150w bulb in 175w ballast

[ailachami]

this is my first time using metal halide switching from LEDs. I have a 175w fixture I just bought and I ordered a phoenix 14k 175w SE. they sent me a 150w bulb instead. (on the box it said 175w but the printing on the bulb said 150w). I put it in and it turned on. should I be worry that I'm overdriving the bulb? is it ok to use or should I just take it out?

 

[sethsolomon]

I would PM JDA. He would be the person that would know the most on that subject I think. Or Scchase

 

[DyM]

I think it will overdrive, more par for less time. I replace my bulbs at 9months and over drive them. My elecrtonic ballast has a HQI setting that pumps 10% more wattage, and I drive my 250's for everything they've got.

 

[zombie]

Dont do it. MH lamps are not capable of controlling their own current like an incandescant bulb. This will push 175 W of power into a bulb that is designed for 150 W of power. This will cause a large increase in heating unless you have a very large fan (300 cfm or more) extracting heat from the bulb. Even in that case, I would not expect the bulb to last more than a couple of months, and without that the glass will likely burst in less than a week.

You might be an engineer if...You have no life, and you can PROVE it mathematically.