How-to: Make your own 70w MH Pendant

[alexmurovec]

that looks good for a cheap setup (definetely replace the bulb) but the reflector looks terrible. you can tell that the lowest part of the reflector will just reflect light straight back into the bulb, doing nothing.

 

(some of the most efficient reflectors are a simple V shape. even these still reflect light back into the bulb, though, which lumenarc reflectors attempt to compensate for)

 

i didn't really know what to think of that unit. i have only seen bigger industrial mh fixtures, not smaller onces like that. i still want to do one like in this forum though, just the 150W. now i've been looking all over the internet for electronic ballasts, and can only find ones that are over 100 bucks. people are saying that they are much cheaper, am i looking in the wrong place? also, i am in canada, and may have some problems with getting companies to ship, so does anyone know of any distributors that ship internationally? thanks in advance.

[dl5]

Hey guys! finally got everything running.

 

had slight problem with the fans because a wire came loose from the adapter, and i wasn't paying attention and i pretty much toasted my 9v dc 1 amp adapter =/

 

it was a bit of a set back but i foudn a 12vdc 1.2amp adapter that i was able to rig up. it is as loud as the devil but after seeeing how hot the glass shield was right under the bulb, i'm glad i'm running the 12v adapter instead of the nine.

 

initially i was very scared when the ballast fired the bulb, it buzzed like mad, and like 30 seconds later it subsided and the bulb began to light. it was absolutely beautiful.

 

i've turned it off and on three more times, and the buzzing was gone! so i'm a happy camper.

 

the glass i got cut only cost me 4 bucks. great spash guard.

 

now here are the pictures. i'm using a 14k astralux bulb. i'm hoping that it whitens more as it burns in:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

i must say, the out put of the bulb is FAR greater than the job done by the 80watt pc. i'm very happy with this job! MH forever!!!! or until LEDs become cheaper!

[alexmurovec]

awesome job, i like that color of the astralux. one question, where did you get your ballast? i'm looking for a 150W but can't seem to find one as cheap as people say they are.

[dl5]

i got mine from ebay, but its only a 70watter. where have you been looking? oh and thanks for your comment! i'm very happy with it, i'm starting to look into sps

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/Digital-150-Watt-HPS-E...VQQcmdZViewItem

 

here's a hamilton for 100:

http://cgi.ebay.com/HAMILTON-METAL-HALIDE-...VQQcmdZViewItem

 

hope that helps!

[alexmurovec]

i got mine from ebay, but its only a 70watter. where have you been looking? oh and thanks for your comment! i'm very happy with it, i'm starting to look into sps

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/Digital-150-Watt-HPS-E...VQQcmdZViewItem

 

here's a hamilton for 100:

http://cgi.ebay.com/HAMILTON-METAL-HALIDE-...VQQcmdZViewItem

 

hope that helps!

 

i've just been searching google for suppliers or companies that sell their product online. i will try a little ebay right now. are their any good brands to look for? Now in another forum theres some talk about the regent fixture even getting too hot with a 70W, which makes me have worries about putting a 150W in. someone mentioned the lithonia brand pendant so maybe i'll check into that. supposably it has a better reflector and runs cooler.

[alexmurovec]

well i dont know if anyone is following or whatever, but i'm gonna just go for the 70W MH. i think i'll get the nais ballast and astralux 14k bulb. i'll try to post some pictures and light comparisons when its all said and done. thanks for the help.

[epicfish]

www.ballastwise.com

[dl5]

epic fish is right, ballast wise is a great seller!

[alexmurovec]

epic fish is right, ballast wise is a great seller!

 

well their prices are awesome on the bank account, and if you guys say they are a good seller, looks like i'm about to get started. but i think with the price of the ballasts, i'm gonna go for the 150W. i figure if i go for a 150W now, if i ever upgrade to say a 40G or something, i can just whip up another 150W and then i got matching units. always gotta think ahead

[dl5]

well their prices are awesome on the bank account, and if you guys say they are a good seller, looks like i'm about to get started. but i think with the price of the ballasts, i'm gonna go for the 150W. i figure if i go for a 150W now, if i ever upgrade to say a 40G or something, i can just whip up another 150W and then i got matching units. always gotta think ahead

 

go for it! just drill some holes in the pendent, and try to mount a fan, itll help a great deal!

[alexmurovec]

go for it! just drill some holes in the pendent, and try to mount a fan, itll help a great deal!

 

ya thats what i'm planning on doing i think. as for the fan, should i have it pulling air out of the fixture, or blowing it into the fixture?

 

oh, and is there a way to wire the fan into the light so i only have 1 power cord?

