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Do I need special wiring in my house for my lighting system?
Lighting systems are available in a variety of voltages. The standard used by most gardeners is 120 volts / 60 Hz which plugs into a standard wall outlet. Other voltages may require special circuits and receptacles. Always contact a licensed electrician if the light you purchased has special voltage requirements and never exceed more than 75% of the rated ability of the fuse/breaker. (For example: use no more than 15 amps on a 20-amp circuit.)
What voltages are available for HPS & MH lights?
Most HPS & MH Lights Systems are available in 120 volt, 208 volt, 240 volt, 277 volt and 480 volt at 60 Hz. Sunlight Supply ballasts are multi-volt ballasts however they come standard wired for 120V. Most models can easily be run on 240V without any special wiring. You will just need to purchase the optional 240V power cord for the particular ballast your are ordering. However most ballasts can be special ordered to be wired for any of the voltages listed above.
- What is the difference between the MVP Cord and Smart Volt Power Cords?
MVP is Sunlight Supply's Multi-Volt Power cord feature for previous models of the Sun System 1 & 6 Ballasts that allowed switching from 120 to 240V by simply switching cords. However, in early 2009 all Sun System 1 & 6 Ballasts will be re-designed to use the Smart Volt Power detachable power cord (pictured left) to switch from 120 to 240V. The Smart Volt Power Cord is the same cord that most of the other Sun System Ballasts now use to easily switch from 120 to 240V including the Sun System 10, Harvest Pro and Galaxy™ ballasts. All Sun System ballasts that use the Smart Volt cord come standard with a 6ft. 120V Power Cord. Purchase the 240V cord separately to run the ballast on 240V. The Smart Volt Cord is also available in 20ft. for both 120V & 240V. However the 120V 20ft. cord is NOT RECOMOMMENDED to be used with any of the MH/HPS ballasts and could cause a safety issue. The 120V 20ft. cord should only be used with the Galaxy Electronic Ballasts.
- Can I extend the cord length from my reflector to my ballast?
Yes. If you need a longer bulb cord to extend the length between placement of your reflector and ballast a bulb cord extension is available item #903245. This extension cord plugs into the cord receptacle on a Sun SystemŽ ballast then into the plug on the bulb cord coming from the reflector. This allows increasing the distance between the ballast and reflector by 10ft. This bulb cord extension works with any Sun System Reflector that has a pre-wired 15ft. lamp cord & socket built into the reflector. This extension cord also works with the standard 15ft. Lamp Cord & socket #903055. A 10ft. (14 gauge) extension item #903247 is also available to work with our 25ft. lamp cords 903060.
- Are there any benefits to running my system on 240 volts?
Running your light system on 240 Volts generally will not provide any benefits. Since Electric companies base your electrical bill on Wattage, not Voltage or Current you will not receive energy savings. However, ballasts wired for 240 volt will draw less current and run a little cooler than 120 volt ballasts. Note that your outlets must be setup to use a 240V plug in order to use a 240V system which is not a standard plug and is normally not the standard outlet receptacle in most households. If you want to run your system on 240V you will need consult with a licensed electrician to determine what changes need to be made to run a 240V light system.
- Can I plug a Reflector from another manufacturer into a Sun System Ballast?
NO. All Sunlight Supply (Sun System) ballasts are only compatible with Sun System Reflectors. All Sun System ballasts have a proprietary female bulb cord receptacle that fits their patented male bulb cord. Most of Sunlight Supply Reflectors include the required socket assembly and lamp cord built into the reflector.
- Is the socket assembly and lamp cord included with Sun System® ballasts?
NO! If you purchase just a Sun System Ballast (not a kit) you must purchase a mogul 5kv socket or socket and lamp cord for your reflector and bulb.
- Which Sun System® Reflectors have built-in sockets & lamp cords?
- Which Reflectors do not include a built-in sockets & lamp cords?
