cost with regards to lighting

[sharky71]

does 250W of MH cost the same amount of money to run as 250W of power compact, VHO or T5? I think it would but I want to make sure. I would think the electric bill would be the same regardless of what type it is.

 

[Entropy]

As long as you are talking input watts, then yes. Input watts is the amount the ballast actually draws from the wall to power the bulb. 250 watts from the wall is the same regardless of what it is being use to power. Most halide ballasts that I have seen (with the exception of electronic ballasts) are not as efficient as VHO/T5/PC bulbs which are almost always electronic now. It will be pretty close though even if you stack the least efficient halide against the most efficient florescent so I would not worry to much about it.

 

[tomnmaddie]

hmm wait a minute what about electronic versus tar ballast etc...... I do know the electronic are far more efficient then other ballast///

 

[tomnmaddie]

doh just saw your take on electronic ballast

please forgive

 

[Entropy]

Yeah that is why it is important to look at input watts which measures the amount of power the ballast is using. Your electric company doesn't really care how much wattage your lights use, just how much the ballast uses.