430w Son Agro HPS Bulb In a 400w HPS Ballast. Anyone done it? PLEASE HELP......

[SittinStoney420]

Hey Everyone,

Im in a rut, and i need help quick. I have been given a 430w Son Agro HPS Bulb from a buddy, and i was wondering if it would work in a 400w HPS Ballast. I have already asked this and some people say go for it and others say dont take the chance, so im looking for someone who has done something like this. I heard Zandor did something like this if anyone knows exactly what, that could be helpful. I have already put in the bulb and turned it on. I ran it for about an hour and a half, and it seemed fine. But, because of some things people have been saying im scared to put it back in until i know for sure. I also checked something out on the net, and when you buy the bulb in the whole package it comes with a 120V Ballast. The 400w HPS ballast is also 120v, so i dont know if that has anything to do with wattage but maybe it will help.

Thanks anyone for ANY help, it is really apreciated

-SS

[MeanGreenEye420]

Try it out i got a 250 HPS fixture and ballast built together and a put a 400w HPS in it and it kicked it on for me nicely

[SittinStoney420]

Well this is what i found on http://users.lycaeum.org/~npkaye/lightingfaq.html .......

"MH lamps are available in 175,200, 400 and 1000 watt sizes. HPS lamps come in 50, 75, 150, 400 and 1000 watt sizes. Son Agro comes in 430w only, but it works with a 400w HPS ballast. Each lamp requires its own ballast, which comes with the fixtures that are designed to use these lamps, and are also available separately."

So i think im fine....

[HappySmoke]

Stoney,

Used Bulbs??

Incompatible Ballasts??

Play it safe and smart. If you want to use the 430W HPS get a ballast made for that bulb.

Or better yet just get a new 400W HPS bulb that is compatible with your existing ballast.

Care for your plants and enjoy some homegrown with peace of mind.

[SittinStoney420]

Stoney,

Used Bulbs??

Incompatible Ballasts??

Play it safe and smart. If you want to use the 430W HPS get a ballast made for that bulb.

Or better yet just get a new 400W HPS bulb that is compatible with your existing ballast.

Care for your plants and enjoy some homegrown with peace of mind.

Happy, thanks for your input. Im really torn, half the people i talk to say dont and the other half say DO IT!. I just went through a whole grow with that ballast and a 400w Bulb. But the bud turned out fluffy :(. Im thinking i might just have to take the chance on it. Do you really think that even though i had it runny for two hours fine, something can still go wrong? If something were to happen, what would that be? A pop? Ruined Ballast? Im just trying to weigh out the pros and cons.

-SS

[SittinStoney420]

Well ive done alot of researching and ive decided to go for it. Here is what people have said.

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(OverGrow.com) Got it from google's cach :)

Le Maillot Vert
Senior Member
Registered: Jul 2003
Posts: 888

"I made the switch from regular hps to son agro in my 400w hps ballast flower chamber.

It does make a difference.

The problem is that unless you find a real deal the son-agro bulbs are way expensive.

I got a 430w son agro from farmtek.com for only 44$.

I don't think I would pay 58$ for a 160w son agro.

If you are going to run dual 150s in your box, then I think a better option would be to buy a 150w metal halide light and use that.

for like 55$ you can buy a 150w security light from e-conolight.com and convert it for grow use.

with the 150hps and 150 mh you will have a nice spectrum of light in your box and you can rotate the plants so that they are getting more balanced light."

