ballin174
Well-Known Member
You do realize you can get 1000w digital ballast's for $180-$200.
Are the high $$ digital ballasts worth the money?
- Thread starter jonnynobody
- Start date
bertiswho
Active Member
well look at it this way. IT doesnt save you money on electricity because your using it a set amount of time no matter what. As apposed to other energy efficient type products where they usually dont have a set TIME to run, but rather a specific point to get to. Like a fridge for example. An energy efficient fridge will save you money because its more efficient at cooling your fridge, therefor you dont have to run it as much. which means using less electricity thus saving you money. you dont run a fridge for 12 hours on then 12 hours off, if you did it wouldnt matter how efficently it used that electricity because its using it constatly anyways. Lights run for set amounts of time, so no matter how efficent they are, they will always use the Watts that its rated and thats what you pay for. where the efficiency comes into play in the lights is that digital ballast run alot cooler and are lighter then magnetic ballasts. long ways to a point but i hope you see what i mean.
gladstoned
Well-Known Member
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Lumatek-100...335?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item5893f66c1f
I have bought several items from Chris at tinyspondworld on ebay. $250 for a Lumatek. Lumatek makes the best ballasts. You do not need to spend $400 to get a $400 ballast. Shop around with your computer. A grow shop does not need to pocket over $100 for every single fucking ballast they sell. Or I don't want to give that to them anyway. And if you have any problem whatsoever contact Chris and he will handle it.
I have also used the hydro source several times on ebay and they are fantastic also. Good stores are so hard to find.
I have bought several items from Chris at tinyspondworld on ebay. $250 for a Lumatek. Lumatek makes the best ballasts. You do not need to spend $400 to get a $400 ballast. Shop around with your computer. A grow shop does not need to pocket over $100 for every single fucking ballast they sell. Or I don't want to give that to them anyway. And if you have any problem whatsoever contact Chris and he will handle it.
I have also used the hydro source several times on ebay and they are fantastic also. Good stores are so hard to find.
kindfarms420
Active Member
where and what can u get for a 180-200? offline? i like to support my local businesses thats probably why my town is one of the towns in michigan thats actually doing well... and im sure theyd drop the price if i asked i give them ALOT of business..i havent looked at the prices in there store in a while on digis
superstoner1
Well-Known Member
yeah, phantom 1000w are now around $250.
patlpp
New Member
True both consume the same amount of power BUT: The digital is more efficient because instead of 10% of the power being dissipated as heat (as is the case with magnetic) only 1% is dissipated as heat. Where does that remaining 9% of power go? In the light in the form of Lumens, so the efficiency is realized by higher intensity lighting which is a very good thing.
jonnynobody
Well-Known Member
400W is what I'm looking to run.
HomeLessBeans
New Member
then i would look very hard at CMH . I understand it is good from clone/seedling thru flower. One lighting savant refered to it as 'too easy'
jonnynobody
Well-Known Member
Thank you all for your responses. My decision has been made - I'm going with a lumatek digital for a few reasons based on the feedback I got......
A: Less heat. Since I'm in an apt, heat control is paramount.
B: Less noise. Again, apt = must be quiet.
C: 5 year total warranty with the Lumatek digital which includes a 3 year free replacement and 2 year pro-rated.
The only con seems to be the price.
A: Less heat. Since I'm in an apt, heat control is paramount.
B: Less noise. Again, apt = must be quiet.
C: 5 year total warranty with the Lumatek digital which includes a 3 year free replacement and 2 year pro-rated.
The only con seems to be the price.
jonnynobody
Well-Known Member
I understand the lumatek is switchable from hps to mh so the CMH would run ok on the lumatek then right? If that's the case, then I'll be running a CMH for veg then kick over to hps for flower.
HomeLessBeans
New Member
not sure if CMH will run on digi's..and no need to switch is my understanding
blindbaby
Active Member
i started with a galaxy 600 elevtronic. no problems. i moved up to the same brand, of a switchable one. this is what id get, as then you have one ballast, for either 400,600.1000, or plus lumins. so nice. and cool! and no noise at ALL. just never unplug the cord to the light when its on. mags are warm, noisey, and not as effiecient with electricity.
FatMarty
Well-Known Member
You can take a magnetic HPS ballast and make an adjustable to several settings with extra capacitors and a switch.
The value of the cap is used to regulate wattage to lamp on those.
If I had an old one I might try to make one; but alas. lol
As for efficiency between digital and magnetic - the real savings are generally if run at 220 vac or higher - but there is a savings none the less.
Someone mentioned heat, and the power lost in heat: this is correct.
But the digital ballast feeds the lamp the same amount of power as the magnetic nominally, and so the less power wasted as heat the less power you consume.
The reason no one can tell is you are talking about maybe 1% difference in power drawn.
Now at 440 vac you might realize 8 % reduction; this you would notice.
If I'm spending $54.50 a month to run that lamp I'm not going to notice savings if it draws $54.05 worth instead.
Just because it's too small for my pea brain to comprehend does not mean it isn't there.
A 1000 watt magnetic ballast might draw 1200 watts, while a digital ballast might draw 1140 watts, to run the same lamp.
The curve gets better as voltages rise because of materials used and their ability to transfer power with less resistance with higher voltage.
The value of the cap is used to regulate wattage to lamp on those.
If I had an old one I might try to make one; but alas. lol
As for efficiency between digital and magnetic - the real savings are generally if run at 220 vac or higher - but there is a savings none the less.
Someone mentioned heat, and the power lost in heat: this is correct.
But the digital ballast feeds the lamp the same amount of power as the magnetic nominally, and so the less power wasted as heat the less power you consume.
The reason no one can tell is you are talking about maybe 1% difference in power drawn.
Now at 440 vac you might realize 8 % reduction; this you would notice.
If I'm spending $54.50 a month to run that lamp I'm not going to notice savings if it draws $54.05 worth instead.
Just because it's too small for my pea brain to comprehend does not mean it isn't there.
A 1000 watt magnetic ballast might draw 1200 watts, while a digital ballast might draw 1140 watts, to run the same lamp.
The curve gets better as voltages rise because of materials used and their ability to transfer power with less resistance with higher voltage.
VICTORYGARDENSHYDRO
New Member
you CAN NOT run a cmh on a digi, it must be a hps magnetic ballast, which some, BTW, have a M.H, H.P.S switch.
best deal on ballasts right now is the new air cooled lumatek, you get
400 watt
600 watt
1000 watt
super lumens and it's air cooled and the price is amazingly low.check em out
http://www.sunlightsupply.com/p-14479-lumatek-1000-watt-air-cooled-electronic-ballast.aspx
don't pay attention to the listed price, that just the msrp
best deal on ballasts right now is the new air cooled lumatek, you get
400 watt
600 watt
1000 watt
super lumens and it's air cooled and the price is amazingly low.check em out
http://www.sunlightsupply.com/p-14479-lumatek-1000-watt-air-cooled-electronic-ballast.aspx
don't pay attention to the listed price, that just the msrp
superstoner1
Well-Known Member
i stay away from any digital with a fan. sealed is the way to go.
Bigtacofarmer
Well-Known Member
I've had about 10 different magnetic ballast, both cheap ones and name brands, as well as two I bought used that had at least 5 years use. I also have 3 lumateks, 1 of the original models and 2 of the new ones. I have never had a ballast die, ever. So I would say if you can afford it go digital for the heat and the extra lumens per watt. If you want to save a few bucks a coil ballast should do great also. I've really never noticed much of any difference at all.
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