B.A.L EB600 Electronic Ballasts - Anyone Use One??

[Esskie]

Hi there,
Does anyone happen to have a B.A.L EB600SON digi ballast at all?

As far as I know they come in both remote (with separate reflector) and complete form where the bulb & hood screw into an E40 fitting on the end of the ballast meaning the complete deal has to be hung

If you've seen a Dutch Poot light then that's what it looks like, the hood looks kinda like a cycle helmet

My issue is that mine has started to blow bulbs a bit more often than I'd like!, can anyone say if these digital ballasts and Sylvania Grolux bulbs are compatible?

Grolux bulbs don't seem to like some electronic/digital ballasts and blow as they can't deal with the high frequencies?, it was suggested I give Osram bulbs a try as they can apparently?

I'd be really grateful for any advice or nfo at all about this if anyone can help at all

Regards, esskie

 

[Pinball Wizard]

lots of digital users like the Ushio & SolarMax bulbs

 

[Esskie]

Hi,
Never used either of those bulbs tbh with you man, I pretty much settled on Grolux coz they're good but cheap lol
We did give Sunmaster bulbs a go a while back with no complaints but that was on a coil type ballast

I've used Grolux bulbs in a (coil type ballasts) separate flower area constant 12/12 cycle for more than a couple of grows without them blowing, they just diminish in the amount of useful light they put out ya know

We'd like to stick with electronic ballasts and have been looking at cheaper Techone & Haciendas to a Lumatek. It's probably fair to say the Lumatek is the better option here but I've no problems with saving a few quid for the sake of a 10% Boost Switch if a Techone gives me the same performance and efficiency

Btw, I found the remote version of the EB600SON

this is the same as our current 600s but ours aren't the remote versions, makes it a real pain raising and lowering them as I don't trust Easy-Rollers with em!

Thanx for the reply 'Wizard', I'll look into Ushio & SolarMax bulbs for more info , upto now only the Osram has been suggested to me as being cool to use with digis so it's good to get some feedback on other types of bulb, +rep

 

[A.Neuman]

I have been using the remote version of the EB600SON with a GE special Lucalox bulb for several grows now, with no problems.
I also have the 250Watt from B.A.L works just fine.

 

[Esskie]

I have been using the remote version of the EB600SON with a GE special Lucalox bulb for several grows now, with no problems.
I also have the 250Watt from B.A.L works just fine.

Thanks for the feedback A.Neuman,

I think it's probably down to the ballasts being quite old now and the choice of bulbs not being the best decision?

with separate veg/flower areas the flowering room lights are constantly on a 12/12 cycle being perpetual, before the BAL600SON ballasts we were able to choose when we changed bulbs without being forced to keep spare bulbs ya know?

The last two Grolux bulbs were changed due to them blowing, although the last bulb did veg a grow before being used to flower it but I don't think that's anywhere near excessive usage

it's recommended that these bulbs are changed after a couple of grows due to them "burning brighter but for less time" but when they are changed has always been, for us anyway, a matter of choice.

Just done a quick search and see the Lucalox bulbs come in small sizes, the largest I can find is a 400w. there was a 600w elliptical bulb.
We're in the UK so it's practical and makes more financial sense to source from within the UK

I've actually been tempted to go back to using MaxiBright Compact (the injection moulded ones) magnetic again, they are good. we had a 400w running on a cheapo timer with no contactor for ages while other ballasts would weld the timer 1st flick of the switch

Before I forget man, do your BAL ballasts run both HPS and MH?, only used HPS so can't say?. they are supposed to run both but a 600wMH is too expensive to waste in case it doesn't

I can see a couple of new Lumatek 600s ending up on their way here soon tbh?, other than the bulb issues it'd be cool to get back to a remote system again with a choice of reflectors instead op the cycle-helmet

 

[foomar]

Have had two running for over three years now , purchased the remote versions as soon as they were available locally.
They have run a number of different manufacturers bulbs with no problems of any kind includeing grolux , osram , sunmaster and several different cheap and nasty chinese unbranded.
Running the chinese bulbs and changeing every two months works for me , difficult to source specialised bulbs around here and unbranded at £5 - £8 are cost effective.

These ballasts are tougth , one was dropped down stairs and was an easy repair for a freind who knows electronics , he said the component quality was high and a good design.

Tried running a 600 halide and it fired up and ran fine , made a strange loud buzzing from the bulb so stopped after an hour , may not be safe with these bulbs.

