Are Digital Ballasts Worth it?

[pipefitter]

I am looking for a 1000 watt. There are a few brands I am looking at, Lumitech, Extrasun and Phantom HydroFarm. Not really sure if they are worth double price tag. I am leaning towards yes, however, I am uncertain of which is the best. Why? I read what the websites say, but, nothing is better than experience. thx.

pipefitter Reviewed by pipefitter on 12-04-2010. Are Digital Ballasts Worth it? I am looking for a 1000 watt. There are a few brands I am looking at, Lumitech, Extrasun and Phantom HydroFarm. Not really sure if they are worth double price tag. I am leaning towards yes, however, I am uncertain of which is the best. Why? I read what the websites say, but, nothing is better than experience. thx. Rating: 5

[TurboALLWD]

Quantum is the best imo.

[GaGrown]

Take this into consideration! Hydrofarm waited and was one of the last to produce a digital ballast. With that being said..

They had a chance to see all the others mistakes before producing the phantoms. So it would seem to me that everything they used to manufacture these ballast were going to be Top of the line. You would think that Hydrofarm would have been one of the first to produce one. Not! They did the right thing by waiting as to get all the components of the best quality and build a better ballast.

[oldmac]

I've had a Lumitek 600w for abt 3 years and 2 Lunitek 1000's for abt 6 months in a partnered grow that have worked fine, except for a bulb compatiabiliy problem with the 600w ( it would eat Hortilux bulbs). That problem is more a product of the bulb then ballast. Having never used any of the others, I can not say which is "best". I would suppose that how cheap you can get a particular brand vs. it's reliability influences which might be deemed best.

GaGrwon raises a valid point, HF being last out, you would hope they'd copy the best of what went before.
OM

[GaGrown]

Oldmac,
I had a lumatek 600 as well as a 1000 watter. To me the 1000 watter was alot more graceful to a lamp versus the 600. I was buying hortilux,too! Replacing every 3 months, cause I was vegging with them as well. Hps lamps should be used for flowering taking into consideration use is at a minimum so it cost you more.. Then I went to the phantom 1000 and it seems to burn lamps to their hilt, making them last longer,too. The lumatek 600 would no way compare to a 600 watt 220 volt phantom ballast. I've had several ballasts of all types and wattage. These would be what I would invest my money into.Lumatek 1000 and the phantom 1000 dimmable. Which comes in handy when there is a heat issue,huh?

Lots of people are starting to put away the magnetics and go digital.

[Jord0713]

I switched over to nextgen 1000's I have been running the piss out of them for over a year with zero complaints.

[pipefitter]

Thanks for the replys. It is awsome to see people who give a .... Anyway, I bought the 1000 phantom dimmable. It's pretty awesome as GaGrown stated. I hooked it up to a 6 in Radiant HydroFarm. 6in ducting and a 6" Vortex. Temps holding about 83. Still need to make some tweeks. Hoping to bring it down a bit. I can't believe how these hoods a so cool these days. And the Ballast. It'sool to the touch. Im Happy. Put a 1000 HPS in. THanks for the help. I 'll be looking for a Cabon Filter Soon. You can check out the ballast in my Grow Log. http://boards.cannabis.com/grow-log/...rn-lights.html:thumbsup:

[GaGrown]

Great choice! Did you read the warranty? One of the best for the money you spent!:thumbsup: You can control the temps a bit with the dimmer. Hoods with glass,hold heat. Can you vent the hood for the duration of lights on?

[pipefitter]

Thanks for the advice!! No- I did not read the warranty but I am sure it is good. I 'll have to take a look. Hood does have glass and there are vents on both sides of the hood so I can filter/exhaust "out of the room" as much as I like with a Vortex Fan. The dimmable option is neat, but I find it hard to want to reduce my light output. Im wierd that way. There are 3 options on the ballast. 100%, 70% and I think 30%???? dimmable. Guess if heat becomes an issue, I'll kick it down. It's nice cause it gives you another option to modify the environment

[GaGrown]

You can't hook a filter to the other end of your hood.. You should use a seperate fan for that. Run piece of duct pulling air into the hood and exhaust the other end. You'll be able to control the heat better without dimming.