where to find ballasts for 400 watt radiums
- Thread starter High Plains Reefer
- Start date
M80 is for 250w DE or 250 SE Radium. The very best magnetic ballast to run a 400 watt Radium is an S145 HPS ballast. This is the same as what PFO used in what they called their 400 HQI (which was not really HQI). You can still get the parts to build an S145 from Venture Lighting but the cores are made to order and you will wait 5-6 months just for the cores. If you go this rout buy twice what you need so you have a replacements.
Here is the next best alternative M135. These wont over drive the radium and will be more on blue side but will reliably fire and operate the bulb. The other alternative is to find a Galaxy or Lumantek HQI electronic ballast
http://www.hamiltontechnology.com/item/Metal-Halide-400-Watt-Assembled-Pulse-Start-Ballast-1383
Here is the next best alternative M135. These wont over drive the radium and will be more on blue side but will reliably fire and operate the bulb. The other alternative is to find a Galaxy or Lumantek HQI electronic ballast
http://www.hamiltontechnology.com/item/Metal-Halide-400-Watt-Assembled-Pulse-Start-Ballast-1383
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I guss it depends on your definition of work. Yeah they would probably fire the bulb however I dont think they would drive the Radium very well. I would stick with something that's been proven.
How many do you need? I have a couple electronic ballasts I got from Mike and Cindy I would be happy to pass on to you. Granted they are different so you they may each burn the bulb a little different and hence have slightly different output/color
How many do you need? I have a couple electronic ballasts I got from Mike and Cindy I would be happy to pass on to you. Granted they are different so you they may each burn the bulb a little different and hence have slightly different output/color
I'm using hydrofarm phantoms
I'm just trying to figure out how much I have to spend to get them working right I don't have the cash right now but I will in the near future with the foot finally healing again i should be able to really start investing some money in the tank again
I'm just trying to figure out how much I have to spend to get them working right I don't have the cash right now but I will in the near future with the foot finally healing again i should be able to really start investing some money in the tank again
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I'm not familiar with those ballasts and thier spec sheet dosnt give much to go on but their appear to be electronic ballasts. Why do you think these are the wrong ballasts?
Technically all US spec ballasts are the wrong ballast for the Radium. Mostly what it comes down to is finding a ballast that 1st will at least operate the bulb reliable then 2nd gives the desired color/par you are looking to get from the bulb and 3rd you should consider longevity of the bulb. Over driving a400w radium will give superior color and par but will also reduce the life. I will be running mine at ~470 Watts on a s145 ballast but 6 months is the max life span I will expect from the bulb.
In my personal opinion its only really worth using the 400w radium if you are going to over drive the bulb beyond 400W like 430-470 (think SPS dominated!) Otherwise I think the 250 radium with an M80 ballast is a better choice and you will get longer life from the bulb. You can overdrive the 400w with an electronic ballast that has "HQI" mode but if im not mistaken it will be somewhere around 415-420W. Capp does this with Galaxy select a watt ballasts and obviously it works for him.
If those phantom ballasts don't have an overdrive or HQI mode then its probably not worth running the Radium with them as you are just not getting the potential from the bulb.
My questions for you are do you like the color/par you are getting with the Phantoms? Are you having issues with the bulb firing? I could be wrong but technically I don't think your ballasts are any more "wrong" than others out there. The question is really more of are you getting the potential out of the bulb. My guess is you would be happier with 250s running on Hamilton M80 magnetic ballasts. The M80 is still readily available from Hamilton and has tried and true results with the radium.
Technically all US spec ballasts are the wrong ballast for the Radium. Mostly what it comes down to is finding a ballast that 1st will at least operate the bulb reliable then 2nd gives the desired color/par you are looking to get from the bulb and 3rd you should consider longevity of the bulb. Over driving a400w radium will give superior color and par but will also reduce the life. I will be running mine at ~470 Watts on a s145 ballast but 6 months is the max life span I will expect from the bulb.
In my personal opinion its only really worth using the 400w radium if you are going to over drive the bulb beyond 400W like 430-470 (think SPS dominated!) Otherwise I think the 250 radium with an M80 ballast is a better choice and you will get longer life from the bulb. You can overdrive the 400w with an electronic ballast that has "HQI" mode but if im not mistaken it will be somewhere around 415-420W. Capp does this with Galaxy select a watt ballasts and obviously it works for him.
If those phantom ballasts don't have an overdrive or HQI mode then its probably not worth running the Radium with them as you are just not getting the potential from the bulb.
My questions for you are do you like the color/par you are getting with the Phantoms? Are you having issues with the bulb firing? I could be wrong but technically I don't think your ballasts are any more "wrong" than others out there. The question is really more of are you getting the potential out of the bulb. My guess is you would be happier with 250s running on Hamilton M80 magnetic ballasts. The M80 is still readily available from Hamilton and has tried and true results with the radium.