Electronic Ballasts: Hype or Good Buy?

[thegrower]

Ok so after a trip to the store today im totally buzzing on electronic ballast hype. I need to know if its as good as it was oprtrayed to me as being... According to the people at the store:

- Cuts energy use nearly in half
- Quiet
- Lo heat
- Increased Lumen output

I was looking at the 400w digital, which i was told i could put a 250w bulb in no problem. I can already tell they run quieter and cooler than the standard ballast but would it really decrease energy usage by HALF? and INCREASE light output from the same bulb over a std. ballast?

Right now my ballast is noisey as hell and get pretty hot too [too hot to touch] so im considering upgrading, but only if the hype is TRUE.

So can anyone with experience chime in? Energy savings? Lumen output increase? are these selling points for real?

 

[visualsensation]

I cannot answer the lumen output or energy savings at this point for ya.

I can say the others you have listed are quite true.. QUIET and Cool running.

In addition you can run a MH light off the same ballast as well..


I think I saw a difference of $50 this weekend from regular to digital ballast...Thought it was worth the price difference.

 

[hogwild]

a digital ballast is always better than a coil ballast, for many reasons..

a few of them are:
sound- a standard coil ballast emits a buzzing sound, the higher the wattage, the louder the sound... also old, hot, or damaged coil ballasts will be louder.
energy efficiency- this is an obvious one, the digi ballasts are way more efficient!
Flexibility- Some digi ballasts have the ability to run 2 different kinds of bulbs
Bulb life/ intensity- This is a MAJOR one. If you are like me, and you spend a lot of money on expensive bulbs, you want to get the best out of your bulb right? The bulb will last longer on a digi ballast, and put out more light ( because of consistency) The coil ballasts can overdrive your bulbs and destroy them, or they can start to flicker, essentially never warming up the bulb to its potential, destroying it slowly!
these are just a few thoughts, side by side specs will tell you the real deal on each digi or coil ballast. If you have the $ get the digi!

 

[thegrower]

yeah i wonder what the light output increase is like 10% or like 40%? Is "flicker" visible to the human eye?

IDK electric cost isnt a huge issue for me i only run a 250w, i know they are cooler and quieter but at this point ive grown accustomed to the buzz noise....

imo unless i upgrade to a 400w or the light ouput on the electric with 250 is like a 40% increase i dont see the value- my 250 is so freakin bright i cant see how it would get much brighter, its practically blinding, even the reflection off the mylar will give me spots

 

[Guest]

I seriously doubt you will get power savings of nearly 50%,if that were true I'd trash my stuff today and get electronic fixtures.I'm sure they are more effecient.I'm equally sure with 1K hortilux,it wouldnt make a lick of difference whether the ballast is electronic or magnetic results-wise.

 

[superpedro]

I run a Lumatek 600 watt in my flower room. My power usage has gone down 15-20%, compared to when i used a coil ballast.
I dont see any "flicker" when it's running, but you can tell it's adjusting the voltage during startup.
It's cool and quiet (My temp. has dropped 2 degrees C.), but I can't see with my naked eye, how much extra lumen lumen I get.
A digital ballast should also make your bulbs last much longer. (I'm on my second grow wfith this lamp, so it's the dealers words)

I'm happy with my buy.