Top high quality ballasts/bulbs?

[Nookies]

I was originally going to get a 400watt Ipower or Apollo on amazon, then realized it's probably not a good idea to go cheap mode on the most important thing. Blown bulbs, or killing them early, early ballast death,etc,etc.

But I rarely see any threads about ballasts/bulbs and on the 3 sites I look at to potentially buy from they dont have reviews or "top seller" type things.

I was thinking about going with a Lumatek 400 watt. But I need it to be dimmable as Im worried about potential over amperage problems.

Anyone recommend better reviewed, tried and true ballasts that isn't more expensive than a lumatek? Or agree with my decision to go with the lumatek.

 

[rocknratm]

I like my lumatek

 

[Sunbiz1]

I did an Apollo thread here last month before buying mine from Amazon.

I had nothing but good reviews and love the 600, particularly the ratchet system they include to adjust height.

 

[Piper84]

I have used Lumetek and I went cheap when i went to 1k watt ballast bulb from ipower. First one worked fine and everything then the second one fucked up so i was alittle disappointed but Lumetek or Phantom is the way to go. I love them both.

 

[ScoobyDoobyDoo]

i have used lumatek forever and really like their product. i don't have much experience with other ballasts because i've never had a problem with my lumateks. their 400w is a dimmable ballast so that shouldn't be a problem. remember though, if you are going to dim a ballast then you should change the bulb. dimming a 400w bulb on your ballast to 250w actually changes the spectrum of the bulb. you should dim the ballast and change the bulb to one that matches the output of your ballast. also, why are you concerned about amperage at 400w? you are only using 3amps. dimming it to 250w only saves you 1 amp.

 

[MOON SHINER]

I have the new Galaxy Grow Amp, Runs super quiet and super cool. It costs more but I like the adjustable increments of 400/600/1000/Turbo. I only use the 400 and 600 settings but like the ability to go to 1000 when/if I want. As for the Bulb there are bulbs designed for galaxy and digital ballasts but I'm still trying to figure out the next one to buy. I am leaning towards the DigiMax Bulb at the moment.

The main deciding factor was its Ultra Low RFI broadband emissions. It is frequency that can interfere/cause static in cable/phone lines. Not sure how true it is but I don't want a fuzzy TV ! I have it far enough away from other wires that I don't think it would be a issue but I wanted to make double sure.

 

[Ilovebush]

lumatek dial a watt
phantom
solistek

I think fanless cooling is the way to go since the fans are guaranteed to fail. The phantom is the only non dimmable of the three but has one of the lowest failure rates.

 

[Nookies]

also, why are you concerned about amperage at 400w? you are only using 3amps. dimming it to 250w only saves you 1 amp.

Remember in the electrical thread I was concerned about reaching the 15 amp max for my room. 500 watt power supply computer (im sure this is only drawing 2-3 amps max for both comp/, window ac unit running at 5.6 amps, plus grow equipment once I get it.

Also I totally didn't know about the dimming/bulb change thing :S

 

[ScoobyDoobyDoo]

Remember in the electrical thread I was concerned about reaching the 15 amp max for my room. 500 watt power supply computer (im sure this is only drawing 2-3 amps max for both comp/, window ac unit running at 5.6 amps, plus grow equipment once I get it.

Also I totally didn't know about the dimming/bulb change thing :S

now i remember. there's a way around that. depends on how handy you are with electrical. you might be able to swap out breakers but only if the cable in the wall is 12 or 14 gauge. a lot of electricians use 12 or 14 gauge for wiring which is enough to handle a 20 amp circuit. you might be able to get away with just replacing a $5 breaker. it's really pretty simple. shut the main off, pop the breaker out, unscrew the wire and put it in the new breaker, pop the breaker back in.

 

[Greenthumbskunk]

I have been around several types of ballasts. Got a few solistek running now, it's hit or miss with lumatek. I ended up buying a cheap Apollo set up for a back up unit if something messes up.

#10 wire 30 amp breaker
#12 wire 20 amp breaker
#14 wire 15 amp breaker

If you go any kind of distance it needs to be factored in as well. The room I'm building now for a vertical grow I'm having to run wire and was trying to work a way around using # 10 wire but I don't think their is a way around it.
I'm wiring up for all my ballast to run off of 240 current to cut my amps in half. I'm going to have to make several runs of wire on different breakers for it to handle it. Also having to buy another 100 amp box.

