Anybody using 250w HQI ballasts with SINGLE ended bulbs?

[Bryan]

HQI ballasts a bit of a misnomer. The term "HQI" only seems to exist in the aquarium industry. I believe it actually came from the bulb mfg themselves, "Halide Quartz Iodide", something like that anyways.

Ballast mfg don't list such a thing. They market ballasts based on the ANSI specs as mentioned below..

Metal Halide

M130 - 35/39 watt MH
M110 - 50 watt MH (standard and pulse start)
M85 - 70 watt MH (double-ended and BiPin lamps)
M98 - 70 watt MH (standard, pulse start, and operates some double - ended and BiPin lamps)
M139 - 70 watt MH (ceramic metal halide, some double - ended, and some BiPin lamps)
M90 - 100 watt MH (standard, pulse start, and operates some double - ended lamps)
M91 - 100 watt MH (double-ended and BiPin lamps)
M140 - 100 watt MH (ceramic metal halide, some double - ended, and some BiPin lamps)
M81 - 150 watt MH (double - ended and BiPin lamps)
M102 - 150 watt MH (standard, pulse start, and operates some double - ended and BiPin lamps)
M142 - 150 watt MH (ceramic metal halide, some double - ended, and some BiPin lamps)
M107 - 150 watt MH (energy saving probe start / Replaces 175 watt probe start lamps)
M137 - 175 watt MH (pulse start and some European lamps*)
M57 - 175 watt MH (standard probe start and some high pressure sodium lamps*)
M58 - 250 watt MH (standard probe start and some high pressure sodium lamps*)
M80 - 250 watt MH (double-ended and some European lamps*)
M138 - 250 watt MH (pulse start and some European bulbs*)
M59 - 400 watt MH (standard probe start and some high pressure sodium lamps*)
M135 - 400 watt MH (pulse start and some European lamps*)
M128 - 400 watt MH (pulse start lamps)
M47 - 1000 watt MH (standard probe start and some high pressure sodium lamps*)
M141 - 1000 watt MH (pulse start, double ended, and operates some European lamps)
M48 - 1500 watt MH (probe start lamps)
M133 - 1500 watt MH (pulse start, double-ended and some European lamps)
M134 - 2000 watt MH (pulse start - double-ended lamps)

[Chin_Lee]

Yes its true that a 400W HQI ballast is a Son AGRO ballast more commonly used to fire up HPS bulbs in the hydroponic industry. The aquarium industry has adopted these Son Agro ballasts as the equivalent of a 400W HQI ballast. As much of a misnomer as it is, since we are discussing it on a Reefing board, I feel it is appropriate to refer to it as a 400W HQI ballast regardless if one actually exists.

[Bryan]

Agreed, the fabled 400 watt HQI ballast is actually as you state a Son Agro ballast and they have a wattage output to the bulb of 430 watts. They were the ballast used for the 400 watt Radium 20k bulbs which are actually rated as 360 watt bulbs. So the bulbs were overdriven by 70 watts which led to a short life span.