Lighting Magnetic or digital please reply
- Thread starter conservativegro
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Mr.Fastcast
Member
FreedomFightr
Member
Not sure if its been said but I think its Sunlight supply has a new Mag Ballast that's a DBL 1,000 watt. They price is like buying 1mag ballast and get getting the 2nd one half off. Its brandnew so not sure if there are any problems? But you can run 2k off it thru 1 ballast. Kind of cool.
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ak-51
My problem with mag ballasts wouldn't be so much that there was a hot component in my growroom, but more than an excessive amount of waste heat was being generated in my growroom; a problem that cooling the ballast doesn't really solve. It just transfers the heat to the growroom quicker.
i used to, but my transformer malfunctioned.
no chance of remote ballasting them outside the growroom?
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ak-51
I would try that if I were running magnetic ballasts still. Back when I ran one I kept it outside of my grow tent, but it was still heating the room.
Right now I'm only running digital ballasts on 240v so it's a non-issue.
I'm still pretty surprised that a magnetic ballast will run hotter on 240v.
Right now I'm only running digital ballasts on 240v so it's a non-issue.
I'm still pretty surprised that a magnetic ballast will run hotter on 240v.
They don't. The transformer runs cooler when powered by 240V because the primary current in the transformer is halved.
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ak-51
That makes sense to me because of the reduced amperage necessary, and I know that's how my digital ballasts work. This dude indicated the opposite was true:
digital all the way.
my main reason is they are safer and cooler
how are they safer?
many brands have a feature thats called Cut-off circuitry
Lumatek E-Ballasts cuts off when a short is detected; for ultimate safety. Also has a built in feature that when i short occurs it will wait 30 minutes before re-igniting, cause everyone knows the bulb can't be powered up more than once in 30 minutes without damage...
Lumatek E-Ballasts cuts off when a short is detected; for ultimate safety. Also has a built in feature that when i short occurs it will wait 30 minutes before re-igniting, cause everyone knows the bulb can't be powered up more than once in 30 minutes without damage...
they have OPEN circuit protection but believe me if they go short they go up in smoke
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ak-51
I've heard more horror stories about magnetic ballasts catching on fire; of course that's all hearsay in addition to being anecdotal.
i've seen them handle a power outrage just like they say it should. I didn't ignite the bulb when power came back on in 6 minutes. It safely waited half an hour before re-striking the bulb.
the only time a hot start is a big problem is if you have a underrated flip attached to the ballast
skunktoker
Member
used magnetic for over 25 years worked great been using digital now for over 6 years and would never go back to mag....however either will work just fine ......ST
