Recently I had a Galaxy ballast burn out on me. It was almost exactly 2 years old.
Fortunately they carry a 3 year trade in warranty and a 5 year mfg warranty.
So... two years after getting my first ballast I traded in for a new one for free. But I did have to replace it in store, and that could be problematic for people if they move or something.
Quantum is pretty much the "Rolls Royce" of ballasts. I've heard stories about rooms flooding completely and the ballasts being totally submerged for days and the lights still working without complaint. If you have the money to put down there is probably no better place than a 600w quantum ballast. The 1000w are priced at $120 more than the 600w systems (at least) which is 70% more than what you would pay for only 40% more energy and around 50,000 more lumens (>50%). They are reasonably priced for what you are going to get out of them, but for a startup using 600w bulbs you don't really lose efficiency and you lower the costs up front.
1000w Sun System Budget Grow 2 switchable ballasts are only $140 or so and can be intermixed with 600w systems until more efficient and more expensive (twice as much) Quantum 1000w ballasts can be added.
In a given harvest ballasts and bulbs will pay for themselves in the first 4 months. I think that if the entire capital required for the venture isn't in place you start with some stuff that has a good warranty and high resell value, get a few grows in on those, pay for them a few times over and then sell them back for fair market value. Turn over and get the Quantums and now you're rocking. Might take a year before it is all in place, but in the grand scheme of things it is good to have that year to iron out other kinks like ventilation in the summer time, or humidity in the spring.
