EBAY 600w HPS setups. Fan-Power VS. Revolt kit. HELP ME PICK!!

I'll just say this, eBay is full of super cheap, made in china shit. Those reflectors and bulbs are garbage...as are the timers. So your basically wasting your money. Better to buy a quality ballast used and then get a decent hood and bulbs. I have seen quite a few of those off brand ballasts go right in the garbage after about 6 months.

legallyflying said:

I'll just say this, eBay is full of super cheap, made in china shit. Those reflectors and bulbs are garbage...as are the timers. So your basically wasting your money. Better to buy a quality ballast used and then get a decent hood and bulbs. I have seen quite a few of those off brand ballasts go right in the garbage after about 6 months.

Click to expand...

I agree its better to buy high quality name brand stuff if you can afford it but for me at the moment it wasn't. Lumateks are made in China if Im not mistaken? Plus its got a 3 year warranty so at least thats something to go off of. I agree the bulbs seem pretty cheap so ill upgrade those as soon as I can. And I actually didnt get the hood or the timer in the kit, already had a timer and I went to my hydro store and got me a bomb ass Sunlight Supply hood as you can see in the pic.

Not evrything made in china is junk, just the super cheap stuff. Cheap ballasts are ok, as long as you have more than one of them. But what happens if it breaks? Then it pretty much decides that your going to flip right then and now. Or you can whack the light cycle and they could herm out.

I have about 5 used lumateks that I got on eBay for about $120 each. Plus, when it comes tome to sell your gear its still worth something.
Just trying to help.

No I totally agree, and I appreciate your advice. Its funny you mention having more than one ballast because I was thinking the same exact thing: if something were to happen with it Id be screwed or would have to pay full price at the Hydro shop. Once I get my exhaust fan I will most likely be getting a back up ballast. $120 is a pretty good deal for a lumatek, have they all been holding up?

Cronnoisseur said:

No I totally agree, and I appreciate your advice. Its funny you mention having more than one ballast because I was thinking the same exact thing: if something were to happen with it Id be screwed or would have to pay full price at the Hydro shop. Once I get my exhaust fan I will most likely be getting a back up ballast. $120 is a pretty good deal for a lumatek, have they all been holding up?

Click to expand...

I would just get a new one-

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Lumatek-Ballast-Hydrofarm-600w-120v-240v-electronic-digital-grow-light-/121049886681?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item1c2f22afd9

legallyflying said:

I'll just say this, eBay is full of super cheap, made in china shit. Those reflectors and bulbs are garbage...as are the timers. So your basically wasting your money. Better to buy a quality ballast used and then get a decent hood and bulbs. I have seen quite a few of those off brand ballasts go right in the garbage after about 6 months.

Click to expand...

There's nothing wrong with the Revolt's ballast kit. More growers than not buy equipment from Amazon and eBay and grow for years with no problems. I don't agree that name brand and higher price automatically equates to everything else being shit especially when lots of people have used off brands with good results and no complaints... A lot of people will automatically trash a great product they never used just because it doesn't carry a high price tag or popular name.

Cronnoisseur said:

No I totally agree, and I appreciate your advice. Its funny you mention having more than one ballast because I was thinking the same exact thing: if something were to happen with it Id be screwed or would have to pay full price at the Hydro shop. Once I get my exhaust fan I will most likely be getting a back up ballast. $120 is a pretty good deal for a lumatek, have they all been holding up?

Click to expand...

I'd spend that money on a backup bulb first, and buy the ballast second... Your bulb is more likely to fail before the ballast, and the bulb will run you about $60-100+... You're going to be an old man by the time you choose all your equipment lol

I have a total of 12 lumatek 600's ranging from the old non-adjustable to the newest dimming ones amd a couple of the dual 600 models. About 8 of them are used. Ive been running them pretty much every night for the past 2 years and the only problem i have had is that one side if one of the dual ones went bad.

i have heard good things about galaxy as well. i have two of those and also no problems. people keep jizzing themselves over the new solisteks as well. i have 2 of the 1k and they have a high pitched ring when I run them at 600. not impressed.

doniboy said:

There's nothing wrong with the Revolt's ballast kit. More growers than not buy equipment from Amazon and eBay and grow for years with no problems. I don't agree that name brand and higher price automatically equates to everything else being shit especially when lots of people have used off brands with good results and no complaints... A lot of people will automatically trash a great product they never used just because it doesn't carry a high price tag or popular name.



I'd spend that money on a backup bulb first, and buy the ballast second... Your bulb is more likely to fail before the ballast, and the bulb will run you about $60-100+... You're going to be an old man by the time you choose all your equipment lol

Click to expand...

Thats true too I do want to upgrade bulbs as im a little skeptical on the ones that came with the kit, I will say part of my decision of going with the kit was that I got an MH and an HPS so if one goes out at least I have something to tide me over.

And your right it will take me some time before I have my setup exactly how I want...not only because $$ issues but also of all the research involved!

This new hobby is addictive and expensive...but I love it!

legallyflying said:

I have a total of 12 lumatek 600's ranging from the old non-adjustable to the newest dimming ones amd a couple of the dual 600 models. About 8 of them are used. Ive been running them pretty much every night for the past 2 years and the only problem i have had is that one side if one of the dual ones went bad.

i have heard good things about galaxy as well. i have two of those and also no problems. people keep jizzing themselves over the new solisteks as well. i have 2 of the 1k and they have a high pitched ring when I run them at 600. not impressed.

Click to expand...

Good to know they are running up to the standards they advertise like crazy about. My local hydro shop swears by the solisteks as well, said they liked them over the Lumateks.

They have been around the longest for sure. Perhaps the new solisteks are good..the ones with the built in timer. That is a pretty slick function, especially if you have allot of ballasts and don't know how to wire a timer box.

Something to be said for buying quality gear, but if you don't have the money then you don't have the money.

In terms of bulbs, and MH will work just fine. I overdrive 400watt 7,200k plant max bulbs at 600 watt. They are $16 each at 1000 bulbs. http://www.1000bulbs.com/search/?q=400+watt+7200k. They have standard slynavia MH for about $8.

My favorite 600 is far and away the GE lucolux. I bought a case of them and got them for like $45. Just as impressive as ushio or hortilux for about $40 less.