Digital Ballast question..

[treefrog]

~Greetings~

I'm currently running an old style ballast, but would like to upgrade to a digital.

Right now, the cord running from the ballast (remote) to the mogul has a plug I installed in the middle, so I can unplug the lamp/hood and remove it from the cabinet for cleaning and servicing the can scrubber. It's just a regular grounded, three prong plug.

What I would like to know is, could I just cut the lamp cord on a digital ballast, connect the female plug to it and plug it in to my existing lamp/hood set-up??

I don't see why it wouldn't work, but just because I don't see it, doesn't mean shit, lol.

Thanks for any replies..

 

[jimbo99]

why not just buy a lamp cord with the same type of connector that the ballast uses? I'm guessing the standard sun systems connector. They're only like 15 bucks. Better to spend 15 bucks than start splicing wires in my opinion. Safer too.

 

[Super.Seeds]

^What Jimbo said...The cords are cheap and there is no need to be splicing anything. You can get a socket/cordset and adapter for any ballast and it will be less than 30 bucks for everything. Keep your electrical safe so you can worry about other things!

SS

 

[Lazyman]

They sell Hydrofarm to SunSystem adapters and vice versa at every hydro store I've been to.

 

[Hydro-Soil]

What I would like to know is, could I just cut the lamp cord on a digital ballast, connect the female plug to it and plug it in to my existing lamp/hood set-up??

I wouldn't recommend it, unless you're qualified to create a non-RF inducing connection. Digital ballasts (depending on the model/mfg) already have RF interference issues. Adding another connection in that cord is not recommended.

I'd stick with re-furbishing your magnetic..... should last you another 20 years that way.

Stay Safe!

 

[treefrog]

Thanks guys.. I don't think I was clear enough about my question. I'll take a pic later if necessary.

My current old style ballast is fine. I want to switch to a digital for the additional lumens, as well as the lowered electricity usage. I've read they are significant amounts, like 30% - 50% No? The digi's are also cooler, from what I've read. That appeals to me. They also have other safety features in case of failure etc.

I don't care about re-using my old lamp cord. I'll hook up the new one to the mogul if I have to.

In my current set up, I have a cabinet, not a room, that is comprised of a mother chamber, flowering chamber, cloning chamber, and a utility chamber where I keep the ballast, fan, timer, power strip etc. Kind of inspired by the NGB cabinet, if you know what I mean. I drilled a hole from the utility section to the flowering chamber and shortened the cable that goes from the ballast to the mogul/hood, because there was so much extra cable that it was taking up too much room in the utility section. I ran the cable through the wall, into the flowering room, then cut it and attached a standard three prong plug, so I can unplug the hood/mogul/lamp and take the whole thing out. I basically want a similar set-up with the digital ballast if I can.

 

[treefrog]

Here's a couple pics to illustrate my point..

 

[foomar]

I want to switch to a digital for the additional lumens, as well as the lowered electricity usage. I've read they are significant amounts, like 30% - 50% No? The digi's are also cooler, from what I've read. That appeals to me. They also have other safety features in case of failure etc.

Hi Treefrog , have a Powerplant mag ballast and a BAL digital in 600 watt size , both draw 640 watts after 15 mins running.

The digi does not require a contactor and will not melt timers , the mag has to have one for safety.

The same bulb in both is visibly brighter to the eye in the digital but a light meter shows supriseingly little difference.

The BAL is fanless and totally silent , caseing is barely warm , not the most efficient but very reliable and often cheap.

The magnetic was a quality ballast at the time but had a buzz/hum from new that seemed to penetrate the whole house and scared the cat.

The best thing about digis for me is that they handle multiple short powercuts and severe voltage drops far better than a magnetic does with no hot restart damage to the bulb , dodgy overhead wires round here.

With the mag ballast i was blowing 4 - 5 bulbs every winter , some lasting a week and a considerable expense , none lost in last three years with digital and equally poor electric supply.

Please be carefull in choice of bulb for digital , had one recently that was reccommend online as suitable blow up , not a cheap and nasty one , would suggest that Solarburst are not digi compatible , at least in 600 form.

 

[dunkybones]

Treefrog - Because of everything Foomar just said, go on and upgrade to your digital. And if splicing the wire is what makes it work for you, it looks like you know how to wire a nice, solid plug and socket, so it would be the same as buying an adapter.

 

[treefrog]

Thanks a lot guys!

 

[Hydro-Soil]

go on and upgrade to your digital. And if splicing the wire is what makes it work for you, it looks like you know how to wire a nice, solid plug and socket

I'd have a serious talk with a technician that works on that type of wiring and deals with RF interference all day. This is NOT 120V/AC you're working with here.

You've been warned.


Stay Safe!

 

[treefrog]

I'd have a serious talk with a technician that works on that type of wiring and deals with RF interference all day. This is NOT 120V/AC you're working with here.

You've been warned.


Stay Safe!

I appreciate your concern. I think I'm going to go with an LED (123) instead of upgrading my 150 HPS mag ballast, so there won't be any splicing. I think for smaller growers especially that the LED's are the way to go. It will become more and more obvious as time goes by.

I did find the plugs you guys were talking about at Hid Hut. They seem to be standard issue on digital ballasts. Also, one can buy RF shielding 'shrink tube' to cover any splicing.

Thanks