Who makes your favorite Magnetic Ballasts?

[vostok]

Your first post mentions Gavita--that's professional quality.

Myself, I buy the Advance (Philips) kits NOS (new old stock) off ebay and build 'em myself in NEMA metal enclosures. It's good to know your limitations--I'm not recommending kits for electrical newbies.

I do have a Hydrofarm Powerhouse 600w which works great but someone posted a picture of a burnt "lock and seal" lamp cord connector. I wire my kits straight to the lamp which avoids that possibility.

Interesting Post, ...you got a link or a tutorial? or pix?

 

[watts]

The original sun system 1, not 2, is the best magnetic ballast in my opinion. Uses high quality USA parts (Advance by Phillips). If you want a good ballast for less $ then I highly recommend xtrasun ballast. I have several of them and they have never given me problems.

Make sure you replace capacitors every 2-3 years on magnetics if you use them every day.

 

[FlowerFarmer]

Most magnetic ballast manufacturers are using the same components within. You are really just choosing brand/case style & features/ cordset type.

Or at least they used to be mostly all Advance or SYLVANIA components. Things might have changed the last few years as we've seen an increase in copper prices. Seems most have switched over to aluminum transformers (poorer conductor) in favor of cost.


If you're truly looking for something quality I'd seek out a Copper transformer. I believe PowerHouse ballasts still employ copper, which is why they are more expensive then most others.

The models which seperate the transformer area from the ignitor/capacitor area also are supposed to prolong component life, but I've seen many failures from both types.

 

[Pinball Wizard]

Does a magnetic ballast carry a stored electrical charge after it's been unplugged?

 

[watts]

most magnetics actually have Chinese transformers and capacitors, now anyways.

ANd pinball, I beleive so

Sun System 1 is the only ballast i know of that uses advanced transformer and capacitor.

 

[FlowerFarmer]

Pinball,


The capacitor is holding the charge.
One should short the leads before working on one to be sure that it is dis-charged.

 

[Tyga]

Xtra sun ballasts have always treated me right! In the garden and in the pocket.

 

[watts]

xtrasun uses advanced capacitors but a chinese transformer... so far they have been trouble free for me as well. Very good price but the only thing I hate is you have to buy an adapter if using sun system lamp cords.

 

[FlowerFarmer]

I'm a hydrofarm guy as well. Their stuff has never done me wrong over the years.


That said, one needs to remember that these types (brand of components) of things are changing constantly as a result of expense and availability.
One manufacturers ballast of (ex. 2004) might not necessarily be the same thing someone is buying today in 2013.


Everything seemingly used to run Advance( Phillips), SYLVANIA, Venture, Keystone... so I'd look for something along those line, which actually might prove harder then it sounds. If you're really concerned about getting quality magnetic ballast I agree with LeeROI, buy the components and build your own if you're capable of such a task.

 

[old grunt]

I have 2 hydrofarms, 1mh and 1hps both 1k that I got in 1999 they both still seem to work fine and I keep them as backups for 2 1k xtrasun switchables that I picked up about 3 years ago,they work fine to.

 

[donmekka]

I am running 600 watt Miami ballast only 99$ has 110v and 220 outlets and switch between hps and mh so far so good

 

[veek]

gavita

 

[BasementGrower]

got 4 sun systems 1000 switchables.. and 1 xtra sun that are in use that work great.. and got 6 sun system 1000s switchables in boxes .. waitin to be used.

 

[guyyug]

RF interference problem for me with new phantom. Drove an 8' ground rod into moist ground with an isolated circuit, still knocked out my dsl modem on other end of house. The only thing I could figure is it is going through the electrical wiring. I did not try any type of shielding or anything different, except replaced with a magnetic, problem went away. Did not troubleshoot further as I could not know what else in the vicinity it could be affecting and was not worth the risk, dimming feature was really cool and I wanted it to work :-(