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First grow ballast help

PostPosted: Fri Aug 08, 2014 5:53 pm
by Curiousgraver
I've thinking about starting a grow
But I'm low on cash and know little about lighting setup
I've manage to get ahold of a pair of transformers from work

This is what I have
A fransformer
Gaseous tube transformer

A actown
Neon sign transformer

Cn I use these to grow

Re: First grow ballast help

PostPosted: Sat Aug 09, 2014 8:36 am
by rkymtnman
You'd still need a cap and an ignitor along with the transformer and a mogul socket and wire. Can you post more specs of the 2 ballasts you have? By the time you cobble one together, you could buy one pretty cheap from ebay or online grow stores and be done with it.

If it was me, I'd save my pennies and buy one that is UL listed. I'd be scared to leave the house with a DIY ballast unless I lived next door to a fire station.

Re: First grow ballast help

PostPosted: Sat Aug 09, 2014 9:34 am
by Curiousgraver
Fransformer
Gaseous tube transformer
Normal
Cat 1530p
Pri. 120 watts 60hz. 450Va
Sec. 15000 watts 30 mA

Actown
Neon transformer
Model FG 9030VDAB
Pri 120 volts 60Hz. 2.7A
Sec 9000 volts. 30mA

Re: First grow ballast help

PostPosted: Sat Aug 09, 2014 11:02 am
by rkymtnman
nope and nope

here's a 400 w hps transformer info:
Input: 120/208/240/277 60Hz
Output: 3.9A/2.2A/1.9A/1.7A 180VDC 400W S51 HPS

Re: First grow ballast help

PostPosted: Tue Aug 12, 2014 12:55 am
by SisterMaryElephant
As RKY points out they're really two different animals. You can get some HID ballasts very cheap, I would also recommend air-cooled hoods, they're worth the added expense.

Good luck!