T5 HO, should i change ballasts or retro them to LED?

fragileassassin

Well-Known Member
So I have a pair of the cheap Vivagrow 8 bulb T5 HO lights that I use in a 5x5 tent for veg only. Very happy with how theyve worked and fit the tent, their heat is also nice in my cold basement. Bulbs only have 1 veg on them since I replaced all 16....
I lost 2 of the ballasts at the end of my last veg and was just looking into my options for changing them out.
Along my research ive found that the ballasts in those lights are considered pretty dangerous and are known to catch fire, they under drive the bulbs, and burn out super fast.
So this has me wanting to upgrade the lights a bit but im torn.
It would cost me $130-150 to swap the ballasts in them with some decent brand name ones off amazon.
With QB setup similar to whats in my flower tent it would cost about that per light to upgrade them.. so twice as much.

just looking for input on other options I may have missed or what you guys would do.
 

Fof198555

Member
I have about 10 of these 6 bulb t5 units . Im kinda in the same predicament. I need new bulbs for most of them... haven't been able to find any compelling evidence that makes me want to invest 700$ a pair for nice LED lights and even for the cheaper t5HOs ... i feel like after 10 inches of vertical height the lights are just a waste ...

Im looking at picking up some 2700k bulbs and using them as supplemental flowering lights with ky HpS right now.

What voltage are you running ? I have som decent ballasts laying around i could probably send u for the cost of shipping, out if these lights. Phillips 6 bulb high bays 120/277v
 

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Fof198555

Member
These are whats in my 6 bulbs but, i have 2 damaged 8 bulb variants of the same brand at home, plenty of these ones and im not sure whats in the 4 at home. They all work at 120v i know that much
 

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