will this light work?

ok so at work we get these 400w HID lights for billboards could i use a few of them to grow or they not the right kind of light?

there are many types of high intensity discharge or hid lamps you have to figure out if it is metal halide,high pressure or low pressure sodium, mercury vapor or what then i can help ya out

do they have a light spectrum on the box?

for a good sized closet setup, You are gonna need ~160-400 watts of White light(blue spectrum) Either use a 250-400 watt Metal Halide or Cool white Fluorescent tubes or CFLs. Thats just for Vegging your plants.... Then to yield any buds your going to need either a 250-400 watt High pressure sodium Light(red spectrum) or some Warm white fluro tubes or the compact fluros.

More light = more buds.

HPS can be used for both stages of growth But they use a lot of energy and they get really hot. Save your electric bill and go with CLFs they work! Then save the HPS for the flowering stages thats when it will be needed.

You also should know that using HID lights requires a special ballast in order to ignite the gases inside the bulb. And also the fixture is called a mogul socket, its much bigger than standard fixtures.

Well i will have to get a light cause i forgot to grab one today, but i do remember it is metal halide. Thats a good thing though about the last comment saying that it takes a special ballast to ignite the gases cause all I'm using is the stock lamp hood on the aerogarden.

the aerogarden uses a cfl light with a special bulb fitting thats rare.mh will use a mogul socket with a ballast.An hps light needs a ballast with a part called an ignitor inside to spark the gas inside.

i would look at a better hood for the light..
that much of a change would prolly burn that little hood up...

you want to sell those lights???

Lol no I'm not going to put them in that hood, I was going to make extra light but i don't want to go through that much trouble. Yes, i may sell a few of them cause i already know someone who wants some.