HID Hut digital ballast major EMI issue

[Lemon]

Today I discovered that my HID Hut 150 watt digital HPS ballast is essentially useless to me.

The ballast, which is supposed to be "FCC certified to produce no interference", does indeed cause interference, and rather serious interference at that.

I first discovered this when I turned on the ballast while I was watching a particular channel on TV. As soon as the lamp struck, the cable picture immediately changed to something akin to what TV looked like back in the days of rabbit ear antennas when you were trying to pick up a hard to get channel, complete with rolling picture and a pile of snow. I changed to another channel, and it was fine, then another, and it was unwatchable, and so forth. The problem is repeatable.

The fact that the problem varies by channel suggests that the interference is being picked up via the cable, not the electrical outlet, as each channel recieves its own 6MHz band. What scares me is that some of these bands are for cable internet, and this could disrupt neighbors internet, especially in a close quarters (ie apartment) environment like mine.



PS: This isn't meant to be a witch hunt inspiring "down with HID Hut" kind of thread. Maybe the problem is unique to me. This is just intended as a heads up/something to think about.

 

[inflorescence]

From what I've read about digi's your problem is not unique.
This seems to be a major security threat. I think one guy even had the cable company come out un-announced to see if he could "fix" the problem.
Knocking out your neighbors internet is a sure fire way to grab attention. The kind nobody needs.

 

[Lemon]

Agreed. Its sure as hell not the kind of attention I need... at all. I'm kind of upset at HID hut for making such a claim.

I talked to my good friend who is an electrical engineer and he told me that it is very easy for electricians, cable technicians and phone line technicians to locate a source of interference, down to the exact circuit, in the exact room, in the exact building it is coming from.

Heres a little picture - they dont do it justice. its hard to take a picture of a TV image. The ballast was in another room, and plugged in to a seperate outlet than the TV now, and the problem persists. I'm done with digital for the time being, which sucks as I wanted to buy some T5's which also use digital ballasts, and which some peope have reported the same problems with.



Ballast Off:


Ballast On:

 

[C_Q]

Thanks for the heads up Lemon. I was looking long and hard at those HID HUT ballasts when I was shopping for a 600watter a few months ago. I decided not to take any chances and went with the tried and true magnetic ballast. This will help me make future decisions.

 

[smoke headies]

i was running a 600w hidhut ballast and nothing was wrong at all in my apt.. i have cable internet and cable too... not sure whats wrong.. how old is your ballast?? did u JUST start doing this?

however the 600w ballast did short out and im currently waiting to get my replacement

 

[Boerman]

Lemon - Sorry to hear about your problems. I have 4 didital ballasts from HIDhut and I have no problems with interference. It could be a problem with your specific ballast. Call HIDhut and talk to Justin. I am sure that he will be eager to take care of your problem. I have always found him to be tops in customer service.

B

 

[Lemon]

i was running a 600w hidhut ballast and nothing was wrong at all in my apt.. i have cable internet and cable too... not sure whats wrong.. how old is your ballast?? did u JUST start doing this?

however the 600w ballast did short out and im currently waiting to get my replacement

Mine is about 2 months old, give or take (or at least thats when i bought it). I think I saw a manufacturig date on the ballast of dec 2006 if I'm remembering the right item. I thought mine was fine when I first got it.. I flipped on the TV and a radio I borrowed the first week I had it.. looked fine.. promised by HID hut there were no issues.. etc.. i was happy.. I never thought to flip through a few different channels and check systematically. I hadnt completed my grow setup so it wasn't running on a regular basis - I started a few seedlings with it one week, but thats all, so I didin't notice this sooner (I don't watch much TV)... I really wish I had.

 

[Lemon]

Lemon - Sorry to hear about your problems. I have 4 didital ballasts from HIDhut and I have no problems with interference. It could be a problem with your specific ballast. Call HIDhut and talk to Justin. I am sure that he will be eager to take care of your problem. I have always found him to be tops in customer service.

B

It could definately be a problem unique to me, which is why I want to be careful about laying any blame. I actually did contact them and got a response along the lines of (I don't want to copy the exact response for security reasons) "Yeah, this happens sometimes... according to our electrician, it has something to do with the way the wiring is done in some places"

They are offering to replace it, but whats the use.

