What's the best 600W Digital Balast on the market?

[HIDEyourBUD]

Rush - I don't know what frequencies you are dealing with on the sat. It doesn't seem to effect my cell phone so I donno.

Clowntown - It came with a standard cord set. nothing said sheilded

 

[clowntown]

It came with a standard cord set. nothing said sheilded

Did it come with the ends having bare wires? If so, did you see any metallic material that wrapped the wires in the cordset? If not, it's an unshielded cordset which was equipped with the initial versions of the Lumatek's.

Lumatek later shipped with the shielded versions of the "bare wire" cordsets. Now they're shipping without a cordset: just a proprietary Hydrofarm socket (Lumatek's are distributed by Hydrofarm), and you can purchase a Hydrofarm cordset for $20 - $30 which AFAIK is shielded.

 

[Scorp1on]

Hidhut

Hidhut

Hi all

I bought 4 ballast from Hidhut 3-4months ago...3 x 600W and 1 400W MH/HPS...

1 of my 600W failed to start 2 week ago....I e-mailed hidhut and they said to send it back and they will give me a new one for free...

4days ago my 400W did the same thing...I left the home and when I came back the light was off and I couldnt get my ballast to work again. Hidhut told me to put my ballast on a surge protector....so I did it...yesterday another 600W failed and the surge protector switch didnt jump....I dunno what to do...those ballast were working very good!!! I'm starting to think the problem is me...but I don't think there's anything wrong with my set-up...

Anyway I should be receiving my 600 and 400 ballast next week but I don't know if I will return the 3rd ballast...I kinda feel bad! I can't say they're not good cos it might be my problem, i dunno...they're replacing my ballast for free, so I can't really complain...

kinda sux...I only got 1/3 ballast working in the flowering room...at least the room is half full...

 

[Rush Limbong]

man, that sucks^

The dig ballasts seem to "fragile"

 

[Guest]

I got 8 Lumatek 600's running for the past 6 months and not a problem yet. No radio or satellite interference, no units crapping out...maybe I've just been lucky so far??? All my stuff runs on 240. Does that make a diff? Nothing but great results so far.

 

[clowntown]

Good to hear. Just picked up a Lumatek myself (600w, 120v).

The general concensus seems to be that the electronic ballasts are more prone to failures. This got me to thinking that maybe I should pick up a "backup" ballast just incase, so I can provide light while the electronic one is being repaired / replaced.

It would be an awful shame to have a ruined crop due to some lame ballast failure...

 

[2Lazy2GetHigh]

i read that the 600w lumatek digital ballast won't consistently ignite Grolux and Solarmax bulbs. i'm assuming the the Son-T will consistently ignite though? anyone know for sure??? i think i'm better off getting a magnetic since i'm not sure of the quality of the galaxy ballasts either and i've read things about RF interference with digital ballasts in general.

i think i'm gonna go with a couple digis for my 400w MH's for the switchable feature (since there aren't any 600w MH bulbs the switchability feature for the 600 ballast doesn't make a difference) and the bulb variety for 400 is better for both MH and HPS.

 

[Guest]

Good to hear. Just picked up a Lumatek myself (600w, 120v).

The general concensus seems to be that the electronic ballasts are more prone to failures. This got me to thinking that maybe I should pick up a "backup" ballast just incase, so I can provide light while the electronic one is being repaired / replaced.

It would be an awful shame to have a ruined crop due to some lame ballast failure...

Hey man...digital ballast stuffarooni is developing technological shat. I heard of the prollems yet invested in it. Like I said...all's cool so farski. I recommend you ALWAYS have backup equipment to cover failures (like timers, bulbs, pumps, ballasts, etc). If you got a 120v, and only one light, pick up a UPS surge/backup until this 'digitals fail' stuff passes. This will mainly protekt you from the brown out prollem that seems to be the big thing lately. Ain't seen it yet as there's been multiple brown outs and they just keep cranking. They'll fix any prollems or they'll go out of business. Part of the thing with Lumatek's is Galaxy's seem to 'light' more bulbs better. Bulb selection seems to be limited with the Luma's but I've yet to find something that beats a 600 Lumatek ballast with a GE Lucolux bulb. Buy it, keep your receipt (warranty), have a back up...always. It's cheap insurance.

