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Digi Ballast Interfere with household/wireless devices?

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elgwedoloco

Member
OK so I am seriously considering this Digital Ballast:

Lumatek 120/240 Dimmable 1kw

I'm not really keen on running 1kw lights but from what I understand I can slap a 600w bulb(recommended brand of course by manufacture) and just have the adaptability. My biggest issue is that I have heard there will be interference because of the ballast itself. I have no proof to back this up so the question is:

Has anyone ever had this problem?
If so, can you explain?
Which ballast were you using?(please be pretty specific, I'm a noob)
What bulb/lamp were you using and why?
Did it have automatic overheat shut off?(I WANT THIS, IT GETS HOT HERE)

Thanks in advance IC. I can't get off here. been on since like 7:30 and have already learned almost too much.
 
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Iron_Lion

I havent turned on my 1k lumatek yet, but I've run 600w and 250 lumateks for years and havent had any problems. I should also mention my lights are right near my wireless router and tv.

The biggest thing is to make sure the grounding is up to snuff, this means a good ground from the panel to the plug, grounded extension cords, grounded timers and solidly grounded receptacles.

Reason why the ground is so important is so if there is any electrical interference it can have a path to dissipate.

Old houses sometimes have ungrounded receptacles, just something to think about.
 
dansbuds

dansbuds

Retired from the workforce Bullshit
ICMag Donor
Veteran
Yeah i'm in agreement with IL .... i run 2 400watt switchable Lumiteks no more than 6' away from my router & computer which is wireless & have had no probs at all .
 
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elgwedoloco

Member
Iron Lion - Wow thanks I didn't even think about that before. I mean I know how electricity being grounded is important. I specifically have many dealings with bad grounds and car stereos. It only makes sense now that you mention it. Thanks for the advice/info man. This is very helpful info. Keep me posted once you fire that 1k Lumatek if you don't mind.
 
Herbalista

Herbalista

Member
Here's a good one...of the current generation of those Lumateks,the 400's,and 600's should have no RFI;yet the 1ooo's will have local "conspiracy" theorists showing up outside your door telling you "evil" radio waves are coming from your house...JAMMING their favorite conspiracy radio station[on A.M. band]....so I've been told,and now you've been told too.ACK ACK !!
 
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Bud Bug

A few ballast won't be a problem but I know people personally who had problems with RF with one and lots of ballast. How and when it happens is really strange and there are no common things when this happens.

One place was running 15 Lumatek's and you couldn't listen to a radio for about 100' from the house. We tried another brand of digital ballast and the same thing was happening. Ended up having to go with magnetic ballast.

I know someone who ran a digital ballast in an apartment building and every time the ballast went on everyone's cable modem in the building would lose sync/connection. SHAW came into the building when the ballast was running and told my buddy that something weird was happening on the cable line coming from his suite. They wanted to come in but he said let me turn off my new digital aquarium ballast and see what happens. The interference went away and he switch to a magnetic ballast.

Another guy I know was running 5 600W Galaxy's and when they came on everyone in his neighbour hood would lose their cable internet (cable seems more susceptible). Again SHAW did line testing and told him that his line had some weird high frequencies feeding back to the pole. They wanted to come in and see what was up with the cable line but he refused. They put in a high frequency filter on the pole and all went back to normal.

Another guy was running a B-POD with two 1000W Industrial Lighting digitals and his neighbour had problems with receiving radio stations.

My older Lumatek is right be my telephone line that leads to a modem/router and I have no problems. I've also ran Galaxy 600W (same batch as the guy above with the 5) and I had no problems and I've also ran a NextGen 1000/600W and didn't have any problems.

My brother use to run a 600W Lumatek in an apartment building with no issues.

I also know people running from 20-150 Lumatek's with no RF issues. Strange why it happens at some locations. I've been told it mostly likely has to do with the wiring in the house and possibly a bad ground on the house.

Also this place is running three different brand name digital ballast with no issues (Ace/Renegade/Lumatek) http://www.medicalcanna.com
 
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stonedar

stonedar

Macro-aggressor
Veteran
when my 600w lumatek is running I can't listen to my FM tabletop radio. I can't get AM indoors here at anytime so I dunno about AM.
when my ballast is off I have good FM reception.
 
Herbalista

Herbalista

Member
I would suggest...take a portable radio with you to a sales outlet, "try" running the radio beside any interested digital unit,and forget any unit that causes interference.I'm sure some digital units run "clean",and those the consumer should lean towards.
 
Dr Dog

Dr Dog

Sharks have a week dedicated to me
Veteran
It is all got to do with insulation and isolation

Good material and well crafted..no problem, but the issue may not be as much of ballasts problem as it is the device getting the rf interference
 
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elgwedoloco

Member
Bud Bug, Stonedar, Herbalista, & Dr Dog - Crazy information and something to keep in mind for sure. Thank you all for your help.
 
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