 

[marley1]

i have a 400watt hid hut, no problem with it. i had it in my apartment in my closet, tv 1 room over no problem, computer no problem as well.

i get more interference with my att cell phone

 

[Scorp1on]

Im using 1 x 400wMH and 1 x 600w HPS from hidhut and they're working fine.

Im also using 1 future brite 600w and a purple lumatek 600w and im not getting any RF....

 

[Siddartha]

Did you get a shielded power cable? If not, that would be why you are experiencing interference. I mean the cable from the socket to the ballast, not from the wall to the ballast. Just something to check that could possibly be the issue, I'm not an electrician, ymmv.

 

[Boerman]

It could definately be a problem unique to me, which is why I want to be careful about laying any blame. I actually did contact them and got a response along the lines of (I don't want to copy the exact response for security reasons) "Yeah, this happens sometimes... according to our electrician, it has something to do with the way the wiring is done in some places"

They are offering to replace it, but whats the use.

I think it may have to do with how the circuit is grounded. First thing I would do is try the light on another circuit and see if the problem is still there. I'd also take a look at the breaker box and locate the breaker for that circuit. If you are not comfortable around electric circuits, don't do this. But if you are, take off the cover and look at the wiring to that breaker. There should be one wire to the breaker, usually black. That wire is part of a three wire strand that goes to the room. The other two, usually 1 white and 1 bare should be attached to a ground bar. Sometimes they go to separate bars. The main thing I'd be looking for is to be sure that both wires are connected to a ground bar. Sometimes the electrician gets lazy and doesn't ground the circuit right because it isn't necessary for most things to operate. But, like I said, if you aren't comfortable around electricity, don't mess with it.

What's the use having it replaced? I am sure HIDhut would rather do a unnecessary replacement than have a unsatisfied customer.

Good luck with it.

B

 

[namo420]

does anyone know exactly WHY this happens with digis? (RF interference)

 

[UmphreyMcgee420]

Havent had a problem todate,and when i did have a problem,balast broke on delivery, he sent me another one before i even packaged up the other and sent it out.
If you tell him your problems he will help you out. he also personally packaged all my orders as i wanted it in plain boxes, will do business with again and again,.

 

[namo420]

good to know...if i order a new light,it will definatly be from HIDH

 

[Lemon]

I think it may have to do with how the circuit is grounded. First thing I would do is try the light on another circuit and see if the problem is still there. I'd also take a look at the breaker box and locate the breaker for that circuit. If you are not comfortable around electric circuits, don't do this. But if you are, take off the cover and look at the wiring to that breaker. There should be one wire to the breaker, usually black. That wire is part of a three wire strand that goes to the room. The other two, usually 1 white and 1 bare should be attached to a ground bar. Sometimes they go to separate bars. The main thing I'd be looking for is to be sure that both wires are connected to a ground bar. Sometimes the electrician gets lazy and doesn't ground the circuit right because it isn't necessary for most things to operate. But, like I said, if you aren't comfortable around electricity, don't mess with it.

What's the use having it replaced? I am sure HIDhut would rather do a unnecessary replacement than have a unsatisfied customer.

Good luck with it.

B

I will definately look into it. Thanks a lot

.

 

[NorCalChron]

dont bother with digital stick with magnetic ballasts. your interference is common and is a danger to growers..

 

[namo420]

dont bother with digital stick with magnetic ballasts. your interference is common and is a danger to growers..

well if what they claim about the more lumens,and whatnot,is true...then ide say,screw the hot,buzzy,heavy old things....then again,who wants there TV going nuts,and there internet going nuts lol

 

[Lemon]

does anyone know exactly WHY this happens with digis? (RF interference)

 

[Scorp1on]

Did you get a shielded power cable? If not, that would be why you are experiencing interference. I mean the cable from the socket to the ballast, not from the wall to the ballast. Just something to check that could possibly be the issue, I'm not an electrician, ymmv.

My socket cable on my 400w and 600w from hidhut are not shielded and I dont get any RF problem...also the cable on my future brite is not shielded, only on my lumatek.