Need a new ballast ASAP

Well, I woke up this morning to find my grow room in the dark. Looks like my generic ballast bit the bullet for the second time this grow. I have one plant 2 weeks away from harvest and one monster plant I was just putting in to flowering. I need to get this fixed asap, but I also don't want to fix this crap again. I'm getting really fed up with how unstable my lighting is. My grow location has a somewhat unstable flow of electricity. By this, I mean that the power goes out probably once or twice a week for 1-10 seconds. This is definitely the cause of death for my last two ballasts, so I pose this question: What is a reliable, 600 watt ballast that doesn't need time to cool down between starting the light/can withstand my unstable power. I'm looking at the purple Lumateks at the moment. Because I need to get this fixed right away, as my only source of backup light is 42watt CFLs, I'm probably going to have to run to my local Hydro store, and pay the 33% markup, and get the 600w lumatek for $250 and the bulb for another $100. Do I have any other options? Will this option even work? Advice would be greatly appreciated.

My Hydro store is carrieng Lumatek and Phantom for 250 bucks. Reading up, it looks like the phantom has some hot strike feature that might help my black/brown outs. They also have Powerhouse. SG. And Xtrasun

before spending money on a new ballast , make sure that you don't just need a new bulb.

I've been there , done that .A new bulb is cheeper that a new ballast.

Unless you are determined to keep spending money, have you even considered a magnetic ballast?

I know the 'cool' factor isn't there, but mine have lasted 20+ years and still going through the same type of power problems you describe. Two in one grow?

Wet

I would avoid Phantoms, have one running/working right now but for 9 months I didn't use it because it would not work at my house, than I moved, plugged it in and it worked in 1 of my outlets so I set it up ran it for 3 days unplugged it and it wouldn't work again. After reading for hours online I concluded Phantoms suck but furthermore that they have issues with hortilux blue bulbs (I was running a horilux eye MH bulb). On a hunch and suggestion by a fellow RIU dude I went and got a $25 Sylvania HPS, been running it since June no probe. I'm not the only one to have issues with Phantoms, dig a little

My newer 1000w ballast is magnetic

ECP said:

Well, I woke up this morning to find my grow room in the dark. Looks like my generic ballast bit the bullet for the second time this grow. I have one plant 2 weeks away from harvest and one monster plant I was just putting in to flowering. I need to get this fixed asap, but I also don't want to fix this crap again. I'm getting really fed up with how unstable my lighting is. My grow location has a somewhat unstable flow of electricity. By this, I mean that the power goes out probably once or twice a week for 1-10 seconds. This is definitely the cause of death for my last two ballasts, so I pose this question: What is a reliable, 600 watt ballast that doesn't need time to cool down between starting the light/can withstand my unstable power. I'm looking at the purple Lumateks at the moment. Because I need to get this fixed right away, as my only source of backup light is 42watt CFLs, I'm probably going to have to run to my local Hydro store, and pay the 33% markup, and get the 600w lumatek for $250 and the bulb for another $100. Do I have any other options? Will this option even work? Advice would be greatly appreciated.

Click to expand...

I will assume that you did indeed, check to see that the bulb is working. The brown outs will affect your bulb as THIS IS THE HOT START weakness, not the coil. Most commercially made ballast equipment is made with cheap (foreign made) components. The Capacitor (usually a round "can" with two wires) and/or the Ignitor (smaller, usually an oval can, usually 3 wires) are the weak links in a ballast set-up and NOT the coil itself. The cost to replace these is usually about 1/2 of the initial investment. I too live in an area of brown outs (lower voltage, then higher "spikes) and black outs (power totally out). We even have "rotating black outs" where the power is, on purpose, cut off for a half hour or so on a rotation basis so (theoretically) everyone gets a black out time and less are inconvenienced.
My grow systems ALL use USA made ballast components, easily acquired on the internet. I spend about the same for a raw group of components (not in a nice looking container) that are the single components listed above. I have 12 of these, most are 600W w/ a few 400's. I have been running these for over 6 years on some and as low as 3 years on a few others. I have never had a problem as the coil isn't what I worry about. It is recommended anyway, that the Capacitors be replaced every 1-1/2 to 2 years regardless of wither they work or not.
For your dilemma I'd recommend that you 1st check the bulb and if necessary, go to Craig's List to get a used ballast fast and then investigate your options for the future, as an on-line buying option will obviously take time. Off of C.L. you should be able to locate one today. If C.L. isn't listed in your city, check the closest source to you.
Hope this helps and sorry I don't have an instant solution. Definitely, keep ANY light on the 12/12 cycle you have so as to not disrupt the grow. A few days won't do any harm, more will...

Have you looked into getting a UPS ? (uninteruptable power supply). They are ususally for computers and contain a charger, battery and transformer. You can pick them up cheap second-hand.