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Do electronic ballast still interfere with wifi/internet ? ??

wvkindbud38

Elite Growers Club
Veteran
Ok guys first off I'm an old indoor grower that's had a lot of hps/mh ballast in my grows. I even had one of the first electronic Galaxy ballasts. And every time the ballast came on I'd lose internet signal.

Here's the question. I've not ran indoors in nearly 10yrs. I lost all my old indoor stuff in a storage locker. Now I'm wanting to get me a HID light for my basement. Really something cheap preferably a setup likes on amazon....everything included. But I'm wondering if these electronic ballast still interfere with internet/wifi.....I have kids and everybody knows they flip out if internet goes out. But I know there a lot of cheap electronic ballast setups available and just looking for FACTS from SOMEBODY with first hand info about electronic ballast. I'm sorry I'm not wanting to know what your friends buddy said.....if you don't have a electronic ballast and internet of your own I'm not interested in your opinion. Just wanting facts, because the old galaxy I had 8-10yrs ago knocked my internet the sec it came on. I know the magnetic ballast are a lil more expensive and always loved them so if that's kinda what I'm wanting to do. I'm not trying to start a electronic vs magnetic ballast war....but gotta make sure the internet isn't interrupted. I've not seen anything about the newer electronic ballast and the internet issue. I'm more so looking at cheaper electronic ballast....if I'm gonna have to but a expensive new galaxy I'd just go with a magnetic ballast.

Also I always used sunlight supply stuff back when I ran my grow rooms. If I'm gonna buy a magnetic ballast what's some of the better ones guys are using nowadays ????

Again guys I'm looking for HID lighting I'm not wanting LED or CFL. I'm needing the heat from a HID in my basement to keep it a lil warmer this winter. I know LED might be better but it's not on the table I'm only interest in HPS/MH. I used sunlight supply stuff almost 20 yrs magnetic and the lone 600 galaxy I had. But any electronic ballast that's not gonna kill the internet....not costing a lot. I'm looking for info. And what's guys using magnetic wise.....sunlight supply still the best??? What other magnetic ballast brands are you guys using now a days???

Thanks guys, if the electronic cheaper ballast still interfere with internet that fine. I'm good with a old magnetic style ballast.

Please only guys with 1st hand facts about electronic ballast internet problems. I'm open to opinions about magnetic brands and stuff.

Not looking to start a electronic vs led vs hid kinda arguement.
 

Easy7

Active member
Veteran
Magnetic still work and the power hog issue is overstated due to a 10% or so increase in light using a digi ballast.

Hydrofarm has good magentic ballasts. They have a 600w under $100. Their reflectors are also nice.

Digi ballasts are not good unless the grow is in the middle of nowhere and you don't live there or just don't use electronics or have neighbors that do. Galaxy is supposed to be the best with the least radio activity. There are also filters that can cut down on the radio noise.

But then it comes down to complications with lamp compatibility issues and all that. I'd use a magnetic. Just seems people jump on the new product bandwagon with all it's promises of increased yeild, potency or whatever gimmic.

Thing about cmh is the flowers are not dense at all. Might be good for hash, but I like rock nugs for the pipe. Only hps gets that. Led and cmh both lack penitration due to putting out hard light, hps puts out soft light that gets tight nugs.

You can get a magentic ballast and reflector for cheap. They only pull 5% more watts than digi and slightly less light output...but you can sleep tight!
 

Easy7

Active member
Veteran
So much lf the yield is grower curve graded than gear curve graded. Might take a newb a 1k to get what another can do with a 250w.
 

AgentPothead

Just this guy, ya know?
I personally use LED so I have no first hand experience, but as of last year, yes, yes some still do cause RF interference. Ham operators even filed with the FCC last year 4 times over it. https://www.pressherald.com/2017/02...s-are-causing-static-for-ham-radio-operators/ The easiest way to check if yours are causing interference is to tune an AM radio to a station that comes in clearly, then turn your ballasts on and off while you are walking around with the radio. It will be very obvious if they are leaking cause there will be tons of static on the radio that disappears when you disable the ballasts or get out of interference range.
Oops sorry I didn't see you wanted first hand experience only. My bad I can delete this if you want.
 

Bobby Boucher

Active member
I would strongly recommend against using electronic ballasts unless you are growing in a legal climate.

I passed the AM radio test, but.. after a year of just snipping my coax line to avoid confrontation, over and over and over, the cable guy eventually came banging on my door to tell me he knew exactly what I was doing, and that I was disrupting over 600 people with a 600w ballast. He was cool as f*ck and told me to shut down shop immediately before the field techs came to look for "wiring problems" with a sheriff, and also to switch to satellite, altogether.

If you insist on using electronic ballasts, I would first make sure that they aren't made in china. I doubt you'll find a chinese made e-ballast that passes fcc rfi standards. I would then shorten the leads from the ballasts to the hoods as much as humanly possible, probably even mounting the ballasts to the hoods, gavita style, and equip the leads with rfi ferrules. I would then make sure i didn't have any redundant wiring anywhere in my house, and also make sure that my light fixtures were nowhere near any coax, preferably even pulling all the coax out of my house in favor of fiberoptic or satellite.

Or.. just stick to magnetics. :tiphat:
 

wvkindbud38

Elite Growers Club
Veteran
Yea I figured they might have come up with something different in the electronic ballast department.....but I guess things haven't. I loved my old galaxy 600 but it wasn't working with the internet. Everytime it came on the internet went out. I'm probably gonna get a magnetic ballast I guess. What's some other brands guys, I'm mainly just familiar with sunlight supply. Does any other companies making magnetic ballast besides hydro farm and sunlight supply. I'm searching around but only finding sunlight supply...which is fine but I'd like to check out some other brands.

