Dimmable Ballast Question

GibbsIt89

GibbsIt89

Well-Known Member
Long story short i need a new light for my mothers etc. I was considering a 400watt digital mh/hps ballast. Then i figured for an extra $25 I can get a dimmable one. Then of course I figured why not a 1000watt dimmable. I do not get the whole dimmable option however. If its a 1000watt and you dim it down to 50% then that is obviously 500watts now. I'm not going to run a 1000watt bulb at 50%, to me that is a waste. BUT I am also not going to run a 400watt bulb at 500watts nore a 600watt bulb. Technically doesnt the bulb carry a certain spectrum at a certain temperature which creates a proper chemical reaction in the bulb specifically for that spectrum? Or am I thinking too deeply about this. Id understand if the ballasts had settings for 250-400-600-1000 watt but whats with the %'s???

If i do decide on a 1000watt dimmable and want to only use it at 50% do i then need to buy a special 500watt bulb?

I feel dumb asking this but i feel i raise a good point in questioning it with my misunderstanding lol. Thanks in advance guys! cheers!
 
jondamon

jondamon

Well-Known Member
GibbsIt89 said:
Long story short i need a new light for my mothers etc. I was considering a 400watt digital mh/hps ballast. Then i figured for an extra $25 I can get a dimmable one. Then of course I figured why not a 1000watt dimmable. I do not get the whole dimmable option however. If its a 1000watt and you dim it down to 50% then that is obviously 500watts now. I'm not going to run a 1000watt bulb at 50%, to me that is a waste. BUT I am also not going to run a 400watt bulb at 500watts nore a 600watt bulb. Technically doesnt the bulb carry a certain spectrum at a certain temperature which creates a proper chemical reaction in the bulb specifically for that spectrum? Or am I thinking too deeply about this. Id understand if the ballasts had settings for 250-400-600-1000 watt but whats with the %'s???

If i do decide on a 1000watt dimmable and want to only use it at 50% do i then need to buy a special 500watt bulb?

I feel dumb asking this but i feel i raise a good point in questioning it with my misunderstanding lol. Thanks in advance guys! cheers!
Click to expand...

I found a university study once on the effects dimming a lamp has on the spectral output and it really opened my eyes.

There was virtually none.

Here's a brief outline. I couldn't find the exact link.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/m/pubmed/11540960/


But I used to think the spectral output changed drastically but it changed my mind.

Google "dimming hps lamps" and you should eventually find the study done.

The quoted link is only a snipett of the article I found.




J
 
ddimebag

ddimebag

Active Member
"If i do decide on a 1000watt dimmable and want to only use it at 50% do i then need to buy a special 500watt bulb?"

You buy a 1000 watt bulb for a 1000 watt dimmable ballast. If you run it at 50% the bulb will only use 500 watt. I have a 400watt dimmable ballast, and I love it! Highly recommend dimmable ballasts!
 
Michiganja Meduana

Michiganja Meduana

Active Member
You put in a 1,000 watt, and the ballast feeds it 750 watts or so. The only reason I could see to do this, is in a room where the heat is hard to control during the very hottest parts of the year.
 
DemonTrich

DemonTrich

Well-Known Member
I dim my veg time for 4 weeks at 75% @ 600w. then 100@ the remaining 4-5 weeks of veg time. its the only way I can control canopy height with my veg times.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top