Does anyone still use magnetic ballasts?

[SilentFeet]

Or has everyone switched over to digital?

Thinking of getting another light and the prices for digital are not much more expensive, and they are supposed to use less electricity.

 

[Phaeton]

I use the older 400 watt CMH by GE and mostly use their Ultra Max low frequency digital ballast.
They quit making the ballast and since the CMH do not function well on high frequency I now use a magnetic ballast in addition to the three digitals.
The difference in brightness is visible to the naked eye, over 5% less from the magnetic ballast.

Luckily I found an LED putting out close to the spectrum I need and soon others will join in and I can eliminate the CMH.

I have an ultra high frequency SolisTek to go with their 10,000 K bulb with UVB, this bulb does not like low frequency, go figure.

So it is more than just money, it is the spectrum as well between the two systems.

I use both, and LED, and Fluorescent. I have not tried the 315 watt CMH, I understand their ballasts are also low frequency square wave.

 

[mowood3479]

I still use 5 or 6 mag ballasts.. I would buy digital in the future but I don't want to spend the cash to retrofit my rooms at the moment.
Much prefer digital ballasts tho.

 

[Catatafish]

Im just retiring magnetics now. Used them for security. Ive had elec ones in past but would find rfi and pulled em. Put a 6/750 up no signs of rf issues so far. I swear its as least as bright if not brighter than the open 1k mag.

 

[useless.gardens]

not a fan of the electronic ballast myself. & will not be giving up my current mag. ballasts for digi units ever.

rock several magnetic ballasts. love them for their simplicity & repair-ability.

fact is many digi ballasts (even "quality" versions) are major EMI producers.

to keep my secret garden secret, i use a EMI filter on every mag unit in the garden.

 

[Morcheeba*]

ive been rocking magnetic ballast since my electronic ones had the cable knocked out on my block and it was pin pointed to my residence.

i gave my electronic ballast to a friend who didnt have cable and lived way back in the woods and he loves them. i made him aware of rf issues w/them and unless he moves he is good.


peace

 

[useless.gardens]

ive been rocking magnetic ballast since my electronic ones had the cable knocked out on my block and it was pin pointed to my residence.

i gave my electronic ballast to a friend who didnt have cable and lived way back in the woods and he loves them. i made him aware of rf issues w/them and unless he moves he is good.


peace

exactly.

wifi too. interferes with it. was getting booted off my own network.
my neighbors too. & i was using only one digi @ 4oow. cheapie type. was a major signal maker though.

in my area, there is a van used by cable company to pinpoint the emi issue... just like you noted.

in the city. no way. go magnetic. & use a filter.
use a filter. if you like digi. for sure.

if you do long cord runs too. either ballast type. use a filter.

 

[Catatafish]

Lol cheebs, did the same! He still rockin them.

 

[packerfan79]

Just a heads up the new nanolux digital ballast come with a emi block incorporated into the cord. I have run 6 digitals at once cheapest and pricey models and have never had a problem with emi

 

[Bobby Boucher]

RFI seems like a non-issue until the cable company comes knocking at your door demanding access to every room in your house. Lots of people use mags only. Read it up.

 

[GuyManDude]

I still run a couple magnetic ballasts. IMHO, they last longer than anything digital. And they don't put out a signal the cable tv company will read.

 

[Pinball Wizard]

Happy with my new magnetic 1000w switchable (MH/HPS) Harvest Pro...very quiet

I can't afford to give off bad vibes in the neighborhood.

 

[EastCoast710]

running 7 mags now.. all brand new.. why? because they are cheap. and don't interfere with signals.. and if they do it doesn't raise an eyebrow in most areas compared to those digitals that fucking destroy peoples cable lol.

 

[useless.gardens]

making flowers w/ a switchable mag ballast = <3

 

[acridlab]

my 2 cents,, i fell for the digital technology when it came out, and i had great results. but to date my largest yield ever came from a hardcore 1000 mag with a blockbuster 8 hood and a hortilux red bulb.

after that happened i will never buy another digi.

 

[one Q]

magnetic all day. Can replace parts in them and they last for ever. A touch more heat and a touch more electricity. But safer.

 

[ganjygav]

Guy in the grow shop local to me put me off buying a digital ballast. He called them a gimmick.
I've used the same 400w mag ballast for veg for 6 years now and it still burns bright.

 

[Jonny Lan]

using 3 digital ballasts by solid trek just fine. i can be on the phone right beside them. (all in one bedroom) wifi works fine too. i was considering a magnetic due to cheapness. my grow shop guy swears buy them and hes an amazing grower.
just my $0.02

 

[hayday]

Me and my mags are B.F.F.
I don't plan on ever swapping over to digital.There's just too many ways to leave a signal.

 

[Gry]

I run both and will continue to do so.Have a bunch of 400 Watt mh iron core that I got a great deal on!
Use them for veg. Run digital units for flowering and it sure is nice to be able to turn them down.
I live in an old fourplex and have run the same configuration for years with no problems