250W SE Ballast?
 

Howdy everyone,

Just wondering what ballast I should use for running a 250W SE Halide? M something but im not sure which, lol. Anyone know the cheapest place in Edmonton? I saw addidas post say that "brite-lite" was cheap, I think 70 for a 250W ballast, but I was under the impression he was using a DE bulb.

Thanks for any tips!

Take care,

Chris

Hey the ballast is an M58 that you need. And yes there is a store here in Calgary, not sure about other cities called Brite-Lite that will sell a raw 250w ballast for 70$ .

Pretty sure adidas is using a SE bulb too. Actually, I know he is :smile:

Search around for a brite-lite in edmonton, I am really not sure.. either that or call up some of your local hydroponic shops... they sell that stuff too, and at decent prices as well..

HTH

If you can find an M80 ballast, get that one (it will let you run both SE and DE 250W bulbs). If not, get the one that OCDP suggested. I'd tell you where you can get one in Edmonton...but the name eludes me at the moment :rolleyes: It is waayyyyyyyyyyy up on the north side.

There are a few places you can check out... try looking under electrial wholesalers. I bought my m58s from Bartle and Gibson (wayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy up in the north side)... they weren't the cheapest, but they treated me the best.

-Rich

Chris,

I bought my M58's from Nedco on 97ave and 38 street. They are an electrical wholesaler, but if you needed them I can probably hook you up.
I believe they were around the $70 range as well, raw. But they work great.

Ok Ok I better get the lighting guid for beginners part 2 out. :mrgreen:

do not waist money on a M58 ballast it is not proper for any bulbs we use. while it will light them and some it will run fine you will get longer bulb life from either a pulse start (drawing the blank on the ansi code right now) or a M80 HQI ballast. the pulse start should only be about 20 to 30 bucks more than a M58 where a M80 is about 120 to 150 depending where you find them. out of the two I will recomend the M80 as it will run bulbs that are designed off of European specs (90% of the 250 watt bulbs used in the hobby) "properly" giving more output, better color, and longer life.

Steve

Wow thanks for all the info everyone!

I think I'll go for a pulse start then. Steve, do you have any ballast names/brand names you reccomend? Thanks!

Chris

XM Metal Halides clearly state that they are to be run off of a M58 Probe Start Ballast.

yup so do Ushio. :rolleyes: the good thing is that a probe start bulb can be run off pulse start ballast and it works great and will last longer.

Steve

pulse start is better for any bulb.

I think the ansi for a pulse start 250w is M138.

I took steve's recommendation and got a pair of m80s and haven't had any issues with them. It's also nice to know that with this ballast I can run almost any bulb I want :D