by Jorge Cervantes
HID Lamps
Use high intensity discharge (HID) lamps to grow vegetative and flowering marijuana indoors. The two most common HID lamps are metal halide, which have a clear or “white” light spectrum, and high pressure (HP) sodium, which have a yellowish-orange spectrum.
A ballast is required for a metal halide or HP sodium HID lamp. Conventional analog ballasts contain a transformer, capacitor, and connecting wiring. Some HP sodium ballasts have a started. The transformer and capacitor can be attached to the mogul light socket or connected by and electrical cord to a remote ballast. Attached ballasts are connected to the mogul socket and bulb. The ballast generates heat and should be placed outside the grow room. Do not attach ballasts to extension cords, or the voltage will drop and light will dim.
Unlike conventional ballasts, electronic ballasts are lightweight, use less electricity, and produce little or no electricity-wasting heat. Most electronic ballasts can be used with either 120 or 220 volts, either 50 or 60 cycles, and either metal halide or HP sodium lamps. However, they have a relatively high failure rate of about 10 percent on 400-watt, 600-watt, and 1000-watt lamps. Failure rates for smaller wattages are much lower.
Disposal: Take lamp and ballast to a specialty recycling center. Do not dump where they will wind up in a landfill.