adjustable Ballast/Light question

drumrol

Active Member
Any problems running my 1000-watt HPS at 400 watts? I have an adjustable ballast which allows me to adjust from 400 to 1000 watts. Currently I have it turned down to 400. Slowly turning it up. I wanted to slowly introduce more light going from Veg. at 400 watt - to Flower at 1000 watt. Its lit and working fine but have heard that running a 1000-watt bulb at 400-600 watt is not a good thing to do?
 

Jjgrow420

Well-Known Member
When you give a bulb less power than it's rating the temperature of the arc will be less therefore changing the spectrum being emitted from the bulb. It's best to run at rated wattage
When I spoke with the rep from illuminar he said the same thing and that the dimming feature is literally a selling point and he would never recommend using it, and that he has no idea why is even a thing.
 

King Avitas

Well-Known Member
I used to run my MH bulbs at reduced power because they were cheap and I had lots of them. The Hortilux HPS though only ever got run at 1000w as they are expensive and by that point of the grow, I wanted the light operating at 100%.
 
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