Digital Ballast Users

Orderd a 400w iPower digital ballast and was reading alot lately with the interference problems people have had with digi ballasts...

Alot of the people who had the cable company come to their door seem to be commercial growers with 4+ 1000w lights going at once. So I guess my question is is this 1 400w light likely to give off any RF interference? Like noticable interferance.

It's 60Hz and I was reading that grounded timers and aluminum tape on the cord fixes most problems.

Any help is appriciated

one fix is to buy solis tek or hydrofarm phantom. anything internally rf shielded. I was using a cheap china made digital . cable guy says "so you're the one lighting up the neighborhood" , shortly after I was switching to a good rf shielded digital.

Im confused what so the ballast produce that can be seen? and if you didnt have cable would they be able to know

generally to interfere with cable the cable actually runs nearby the ballast somewhere. there was a thread here about digital ballasts and being able to determine how much RF interference they cause by using an AM radio to check for interference but I've never tried it myself, I just went out and bought a decent ballast instead.

dbkick is right. the only way to tell is do the am radio check. And just 1 digital balast can get you caught. People should steer clear of these. Dont be pissing your neighbours off. A smart neighbour would know what your up to...

From the iPower website (should give you some reassurances):

[h=2]Details[/h] 400W Digital Switchable Dimmable Electronic Ballast
• High power 400 watts.
• Convertible 50% 75% & 100% dimmable levels
• Built-in standard reflector interface.
• Fit for 400 watts High Pressure Sodium Lamps or 400 watts Metal Halide Lamps.
• Pass FCC and CE Certificate.
• Low Noise.
• Energy saving and environmental friendly.
• Stabilize input power and output luminous flux.
• Reduce wastage and improve usable efficiency of power supply equipment capability.
• Shielded component to protect against Radio Frequency Interference to other equipment.
• Prevent the electricity from striking the bulb repeatedly and make the bulb nigrescence prematurely.
• Protect your eyes when continually working.
• Rated Power: 400 watts
• Specified Frequency: 50/60Hz
• Working Voltage Range: 120V/240V
• Install Space Requirement: 12in. x 4-1/4in. x 3in. (31cm x 11cm x 8cm)
• With a 8-1/3ft. power cord to wall (US standard plug).

http://www.ipowergrowlight.com/1411/digital-electronic-ballasts/ipower-grow-lights-dimmable-electronic-hid-ballast-400w.html

Happened to be researching this very issue and stumbled on this thread.

Why wouldn't you just turn it off when the cable guy comes. Hmmmmm.

i have a 1000 watt ipower that ive been running for a few months now.. i was worried about the rf at first when i read a post about it.. i did the am radio check in my truck outside in my driveway and sat there with the radio on until the time my lights would come on to see if it changed the frequency.. and nothing happened so i take that as a good sign.. i do know the ipower claims to be rf shielded.. only thing i notice is right when my lights turn on my internet will cut out for about 30 secs to a min.. so not sure if thats just my house or the neighbors too but i dont think that would be enough to make them think something is up.. another thing i do run my lights on a 7-7 schedule so they are on at nights when most the people in my neighborhood are pry going to sleep since most of them are elderly.. just my experiances..

also if you think ahead you can have a worklight ( or rig up a few cfls ) so that if u do ever get a knock on your door from cable company you can kill lights and still have a light going in the room.. i just have a lightswitch outside my grow that i can flip

I have 4x1000watt iPower ballast and was wondering the same thing...