Lumatek digital ballasts

kbo ca

kbo ca

Active Member
hello everyone, just wanted to post a warning. If you're thinking of buying a lumatek digital ballast for your grow room.... don't. Mine just blew a fuse, and i have to send it in to be fixed. They have a great warranty but while you're waiting for them to fix your broken ballast your garden is suffering. I just got off the phone with lumatek and they said the ballast needs to be replaced, not the fuse, the whole damn thing.

I asked him what i could do to prevent this from happening again, and he said a number of things could make this problem occur, and you can't prevent all of them. so basically what he is telling me is, I have purchased an inferior product, and I will need to constantly worry about it working properly as i have no assurances it will do so. I don't want anything lumatek in my grow room anymore, I also don't want anyone else to get stuck in this shitty situation. So heads up folks, don't buy lumatek
 
Gastanker

Gastanker

Well-Known Member
I love my lumatek. Much better ballast than the other 4 I have used. Never had a problem, and like you say they have a great warranty and will even replace the entire device if necessary - although it's pretty rare they go down compared to other brands.

OP - how did you expect them to handle a warranty issue if not repair or replace?
 
phillipchristian

phillipchristian

New Member
Too late, I already own a shitload of them. Never had a problem with any of them. Got 1 running right now that I have had for 5 years. Sounds like you just had a freak accident and Lumatek stood by their warranty. Makes me want to keep buying them.
 
kbo ca

kbo ca

Active Member
Gastanker said:
I love my lumatek. Much better ballast than the other 4 I have used. Never had a problem, and like you say they have a great warranty and will even replace the entire device if necessary - although it's pretty rare they go down compared to other brands.

OP - how did you expect them to handle a warranty issue if not repair or replace?
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they are handling the warranty just fine. It's just that when i buy something that has a five year warranty, I expect it to work without a hitch, and i expect the company to have complete confidence in it's longevity. It not worth it for me to keep sending these things in to get another ballast that could end up doing the same thing. I'm going magnetic. They work forever, and if they break you can fix them yourself.
 
kbo ca

kbo ca

Active Member
DustBomb said:
so ur telling us they suck cause u blew a fuse???? Chrysler sux cause i just had a flat
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yeah thats exactly what i'm saying. Because i blew a fuse i have to get a new ballast. It would suck if you had to get a new chrysler because you had a flat right?
 
kbo ca

kbo ca

Active Member
phishtank said:
Is it a possibility that it was something with your wiring that could have been the problem?
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I have an electrician do all of my wiring for me. he's good and i've never had any problems with anything else. The lumatek rep said this kind of thing happens all of the time and to just go get a new one. But i don't want to keep a defective product. It could be dangerous and it is definatley a hassle
 
kbo ca

kbo ca

Active Member
phillipchristian said:
Too late, I already own a shitload of them. Never had a problem with any of them. Got 1 running right now that I have had for 5 years. Sounds like you just had a freak accident and Lumatek stood by their warranty. Makes me want to keep buying them.
Click to expand...
I thought it was a freak occurance too until i started looking my problem up online. seems quite a lot of people are have the same issues and much more dangerous issues when the fuse doesn't blow and starts melting power equipment. i'm glad yours is working properly, and i hope they continue to do so.
 
delvite

delvite

Well-Known Member
kbo ca said:
hello everyone, just wanted to post a warning. If you're thinking of buying a lumatek digital ballast for your grow room.... don't. Mine just blew a fuse, and i have to send it in to be fixed. They have a great warranty but while you're waiting for them to fix your broken ballast your garden is suffering. I just got off the phone with lumatek and they said the ballast needs to be replaced, not the fuse, the whole damn thing.

I asked him what i could do to prevent this from happening again, and he said a number of things could make this problem occur, and you can't prevent all of them. so basically what he is telling me is, I have purchased an inferior product, and I will need to constantly worry about it working properly as i have no assurances it will do so. I don't want anything lumatek in my grow room anymore, I also don't want anyone else to get stuck in this shitty situation. So heads up folks, don't buy lumatek
Click to expand...
................................lol this is why i went for maxibright ;)
 
kbo ca

kbo ca

Active Member
polyarcturus said:
keep a magnetic back up. i keep em cuz their cheap go pick up a 30$ high/low bay light and call it a day
Click to expand...
yeah that would be a smart move. I run some magnetics also, and now i know that's all i will have in my room from now on. NO MORE CHINA MADE BALLASTS!!!! My magnetic ballasts have been working properly for over 5 years. Crazy what american made products are capable of
 
polyarcturus

polyarcturus

Well-Known Member
lumatek bulbs are shit, but thats not the source of the problem. let me think now... did you use the dim function often? this can cause unnecessary stress other than than manufacturer defect but happy they are replacing. i have yet to have a problem with any lumateks but i can happen to any light so i always have backups
 
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