Ballasts ?

[saehan]

Hey this is my first post here, great site, has taught me heaps. I have a fitting/ballast for a 400w high pressure sodium bulb commonly used in hydroponics. I was wondering if I could replace the bulb with a metal halide globe, the fittings are the same,this could save me a heap of cash. Any info at all would be really handy.
Thanks

 

[fender]

No, Metal halide bulbs require a metal halide ballast. The only exception to this is Iwasaki bulbs which are Mercury Vapor and will run on either Mercury Vapor ballasts or the Metal Halide.

 

[piranhadg]

Actually there is a bulb by GE that is called Chromafit that will work in this socket. You will lose lumens but you will get Metal Halide CRI and Color. The only issue is that it will be in the normal range of Industrial Metal Halide Color, not specialized Salt Water High Kelvin Color.

 

[luke]

If it falls in the normal range of MH color it is useless!!
Luke