Dimmable ballast

OK prob silly question but here it goes. When you use a 1k watt ballast at 50 % ,do you really draw 500 watts or is the ballast still using 1k just restricting the flow so to speak? I need a kilL-A-Watt

depends on the ballast, if your running 50% than it should only pull 480 - 500 watts i think as i am no electritian, but using common sense 500 watts is 500 watts. my solis tek ballast im getting runs a 400,600, and 1k bulb. so if i have it at 400 it should only be pulling 400+ watts. hope this helps

Hey pop the trunk... you realize most high end electronics now days stop charging when complete. Actually pretty much all do to prevent damage to the battery...... I also thought it was ironic that your name and the pic suggest you might like cars or sound systems both require good batteries. I'm sure if youve ever left your lights on you would notice it didn't start later. Batteries discharge naturally overtime and temperature plays a pretty big role..... sorry not trying to be mean..

it also changes the spectrum in some cases...

ibob said:

it also changes the spectrum in some cases...

Click to expand...

Yes it can, a thousand watt bulb is made to run at just that. Dimming can ruin the spectrum quit a bit. I use a lot of switchable ballast so instead of diming it can take a 400, 600, 1000, watt bulb or super a 1000 to 1200 watts.
Use a bulb that matches the wattage output dimming is not I good idea. I learned a lot about this after spending forty minutes on the phone with several sunlight supply techs.
Even though they make dimmable ballast they said not to use it, it will work but at spectrum cost.

But what about ballasts with features that at initial startup they run at full power?
If you have a 600 watt lamp in a 1kw ballast but dimmed down 50 percent , doesn't the ballast actually run 1kw to the lamp until it's warmed up?
I think hydrofarm phantoms for instance are one that runs at full power no matter what percentage of dimming is selected.
I know this is a touch off topic but related in a way and I'm fucked up at the moment so excuse any mistakes or misunderstandings, fixing to get more fucked up by the way.

rarebreed619 said:

depends on the ballast, if your running 50% than it should only pull 480 - 500 watts i think as i am no electritian, but using common sense 500 watts is 500 watts. my solis tek ballast im getting runs a 400,600, and 1k bulb. so if i have it at 400 it should only be pulling 400+ watts. hope this helps

Click to expand...

matrix? I got one of those , won't be looking back.

negativeempire said:

Yes it can, a thousand watt bulb is made to run at just that. Dimming can ruin the spectrum quit a bit. I use a lot of switchable ballast so instead of diming it can take a 400, 600, 1000, watt bulb or super a 1000 to 1200 watts.
Use a bulb that matches the wattage output dimming is not I good idea. I learned a lot about this after spending forty minutes on the phone with several sunlight supply techs.
Even though they make dimmable ballast they said not to use it, it will work but at spectrum cost.

Click to expand...

i learned it though here...