New light question

I just bought a new HID ballast that says 460w on it. What size bulb should i get? Thanks ahead.

Also, it came with two 250w mercury bulbs. I want to test it out to make sure it works, but im not sure if the bulbs will break or something.

Does anyone know?

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Are you sure it wasn't 460V? That seems like an odd number for bulb wattage.

Is this the 460 you mean.. I googled 460 hps ballast and got nothing.. I think you have a 400-430w.. isn't there any company name.. product name..etc...

400 watt High Pressure Sodium standard - core and coil 60Hz magnetic ballast

• V90D1912K HPS Ballast Specifications
  • Ballast Wattage: 400 watts
  • Input Voltage: 120/208/240/277
  • Circuit Type: CWA
  • Input Watts: 460
  • Max. Line Current 3.80/2.2/1.9/1.7
  • UL Bench Top Rise Code: C/C/D/C
  • ANSI Code: S51
  • Capacitor uF/Volts: 55/240
  • Transformer Wt.: 14.0 (lbs)
  • Bracket Type: Universal
  • Dimensions (in): 2.3/4.15
  • Wiring diagram below
• Warranty: 2-years

It also says M/H on it, so does that mean it metal halide? Its 460watts, 277volts, 1.9amps. It was made by north star lighting. Can i put an HPS bulb in this?

I would like to test this to see if it works sometime soon. If i try to use it with the 250watt mercury bulbs will it work?

it you havent figured it out yet you will need to have three phase electricity to run that light. unless there is a 110 lead in the ballast. I have about 9 of them sitting in my basement since 277 is one leg of 480V which unless your industrial I highly doubt you have.

caambulance said:

I would like to test this to see if it works sometime soon. If i try to use it with the 250watt mercury bulbs will it work?
&
Also, it came with two 250w mercury bulbs. I want to test it out to make sure it works, but im not sure if the bulbs will break or something.

Click to expand...

it came with Mercury bulbs?
do you have any item #'s or model #'s on your lights ballast?

You def don't want Merc light, gives off a lot of lumen's but a 42 cfl probably gives off more of the right spectrum though. (if its a Merc light). If its a merc light I do not believe that you can put a MH bulb in it. Also if its actually a MH light then you cannot put a HPS bulb in it (unless you have a HPS/MH swappable digital ballast).

If you are going to be growing with HID's then i would go out and get me a good digital ballast. or a good HPS ballast & a good son agro type bulb.