HPS MH Ballast?

hey i just got a EconoWing Reflector MH or HPS Hydroponics Lighting and it needs to be plugged into a ballast. IS there any ballast that can support this ( up to 175 w on mh) and be plugged into a wall socket.

thanks

yes you need a ballast for a mh/hps... and yes it plugs into a wall... what are you asking?

my 400W HPS plugs right into the wall...

Vaurien said:

my 400W HPS plugs right into the wall...

Click to expand...

I always thought 250w+ needed a ballast

Well the reflector i have has a ballast plug on it. DO you guys know where i can get a ballast that is cheap can handle up to a 175 w mh or 100 w hps and plugs into a wall and that is relatively small?

it isnt "up to" you need one that is FOR the light you have... if u do stupid shit ur gonna start a fire...check ebay for cheap shit

Do you think it is really possible to start a fire in a 2 2 4 box with a fan going on and a 175 w mh?

yes... and if you dont... your an idiot... any type of poorly rigged electrical equipment is a big ingreedient in the burn your house down recipe

Do oyu think i should even be using an hps or mh in a 2 2 4 box?

yes it's fine but just get the right ballast for the bulb.

ALL HPS, MH, Fluorescents need ballasts. CFLs have them built into the base of the bulb, while others often have them in the fixtures, tube fluoros, for example.

thanks for the input... DO you know how much i should be spending for a ballast that support a mh and hps upt to 250 w ish,

t

it's not "up to". for a 250W MH/HPS bulb, you need a 250W ballast. you're looking at between $100-150 retail, look around at ebay and such. you will often get what you pay for as electronic ballasts are silent, while magnetic often make a noise that has the strange side-effect of making you want to pull your hair out.

while you can get ballasts that support both MH and HPS, most go the route of conversion bulbs. you can then buy a HPS ballast, and use a special MH bulb designed to operate with the same wattage HPS ballast for veg.

oh and another thing. you can find them cheaper online, but shipping is expensive. i prefer to put the money into the margin for the retail hydro shop, who will give me support when i return and give me good advice when i need it.