 

[Scorp1on]

Hey man...digital ballast stuffarooni is developing technological shat. I heard of the prollems yet invested in it. Like I said...all's cool so farski. I recommend you ALWAYS have backup equipment to cover failures (like timers, bulbs, pumps, ballasts, etc). If you got a 120v, and only one light, pick up a UPS surge/backup until this 'digitals fail' stuff passes. This will mainly protekt you from the brown out prollem that seems to be the big thing lately. Ain't seen it yet as there's been multiple brown outs and they just keep cranking. They'll fix any prollems or they'll go out of business. Part of the thing with Lumatek's is Galaxy's seem to 'light' more bulbs better. Bulb selection seems to be limited with the Luma's but I've yet to find something that beats a 600 Lumatek ballast with a GE Lucolux bulb. Buy it, keep your receipt (warranty), have a back up...always. It's cheap insurance.

yea man...Im almost 100% sure my 3 ballast from hidhut stopped working because of brownouts...there alot of brownouts here over 10+ each days....I will get a UPS if I can find one around...I just hope my last 600w last...

 

[jcsmooth]

Is a brownout a blackout?

And this is not a race thing!

JC

 

[HempKat]

Is a brownout a blackout?

And this is not a race thing!

JC

No a brownout is usually a regional disruption of power caused by sudden increased demand usually triggered by severe weather causing folks to turn on AC or heaters depending on which kind. Brown outs are usually brief, only a few seconds or a few minutes. Blackouts more typically refer to a complete shutdown of a system, usually caused by some form of accident damaging critical lines or equipment.

 

[jcsmooth]

Thank you

My building has had a couple brownouts then in the past while. Maybe twice in the half year I've lived here. Hopefully when I buy a digital ballast I won't have problems. Still looking to purchase it from hidhut though

Cheers,
JC

 

[HempKat]

Thank you

My building has had a couple brownouts then in the past while. Maybe twice in the half year I've lived here. Hopefully when I buy a digital ballast I won't have problems. Still looking to purchase it from hidhut though

Cheers,
JC

I don't know much about digital ballasts but my understanding is that one of their main strong points is that they're eaiser on an electrical circuit compared to a regular ballast of the same wattage.

 

[Guest]

Yeah...for me I describe a blackout as a stoppage in power distribution (0 volts) no matter how short. I see a brownout as something which dims the lights momentarily (low volts). I think electrical stuff then tries to pull more amps to make up the diff in temporary loss. Obviously this has proven to be very stressful on digital ballast technology. A small op can prolly get by with a UPS backup/surge protector but them some will ask...'Why have to do that on new equipment, spend more money and all, yadda yadda?'...good point. If some of my equipment goes bad I'll give everyone a holler. Winter time where I'm at has numerous brownouts but so far so good. Maybe the stuff does better on 240 like I have it???

HempKat...I've noticed less energy consumption, greater yield, better quality, higher bud density. So far so awesome .

 

[HempKat]

Yeah...for me I describe a blackout as a stoppage in power distribution (0 volts) no matter how short. I see a brownout as something which dims the lights momentarily (low volts). I think electrical stuff then tries to pull more amps to make up the diff in temporary loss. Obviously this has proven to be very stressful on digital ballast technology. A small op can prolly get by with a UPS backup/surge protector but them some will ask...'Why have to do that on new equipment, spend more money and all, yadda yadda?'...good point. If some of my equipment goes bad I'll give everyone a holler. Winter time where I'm at has numerous brownouts but so far so good. Maybe the stuff does better on 240 like I have it???

HempKat...I've noticed less energy consumption, greater yield, better quality, higher bud density. So far so awesome .

Well not to dispute you but how can that be? I mean how does a ballast improve the output of the bulb? If the bulb is recieving the proper juice to run it, it should burn at the brightness the bulb is designed to burn at, with the amount of lumens it's designed to output. Now if what it really is, is that the digital ballast requires a special bulb then yeah I could see that bulb having a better color temp and lumen output thereby giving you improved results. Can you help me to understand digital ballasts a bit better?

