice420 @ Nov 20 2008, 12:00 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> (index.php?act=findpost&pid=58143)</div>
And my ballast makes noise if it gets bumped??? Kinda like something clackin in there. Whats that about?[/b]
Oh oh, that sounds like loose plates in the transformer. It can be fixed but is a little tricky. It might (hopefully ),be a loose connection. Check ALL connections first thing and see if that helps. If not Harley or I will (I'm sure) have more suggestions.

[HarleyFXST]

MJ, we told you that was a loose component. Open the case and secure it.

Her lamp is working,BTW



http://www.skunkskool.com/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/Peace.gif ™

[kochab]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (maryjanice420 @ Nov 20 2008, 10:56 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> (index.php?act=findpost&pid=58142)</div>
Ever consider growing from clone?

LOL! Ok Im so busted here.....this was a clone. I didnt know what I was looking at with the mama and cloned from her before I smoked her and found seeds! So knowing her enviornment has TONS of light leaks I chalked it up to that. WRONG. It is what it is.[/b]
wow that does suck...Im sorry to hear that. Now you Know I guess.


<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (maryjanice420 @ Nov 20 2008, 11:00 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> (index.php?act=findpost&pid=58143)</div>
And my ballast makes noise if it gets bumped??? Kinda like something clackin in there. Whats that about?[/b]


sounds like something is busted in it...a magnetic ballast should buzz the whole time its on but thats all the noise Ive ever heard from them...

[maryjanice420]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (HarleyFXST @ Nov 20 2008, 05:09 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> (index.php?act=findpost&pid=58147)</div>
MJ, we told you that was a loose component. Open the case and secure it.

Her lamp is working,BTW



http://www.skunkskool.com/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/Peace.gif ™[/b]
I know you did :-) just throwin it out there in case anyone else has that issue. We'll be pullin that apart today. Letcha know what we find.

[Jimmyspaz]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (HarleyFXST @ Nov 20 2008, 12:09 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> (index.php?act=findpost&pid=58147)</div><div class='quotemain'>MJ, we told you that was a loose component. Open the case and secure it.

Her lamp is working,BTW



http://www.skunkskool.com/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/Peace.gif Thanx Harley, glad to hear it, good news.(nice avatar and sig by the way)</span>[/i][/b]

[maryjanice420]

Upon crackin open the ballast we found that the plate rattles, the transformer is heavy for the plate and it rattles. Thats the word from downstairs ;-p Ive also taken a pic of the sticker inside it. Can I run an hps with this ballast? Thanks!

[bfq]

the difference between an HPS and a MH ballast is the igniter.. HPS has one, MH doesnt... so, no you can not run an HPS bulb in that ballast as it is... you could add an igniter to it though.

[StealthPanda]

That transformer looks WAY used. Its all coroded on the magnet. Also, green bulbs are usually mercury vapor. Very hot, very green, work in MH ballasts. Just a thought.

[greenacres]

i was talking to her on another line and i noticed the specs saying its a mh and mercury vapor so figured that why things arent right.

[greenacres]

ok mj here is one of the links i mentioned, i have the other info in the other pc. ill send it later

http://www.advancetransformer.com/ecatalog...core%20~%20coil (http://www.advancetransformer.com/ecatalog/hid_lookup.asp?S=core%20~%20coil)

[Jimmyspaz]

I've got the exact same transformer (see pic) and have had no trouble with it. it will drive either a 400 watt MH or 400 watt MV(mercury vapor) bulb equally well. The MV does not work for growing.

[greenacres]

ok cool, ive never had to bdeal with these things much. glad others know more than i on this.
oine more thing i want to clear up for her. i have a 430 watt hps for hew and she isnt completely convinced that it will and was made to run in a 400 watt hps ballast.

[Jimmyspaz]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (greenacres @ Nov 20 2008, 11:59 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> (index.php?act=findpost&pid=58357)</div>
ok cool, ive never had to bdeal with these things much. glad others know more than i on this.
oine more thing i want to clear up for her. i have a 430 watt hps for hew and she isnt completely convinced that it will and was made to run in a 400 watt hps ballast.[/b]
<span style="color:#4169e1">Well yes sorta , I have the suppliers catalog here and it says "BAL315 HPS 400/430W" but there isn't that option for MH- "BAL307 MH400W" . you could add an igniter to that ballast and use it for HPS but it might be a better idea just to obtain an HPS ballast.</span>

[greenacres]

ya sorry should have been more clear i did mean with a normal hps ballast not her mh/vap

[maryjanice420]

Ok one problem was the light was running thru a power strip, a strong one but still... we've got it directly in the wall socket now........its brighter but does have a greenish hue to it??? Dunno.

[skunkushybrid]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Jimmyspaz @ Nov 21 2008, 12:26 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> (index.php?act=findpost&pid=58318)</div>
I've got the exact same transformer (see pic) and have had no trouble with it. it will drive either a 400 watt MH or 400 watt MV(mercury vapor) bulb equally well. The MV does not work for growing.[/b]

I grew using a 300w UVbulb, mercury vapour. It has it's benefits, imo... when used in conjunction with MH or HPS. it also worked ok to grow a small 10 plant thing, all 10 plants scrunched into one pot. did well with those. certain strains do respond better than others though as i have seen strains not do so well.