Dimmable ballast and bulb question?

[CptNemo]

Just make sure the bulb is dimmable. If your 1000w bulb is dimmable, you should be able to use it. If not, get one that does. I'm Captain Obvious, and you're the one growing for 6 years that doesn't know the answer to a simple fucking question.

Someones panites get bunched up quick lol....Nope only 2nd indoor grow. I did outdoor with good old mother nature for light, but its to risky in my area.

 

[Olive Drab Green]

It was a cheap set up.... so I prolly spent less than a COB build....hood, ballast bulbs was $200.

I spent about that on one COB. And my electricity bill will stay low.

 

[TacoMac]

So I have a dimmable ballast. It is set up at 1000W with matching MH & HPS bulbs. I'm thinking I'm overkilling my 2x4 space and want to try a run at 600w and 400w. Do I need to get matching bulbs or will my 1000w bulbs still work? Also the ballast has a selection on the dial for 200, 400, 600, 1000 & Super Lumen. What is Super Lumen?

You are DEFINITELY over killing your space.

If your bulbs came with your ballast, or you ordered the same ones that did, then you're good to go. Just turn the switch to 75% or 50% and don't sweat it.

All you ever want to make sure of is that you run bulbs rated for the maximum power rating of your ballast. So you will ALWAYS run 1000 watt bulbs. Don't ever, ever buy anything else.

I've been running a 600 watt dimmable. I only do two plants at a time and run the MH in Veg at 50%, then run the HPS at 100% at 600 watts.

It works to perfection.

Edit to add: super lumen gives you the effect of about 50 more watts. Frankly, I've never used it and never will.

600 watts is plenty to do a 4 x 4 space. 1000 is used for up to 6 x 6. So, frankly, in your setup I'd never run it above 75%. Hell, you'd be fine at 50%. 500 watts is plenty for an area that size.

 

[CptNemo]

You are DEFINITELY over killing your space.

If your bulbs came with your ballast, or you ordered the same ones that did, then you're good to go. Just turn the switch to 75% or 50% and don't sweat it.

All you ever want to make sure of is that you run bulbs rated for the maximum power rating of your ballast. So you will ALWAYS run 1000 watt bulbs. Don't ever, ever buy anything else.

I've been running a 600 watt dimmable. I only do two plants at a time and run the MH in Veg at 50%, then run the HPS at 100% at 600 watts.

It works to perfection.

Edit to add: super lumen gives you the effect of about 50 more watts. Frankly, I've never used it and never will.

600 watts is plenty to do a 4 x 4 space. 1000 is used for up to 6 x 6. So, frankly, in your setup I'd never run it above 75%. Hell, you'd be fine at 50%. 500 watts is plenty for an area that size.

Thanks... kinda what I guessed. Always have the max rated bulb and you can go down. So my next run I will try at 600w and go from there. I only got the 1000w because everything I read said more light =bigger buds.

 

[Olive Drab Green]

Thanks... kinda what I guessed. Always have the max rated bulb and you can go down. So my next run I will try at 600w and go from there. I only got the 1000w because everything I read said more light =bigger buds.

Just so we're clear, man, I don't really have an issue with you, and I'm not trying to condescend to you. I just misunderstood what you typed at first.

 

[CptNemo]

Just so we're clear, man, I don't really have an issue with you, and I'' not trying to condescend to you. I just misunderstood what you typed at first.

Its all good man... we are all stoner tough guys behind a computer lol.... now if we could just figure out how to punch over the interweb lol....

 

[TacoMac]

Thanks... kinda what I guessed. Always have the max rated bulb and you can go down. So my next run I will try at 600w and go from there. I only got the 1000w because everything I read said more light =bigger buds.

With your 1000 watt, your settings will be 1000 watts (100%), 750 watts (75%) and 500 watts (50%). If it's my grow with what you've got I'd run my MH during veg at 50% (500 watts). That will be more than plenty. If I'm running the grow wall to wall, I go to 75% (750 watts) when I switch to the HPS. If the grow is more centered in the space, just stick to 50%. The extra power in that case really isn't going to do any more for you other than run up your power bill.

 

[Roger A. Shrubber]

thats my point exactly, 600 watts in your area is 75 watts per sq foot, thats the high end of the acceptable range, anything more is overkill and quickly becomes counterproductive.

if you're growing in a garage, why dont you expand your area into a 4x4, if you ran the 1k in a 4x4 thats 62 watts per sq foot, you ought to be able to grow some floppy donkies with that

 

[TacoMac]

thats my point exactly, 600 watts in your area is 75 watts per sq foot, thats the high end of the acceptable range, anything more is overkill and quickly becomes counterproductive.

if you're growing in a garage, why dont you expand your area into a 4x4, if you ran the 1k in a 4x4 thats 62 watts per sq foot, you ought to be able to grow some floppy donkies with that

Exactly. That 2 foot limit makes 1000 watts completely untenable.

 

[CptNemo]

With your 1000 watt, your settings will be 1000 watts (100%), 750 watts (75%) and 500 watts (50%). If it's my grow with what you've got I'd run my MH during veg at 50% (500 watts). That will be more than plenty. If I'm running the grow wall to wall, I go to 75% (750 watts) when I switch to the HPS. If the grow is more centered in the space, just stick to 50%. The extra power in that case really isn't going to do any more for you other than run up your power bill.

The ballast is not percentage. The switch is 400, 600, 1000 & Super Lumens.

thats my point exactly, 600 watts in your area is 75 watts per sq foot, thats the high end of the acceptable range, anything more is overkill and quickly becomes counterproductive.

if you're growing in a garage, why dont you expand your area into a 4x4, if you ran the 1k in a 4x4 thats 62 watts per sq foot, you ought to be able to grow some floppy donkies with that

Its the space I have in the garage. I also have kids. They are too young to see what Im doing, so I need the tent. The fucking Dare programs in the schools. They trick the kids into telling on mommy & daddy! Otherwise I would grow with out the tent and take up the whole garage lol....

 

[Roger A. Shrubber]

The balast is a Nebula 4.0 Everytime I take a pic RIU wont let me upload it. Here are the other pics. Heat is NOT an issue. I want the heat when I grow in the winter. My setup is in an unheated garage. I just want to save a few bucks on my electric bill if it wont hurt my yield.
View attachment 3813111 View attachment 3813112

that ballast is awesome, should have it sitting next to a flash gordon lunchbox

 

[TacoMac]

The ballast is not percentage. The switch is 400, 600, 1000 & Super Lumens

Then stick with 600 all the way. You can't go wrong. I'm just finishing up this grow of 2 plants on my 600 run as I stated before. I'm going to be getting about 6 to 7 ounces off of one plant and around 4 to 5 on the other.

You'll be perfectly fine at 600 watts.