digital ballast, worth it?

[the joint meister]

hey guys i plan on starting a grow in a couple months once i have some spare money for my set up, i plan on using a 250w hps just for 2-3 plants so i can have a nice little personal stash for me and my friends,

but i my question is this, i know that digital ballasts are better then regular magnetic ones but are they worth the extra money, so all of u guys that have digital ballasts and have used both which do u like better do do you think it was worth the extra buck,

if its worth the extra money i plan on getting a digi, i would also like to know if u guys have any good sites with good prices for a 250w digi ballast i have looked on ebay and a few other places but the best price i could find is 150 b4 shipping compared to 105 shipped for a regular ballast that includes the light and reflector,

so whats do u guys think, i will gladly take any advice on the situation,


peace out tJm

the joint meister Reviewed by the joint meister on 08-11-2007. digital ballast, worth it? hey guys i plan on starting a grow in a couple months once i have some spare money for my set up, i plan on using a 250w hps just for 2-3 plants so i can have a nice little personal stash for me and my friends, but i my question is this, i know that digital ballasts are better then regular magnetic ones but are they worth the extra money, so all of u guys that have digital ballasts and have used both which do u like better do do you think it was worth the extra buck, if its worth the Rating: 5

[sOcK3y3]

I bought a digital ballast so that I could just swap bulbs into it when stages changed. Seems like a cost effective way to do it. THe problem is you want to have plants in veg stage ready to put under the flowering light as soon as you rotate out the harvested plants....a cycle if you will. Furthermore clones would use a third light

In other words if you use three lights: one for clones, one for vegetative growth and one for flowering you will save time and from what I understand you can harvest every 6 weeks like this.

I use the ballast and a 400w hps in a hydrohut, then I do vegetative growth in a closet with a 80w Fluorescent....and above that another 80w fluroescent for clones.

That way as soon as there is room in the hydrohut for more i rotate them in, clone more..move old clones into veg stage and around & around we go :thumbsup:

[the joint meister]

ok good to know u like the digi, i plan on just vegging and flowering under the hps, i will take clones and keep a mother off a plant i like and keep them in the bottom of the cab im gonna get,


peace out tJm

[sOcK3y3]

I guess what I was saying was that unless you plan on using only one lamp and having more time between harvests a digital is the way to go.

I was saying I wasted money spending extra to get digital, when I ended up not needing one due to discovering the understanding of perpetual harvests.

Perpetual harvest is when you rotate in clones, veg growth and harvests as closely together as possible...u cant do that with one light...which kinda of IMO defeats the purpose of having a digital

[jamstigator]

I have a 400 watt digital ballast and a 1,000 watt magnetic ballast. I would have bought a digital ballast for the 1,000 watt unit, but they were either very new at that time, or they were only available in 240v versions (which doesn't work for me). The biggest advantages of digital ballasts are: they have few if any moving parts so there's less to break down over time; they are basically absolutely quiet, no hum; they generate less heat than magnetic ballasts (always a factor); they consume less energy for the same amount of light generated; they strobe their light at much higher frequencies than magnetic ballasts which the plants seem to like better. (Could be wrong about the latter, but that's what it looks like to me.)

So, all-in-all, yes, I do think they are worth it. Anywhere you're going to use an HID lamp, I'd definitely consider attaching the lamp to a digital ballast. I plan on buying a 600 watt digital ballast (or two) to replace my 1,000 watt magnetic ballast, and just keep the 1,000-watter around as an emergency spare.

[sOcK3y3]

I have a 400 watt digital ballast and a 1,000 watt magnetic ballast. I would have bought a digital ballast for the 1,000 watt unit, but they were either very new at that time, or they were only available in 240v versions (which doesn't work for me). The biggest advantages of digital ballasts are: they have few if any moving parts so there's less to break down over time; they are basically absolutely quiet, no hum; they generate less heat than magnetic ballasts (always a factor); they consume less energy for the same amount of light generated; they strobe their light at much higher frequencies than magnetic ballasts which the plants seem to like better. (Could be wrong about the latter, but that's what it looks like to me.)

So, all-in-all, yes, I do think they are worth it. Anywhere you're going to use an HID lamp, I'd definitely consider attaching the lamp to a digital ballast. I plan on buying a 600 watt digital ballast (or two) to replace my 1,000 watt magnetic ballast, and just keep the 1,000-watter around as an emergency spare.

Wait a minute, I thought a digitial ballast was simply that the ballast allows both HPS and MH bulbs....is this true???

[the joint meister]

soc i know what a perpetual harvest is im not stupid, thanks for al the advice guys,


peace out tJm

[PharmaCan]

Wait a minute, I thought a digitial ballast was simply that the ballast allows both HPS and MH bulbs....is this true???

Yes.

PC :smokin:

[texas grass]

eBay Store - My Garden Shoppe: Lighting Systems, Hydroponic Systems, 600 watt digital ballast
real good price on kit, this is the one im goin to buy (600)
and he said their fcc and ce certified
one of the best prices i found with free shipping
good luck
hit the bong

[the joint meister]

ok guys im definately going with the digital ballast, i found a good deal on ebay, 250hps bulb with digital ballast and reflector and the cables and stuff, for 150 after shipping compared to 121 for a regular, so thats def worth the extra 30,

one more questions for you guys im looking for a fan for exuast, to hook up to my carbon scrubber, im looking for something not to loud and not to expensive, so if u have a link for a good low price fan link me up, heres one i was looking at what do ya think FAN, 6" INLINE, DUCT FAN, 110v 250 CFMs,1 Year Warranty - (item 290149118957 end time Aug-21-07 00:17:13 PDT),


peace out TjM