Can you plug a power strip into a ballast?

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Texasanioc

New Member
Hey guys it's my first grow right now and I need some help. Can you plug a power surge into a ballast? I have two 400w HPS lights I would like to use them, but I can't. The light sockets have an extension cord connected directly to them and I tried connecting it into a power strip that was connected to a wall socket but the lights don't turn on. So I need a ballast, but if I plug the power strip into the ballast to connect the two lights I wanna use will it work? Or do I need to plug the lights directly into the ballast? My plant is 7 weeks in veg with only 13w fluorescent lights and I feel really bad for her. I wanna veg her last two weeks under the 400w HPS lights and do her entire flower under the 400w as well obviously. Also, having two 400w lights on each side of her, will that be like an 800w light surrounding her like it adds up or no? Because then I'm closer to 1000w lighting. Or is it just a simple 400w taking up more space? I also just noticed I should've posted this on question rather than thread, sorry.
 
Kind Sir

Kind Sir

Well-Known Member
Phantom II ballasts work well, I think they might cost a little more than"avg" ballast cost but are good quality.

My ballast is screwed into the wall ( I think mines only screwed into one stud.) My hood is hung in the tent obviously. Plug hood coord into ballast which will stay connected the whole grow, then you simply have a timer in the outlet and plug ballast to that. My gf and I turn it off manually though..
 
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Texasanioc

New Member
So I'm gonna have to screw it into the wall? And would I have to buy an 800w ballast since I'm using two 400w lights? What I mean is, would the ballast have two sockets for me to plug two extension cords in? Because each light has an extension cord, or do I need to put a power strip into the ballast and plug the lights into the power strip? I'll send some pics and I don't have a ballast yet
 
Carolina Dream'n

Carolina Dream'n

Well-Known Member
Texasanioc said:
So I'm gonna have to screw it into the wall? And would I have to buy an 800w ballast since I'm using two 400w lights? What I mean is, would the ballast have two sockets for me to plug two extension cords in? Because each light has an extension cord, or do I need to put a power strip into the ballast and plug the lights into the power strip? I'll send some pics and I don't have a ballast yet
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Each 400w light needs it's own ballast. You then plug the cord from hood into ballast. And then the cord from ballast to wall with timer.
 
Gratefulgrowin93

Gratefulgrowin93

Well-Known Member
yeah man one ballast per light , and i plug in my hood to my ballast and then the ballast power cord into a power strip that is connected to an extension cord that runs to the wall outlet in my garage , works well for me and my little 600 watt haha

peace, love, and weed
happy gardening!
 
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Texasanioc

New Member
Dang my power strip can take up to 15 amps. I don't have a hood I just got my lights. And is it normal for the lights to not turn on wen not plugged into a ballast? I thought that was for electricity control because they don't turn on plugged in without a ballast
 

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chronnie49

Well-Known Member
Texasanioc said:
Dang my power strip can take up to 15 amps. I don't have a hood I just got my lights. And is it normal for the lights to not turn on wen not plugged into a ballast? I thought that was for electricity control because they don't turn on plugged in without a ballast
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Yes if its not plugged into the ballast it wont work, thats the power supply. I believe 2 400w is around 8 amps, and u dont want to exceed 80 percent of the 15 amp max. Maybe someone with more electricial experience can correct me if im wrong though.
 
SPLFreak808

SPLFreak808

Well-Known Member
Texasanioc said:
Dang my power strip can take up to 15 amps. I don't have a hood I just got my lights. And is it normal for the lights to not turn on wen not plugged into a ballast? I thought that was for electricity control because they don't turn on plugged in without a ballast
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keep the draw less than 1300w and the 15a strip will be fine. Always give atleast 20% headroom. Also,hid bulbs do not work like that. The ballast generate a specific frequency of alternating current for igniting and stabilizing the bulb. For example the wall has 120v @ 60hz and a ballast may use 400v @ 30khz. Totally different range needed to operate.
 
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Texasanioc

New Member
Thanks guys, I also have a clipping of the tip of my marijuana plant. I tied a thread to the top of the plant to hold it up outside cause wind was kind of strong for her but a cardboard hit the thread and straight pulled the tip of my plant. I'm not home but I'll send a pic. It's not a precision 45 degree cut with sanitized equipment and put in water 30 seconds after cut. It's a freak accident that was put in water like ten min later. But she has two hands opposite and in the center two baby hands barely growing with a mini stem inbetween getting ready to grow the next pair of baby hands. I say hands cause it's 5 leaves. The bottom has no long stem its cut was just before the branches of the two big hands and above the branches is little nodes. I was wondering if I can cut the leaves of one hand and use its stem to grow roots since it has no base stem to grow roots off of.
 
chuck estevez

chuck estevez

Well-Known Member
Texasanioc said:
Hey guys it's my first grow right now and I need some help. Can you plug a power surge into a ballast? I have two 400w HPS lights I would like to use them, but I can't. The light sockets have an extension cord connected directly to them and I tried connecting it into a power strip that was connected to a wall socket but the lights don't turn on. So I need a ballast, but if I plug the power strip into the ballast to connect the two lights I wanna use will it work? Or do I need to plug the lights directly into the ballast? My plant is 7 weeks in veg with only 13w fluorescent lights and I feel really bad for her. I wanna veg her last two weeks under the 400w HPS lights and do her entire flower under the 400w as well obviously. Also, having two 400w lights on each side of her, will that be like an 800w light surrounding her like it adds up or no? Because then I'm closer to 1000w lighting. Or is it just a simple 400w taking up more space? I also just noticed I should've posted this on question rather than thread, sorry.
Click to expand...
 
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Texasanioc

New Member
I was wondering if I could cut the leaves off of one of the bigger ones and use the branch as a stem to grow roots. Would that work?
 

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