will MH ballast run a HPS bulb?

Corbat420

Well-Known Member
so i havn't been around in a while.... havn't been able to grow in close to a year because of technical issues.... and it seems another has came up. when i hooked up my old 1000 watt HPS ballast it was blown, it started to arc because of how old and abused it is.. so i had to dump it. i couldn't get anything from local stores but i have a friend that goes into the city to get supplies (we live in the woods :leaf: ). he came back with a MH ballast instead of a HPS ballast and thus arises our issue.

i've done some basic math with the info i have and a MH ballast runs@ 9 amps>120 volts and a HPS runs @ 9.3 amps>120 volts. my problem is i dont know the starting amperage, and i believe they are different. if they are the same the MH ballast should run the HPS bulb, just with a lower lumen output. anyone have a good input?

Edit: i wont be able to change it for a HPS ballast for a week or 2, and i have 12 babies about 2 feet tall and bushie that are ready to flower. they have sufficent light for veg, but not nearly enough for flowering. i NEED a light.
 

Mother's Finest

Well-Known Member
There's also the ignitor to consider. I've heard that a MH bulb will work in an HPS ballast, it just won't last as long & will have a higher risk of failure. It doesn't work the other way around, using an HPS bulb in a MH ballast.
 

Corbat420

Well-Known Member
yea i was thinking about that as well.... i went and checked in the time that has passed since poasts and the MH ballast does not have an igniter so its a no go. thanks anyways :)
 
Top