Can anyone tell me about this light? Is it suitable?

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PassTheShiZ

Member
Hey guys. Years back I got this light for free. It has a 400MH bulb. Its pretty heavy. I think its a work light.
Idk if its a good light for growing and Im wondering what to expect from it.
Should it be left to hang vertically or should it be supported to hang horizontally?
 
Oakiey

Oakiey

Well-Known Member
If it was mine I would pick up a cord and a cheap wing reflector and rewire it.

I'm running two 400w mh, I like them
 
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PassTheShiZ

Member
Oakiey said:
If it was mine I would pick up a cord and a cheap wing reflector and rewire it.

I'm running two 400w mh, I like them
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hmm Idk about rewiring, not my field haha. Would that be to hang it horizontally or some other reason?
What would you expect to return with a light like this as is, maybe topping and following a mainlining method.
 
Hawg Wild

Hawg Wild

Well-Known Member
It's a metal halide shop light. Pretty sure you can hang it vertically if you want. Should do about the same as any standard MH bulb, though if it's really old you might want to just get a new bulb, in which case you can go with something more specific to horticulture like the Eye Blue MH or Agrosun or Sunmaster, etc. Nice Stone Age pencil sharpener, by the way. I had one just like it back in the 80s, I think.
 
$licc Ricc

$licc Ricc

Active Member
Take the cage off it...screw on a reflective cone instead. The cord is literally 3 wires. Black red and green. Very simple. Just strip the coating of the wires match them together with a connector and crimp it...use electrical tape to cover and protect the extension. You'll have yourself a good veg light.
 
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PassTheShiZ

Member
$licc Ricc said:
Take the cage off it...screw on a reflective cone instead. The cord is literally 3 wires. Black red and green. Very simple. Just strip the coating of the wires match them together with a connector and crimp it...use electrical tape to cover and protect the extension. You'll have yourself a good veg light.
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Anywhere I can find a square cone lol
Is the purpose of this just to extend the cord?
 
$licc Ricc

$licc Ricc

Active Member
You may have to fashion one from sheet metal if you can't find one local or on the net. And yes it's to assist with excessive heat buildup as the ballast runs all day.
 
raggyb

raggyb

Well-Known Member
I agree to take the cage off. Probably can only hangs vertical. Kind of small for ballast to be in there if analog and I don't see vents on it. assume it's analog if doesnt say it's digital. note you cannot put HPS bulb in if it's MH. get a replacement bulb even if it lights so you don't ruin the capacitor. no separate ballast right? run a heavy duty extension cord to it. just to be real sure, read all stickers and open it and look at wires to see if it has a note about changing the voltage. shops can have 220 and if you have 110 you need to move one of the wires to the right connectors for 110. or ask who you got it from what it was running on. You tube has videos
 
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PassTheShiZ

Member
raggyb said:
I agree to take the cage off. Probably can only hangs vertical. Kind of small for ballast to be in there if analog and I don't see vents on it. assume it's analog if doesnt say it's digital. note you cannot put HPS bulb in if it's MH. get a replacement bulb even if it lights so you don't ruin the capacitor. no separate ballast right? run a heavy duty extension cord to it. just to be real sure, read all stickers and open it and look at wires to see if it has a note about changing the voltage. shops can have 220 and if you have 110 you need to move one of the wires to the right connectors for 110. or ask who you got it from what it was running on. You tube has videos
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I see some stickers but I dont know jack about electrical stuff. I been running the light in the house all day for a couple weeks and it seems ok. The wire is not hot or anything and its connected to short extension cord. I have read I can not use hps so this will have to do for flowering too. It does specifically say to replace with a MH lamp. I did also read MH does not produce as big of a yield as hps but I could end up with more pleasant tasting and potent buds. The light is old but it was never used, brand new in box.
There is no separate ballast. The pic shows the complete light.
 
$licc Ricc

$licc Ricc

Active Member
You're beat bet is to save cash for a cheap analog magnetic ballast for hps. You won't be getting positive results using a my in flower. The spectrum doesn't consist of reds only blues. You you're strapped for cash you can. Use cfl bulbs in a 2700k, 3000k, 3500k they will produce enough red in spectrum to get you through flower.
 
OneHitDone

OneHitDone

Well-Known Member
$licc Ricc said:
You're beat bet is to save cash for a cheap analog magnetic ballast for hps. You won't be getting positive results using a my in flower. The spectrum doesn't consist of reds only blues. You you're strapped for cash you can. Use cfl bulbs in a 2700k, 3000k, 3500k they will produce enough red in spectrum to get you through flower.
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Are you really certain about that? Ever heard of Hortilux Blue MH? I guess all those CMH growers are just high ;) BLUE_mt1000b-noheader-nf.png
 
raggyb

raggyb

Well-Known Member
PassTheShiZ said:
I see some stickers but I dont know jack about electrical stuff. I been running the light in the house all day for a couple weeks and it seems ok. The wire is not hot or anything and its connected to short extension cord. I have read I can not use hps so this will have to do for flowering too. It does specifically say to replace with a MH lamp. I did also read MH does not produce as big of a yield as hps but I could end up with more pleasant tasting and potent buds. The light is old but it was never used, brand new in box.
There is no separate ballast. The pic shows the complete light.
Click to expand...
nowadays everyone says mh isn't good enough for flower. it's not like your stuff is going to suck. i had enough people happy with my MH only stuff. maybe like you say mh stuff is more pleasant and potent! Anyhow obviously your ok on the wiring then b/c it didn't blow up. If bulb never used cool. I would replace the bulb once in a while even though it will still work because you can blow the circuit components inside if you wait till the bulb dies.
 
getogrow

getogrow

Well-Known Member
These guys are all trying to help you fasion that thang into a grow light but you can leave it just like it is and grow with it. I have flowered with every bulb under the sun in a pinch and MH will produce much better bud then a cheap led. Light intensity is more important for flower production then spectrum is. (sorry light guys , its the truth)
The reason these guys are trying to help is so that you can seperate that hot ass ballast from your grow tent and just put the naked bulb in there.....or fashion a hood so the bulb spreads the light out evenly.
Either way , you have yourself a new MH ballast and bulb.
 
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