[dl5]

I tried to put a timer between the ballast and the wall outlet, but it won't fire the bulb. i'm guessing the timer is not giving the ballast enough juice? are are there timers that will, with out a doubt, fire my bulb?

[alexmurovec]

I tried to put a timer between the ballast and the wall outlet, but it won't fire the bulb. i'm guessing the timer is not giving the ballast enough juice? are are there timers that will, with out a doubt, fire my bulb?

 

i plan on just using a regular grounded timer from walmart. your saying that you wired your ballast through a regular timer and it didn't fire? kind of sounds funny to me, i would think that it should fire, because the timer just runs the current straight threw, from the ballast to the wall outlet. maybe try to double check your wiring, but if that doesn't work, please let me know because i would be interested in this answer as well.

[dl5]

i didn't wire the ballast to the wall, the ballst has a male plug just like any appliance. when i plug the ballast directly into the wall/powerstrip, i have no problems firing the light, but when i put the timer in between the plug and the outlet, i have no go.

[alexmurovec]

i didn't wire the ballast to the wall, the ballst has a male plug just like any appliance. when i plug the ballast directly into the wall/powerstrip, i have no problems firing the light, but when i put the timer in between the plug and the outlet, i have no go.

 

ya i know you wired it to a male plug. well considering your circumstances, it must be the timer eh? i really wouldn't think a timer wouldn't be able to run a certain type of ballast, but it looks like that is the case. what type of timer do you have?

[dl5]

its a marineland aquarium light timer, i think i'll stop by homedepot or walmart one afternoon and try to find a heavy duty one and hope that works.

[DudE31]

just jumping in here but is it possible to use a ballast from homedepot that is meant for industrial high wattage bulbs ? they're like 25$ vs. 100$ from a pet store

[reefone]

its a marineland aquarium light timer, i think i'll stop by homedepot or walmart one afternoon and try to find a heavy duty one and hope that works.

 

i use one of the mechanical ones with the pins no problems

 

 

just jumping in here but is it possible to use a ballast from homedepot that is meant for industrial high wattage bulbs ? they're like 25$ vs. 100$ from a pet store

 

yes u can but the ballast watts has to mach the bulb watts and each ballast can only fire the kind of bulbs it is made for.

[alexmurovec]

well i just bought a aromat 70W MH ballist for my DIY. if any of you guys need to buy one, contact "Anuanu Humu". he bought about 20 in bulk and is only using 5. hes selling them off at very reasonable prices.

 

i'll keep you posted on my progress.

[edwar050]

I did this mod on my old nano dx for around 70$'s total got a 10K bulb and 30$ 70 watt ballast and 8 dollar 500 watt halogen bulb. This mod is awesome in the stock hood of the DX. Only problem I am having heat "even with two fans" and had to order a 89$ chiller though this mod is totally awesome. Thank you so much~

 

 

Brad

[epicfish]

Brad...is your ballast remotely mounted?

[alexmurovec]

alright guys, well i'm well off on my way to building this pendant. i just came back from home depot, and picked up the only kind of security light pendant they had. it is a zenith 300W. i attached some pictures to see what you guys think of the unit, because i can always return it. my main concern is, well, will the bulb fit without mods in this fixture? the terminals are situated in place with metal, so i wouldn't be able to move the terminals back or foward if the bulb is too long too long or too short. i attached some pictures to give you an idea. also, tell me what you think of the reflector, looks like crap to me, haha.

 

 

 

[Nyxis]

Return it and go into the electrical section that's where they keep the halogen worklights. I used one of those to start with and not only is it a major pain to mod it dosent come with any powercord. The yellow worklight ones also have a bracket for mounting the light, so if later down the road you want to put your mh in a hood all you need to do is take out that bracket and away you go.

 

Edit: oh and a 70w mh bulb is the exact same size so you dont need to move the contacts at all.

[Zzak]

Help me diagnose what is wrong. I built it and when I plug it in it works (takes a minute to get to full brightness) but when I move it, it goes off. Unplug it, plug it back in and it works. I've checked all the connections and they are not the problem. So ballast or bulb, which would be your guess?

[alexmurovec]

Return it and go into the electrical section that's where they keep the halogen worklights. I used one of those to start with and not only is it a major pain to mod it dosent come with any powercord. The yellow worklight ones also have a bracket for mounting the light, so if later down the road you want to put your mh in a hood all you need to do is take out that bracket and away you go.

 

Edit: oh and a 70w mh bulb is the exact same size so you dont need to move the contacts at all.

 

i did check out a few work light ones, but theres no point to pay extra just for the power cord and grill. as long as the 70w fits fine, then i'll just go with this one. i'm in a smaller town and they really dont have much to choose from. my only concern is the reflector, but i've read the MH is so bright that even a crap reflector is plenty.