• Here is a link to the full explanation: https://rollitup.org/t/welcome-back-did-you-try-turning-it-off-and-on-again.1104810/

HPS vs. Super HPS

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OrbisLex024

Active Member
Just bought a "Bloom Wright 400w Bloombox" its, a ballasts not the whole system. I have scoured the net lookn for its specs but no luck. Just in case can I use my 400w super Hps in any 400w ballast?
 
sleepytown

sleepytown

Well-Known Member
Are you referring to the Hortilux Super HPS bulb? If so, you can use it in any 400W ballast. I just bought a Super HPS bulb (so fucking expensive) yesterday, and it works just fine in my 400W magnetic ballast. Oh, and my ballast is very far from being anything special. Plug the bitch in!

S-Town
 
shadymyster555

shadymyster555

Well-Known Member
I have a 150w HPS bulb, that fits into any reg. socket, but I thought since it was smaller than a 400w and 600w etc, that it would fit into my socket(which it does) but it does not light up! Why does there have to be a certain ballast for an hps to work? Why can a cfl that plugs into a socket light up, but not an hps that plugs into the same socket work. Afterall there are 150w incandescent lights why cant the 150w hps?!
 
sleepytown

sleepytown

Well-Known Member
shadymyster555 said:
I have a 150w HPS bulb, that fits into any reg. socket, but I thought since it was smaller than a 400w and 600w etc, that it would fit into my socket(which it does) but it does not light up! Why does there have to be a certain ballast for an hps to work? Why can a cfl that plugs into a socket light up, but not an hps that plugs into the same socket work. Afterall there are 150w incandescent lights why cant the 150w hps?!
Click to expand...
This is ripped from the HPS entry on wikipedia:

In practical use, the lamp is powered by an AC voltage source in series with an inductive "ballast" in order to supply a nearly constant current to the lamp, rather than a constant voltage, thus assuring stable operation. The ballast is usually inductive rather than simply being resistive which minimizes resistive losses. Also, since the lamp effectively extinguishes at each zero-current point in the AC cycle, the inductive ballast assists in the reignition by providing a voltage spike at the zero-current point.


So, HPS lamps are what they are because of the ballast. Fluorescent lamps require ballasts also; CFLs are self-ballasted. I am sure they could find a way to make self-ballasted HPS bulbs also; but, demand for such a product doesn't really exist.

Therefore, CFLs work in your sockets because they have a built-in ballast that adapts the energy from an incandescent socket. HPS needs a separate ballast.

S-Town
 
mrCRC420

mrCRC420

Well-Known Member
word on the street says you can use a MH bulb in a HPS fixture of the same voltage but not visa versa... that's the word on the street
 
FilthyFletch

FilthyFletch

Mr I Can Do That For Half
lol hps bulbs need and ignitor to fire the gas in the bulb thats what the ballast contains. If you swap mh and hps bulbs in a non switchable ballast either or will burst or blow up.An mh ballast wont even turn the hps on...As long as the 400 watt super is going into a 4oo watt hps ballast or switchable ballast its fine.mh ballast for mh bulbs hps ballast for hps bulbs unless you buy a switchable made ballast.No hps will turn on in just a regualr socket has to be hooked to a ballast
 
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