Lumatek or Galaxy?

jack ripa said:

Lumatek is my choice. All you need is a cable adapter to plug into the square plug, sun systems I think. I have had a handful of Lumateks, they run with no problems. I am buying 6 new 1k dimmables in a few days. Great ballast. The others may be fine as well but I swear by what I know....just like anyone. Gotta love the digis, forget the old burning hummers.

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could you hook me up with a link? i know it's probably pretty simple but i just want to make sure i know exactly what to get. nothing more frustrating than opening a box to realize it wont work for you!

Lumatek FOREVER.

SILENT. they get hot. i put mine on a 2inch thick pressure treated 2x8. gets maybe 110-130F.

still though, all ballasts get hot. this one is SILENT though.

Nothing compares to digital....

farmboss said:

Lumatek FOREVER.

SILENT. they get hot. i put mine on a 2inch thick pressure treated 2x8. gets maybe 110-130F.

still though, all ballasts get hot. this one is SILENT though.

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Lumatek NEVER!

Snow Crash said:

The guy at Bay Area Hydroponics talked me into a Galaxy ballast. The reasoning was the cool start, the poor track record of lumatek ballasts (he got a lot of replacement returns), and because most good reflectors are from Sun System and they are totally compatible.

If you know anything about computers, or electronics in general, selecting compatible hardware goes a long way towards the life span of your hardware. Running the Galaxy Ballast with the Sun System reflector, he claimed, would result in longer bulb life and that could translate into lower costs over a few years.

My vote is for Galaxy. Mine runs super cool.

I just do suggest you go with 600w, or 1000w ballast. If you get a digital 400w ballast you won't be able to run CMH bulbs that are just fucking epic sweet for growing with.

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cmh bulbs come in 400 watts and 250 watts now

jack ripa said:

Make sure you go 240v or at least get a switchable ballast. You are gonna want that option when you see your electric bill at 120v.

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r u serious jack????Thts just dumb.. we need to go bck to school???

consider this as well ..... Lumatek is NOT UL/ETS (Testing Laboratories we are all familiar with ..... means it passed a LOT of safety/fire testing) certified .... they are only CE certified. Quantum is UL listed.

may not mean much to a home grower. but for a business, without Accepted US testing, it may have to be removed from a grow. I had to remove 8 Lumateks because of this (electrical inspector had a shit fit) ..... that is NOT cheap.

I went with a Galaxy when I got my 250 digital in the Fall of 2009. I was aware of Lumatek's history. When I got into growing in 2007 all brands of digital ballasts were more expensive than they are now also.I've actually downsized , my first ballast was a 400 HPS Sunlight Supply regular magnetic coil style. I remember seeing back then in 2007 how a lot of negative posts were against Lumatek and that not only scared me away from Lumatek but made me go with "old technology" as digital was just starting to be the "new selling hotcake item" and new technology in many areas can have issues. I've always known its never wise to buy the first year model of a new car model that's never existed before because of the likeliness of bad bugs.Between that and Lumatek's early problems made me go with the old style coil ballast.

I wish I had spent a little more in 2009 and got the Galaxy 250/400 instead of the strictly 250 Galaxy. Some people have posted that Lumatek straightened out the bad bugs since their first runs of bad Lumatek ballasts, maybe so, but I'd rather go with a company that's never had a string of bad issues. Back in 2007-08 I bet I read at least 50 people complaining of issues between Roll it UP, Grass City , and Cannabis.com concerning Lumatek. I remember one post where a person had a bad Lumatek right out the box, he shipped it back (out of his money), only to get ANOTHER bad Lumatek , and once again shipped it back paying for shipping, before finally getting one that worked.I guess the saying is true..."3rd time's a charm" but Lumatek still has that stigma against them.

I bought my 250 Galaxy from PlantLightingHydroponics for $120 plus $15 shipping in Nov. 2009, I just looked at the price and it's still the same now.I also checked out their Lumatek 250 price and it's $99, the difference in the cheaper Lumatek is probably the (120 volt only) where as the Galaxy 250 can handle 120 AND 240 volt.I've always ran everything from a 120 volt socket anyway but I still would've paid $120 for my Galaxy even if the Lumatek had been $60 !!! I've seen too many negative posts on Lumatek in the past to make a gamble, even if they are cheaper.

I've got 2- 400 coil style HPS'es packed up I'm going to sell soon on CL , and I'm going to put whatever I get out of them towards a Galaxy switchable 250/400 HPS. I'm satisfied with Galaxy.

eyecandi said:

consider this as well ..... Lumatek is NOT UL/ETS (Testing Laboratories we are all familiar with ..... means it passed a LOT of safety/fire testing) certified .... they are only CE certified. Quantum is UL listed.

may not mean much to a home grower. but for a business, without Accepted US testing, it may have to be removed from a grow. I had to remove 8 Lumateks because of this (electrical inspector had a shit fit) ..... that is NOT cheap.

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Yes Quantum is the shit no doubt

I don't know, I bought my 400W Lumatek back in early 2010 and have had nothing but good things. They are certainly priced similar to Quantums.

Not to be a doushe but im using my 400 magnetic ballast from htg and its been 3 years now still kicking strong for the price of 119 you cannot beat that.I plan on getting another 1 since its still 119 but if i do go for a 600 or 1000 watt it would be a digital ballast and i would stay away from lumatek i would probably get digital greenhouse as they are the cheapest and ive been hearing good reviews on those from alot of people.

I am using a 400/600 nextgen digi.
it has worked great so far. However, i am fairly new (only been doing this for about a year).anyone got the 411 on next gen

isn't it plain as day, lumatek have had issues before, galaxy has not. lumatek are purple, don't queers like purple? lol galaxy are the most brilliant dark green color you can imagine, don't growers like green ?
i went ahead with the galaxy 600 digital, i am in love, galaxy for life, unless someone gives me a freebie !