Can anyone help with lights please ?

[Grub]

I agree with the above, if you want to use a 250w bulb, use the equivalent ballast.

That said, to throw a spanner in the works....
A good mate of mine and long-time grower reckons a ballast is no different to a generator in the way it converts power, and just because a generator says 2000W or whatever, it doesn't mean you have to always use the 2000W. You can plug in a 100W hair dryer if you like and it will work fine as the generator will supply only the power that is needed. He uses lower wattage bulb to ballast set-ups fine.
Although knowing him his house insurance is well up-to-date!

Personally, I'll stick to the option that I know to be safe!

[8ball]

I have just ordered a 250w cfl blue . Is that
Going to do the job ?

I'd personally advise a 250 cfl for veg which aren't to expensive, if you purchase the correct wiring and socket for it online also, you can just hang it in your grow room easily enough, then you can swp over to the hps for flowerski.


Though you can use the 250hps for veg if need be.
As the hps will give off alot more heat, you will need to put more distance between the light and the plant, therefore promoting more stretch.

A 250cfl will be better to minimise the stretching whilst young.


*(obvously if you keep the CFL nice and tight to the plant)*

[Sativa Steve]

That is perfecto for the veg stage mate, good luck

[8ball]

Thank you very much mate

That is perfecto for the veg stage mate, good luck

[Sativa Steve]

Hope to see a dairy up and running soon

[turbotoker]

You sure it was from the CFL? I mean they give off real minimal heat, you must of had them french kissing to do any damage....

Lmao!......but yea, even though they give off min heat, and you can hang them real close....you still have to watch out for steves 'french kiss'....even a slight touch after a few hours can give em a scorch burn.......i know, i did it me self.......if you turn em, check where the leaves/flowers are afterwards!

[Mr_Bimble]

If you use a 250W CFL you can still use the same reflector for your HPS - instead of plugging it into the ballast use a Kettle lead.

You might also have to adjust the E40 so its slightly further away from the reflector as CFL's are much wider then HPS.

[turbotoker]

Hello readers
I have a 600w light with balist But I wanted
The put a 250w bulb in for the first stage
It's it ok to run a 250w bulb on a 600w balist ?
Thanks for any help ?

deffo not....the ballast is made suitable for use onl with the 600w bulb, using a 250w would no doubt end in a serious blow, i was toying with this idea (using a 250w in a 150w casing) but after some advice(on here!) i decided against it- you cant really muck about with the electrics on specific things, such as ballasts/bulbs....if it says 600w on the tin, then you had better just use the 600w......or keep a large CO2 extinguisher handy and prepare to burn your grow prem...premi...premitu....oh fuck it....EARLY!!!

heed the advice given on here matey.......its in your best interests.....we hate the lovely plant coming to grief!!!

[Up_in_smoke]

I agree with the advice, I use a 250cfl blue and find it very adequate for vegging, although that being said I'm upgrading it to MH soon as I want a bit more coverage, but for about 4 plants (I'm talking final size before they get stuck into flowering, more if you don't veg em so big) they are very good, nice tight nodes