Do hydroponic Grow Lights (MH & HPS both) necessarily need a ballast or would they work without one?

Question

ok im working on an all DIY and hand made experimental water culture system and im almost done with it except the lights and lighting related material and issues... now i know what i need if i was to purchase a final product from stores but i just needed to know if its possible (of course not with too much risk or problems, plz explain if u know of any) to use a mogul based grow light with a medium base converter directly without using a ballast or do i HAVE to use a ballast? I hope i made myself clear enough but let me know and i'll add more details or clarify exactly what im taking about! Thx

Answer 1

You've got to have the ballast in order to accurately control you current flow to your lighting fixtures. Otherwise, they'd blow up in your face!!!

Answer 2

Both types are high voltage and require a ballast.

Answer 3

HID, High Intensity Discharge are the light setups used by nurseries and many "home gardeners" with success.  The two types usually seen are HPS, High Pressure Sodium, and MH, or Metal Halide.  A good setup using these lamps will definitely give good results, if used properly HPS lamps are the lamps commonly used as streetlights.  You are probably familiar with the pink-orange light they produce already.  MH are also used as streetlights, they appear as a bright white when new,

WHAT TO LOOK FOR.  When you consider purchasing an HID lamp setup,  when you are looking, see if a tempered glass lens, or shield is included with the unit.  No unit without a glass shield is UL approved, on the contrary, these units are dangerous.  Fire is entirely possible.  This can also happen if one droplet of water should strike the glass envelope, like if you water, or mist your plants.  THIS GLASS SHIELD IS NECESSARY - REQUIRED!

These lights can heat a room! between the electrical parts and the bulb, a 400 Watt light can comfortably heat a small room in the winter.   Helicopters (with infrared detection) used by National Guard and police easily find these (HPS AND MH)  lights in homes where they are being used. You may be visited with a warrant, even if you're abiding by the law!

Balanced Spectrum / Full Spectrum Bulbs.  These bulbs have a different spectrum because different metals (such as mercury) are added to the bulbs to alter the output spectrum.  Truly, plants need basically blue and red light to grow.  They do not use green light, and use little, if any yellow light, and orange light.  Many of these bulb sellers will show the bulb's spectrum - look and see if there is a lot of yellow or green in the spectrum.

Bulbs which are used in horizontal position will shine more light on the area below, as compared to vertical bulbs.  Also, horizontal type reflectors are better also, sending more light into the growing area.  

A 400 Watt HID lamp should be adequate for a square meter of space, maybe a little more.

One difference is in bulb life time.  On average, a metal halide bulb will last about 12,000 hours before the bulb must definitely be changed.  On a high pressure sodium system, this life time is 24,000 hours.

Fluorescent lights are also available.  These require less electricity to run, but are also less efficient.  While these lights are adequate for small plants, they are at best a supplemental light for larger ones, used near a window in conjunction with some natural light.  But you don't need a special system for these, you could use a regular setup for these.  And forget about those purple or pink plant/horticulture ones - a combination of warm white and cool white is best when using these.  

Sure, there are all kinds of Very High Output, other fancy types too, like compact (which are really for use as reading lamps), but if you're going to spend so much, the HPS/MH are better suited through economy, as well as results.

One promising new system is LED, or Light Emitting Diode systems.  These are pricey, but last much longer than any of the above kinds of lights.  One commonly sold one claims 130 Watts of light. It may not sound like a lot, but these lights are made of very precise spectrum LEDs, and the light produced is only of the kind actually used by plants, so while "only" 130 Watts, think of how may Watts of unneeded light doesn't have to be produced - all the light from turquoise colored to orange-red.  Maybe this 130 Watts produced is equal to almost 300 to 400 Watts of HID light.  And they're not so bright to human eyes, so there's less likely light "pollution". And they run only warm enough to touch, so you don't have to cut vents in your house. Expensive, but good.

When you do decide what kind of light you will buy, remember, the wattage on the bulb is just that - the wattage for the bulb, and not an indication of the quality of the light.  Also the ballasts used by all of these lamps require some energy to operate.  An HID lamp of 400 watts will use closer to 500 watts than 400 watts.

Answer 4

A ballast is required for an HID lamp, for igniting the lamp, and regulating the power supply over time.

Answer 5

Yes, ballast, as stated above. If cost is the deal get a parking lot light and you will pay less for the fixture which is the huge cost. Do not compromise safety. Watch for heat buildup with those. As with any set up, proximity is important for results and you need to watch it all the time it is on, never leave it alone or your house will be at stake (in plain terms, burnt down and you got to explain why). No Children Allowed as the burns to skin are horrible. Don't Play With Compressed Gases with them, esp. Oxygen. If some of you want to farm herb do it outside or everyone will know, it smells up the house and your clothing and you get so use to it that you can't even smell it, but the police will get you on a manufacturing charge which is probably 10 years. Short side, the product ain't worth the electricity to run it, your bills will be doubled or more monthly.