Wolverine97
Well-Known Member
Thanks Kitty, 'preciate it. Hortilux has always been my bulb of choice, but I just finished flowering a few under a 600w Ushio and I was pretty impressed with the results. I'll probably go Lumatek on the ballasts I'm replacing, but it's entirely possible I'll change my mind again. I'm like that sometimes.i should really check my email before riu.... this is the response from my friend the lumatek consultant:
Great Question:
This was the case like 3 or more years ago. [<--- he's referring to the "you HAVE to use e-ballast-specific bulbs" thingy here.]
What was happening was the harmonics from E ballasts were breaking the arc tube in the bulbs.
This has been addressed by increasing the welds on the arc tube that most bulb manufacturers have now done so this is not the case anymore.
Digilux (R&M product), is a slick marketing bulb, but still is a Chinese Lamp just in nice packaging (Oooo Velvet Liner).
Sun Pulse made the same claim that they were the one and only Eballast lamp but still had Chinese quality problems.
I still would recommend Hotilux and Ushio over the Digilux.
Hortilux and Ushio use a Japanese Arc Tube and then it’s sent to Germany for the Gas and Glass.
China is getting better, but still quality control issues are still a problem.
Sylvania Plantastar’s Rock and is a little cheaper lampfor E Ballasts, but I think there only available in Canada.
fwiw, next time we swap out bulbs i think we're gonna get ushio's.....