Digital Ballasts...Worth It?

[Racerx]

I wanted to talk about Digital Ballasts. Id like peoples opinions, but mainly people who have used them and compared the results.

I am generally a skeptical person when it comes to "the new big thing." Brand new products always have bugs and are generally talked up, not neccessarily providing the "incredible" difference they claimed. So when digital ballasts starting coming out on the market, I believed they were better but I did not see how they could really be THAT much more effecient.

Being the skeptic, no amount of salesman at the local hydro shops could convince me to ditch all my standard equipment that, not that long ago, was the new big thing. So I had to try it for myself and see what all the hoopla was about.

Well...like I was with T5 HO lights (which I also now love), I have been converted. The claim is that a 600 watt digital HPS light can produce 95% the lumens that a standard 1000 watt HPS light can put out, while only using the energy of a 600 watt light and without the heat of a 1000 watt. On the whole, I fully agree with this statement.

I dont get wider node spacing with the 600 digitals, the lumens dont all of a sudden drop off either when far away (penetration seems about the same as normal 1000s), and the heat is far easier to manage. I can touch the glass on my hoods no problem and they are not even cooltubes. Bulbs are cheaper, and they use almost the same (sometimes even less) energy then a normal 600 watt HPS; considerably lower then a 1000 HPS. Enough that over a few cycles, you could be saving hundreds and hundreds of dollars on your energy bill.

About the only claim I do not agree with is the cold ballasts. My ballasts still get very hot and still need to be removed from the grow rooms, but they are whisper quiet with no vibration at all and a quick fireup time. They also have safeguards built-in for power surges or relighting the bulbs to quick. One of the only disadvantages I have found, is that if one breaks (and one has not) then you cant pop it open and replace a capacitator or wiring as easily.

So the next step...if a 600 watt digital is equal to a 1000 watt standard, then what power output does a 750 or 1000 watt digital ballast have? A 400 watt digital is supposed to be around equal to a 650 watt standard...so were talking equivalent of like 1500 watts! At this point, people dont even have solid comparisons to whether this is even beneficial...but I am also a believer that if you can control everything enough, then cannabis can ALWAYS take advantage of more (more light, more nutrients, more oxygen, more co2, etc).

Finally, I have some questions. Would a 750 watt or 1000 watt digital lamp actually put out that many more lumens or do we start dropping off at some point (just cant get that efficient at that level?)? Would these higher lumens and intensity take even better advantage of CO2 then a normal light? Will the digital ballasts last as long as standard? Has anyone else done side by side comparisons? I do not plan on upgrading to 750s or 1000s for a few cycles, but has anyone tried 600s and then upgraded? If you are skeptical, why?

I am using these lights in a couple different rooms, but here is one of the flowering rooms. Ive had digital camera trouble so I have no pics from the last week or 2. Needless to say, they are growing 1.5" a day or more. Almost a foot a week. The lights are around 14" away. A little higher then I want but this gives me the foot print I want. Node spacing is good for me.

Racerx Reviewed by Racerx on 10-20-2006. Digital Ballasts...Worth It? I wanted to talk about Digital Ballasts. Id like peoples opinions, but mainly people who have used them and compared the results. I am generally a skeptical person when it comes to "the new big thing." Brand new products always have bugs and are generally talked up, not neccessarily providing the "incredible" difference they claimed. So when digital ballasts starting coming out on the market, I believed they were better but I did not see how they could really be THAT much more Rating: 5

[NewGrower]

Dam dude looks like you have a forest growing in there
haven't tryed any of those types of ballast yet myself first i heard of them puting out more light just thought they save on electric a bit might be worth looking into them

[BukDatAss]

Yeah they do save money on the bill

[crazywill]

Hi Racerx
I've ordered a 400 watt ballast from 1000 Blubs.com and glad to see other growers are useing them.I'am skeptical about the elec.ballest too.Do they last longer without burning out ? One thing that bothers me is some web sites
say if the cable is not shielded it will interfear with satellite tv and other signals for about 50yds. around.Dose anybody know if this true?The one I ordered is a Galaxy Electronice ballast are any of you poeple useing this one or know anybody that dose?
Your garden looks great,keep up the good work and post some more pixs please.

[BlueBear]

I have a digital 1K going and mine puts off almost no noticable heat, and is as big as about 2 boxes of mack and chees and I atach it right to the wall, it is kind of like a little car amp. I also have 2 Digitec electronic 1K's and they seem like they are about 30LB's each and do hum but just a little, and we already no about the heat.
I haven't really been paying much attintion to other differences, but I will start being more observant and try to contribute some more input down the road. I may also replace the 2 Digitec with 3 digital 600w's and see how that go's. But all and all my digital is much more convenient IMO.
Adieu

[Dutch Pimp]

...my HPS ballast....is as big as a small suitcase..with handle...vented ribs...aluminum housing...a 10 foot cord..(get that fucking thing out of the grow room cord)...and hums like a 200lb canary...

[Dutch Pimp]

..the people ..I got my 400HPS Hortilux light and ballast..were very good souce of equipment..good price..good high quality..like they said.....Can't remember...who the fuck they were...all I remember is .."systems access"..

[BlueBear]

Your killing me.LOL LOL, Hah Hagh. Wow, even my digitec 1K's just put out a slight little hum, it is way quieter than a fridge when the frost mechanism comes on, is yours louder than that?
Adieu

[Dutch Pimp]

..about the same sound level as a dail-tone.... up to your ear...

[Racerx]

anyone else compared digital to standard?