Digital Ballast Dilemma

I

imbroken

Active Member
I'm looking to pick up 2 x 600w digital ballasts. I've read some horror
Stories about lumatek recently and my only digital ballast experience
Is with a lumatek 400 and never had issues but it was only used for 6
Months or so. What is the safest, most efficient digital ballast that you
Guys recommend right now? Also which bulb would you suggest to go
With that spec ballast? Any help would be greatly appreciated
 
^Yup. Most manufacturers will have a pretty decent warranty to take the worry out of buying them. If it messes up, take it back for another one.
 
i got a lumatek 1000w and i love it. no problems with it ever. if you got the money maybe try the low frequency badass ballast. i heard some good stuff about them and my hydrp store just started carrying them and all the advanced products so i will be trying the badass ballast for my next grow. already use advanced nutrients.
 
I have Lumatek.No probs except they will eat up bulbs.Eye horti's don't last to long in them.

Gallexy is my next choice.Hoping to add another 600 shortly.
 
I believe Hortilux made a bulb a couple years back that was incompatible with the Lumatek ballasts and it did in fact use up those bulbs rather quickly. I am pretty sure Hortilux has since made them compatible, so they shouldn't degrade too quickly.
 
wiseguy316 said:
how long do you consider long? I replace mine after 3 cycles. Never burned one up yet.
Click to expand...

Went through 2 within 5 months.I was also runnin the ballast at super lumen so i'm sure that didn't help matters.

From the research i've done it seems as if the Eye Hortilux is far from the best bulb to run with Lumateks.I now run the Lumatek bulbs and so far like them.
 
I have a Nextgen and I am very happy with it. I run it at 600W and my electric bill went up $20 a month to run.
 
mouthmeetsoap said:
I believe Hortilux made a bulb a couple years back that was incompatible with the Lumatek ballasts and it did in fact use up those bulbs rather quickly. I am pretty sure Hortilux has since made them compatible, so they shouldn't degrade too quickly.
Click to expand...

Do a bit of searching on google.Apparently they will NEVER be able to manufacture hps bulbs that are truly compatible with digital ballasts.
 
Dankster, I did a bit of searching and it seems the problem is the ignition pulse of the bulb being a bit high for the ballast, which causes the ballast to run a little hotter. Hot temps + digital parts = component failure.
 
I have thought about goin the mag ballast direction but it all comes close to the same in the end the way i see it.

Run mag ballasts and save on bulbs some with the electricity bein a bit higher.......or

Run digital with a cheaper electric bill and go through a bulb or 2 more......

Comes out about the same in the end.
 
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