How Many People Still Use Magnetic Ballasts?

giggles26

giggles26

Well-Known Member
I have both, but my magnetic one is like 8 years old and still ticking, in that time I"ve gone through 4 digital ones. There is pro's and con's to each

Also you can't run a CMH bulb in a digital ballast.
 
420skyhigh420

420skyhigh420

Active Member
i run a digital in my veg room and a magnetic in my flowerin thing is them digital ballist ive heard of havin alot problems so its nice to have a back-up magentic just in case so ur not screwed in the middle of the day for ur lighting schedule
 
SativaMe@420

SativaMe@420

Well-Known Member
When it comes to durability and reliability I believe magnetic still rains supreme, why do you think most commercial, industrial, warehouse & security lights use magnetic ballasts, they last for YEARS!!!! From what I hear Lumatek makes the best electronic ballasts, however Ive heard on several occasions that electronic/digital ballasts produce RF (Radio Frequencies) that can cause problems with peoples cable/internet and possibly other equipment, apparently a few people have had some close calls with the cable guy tracing the problem to their grow rooms, I wonder how many plants have been pulled and grow rooms torn down because of this?? Apparently the RF problems can be prevented by putting your ballast in a faraday cage, however Ive heard that some ballasts now come with RF shielding. If I had to choose between magnetic & electronic, right now I would hands down choose magnetic, not only are they more durable & reliable but they can run CMH/CDM (I know there are digital ballasts that can run CMH but their too expensive ATM) which are hands down the best HID bulbs for growing.
 
xmax

xmax

Well-Known Member
Thanks! - like 83 days from seed. Wouldn't you know it, the thing fell over tonight so i had to pull the fat bastard, up by rope! (not before taking a stick of buds to cure by next weekend) Green Christmas' 'round these parts.
View attachment 2444912I'm shoot'n for new years, to hang it up whole, to dry-out.
 
vilify

vilify

Well-Known Member
currently running 1 magnetic, as i needed more light and had it laying around still.
will be completing the full switch to digitals in the near future.

both have their benefits. neither being able to produce better plants than the other.
 
sandmonkey

sandmonkey

Well-Known Member
I do!

Never tried anything else though so can't make comparisons.

I've had it for 4 years and no problems so far.
 
SativaMe@420

SativaMe@420

Well-Known Member
xmax said:
Thanks! - like 83 days from seed. Wouldn't you know it, the thing fell over tonight so i had to pull the fat bastard, up by rope! (not before taking a stick of buds to cure by next weekend) Green Christmas' 'round these parts.
View attachment 2444912I'm shoot'n for new years, to hang it up whole, to dry-out.
Click to expand...
CMH Fucking ROCKS!!!! Have you done any HPS grows with you current setup to compare to the CMH? If so, I bet the CMH produced better results, their spectrum is completely unmatched VS any other HID lamp. Philips released a new line of CDM (ceramic discharge metal halide) lamps that run from 145W to 860W, the 830W & 860W (Pictured Below) runs on 1000W magnetic MH ballasts and is rumored to be the next HID game changer, this bulb is going to produce some AMAZING RESULTS!!!!

(http://www.ecat.lighting.philips.com/l/lamps/high-intensity-discharge-lamps/ceramic-metal-halide/energy-advantage-cdm-lamps-with-allstart-technology/928601174701_na/)

(http://www.growlightexpress.com/ceramic-metal-halide-bulbs-9/philips-energy-advantage-cdm-allstart-lamp-830-watt-1943.html?zenid=bgpakhv5vtb9ifmptbi2dpi747)

FYI: Read the description Grow Light Express has for this lamp!
 
FreedomSunshine

FreedomSunshine

Member
SativaMe@420 said:
When it comes to durability and reliability I believe magnetic still rains supreme, why do you think most commercial, industrial, warehouse & security lights use magnetic ballasts, they last for YEARS!!!! From what I hear Lumatek makes the best electronic ballasts, however Ive heard on several occasions that electronic/digital ballasts produce RF (Radio Frequencies) that can cause problems with peoples cable/internet and possibly other equipment, apparently a few people have had some close calls with the cable guy tracing the problem to their grow rooms, I wonder how many plants have been pulled and grow rooms torn down because of this??
Click to expand...

More than 6-7 digi 1ks will throw off the RF enough to bring the cable guy. Here in NorCal a lot of my buddies have switched back to mags because of this. The cable guys have been pretty cool so far, mostly alerting people that they have a problem they need to fix

I switched back to mags for reliability & repair ability
 
JoeyV

JoeyV

Well-Known Member
I have an old Hydrofarm 250w mh self contained lamp that works great, but buzzes like crazy, and gets way to hot for the closet... I was considering replacing the ballast with a digital, but I decided to go with 324w T5 fixure instead.

Why do magnetic ballasts buzz so much?
 
N

NoBarriers

Well-Known Member
I run mags and my four 3 yr old ballasts are still going strong and never had any problems, not even a blown bulb. I just ordered 4 more 1k's and I went magnetic because of reliability and I can use $30 ultra sun bulbs. They are noisier and run hotter but it's a minor problem if at all....

I do have a 600 no name digi that I got 2nd hand that I use with a mh for veg. Haven't had it long enough to really say. I wouldn't have bought a digi if I went new.
 
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