Accidently plugged a 400w hps into the 600w digital ballast years ago , burned for 5 x 12 cycles before i noticed the bulb was drooping as the solder softened with the excess heat.
The ballast is still working normally and does not seem to have been damaged by the mismatch and the room now has better fire protection after the scare.

 

[Esskie]

Hi foomar
I have to agree with you 100%, they are good ballasts. that had a lot to do with my choice in buying our 1st one

well if you haven't had any problems with Grolux bulbs that probably goes a ways to confirming my fears that it's just the age of the ballast that's causing it to blow bulbs?, it's probably getting on for 5yrs old now!

interesting to hear your experience with the 600MH , was it a new MH bulb?
just I've heard brand new MH bulbs make a worrying buzzing sound for a bit when they first fire up

it's surprising and possibly goes a ways to showing just how smoothly the BAL works that the 400w bulb didn't pop immediately huh, 5 days is pretty amazing

can I ask if yours came with 2 x mounting brackets?, they have a small nut & bolt in one end but only a hanging hole (for a screw head say) in the other. there doesn't seem to be any way of attaching it to the ballast though ......they've been in a drawer since I got it

well our 2nd BAL600 is reasonably new so providing it doesn't start the same carry on as the old one, just one new replacement is all that's needed.......preferably a remote

thanx for the post foomar, you've restored my faith in the ballast some as my last few posts have been pretty negative towards them unjustifiably

 

[foomar]

Hi Esskie , everyone online and in the real world at the time were adviseing against buying them but no problems here.

The halide bulb was worn but serviceable and was silent in a 600 magnetic.

Those brackets had me baffled at first but this works solidly if you need them , nut slides into the heatsink , mine also sit in a drawer somewhere.

If you know someone who fiddles with electronics apparently there is a cheap and easily replaced component on the board which is the cause of nearly all early failures.

These units are solid and run cool with no fan to fail and cook it , i honestly expect ten years of service life from them.


Liveing in a rural area subject to many brownouts and power cuts was the overideing factor in decideing to go digital , these handle them perfectly and far safer.

 

[Esskie]

Well I saw the BAL600SON before I saw the remote versions or I admit I'd have bought the remote but such is life

As for the age of the one that's giving us probz?, that's anyone's guess, I'm saying getting on for 5yrs but it could be more now that I think of it!

Re the brackets, that's the most likely looking way I've seen of using them yet man?, the brackets here have another set of holes at the other end

you know the keyhole type mounting holes?, a round hole with a narrower slot coming off it to hang on a pair of screws......I'll take a pic tomorrow and post it so you can see exactly what I mean

We've looked at Techone digi ballasts which have a fan in them but just didn't fancy em, the fan is just something else to bugger up imo

do you know anymore nfo regarding the part on the board that causes the problems there at all bud?, I've never had any of them opened

it did cross my mind how easy/difficult it'd be to convert one to remote by removing the E40 and extending the cable?, it doesn't sound too hard in theory

 

[Esskie]

Sorely tempted to hit that 'Buy Now' button on this EB600SON(Remote) from that popular auction site.

foomar if you don't mind me asking man, how does the price of the one linked to above compare to the EB600SON(Remote) you bought?

the same seller has Sunmaster 600w dual spectrum bulbs at around $20/£20GBP which is pretty good, don't think I've ever seen them below 22-25?

luckily we only need one light for flowering at the moment but will need another in another 3-4wks time so have time to look around a bit

 

[foomar]

Price was £70 from a local supplier at the time , these seem a bit expensive for used ballasts but have not kept up with prices since.
Note they are advertised for hps and mh , not sure about that.

Those particular bulbs have been fine with my ballasts and take longer to yellow than most.

If you check out some local electrical factors you might find some quality bargains from phillips/osram ect as well as the cheapo chinese , 600,s are still commonly used in hibay fittings in industrial lighting and many carparks and horticulture despite the rush to greener systems.

Was told what the component was but only remember the spare came from maplins for a few pounds and was a simple desolder/resolder job , will find out the details but might not be till xmas.

Pretty sure i saw a thread somewhere on remoteing this ballast a few years ago and thought it simple enougth even if soldered.

 

[Esskie]

those I linked to are new, it's those you thought were expensive for 2nd-hand yes?...no they're new bud

even without having taken the thing apart it should be a pretty simple job to convert them to remote?, hopefully a case of de-soldering the E40 and swapping it's wires for a longer decent gauge cable then hooking the E40 back up at the other end...........best laid plans huh lol