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(http://www.hempcultivation.com/420/showthread.php?t=72739)
sientbob

Grand Master Gardener Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: mason dixon line 36'N
Posts: 3,152 (list)

drwho, 430 sunagro bulbs will work in 400 watt ballasts but will only be able to draw 400 watts, meaning you are not getting all of the advantage out of the bulb.
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So, i guess if it was the other way around where i had a higher powered ballast than the bulb it would cause problems, but because the ballast is less it just wont power the bulb the extra 30w. (I can deal)

-SS

[SittinStoney420]

Also..........................
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(http://www.yahooka.com/forum/faq.php?faq=gfaqtext23)

High Pressure Sodium (HPS)

The HPS lamp is often regarded as the best all round lamp to have. Not as effective as the MH in vegetative growth, more effective in flowering and generally a higher par and lumen output per W than MH. HPS lamps work in a similar way to MH lamps except the inner tube is ceramic rather than quartz (withstands higher temperature) and this tube is filled with Sodium, Mercury and sealed with Xenon gas.

HPS lamps come in ranges from 70 to 1,000W and produce upto 145,000 lumens. They produce light in a redder spectrum (2,200K) that is very efficient for flowering. These lamps do not emit any UV light.

Some newer HPS (son Agro) have an extra coil to produce a small amount of blue light these bulbs are available in 250, 400 and 100W and, for example, the 400W bulb would be 430W, these bulbs can be used in a standard HPS lamp holder and ballast.
This allows HPS users to reap the benefits of MH (tighter internodal space, stronger stems etc.) without giving up the benefits of HPS.
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Yeah definatly going for it!

[HappySmoke]

SS,

Keep us posted on your experience with this and your grow. That makes sense that your ballast will only put out 400W and will not overpower the bulb.

Do you know how much usage the 430W bulb has had before you got it?

Peace, :cool:

[Ziggy Stardust]

im building a sealed 8.5x14x9' room and initally wanted to use 2x430W son agro bulbs in 430W ballasts and a 600W sunmaster on a mover in between them. i had read about the son agros in cervantes this bulb puts out 53K lumens when running at 430W and was called the most efficient bulb available today. it is also a conversion HPS bulb and very high in the blue spectrum making it ideal for both veg and flowering. NOW the hydro store dude tells me there IS NO such thing asa 430W ballast. ok ive read the advertising and although ALLUDED to there is no actual statement that the 430W ballast runs at 430W - so im at a LOSS. what really has me bugged about this is that in order to get the bulb to preform to its quoted 53K lumens dont you HAVE TO run 430W into it?? NOW (again) i hear about HORTILUX at 400W emitting 58K lumens AND IT TO is high enough in the blue end to be used for both veg and flowering- I NEED HELP see i dont know what everyonelse is paying for lights but these 3 alone will be like $1200+ USD. i cant be investing in 2 lighting setups to do this so conversion lamps are deffo the way to go for me.as im heading out soon to get these items anything you can lay on me would be greatly appreciated

[SittinStoney420]

Thanks for your reply's....

HappySmoke, I will be sure to keep you posted. Blondie has just begun her dark period so i will switch her into the other room under the Son Agro right now. When she wakes up, she will see the world in a whole new light....lol. And it has had barely any usage. My buddy said he went through two or three flowering stages with it.

Ziggy, When i was trying to figure out if this was safe, i called my local hydro store and asked them what they thought. They said; "Their is no 430W Ballast, they are just trying to make extra money of you online, using a 400w HPS ballast with something extra they put it to make it use the extra 30w (supposably very cheap online)". They told me to pop it in my 400w ballast and it will make a HUGE difference on yield and density. They also said something that really made me think.. "If you were already using a 400w HPS, than whats the problem with keeping the 400w with an added blue light spectram which will greatly improve your crop? What are you gonna do with the extra 30w anyways?" This REALLY put me in check. This is the way to go. Ide say, if you already have some 400w HPS ballasts keep them and just buy the bulb (http://www.gtghydroponics.com/store/0-0-600.htm). And if you dont, just buy two bulbs and two 400w ballasts, instead of spending alot of extra money on a little bit of light. But thats just my 2 cents........

-SS

[Higzy]

Try it out i got a 250 HPS fixture and ballast built together and a put a 400w HPS in it and it kicked it on for me nicely

LOL! I would hope no one ever thinks to do something as dangerous and foolish as that.