These reflectors require purchasing a Socket with 15ft lamp cord (item 903055)
or Socket with 25ft lamp cord (item# 903060):
- Which Sun System® Reflectors accept BT-56 size bulbs?
NOTE: Items marked NEW are available to order via phone only
- What is the difference between BT56 and BT37 Metal Halide Bulbs?
The BT-56 Metal Halide bulb size was the standard size for many years. However, the reduced jacketed BT-37 sized Metal Halide Light bulbs will provide the same intensity and color as a BT-56 light bulb provides. The BT-37 Metal Halide bulbs are physically smaller and much easier to ship and handle and fit in more fixture types. Be sure to verify that your fixture will accept a BT56 sized bulb before purchasing, but when in doubt the BT-37 has become the standard size for most Metal Halide fixtures.
- What is the difference between Sunlight Supply's Grow Light Reflectors?
Sunlight Supply Manufactures a wide variety of Reflectors in various shapes and sizes. Sun System reflectors offer a variety of features such as advanced reflectivity with 95% German Aluminum inserts, adjustable wing style reflectors, Horizontal Reflectors with built in air cooled openings and a variety of other features. To compare all of Sunlight Supply's Reflectors visit this page.
- How do I hang my Light Fixture or Reflector?
- Sun Lift - holds up to 22lbs, allows height adjustment using tension mechanism (maximum extension is 4.5ft.)
- Light Hanger - holds up to 40lbs, allows height adjustment similarly to blinds
- Grow Yo-Yo - holds up to 22lbs. , allows height adjustment like a yo-yo
- Cable Hanger - can be used with New Wave and Tek Lights. Allows raising and lowering fixture.
- Jack Chain - Heavy duty Jack chain is a common way to hang heavy fixtures and ballasts to supports. Can be purchased at most hardware stores.
- How high do I need to hang my lights above my plants?
The higher the wattage the further away you want the light to be from your plants due to the amount of heat. HID lighting will be further away than a fluorescent fixture because of this. When mounting your lighting fixture take into account the type of plant and how tall the plant will grow. You want to keep the light as close as you can, but not so close to burn the plant. A simple rule is “if it is comfortable for the back of your hand, it will be a safe distance for your plants”. Doing a little research on the type of plant and where it comes from will help in determining how much (or little) light your plants like. With fast growing plants, you may need to check the hanging height on a regular basis as plants that get too close to the lamp will be severely burned.
- How big of an area will my light cover?
The size of the garden area will determine the wattage you need. If we assume that the plants will get no sunlight, a 1000 watt light will cover about 7 x 7 feet of growing area. A 600 watt will cover 6 x 6 feet, a 400 watt will cover 4 x 4 feet, and a 250 watt will cover 3 x 3 feet. These sized areas would be considered the “Primary Growing” areas. These lights will light-up larger areas, but plants placed outside of the Primary Growing area, will stretch and bend toward the light; a phenomenon called phototropism. Keep these areas of coverage in mind when using multiple fixtures. The best results occur when the areas of coverage overlap.
- How do I clean the inside of my Sun System® Reflector?
Warm water and mild dish soap are the best to clean and maintain the highly reflective finish. Avoid bleach, ammonia and other harsh or abrasive cleaners.
- How do I Air Cool my Sun System® Reflector?
The way the reflectors are air cooled is by attaching a fan and ducting to the reflector and venting the heat from the reflector to the outside. This requires the purchase of a an inline fan or blower and ducting in addition to an HPS or MH Light Kit with a Reflector that can be Air Cooled. There are a variety of fans to choose from depending on the wattage of your light system, the size of the room, whether there is any existing ventilation and how you want to setup your system. The photo (bottom right) shows one example of how a 1000W HPS Light Kit with a Sun System 2 Reflector can be air cooled with an Ecoplus inline fan. The image bottom left shows air cooling using both ducts.
Download a PDF diagram of air-cooling two reflectors with one fan and ducting.
