Need help purchasing parts for 400W hps

Hi,

I am a newb to this but have some electrical experience and access to parts, and would like to build my own 400W hps ballast setup with socket, and a 200 W cfl socket rather than purchasing them. I don't know what to ask for at the electrical wholesaler...I asked for a 400W ballast and they said they have multitap so I guess that would work but then they said for metal halide but i need hps....could anyone suggest the brand or part numbers common in canada so that i know what to ask for....and i need the ignitor and capacitor-do i need to buy all these pieces seperate? Also, which mogul socket do i need to setup a 200W cfl bulb socket. I'm just having trouble figuring out my parts to buy right now...I am confident i can build this stuff (save my money)as i have seen it in grow stores and it looks simple. Any help would be greatly appreciated so i can get growing!

Thats what I did dude, and it cost aboyut 80 bucks. I went to the local electric store, bought a 400w ballast, mogul socket, capasitor and igniter. Make sure you wire it right and leave a gap of air by the ballast and capacitor

Which mogul socket? Is there only one choice? Do the ignitor and capacitor come with the ballast? My quote for the ballast alone was $75, and the salesman said he thinks it is complete?.....Went back to store bought the 400W hps ballast which comes complete with the capacitor and ignitor...mine is a sylvania pn:LU400/TRI Lumalux magnetic ballast....There was 3 choices for mogul sockets but the only difference i could see was one was slightly longer and rated for 5 kV rather than 4 kV, both were 1500W rating and 600Volt, the price difference was $23 and $10 so I went with the cheaper one....I have all the other parts i need...thanks for the help. Cost for two sockets and ballast=$100.

You can get a socket from the hydro store for like $6. I was doing the same thing the only thing i had a hard time finding and still am is a metal or aluminum vented enclosure. Anyone know a good source for a enclosure?

I picked up an 18" white one with two wings and a bracket to mount my 400W octagon box for $30 from a hydro shop.

The ignitor and capacitor should come with the ballast kit. If your electrical distributor sells Advanced Ballasts the part # for the 400w hps is 71A8473-001D. This is a multitap ballast kit which means depending which tap wire you use to hool up it can run on different voltage.

BG HYDRO has the ballast enclosures or look on ebay for ballast box.

any city elictrical supply. there is 3 wires and the pulse is just T'din to the common wire. let ,me know and Ill scan the directions and send them to you