As for running off of 240 I do know there;s a way to do that which ends up being less load on the circuit and therefore less wear and tear on the equipment.

 

[2Lazy2GetHigh]

got an email from bgh.com.


in response to: i read that the 600w lumatek digital ballast won't consistently ignite
grolux and solar max bulbs. what about the Son-T by phillips? i think
i'm better off getting a magnetic ballast since i'm not sure of the
quality of the galaxy ballasts and i've read things about RF
interference.

I'm pretty sure that the Son-T will work with the Lumatek, but I can't
say for sure and Lumatek doesn't have an official list of bulbs that
work and don't work. All of the bulbs we sell will work with the Galaxy,
however. So, I would either choose the bulb you really want along with
the Galaxy, or just go with a magnetic ballast. All digital ballasts
have the potential for some minor RF interference (like certain CB
radios, etc.), but it's very minor in most cases and we have not had a
single defective return on the Galaxy ballast.

Best Regards,
David Goldman
BetterGrow Hydro, Inc.
Ultimate Gardening Center

 

[Scorp1on]

Well I know a 240v digital ballast will handle the brownouts alot more...im all 120v...

The brownouts I get here is....When the furnace start(40Amp) to heat the house all the lights dim for 1sec.....and it seem my digital ballast doesnt like that! My ballast is on a surge protector now but I doubt its enough...I need to get a UPS but my town is too small and I would need 2+...

Anyway I ordered a ballast from future-brite....we'll see if they're good and can handle the brownouts I get...2 year warranty...not bad...but cost me 370$ while the ballast from hidhut cost 190$....

 

[Guest]

HempKat...I never mind someone disputing anything I say as it really just helps me out. I'm not an electronic technician and prolly can't get enough info off the net to assemble an adequate response. Maybe these things are all just hype. Prollem I have is the ballasts went into a new 'open' system room I designed based on previous experience. The only comparison I have is against med friends who are growing the same strain, in open systems, in hydro (rockwool slabs), using the same nutes, living in the same general area, using the same water, similar temp/humidity control/ranges, etc. My results are statistically significant in the positive (yield). Flavor, fragrance, density, potency are all noticably better. The only real difference, unless I'm missing something, is the ballast/bulb combo. I got such an unbelievable deal with the set of Lumateks I couldn't resist going for it and so far am very pleased.

You make good points. One thing is clear after reading your comments. I'm just gonna call Lumatek directly and see if they can offer explanations and data to help this discussion out.

 

[Joe A. Grower]

Well not to dispute you but how can that be? I mean how does a ballast improve the output of the bulb?

The claim that digital ballast manufacturers make is that digiballasts actually do use the bulb differently from magnetic ballasts. A lit HID bulb looks like it is pouring out continuous light to our eyes, but it is actually "flickering" at a frequency that is higher than we can detect. Digital ballasts claim to give a much steadier, flicker-free light. (probably they just strobe at a much higher frequency than mag ballasts, but the point is the same)

i read that the 600w lumatek digital ballast won't consistently ignite grolux and solar max bulbs

Digital ballasts also start up the bulb at a lower voltage which prolongs bulb life. This is actually the reason why the Lumatek has problems with some bulbs. Some specialty bulbs need a little more juice to get them started, and the Lumatek's "soft start" feature sometimes gets in the way of firing up those bulbs. There is no inherent reason why a digiballast can't light any bulb on the market. It's all in how the startup is programmed. Apparently the Galaxy has been programmed to deal with these bulbs, and the Lumatek has not.

That being said, I can't see myself ever paying the $$$ for a solar max or growlux. A generic enhanced spectrum bulb will get you all the light you need. Personally, I've grown a lot of dank with nothing but standard, non-enhanced HPS bulbs.

 

[clowntown]

I picked up a new 600w Grolux for under $30 not too long ago (and you can too). At the time of winning this auction, I didn't know anything about Lumatek's having problems with them though. Hope the new one (with detachable cord) has solved the problem, but I guess I'll let you know.

Either way, I paid less than half for everything including shipping than the best price I've seen for a 600w Hortilux Super HPS before shipping ($64).