Lumatek lk400 dial-a-watt

I jst opend it and got real confused.

thers a switch for 250w...250wSL(superlumen)...400w...400w superlumen

wtf

IS IT mh and hps???? IF ANYONE KNWS ABOUT IT PLEASE LET ME KNW IF U HIT A SWITCH TO CHANGE BULB TYPE.(mh to hps)

it says this on the paper DIAL-A-WATT lumatek electronic ballast.
multi-wattage-now u can power different wattage lamps on the same ballast.

it also says LK400 250W/400W MH/HPS which is pretty much my answer but my brother has never heard of one like this sooooo WERE stumpd literally..

THANK YOU FOR ANY AND ALL INFO

yes a lot of the ballast companies are doing this with 600/400 watt systems and hydrofarm is even going with a 1k600400SL galaxy ballast.. will be my next ballast so i dont have to worry about it til it dies..

Better use a good 400 watt bulb,
it's both hps/mh

Mine are the 600, 750, 1000, Super Lumen Dimmable, 120/240 switchable.

You can switch the bulbs performance by using the dimming switch and go fro the lowest to the highest
using the same 400 watt bulb.

I have mine set at 750 right now in the flower lab because they just went into 12/12 last week
and I have lowered the light and screen and began the scrog. I'll bump it up to 1000 at the end of the week.

When you switch between dimming settings do it slowly, 5-10 minutes b-4 you adjust again

Read up on the brand, I love em and 4 more to install on top of the two running now.


bb57

thanx guyz. so can i use a 250w bulb and have it on the 250w switch setting??

or use 400w bulb and dim it??? i really dont wanna do that,id rather use 250w if i can.I THOUGHT i was only gettin a 400w ballast not 250w option,so im hyped on it.

what did u mean by better use a good 400 watt bulb....im gettin a brand new bulb tomorrow...anything i should knw about

i appreciate the help alot,couldnt do it if it wasnt for u guyz helpin

Why spend the money on an adjustable ballast only to use the lowest setting with a bulb not recommended by the Manufacturer?
Or does Lumatek say it's ok to run that 250 bulb in a 400 watt ballast? I'm not looking it up. I don't use little lights.

You are defeating the purpose of a dimmable ballast, Do you plan on running 1 bulb through your entire grow cycle?

haha true.i figured using 250w would save some $,keeps temp low.

yea ur right,it says use 400w bulb.IM GOIN TO FLOWER my two plants with the 400w.theyv been under a 150w and 8 cfl for a lil over 2 months.jst got this 400 and now to research and setup.

NO since im already flowering,the one bulb will b fine.il get a new one when i flower my next grow or sooner if need b.
SOO im plannin on using the 400w bulb and mayb only using 250w U THINK i will get good buds?

Getting 'good Buds all depends on your setup and skillsets.
Check my grow journal if you want, it'll open yer eyes to
growing that "good bud". look it up. It'll scare ya.

Start off at the 250 setting and raise it to 400 over a couple days time.



bb57^

ftp

i believe if its a mh/hps ballest it would have a swicth for mh/hps. that is because one bulb need a capisotor to ignite bulb and other bulb dont need it. i would return it and get a 400 mh/hps because you want 400 watts not 250. i mean why would you use ony half your availabe power to you when wattage = more bud. if to hot cool it down. i dont under stand why you would want to dim light makes no sence to me unless you have a heat problem. even if that where the case should be working on fixing that problem by venting rather than dimming light. also bulbs are more effient ate their rated power. example 250 watt bulb will use 250 watts and put out its rated lumes. a 400 watt bulb running on 250 watts wont be as bright as the 250 bulb that running at full power

The dimmables off more choices out of 1 bulb. When I move Plants from the veg lab which has a high hung mh 1000 watter. In the Flower Lab the hps1000 watt Lights for the scrog go Low to the canopy. I need to be able to crank that light down to 600 to get the Plants accustomed to the new environment, they handle both lights, no problem. I turn the light up to 750 after a week of scrog. 1000 after 2 weeks and leave it there untill harvest. Height of light depends on my girls reaction to the set up I have for them and how they adjust.

I'm wired 240 on lights, can run 12k watts worth of em but don't. I'm running 4 now and adding two more to Flower Lab shortly.

