HOMEMADE BALLASTS help plz

[HungryMcNasty]

How can i homemake a 125W compact floro and a HPS ballast. I went to home depot and no one could tell me how and i couldnt find large enough compact floro bulbs. any help is much appreciated.thanks

HungryMcNasty Reviewed by HungryMcNasty on 03-01-2006. HOMEMADE BALLASTS help plz How can i homemake a 125W compact floro and a HPS ballast. I went to home depot and no one could tell me how and i couldnt find large enough compact floro bulbs. any help is much appreciated.thanks Rating: 5

[turtle420]

I know latewood does it... and sells them...

When you say 125W compact floro... what do you mean? Do you have any links?

I like the Envirolites... those bulbs, if I where to grow with flourescents, would be the way to go.

[HungryMcNasty]

well the light i have in my box now is a 125w compact floro from hydrafarm but i dont have the funds to buy anymore of those haha

[mistylee544]

Grow Marijuana FAQ, Cannabis cultivation - marijuana growing tips & photos


i did and am very happy:bonghit:

[kevins4runner]

Compact flouro ? Just buy blue CFL's, the ballast is built in. I have been making ballast's for some time. They take a special transformer. If you have access to a lighting supply, you can just buy a rebuild kit (trans,cap, and igniter) and make a box and wire it yourself. Retail around $50, much less if you are a commercial business. Heck if ask nice enough, someone might sell you what you need.:jointsmile:

[kevins4runner]

My bad, I meant $100 for the rebuild.

[Jerry Garcia 2007]

I don't recommend building your own light. look up high tech garden supply you can get a complete light for just over $100.00
much safer and you don't need to get electricuted or burn down the house.

[kevins4runner]

Youre right, who's to argue with Jerry Garcia, I would spend your good money at the light shop. I have to remember that not everyone is electricaly inclined and that pot and electricity don't mix. Lets also keep in mind that everyone needs to know a little electrical with high tech lighting, fans, co2 valves, relays, in todays gardens (or youre gonna burn your house down)! Of course you can pay through the nose to have someone wire all that stuff up.
:thumbsup:

[Comatose]

Yeah, I'm one of those people that just forks over the cash for things like this. If I tried to build my own, I'd fry myself and burn the entire neighborhood down.

[Jerry Garcia 2007]

Lets also keep in mind that everyone needs to know a little electrical with high tech lighting, fans, co2 valves, relays, in todays gardens (or youre gonna burn your house down)!

I have an extensive electrical background, I see post's all the time telling how they are going to use 1600w to 2000w or even higher lighting systems. Not realizing that at 1600w you are pulling almost 14 amps, at 2000w you are pulling 17.5 amps just for lights. ( formula for amount of amps your lights will draw: Watts divided by Volts) ( ex. 1600w/ 115v = 13.92 amps ) Most homes in the USA are wired with 15 or 20 amp circuts, If you plug in this many watts into one circut you are very close to the limit, so if you plug in something else it will trip the circut breaker or worse cause a fire.
Also when you run amperage close to the breaker limit, specially in older homes the wiring will heat up inside the walls and potentialy start a fire ( notice in the winter time all the house fires caused by space heaters in the news )
So Please eveyone consider the electrcal demand needed when designing a grow space. Most HID systems above 800watts, you are going to need a dedicated circut just for your lights. ( an outlet that runs directly to your CB panel and nowhere else in your home).
It would suck to loose your house to a fire, then be charged with cultivation of a controlled substance, and then try to collect insurance.