Dimmer switch on HQI ballasts?

[BCT182]

I was wondering if I could wire a dimmer switch either before the ballast or between the ballast and socket.

Any chance either would work?

 

[braddo]

No, unfortunately MH bulbs and ballasts will not work on a dimmer.

 

[Scooterman]

Yes you can in certain instances!

http://www.coralvue.com/250metalb.html

 

[fatboyt123]

the 400's are also dimmable. wish i would have gotten those rather then the regular ones.

 

[braddo]

Has anyone seen the dimmable ballasts in action or read a review on them? I'm curious if bulb life is diminished and what the dimmabe range is. I dont understand their quoted spec "35% Dimmable / 2+10% overdrive "

 

[Scooterman]

All it does is allow a voltage adjustment to get a preferred color, it doesn't hurt the lamp, they all have an allowable range of voltage.

 

[cali_reef]

All it does is allow a voltage adjustment to get a preferred color, it doesn't hurt the lamp, they all have an allowable range of voltage.

Based on my experience with this ballast driving a XM10K bulb, the voltage reduction affects the PAR output more than the color appearance. The reduced voltage should prolong the bulb life. I have played around with a Coralvue 250W ballast few years back and I can say it's not the optimum ballast to drive bulbs, unless you have the need to dim the bulb output by 50% (based on measured PAR, not input power).