400 watt ice cap firing 250watt bulb???

[rsantangelo3@co]

so i bought the 400 watt icecap and really only want to run my 250 phnx till it dies. My question is will the ice cap only power the 250 or will it drive 411 watts even tho a 250 is in it? All info will ease my mind thank you

[eros]

I have a buddy doing the same thing. I don't know how much wattage it pulls but I know it fires the bulb and it's damn bright. I would guess it overdrives the bulb I'm just not sure how much. I would say if the bulb is on it's way out anyway and you don't care then go for it. It won't hurt anything.

[rsantangelo3@co]

so a 400watt ballast will overprive a 250watt bulb? It wouldnt run it accordingly at 250watts? An ice cap?

[luther1200]

I'm pretty sure it would overdrive it if anything. I don't see how the ballast would know what bulb it is.

[turtleman9100]

Hmmmmmmmm

[elegance coral]

I accidentally put a 175W MH in my 250W fixture. It worked fine. I didn't even notice what I had done for about a month or two.

[DaveMorris]

It is incredibly dangerous to use a ballast rated for a higher lamp. It is a good way to start a fire and/or create a potentially hazardous lamp explosion. I wouldn't do it.

[lachlanmiller]

im not intending on doing this, but i was thinking about it the other day.

Im wondering if the bulb will draw as many watts as it needs, and it will be fine.

like say using a higher amp-rated transformer for something you need to power. would love to hear an official answer.

[mark728]

Hi I been running a reeflux 20k 400w on a Pfo 250w hqi ballast and a 400w xm 20k on a Pfo 250w hqi ballast and I have a 10k reeflux 400w running on a coralvue dimm/ballast in the center and the 20k's running on those ballast give off an amazing color .

[rsantangelo3@co]

thats higher rated bulbs on lower rated ballasts. The others are concerned about a 400watt ballast overdriving bulb with less wattage no?

[fufu]

I'm more worried about safety concern and fire hazard rather than color or growth...

[jayb12]

it will not work. i acidently put a 250 watt bulb into my 400 watt balast. lasted all bout a few hours before it blew.

the balast will put 400 watts of power into that bulb. it dosent care what bulb is in there.

[mark728]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15673726#post15673726 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by rsantangelo3@co
thats higher rated bulbs on lower rated ballasts. The others are concerned about a 400watt ballast overdriving bulb with less wattage no?

Yes my bad I forgot to put in my reply that I would only run higher watt bulbs from lower watt ballast but never a 250w on a 400w ballast could be very dangerous !

[Holyreefer]

it just sounds dangerous i wouldn't do it either