Phantom II ballast dim feature ?

[Dividedsky]

So the phantom 2 digi ballast have a dimmable feature which is a led button. Its not a mechanical knob like my quantum which I can set before ballast turns on to whatever I want to run. With these phantoms I would assume you have to fire up the ballast then press the dimming button to what you want to run. Just not sure because the directions from hydrofarm suck. I also know with my old quantum you would never want to change the dim settings while ballast was on, I did once and blew a 1k bulb! The why I'm hesitant to fuck with dimming feature while ballast is running but it seems the only way it works. Thanks Ds

 

[bryan oconner]

play it safe throw a bigger bulb in then you want to dim example 1000 watt bulb change your setting to 600 ? then it should rem your setting . turn it off wait 10 minutes put it back on then see if it rem that you dimed it them throw in your smaller bulb if you intend in putting a smaller 1 in .

 

[Talkenlate04]

Once you pick a setting it stays at that and starts like that every time on that setting unless you change it. I am running mine at 75%, so when the timers kick on the ballasts soft start until they lights are at 75% if you select a setting while its on already it does not slam right to that setting, it slowly lowers or raises to the selected setting.

 

[Dividedsky]

play it safe throw a bigger bulb in then you want to dim example 1000 watt bulb change your setting to 600 ? then it should rem your setting . turn it off wait 10 minutes put it back on then see if it rem that you dimed it them throw in your smaller bulb if you intend in putting a smaller 1 in .

Doesn't work like that. I believe it only runs 1k bulbs. You can't throw a 600 bulb in a 1k phantom dig ballast. The whole point is if you don't want to run the whole 1000w you can dim it down to 750 or 600, say when you move your plants from veg under t5s to flower under hid and you gradually want to introduce them to hid and not blast them with the full 1000w. Or the hot summer months like right now

 

[Dividedsky]

Once you pick a setting it stays at that and starts like that every time on that setting unless you change it. I am running mine at 75%, so when the timers kick on the ballasts soft start until they lights are at 75% if you select a setting while its on already it does not slam right to that setting, it slowly lowers or raises to the selected setting.

Ok thanks man. So it doesn't matter when you hit the dim feature because it gradually goes into that setting as opposed to the knob digi dim ballast...where if you change the dim setting while ballast is on you'll blow your bulb. You think they'd have this shit in the directions.

 

[Talkenlate04]

Correct. Ya I found that odd too. The directions were lacking. But I already tinkered with mine so you dont have to lol. It works quite well too. 75% is more than enough unless you are trying to jam a a lot of plants under it. My bill with my twin 1000w setup only went up by like $50. But I do run overnight and theres a discount here for usage in the off hrs so that might play a roll too.

 

[bryan oconner]

only 50 bucks ? so cheap here its 80 bucks 1000 watts 12/12 Michigan

 

[Dividedsky]

Correct. Ya I found that odd too. The directions were lacking. But I already tinkered with mine so you dont have to lol. It works quite well too. 75% is more than enough unless you are trying to jam a a lot of plants under it. My bill with my twin 1000w setup only went up by like $50. But I do run overnight and theres a discount here for usage in the off hrs so that might play a roll too.

Thanks. I run mine at night also. I feel running your bloom room at night is the only way to go. I dont see why anyone would run during the day.

 

[bryan oconner]

solis tek . and lumitek ballasts and cheap I power . you can have a 1000 watt ballast dim it to 600 watts . and run a 600 watt bulb . instead of changing the bulbs spectrum . people need to read about what happens when you dim a bulb . is not just dimmer .

 

[Talkenlate04]

Thanks. I run mine at night also. I feel running your bloom room at night is the only way to go. I dont see why anyone would run during the day.

Ill run during the day in winter for damn sure. Thats gonna heat my house. Summer hell no. We have been getting roasted. 101 the other day...........but at 6300ft. That temp and high altitude.......SUCKS. lol.