Used ballasts, are they worth it?

As title says. Thoughts? [MH/HPS]

Mrkline006 said:

As title says. Thoughts? [MH/HPS]

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Yes, they don't lose efficiency. But you need to check the capacitor, it is necessary to replace it if it doesn't work properly.


Sometimes if they get old they get a little noisy. Other than that, they can work for decades.



Cheers

Carraxe said:

Yes, they don't lose efficiency. But you need to check the capacitor, it is necessary to replace it if it doesn't work properly.


Sometimes if they get old they get a little noisy. Other than that, they can work for decades.



Cheers

Click to expand...

What I thought, but figured id ask... Digital vs magnetic? Pros\cons?

Mrkline006 said:

What I thought, but figured id ask... Digital vs magnetic? Pros\cons?

Click to expand...

Lots of info here. Use the search function

Used magnetic' s are my best value.

Gry said:

Used magnetic' s are my best value.

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Thanks gry

Carraxe said:

Lots of info here. Use the search function

Click to expand...

Also, i did. 1 post came up that was written and asked in 2011 when searching "magnetic vs digital"

I wouldn't go for a digital. They are too expensive and the cheap ones never last. And the kind of wave they generate is too much for most of the lamps.

Yea I got most of mine from the flea market for a dollar..... all work well

Ran 24kw of magnetic 1000w ballasts purchased used for $20 each a few years ago, the only ballast i ever had catch on fire was the one purchased new lol.

Thanks all

Damn I've been looking for some older sunlight supply magnetics.....or you can find the older ones that's new or almost new. I don't like the digital/electronic ballast because I had a Galaxy 600 and it knocked my WiFi signal and shit. At least these old reliable magnetic ballast are dependable and I'm not gonna have the cable company on my ass because interference coming from my house. Yes old magnetics seem to give alot of service for many yrs. I usually keep a fan blowing on the ballast to help cool them, I kinda think this helps to prolong them......just my thoughts. I know digitals are all around better on paper but I've never been a fan. But yes older mags are worth it if you need some ballast of course. But I wouldn't mess around with junk.....if the older ballast have been took care of and not treated like shit I'd say 100% I'd run the things till they seemed to lose efficienty. I think that's the thing with digital or mags.....if they have been took care of and are worth using is the only way I'd use them. I know digital is alot more energy efficient. Just always did ok with older mags

I have seen two magnetise before. At least I think I did. Four from new, ran together for about 7 years. In a room taken out each year for building inspection. Two each side. One year, by chance, two weaker one's went together, and this is how we noticed. Half the room was brighter. Much swapping about later, we realised it was the ballasts, and the watt meter confirmed about 450w not 600w for both. Yet the other two were fine.

Out came the duds, and into storage, later to be muddled up with two others in there. So all four were tested. Fine.

It's very odd. So we gave 4 to the guy wanting two. Along with the story. And he was happy as Larry to find them all working for him. Must be 10 years ago, and I never heard any more.


Old can be 'really' old. Like something your grandad used. Older capacitors are inefficient and were once blamed for most fires. I have never seen a service interval stated on one, but if your kit of knocking on 25 years old, and the capacitors metal canned (electrolytic), then it's surely time to think about it. Dutch greenhouse growers may know the proper figures. Where electric costs are getting silly, long before the kit is dangerous. I have 5 years in my mind, but I don't know where from. It's a situation that has changed over the years anyway, as we have moved from wet to dry electrolytes, or stopped using that tech completely.