The ability to expand our Lab's easily and efficiently, Ventilate and run them without a/c in So Cal with a 20 degree difference is due to the planning and design of my brother and myself. We do have a/c units installed in case of need. Same with the diesel generator, just in case.

Heat issues? Not here.


bb57


ftp

i still dont understand . why do your plants need less light to adjust to new room? if anything use dimable lights in veging room so when seedling sprout you dont burn them. then when they get bigger up wattage up to full power. then move them into flower room that is at full bast. doing it your way i promise you is hurting your yeild after 10 years of growing i noticed the 1st -3 weeks of flowery you plants go 50% bigger then they consintrate on their buds. i would suggest to you using your bigegst lights in your flowering room using hps bulbs and using the smaller light in veg room with mh bulbs. i think your over thinking your setup . you did a awsome job building you set up but those light in the last pic are way to high you need to be no more than 1ft away. remember 1000 watt light2 feet from conopy is weaker than a 400 watter only 6 inches away

besides why dim light when you have enough ceilng hieght to raise the light

Please see the updates with the girls under the lights.

Thanks for the input.

but,,,,,,



bb57


ftp

1mikej,,,,

do yourself a favor and stop the questions.

You have seen 1 picture out of all the hundreds of pictures I have posted
and are coming up with this crap.

Do some background on the last three grows i posted here.

i will, im not trying to rag you, not at all. im rooting for you.

link to other grow pics?. i veg and flower in a 6x7x8 exbathroom and i use a small closet for my mommy and clones. 2500watts of mh or hps depening on if im veging or flower in exbathroom. its a flood and drain setup my lights are 6inches from light and i get 3 pounds dry and sellabe white widow and another pound good for hash so im no slouch. when they are big enough i just switch bulbs and timer and for the next 3 weeks they exsplode then they slow down and just grow buds. like i said im just trying to help. you did ask. so i am tring to help, but in order to help i need to understand what your doing. also mabey you know something i dont. i get the need for dimmable if you cant lower or raise light but you can so i wanted to know why you went that route exspiacally if you dont have heat issues. just feel the 1st 3 weeks of flowering will determin yeild and lower wattage is counter productive. i'm positive you yield alot but i think others here will agree with me when i say you will get more if you blast them from day 1 with all the power you can give them

prove is in pudding

nice discussion. thankx for stoppin by

boomerbloomer: im using a 150w HPS and 8 CFL for vegi...its been over 2 months...i have this new batwing reflector and the lumatek ballast...

SHOULD i start at 250w...after a week or depending on how they react... switch it SLOWly to 400w.

1mikej: this type of ballast i heard is new soo im sure there made for a legit good reason.NEW WINDOWs have opend u never knw.NICE NODGE THER THOUGH

Watch em and you'll see. I use the lower setting to prevent any further shock when transferring.
At 250 you're jacking em up already. Give it a day or two, you have to watch your girls, different
breeds, set ups, and all that good stuff.

I'm never in a rush.

And as far as the "prove" pic from whosits there,
I looked through his postings and decided NEVER to pay attention
or respond to his posts. Any jackhat on the inet can post 1 pic and claim fame,,,,


bb57^


ftp

BoomerBloomer57 said:

Watch em and you'll see. I use the lower setting to prevent any further shock when transferring.
At 250 you're jacking em up already. Give it a day or two, you have to watch your girls, different
breeds, set ups, and all that good stuff.

I'm never in a rush.

And as far as the "prove" pic from whosits there,
I looked through his postings and decided NEVER to pay attention
or respond to his posts. Any jackhat on the inet can post 1 pic and claim fame,,,,


bb57^


ftp

Click to expand...

TOTALLY understand and agree.how dont people get the dim switch?i think its legit and mine isnt even hooked up.brainstorming and goin to switch bedrooms.

yea,im right ther with you.im not rushing anything anymore..yea true true

Cool Rusko,

Anytime someone jumps in with words of wisdom, I like to check all the posts and threads started by them.

Pay no mind, to the foolish kind.

Brainstorming,,,,,, Love it. Make that brainpan sizzle.

We've been using this Plant for 12,000 years documented, how long was it used before the Sumerians started writing?,,,,,,

And the Hanging Gardens of Nebuchadnezzar II? Talk about a Hydro man. I wonder what they really grew up in there?????????

I'm just thinking about it,,,,,


bb57