which one?
- Thread starter 420stoner
- Start date
The Real McCoy
Member
I run both, I have 3 Nextgens & 3 SunLight Supply mag & coil ballasts. Hands down the digital!! Much more brighter, box says 30% more light, just may be! I was running Ushio lamps w/ the NextGens, and they worked awesome. I just switched to the new Digilux lamps, even more of a difference! I highly reccomend Nextgens!
R
RedRain
magnetics are way more reliable
digitals suck, they chew through bulbs, unreliable.
the digital ballast run cooler, but the bulbs run hotter. they still generate the same amount of heat, just the bulb runs harder so more heat from the bulb and shorter bulb time. Too many negatives for me.
digitals suck, they chew through bulbs, unreliable.
the digital ballast run cooler, but the bulbs run hotter. they still generate the same amount of heat, just the bulb runs harder so more heat from the bulb and shorter bulb time. Too many negatives for me.
Until last year, I had 6x600HPS' SS (magnetic) ballasts. Now I only have one, the rest are digital (Quantums and Galaxies). There's no way I'd go back to a magnetic. The digitals put out more light, they use less electricity, they run cooler, and IME are more reliable and consistent in their operation.
Simon
Simon
So digital got my vote, and I couldn't be happier. They also produce less heat which is a bonus as well.
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RedRain
how does a digital save you power? a 1000w bulb is a 1000w no matter how u slice it.
They actually both produce the same amount of heat. the magnetic ballast runs hotter, where as the digital ballast runs cooler, but the bulbs run hotter. When you convert watts to BTU's its going to come out the same, whether you are running digitals or magnetics.
If you run your ballasts at 120 or 240 you draw less amps on 240, but you still consume the same amount of power.
If you overdrive your bulb, you consume more power. There is no way no how you save power with digital ballasts.
They actually both produce the same amount of heat. the magnetic ballast runs hotter, where as the digital ballast runs cooler, but the bulbs run hotter. When you convert watts to BTU's its going to come out the same, whether you are running digitals or magnetics.
If you run your ballasts at 120 or 240 you draw less amps on 240, but you still consume the same amount of power.
If you overdrive your bulb, you consume more power. There is no way no how you save power with digital ballasts.
T
the_baked_chef
The magnetic ballast will use more power to fire the bulb - compared to the digital that is.
I read once that a digital ballast will use roughly 1.5% more power than the bulb would put out whereas the magnetic ballast would use 10 to 15% more power (which would be 100 to 150w for the 1000w bulb).
I read it on the lumatec side so probably some biased information ^^
I read once that a digital ballast will use roughly 1.5% more power than the bulb would put out whereas the magnetic ballast would use 10 to 15% more power (which would be 100 to 150w for the 1000w bulb).
I read it on the lumatec side so probably some biased information ^^
Mag ballasts are old technology (90-100 years?), they are as good as they are ever going to get. But, they are solid, reliable, and last a long time (properly vented). Eballasts have a lot of potential and a few companies are manufacturing products that are starting to live up to that potential. But, the technology is still relatively new and many companies take advantage of consumers by turning out crap (in either format) to make as much they can in a short time.
Whichever way you go, go with quality. You will pay more for it up front. But, it will save you a lot of grief down the road.
Whichever way you go, go with quality. You will pay more for it up front. But, it will save you a lot of grief down the road.
The Real McCoy
Member
Bye bye maggies!!
S
sm0k4
Really? You are going to pass along that bunk info as truth? Haha, you might want to recheck your sources of info.
The ballast runs cooler and the bulb will only run hot if its the wrong bulb or wattage. If your bulb burns out you are running an incompatible bulb.
Basically the bulbs are going to use the same amount of power in either system. The selling point has been that the electronic ones don't use extra power due to heat generated by the ballast itself. Therefore it is more efficient to go digital. A magnetic is always going to draw more than it claims, where digitals don't need the extra overhead like magnetics do becuase they run more efficient.
This does not mean digital is better, because we now have a circuit board controlling the light, which can also have flaws.
Some digi ballast manufacturers (mainly cheaper ones) use Chinese electronic components that are made with old tech. and don't have very good quality control standards.
Therefore, you are taking a bit of a chance when buying one.
Its always best to do some research on your own before making a final decision. Both have advantages and disadvantages, so there is no right or wrong, its all in what you want in the end. Magnetics are loud, heavy, big, and run hot. Plus over time they get way more inefficient and burn extra power. No thanks.
SweetNightmare
Active member
<3 lumatek
hippydan
Member
I have a 250w dimmable Lumatek ballast. I absolutely love the thing. The only problem I have with it is that the RF it emits screws with my Nutri-Dip Tri-Meter for pH/TDS/temp. It makes the TDS reading appear about 7x higher than it actually is. The first time I saw my 300ppm water jump to 2100 I almost shit until I put 2 and 2 together and attributed it to the RF from the digital ballast.
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the_baked_chef
I think about getting the lumatek dimable too but i'm scared about the RFs they emit.
They are supposed to be a real security issue when they disturb more than your own ec-meter.
I think one guy here nearly got busted when the disturbances of his lumatek interferred with all the wireless on his block.
Seems like cable companies can find the sources of those interferences...
this would obviously be a mayor point agains digital ballasts.
I do not know whether this issue is still up to date as lumatek developed a new version of its digital ballast...
They are supposed to be a real security issue when they disturb more than your own ec-meter.
I think one guy here nearly got busted when the disturbances of his lumatek interferred with all the wireless on his block.
Seems like cable companies can find the sources of those interferences...
this would obviously be a mayor point agains digital ballasts.
I do not know whether this issue is still up to date as lumatek developed a new version of its digital ballast...