 

[grow4fun420]

Galaxy is a good brand. I do a lot of business with a local grow shop and I was really into Lumatek because of its warranty and overall being a god product. The shop I go to used to carry them as their number one ballast. I was informed by the owner that the shop had not received any new Lumateks do to the company doing some kind of engineering design change at their production facility. Once they had received shipments 1-2 months later from Lumatek he said they were getting a ballast back like every month (this grow shop will give you another ballast until yours is fixed or warrantied). These guys are really down to earth, legit, and just all around good people. He advised me to go with a galaxy as he has almost never seen one come back

 

[Ibex]

The main deciding factor was its Ultra Low RFI broadband emissions. It is frequency that can interfere/cause static in cable/phone lines. Not sure how true it is but I don't want a fuzzy TV ! I have it far enough away from other wires that I don't think it would be a issue but I wanted to make double sure.

Its true. When my 2 1k lumateks kick on I have to move my tv antennea about 6 feet further away (about 17ft to begin with) from where they are mounted.

 

[Nookies]

now i remember. there's a way around that. depends on how handy you are with electrical. you might be able to swap out breakers but only if the cable in the wall is 12 or 14 gauge. a lot of electricians use 12 or 14 gauge for wiring which is enough to handle a 20 amp circuit. you might be able to get away with just replacing a $5 breaker. it's really pretty simple. shut the main off, pop the breaker out, unscrew the wire and put it in the new breaker, pop the breaker back in.

Now the "wire" do i find out which gauge is being used by unscrewing a light socket or by pulling out one of the breakers?

 

[urban1026835]

i have seen horror stories about rfi..thinking fuzzy tv isnt good since people have posted about rfi messing with other peoples (neighbors) cable and internet. then one day the cable company shows up with their stupid little meters banging on your door with questions.

who knows how true but i know if i could see any visual interference when my stuff came on and i wasn't 100% 215 compliant it would bother me..but i am a paranoid weirdo

 

[ScoobyDoobyDoo]

Now the "wire" do i find out which gauge is being used by unscrewing a light socket or by pulling out one of the breakers?

Either or, it will most likely be written on the wire. It will say "12 awg" or "14awg"

 

[MOON SHINER]

lumatek dial a watt
phantom
solistek

I think fanless cooling is the way to go since the fans are guaranteed to fail. The phantom is the only non dimmable of the three but has one of the lowest failure rates.

I understand your point but I think of it this way. It is a simple computer fan inside the ballest keeping it cool. How often does your fan fail in a computer?
I know of only one that failed in a computer, it was at work so it was kinda abused and left on for days and days at a time.

Failure is possible with anything but I consider the margin too small to give it much thought.

Galaxy is a good brand. I do a lot of business with a local grow shop and I was really into Lumatek because of its warranty and overall being a god product. The shop I go to used to carry them as their number one ballast. I was informed by the owner that the shop had not received any new Lumateks do to the company doing some kind of engineering design change at their production facility. Once they had received shipments 1-2 months later from Lumatek he said they were getting a ballast back like every month (this grow shop will give you another ballast until yours is fixed or warrantied). These guys are really down to earth, legit, and just all around good people. He advised me to go with a galaxy as he has almost never seen one come back

Well that makes me feel even better about going with galaxy. I felt good getting it, but still nice to know that other shops have good sucess with them.

i have seen horror stories about rfi..thinking fuzzy tv isnt good since people have posted about rfi messing with other peoples (neighbors) cable and internet. then one day the cable company shows up with their stupid little meters banging on your door with questions.

who knows how true but i know if i could see any visual interference when my stuff came on and i wasn't 100% 215 compliant it would bother me..but i am a paranoid weirdo

True no need to mess up your neighbors wheather you are legit or not. Or your own tv for that matter. I agree, not sure how "True it is" but I figured why not?

 

[rickymac21]

Also a lumatek fan. I run it 24/7 with no issue. I have a magnetic hydrofarm ballast too that seems to be pretty durable. I wouldnt skimp on the bulb,or ballast. Its easy to do since theyre so many cheap ones online. But they wont last nearly,as,long and wont be as sufficient. My first ballast i bought off ebay (no name brand) and it blew bulbs like it was made to. Sold it then bougght the lumatek.

 

[Nookies]

k lumatek it is ^_^

Now would it be cheaper just ordering the entire setup as in bulb, reflector, ballast or going to multiple sites and ordering each one separate?

 

[ScoobyDoobyDoo]

k lumatek it is ^_^

Now would it be cheaper just ordering the entire setup as in bulb, reflector, ballast or going to multiple sites and ordering each one separate?

you'll save cause of the shipping if you get as much as you can from 1 place. greners.com has pretty good deals on lumateks with a bulb and reflector. plus, if you talk to them on the phone and ask for it they will give you 5-10% off.

 

[thump easy]

right now at discount hydro dijilux is 40$ a bulb!!!!thousand watter