Thanks Agent I'm probably just gonna go magnetic. My basement is kinda cold and I'm just a lot more familiar with magnetic stuff. I'm probably just needing 1light/setup. Mainly just wanting to keep a few moms and maybe small 3-5 plant grow. And something to have to get my outdoor plants a good size to with stand the rain and other things Mother Nature throws at us.

So anybody know of a decent magnetic setup ??? Think I saw one on amazon for under $200 but it's got that crappy hood/ reflector. I believe it's a 1000 watt sunlight supply...think it's switchable. Anybody have one or know if sunlight supply still has good stuff???
 

troutman

Seed Whore
I think the newer one don't cause problems.
I have two 600W Digital Ballasts that run both MH and HPS bulbs.
I like the fact that I can select 50%, 75% and 100% power as well.
According to the manufacturer they don't interfere with RF signals.

This is the kind I have in 600W power.

https://lightenerg.com/products/ballasts/ace.html

If the link doesn't work. Click the address bar in your browser.
Then use backspace to remove the s in https and it should work.
 

Bobby Boucher

Active member
I just go with whatever is highest rated on amazon or ebay at the time as far as ballasts go.

I don't build my own ballasts, but the more reviews I read, the more and more skeptical I become of anything prefabricated until it burns in for a cycle or two.

I think building your own ballast would ultimately be the best way to go to ensure that you have one that wasn't made up of shoddy components, or damaged/defective in one way or another.
 

wvkindbud38

Elite Growers Club
Veteran
I'm probably gonna get a magnetic ballast on amazon. There's pretty decent sunlight supply setup for $150 or so. Like I was saying the reflectors that cheap ass one but it would probably be ok for awhile. Just need a place/ light to start some plants for spring....a few moms. I might grow a few plants this winter. After not growing for some yrs and starting back from scratch. It's kinda hard when you don't have anything, and starting to build back up.
 

Lost in a SOG

GrassSnakeGenetics
Its really hard starting from nothing.. I got cleaned out by some thieves about 7 years back and I'm still getting shit together.. Best of luck with your new grow wvkind bro..
 

wvkindbud38

Elite Growers Club
Veteran
Thanks friend, yes it's rough getting a few supplies back together. Sorry to here about your things getting stold.
 

Raho

Active member
Veteran
I would strongly recommend against using electronic ballasts unless you are growing in a legal climate.

I passed the AM radio test, but.. after a year of just snipping my coax line to avoid confrontation, over and over and over, the cable guy eventually came banging on my door to tell me he knew exactly what I was doing, and that I was disrupting over 600 people with a 600w ballast. He was cool as f*ck and told me to shut down shop immediately before the field techs came to look for "wiring problems" with a sheriff, and also to switch to satellite, altogether.

If you insist on using electronic ballasts, I would first make sure that they aren't made in china. I doubt you'll find a chinese made e-ballast that passes fcc rfi standards. I would then shorten the leads from the ballasts to the hoods as much as humanly possible, probably even mounting the ballasts to the hoods, gavita style, and equip the leads with rfi ferrules. I would then make sure i didn't have any redundant wiring anywhere in my house, and also make sure that my light fixtures were nowhere near any coax, preferably even pulling all the coax out of my house in favor of fiberoptic or satellite.

Or.. just stick to magnetics. :tiphat:
This is right on the money.
Listen to Bobby
 

wvkindbud38

Elite Growers Club
Veteran
Yes I'm not pining for a electronic ballast. Like I said if they still give trouble with internet/wifi it's 100% fine. It's off the table getting electronic now....I've also got a firestix and that's another reason if internet signal is affected. Main reason the kids wouldn't go for 18hrs without internet lol. I'm gonna get me a magnetic ballast.....probably a cheap setup from amazon
 

Bobby Boucher

Active member
I think I got my last 2 ballasts from ebay, probably to avoid having to pay for the hoods.

Looking now I see that I bought from ebay because amazon didn't carry the style of ballast I was already using, and I didn't want mismatched ballasts. I also didn't feel too great about how small the magnetic selection was on amazon.
 

wvkindbud38

Elite Growers Club
Veteran
Yea I saw a few different brands on goggle and watched some stuff on youtube. It's gonna be hard not to get a sunlight supply for me. I've just had great service with them over the yrs. I know there maybe not even made as good as when I had them before. But if I don't change my mind before I get ready to purchase something . I'd probably have to get a 1000 or 600....I'd rather have a switchable magnetic so probably the 1000. I'm not sure if there's a 600 switchable magnetic. Yes the hood with the magnetic trifecta setup is shit but it's a good deal.
 

CannaRed

Cannabinerd
I run one 250w hps magnetic, and one 600w electronic. Niether mess with my wifi signal.

Not sure if it makes difference but I have wifi provided by a satellite dish.

My 600 says that it may interfere with maritime emergency communications. I don't really live that close to water tho!
 
I have 2 - 1000 watt MH / HPS & 1 - 600 watt with digital ballasts & have no internet problems at all. (2-Quantum Ballasts & 1-VivoSun) Not using MH / HPS this grow as I wanted to try LED's so I'm using 3 - 600 watt LED's plus 6-Spotlight LED's for side lighting (28 watts each). So far so good with the LED's as my plants (25 of them) are all about 2' tall after 3 weeks in veg. Got to see what the yield is before I decide whether or not to stick with LED or MH / HPS.
 

green404

Member
I have never had problems with the newer digital ballasts and internet.

I hate the humm... & noise of the magnetic ones.
 

wvkindbud38

Elite Growers Club
Veteran
I never really thought the magnetic huuummm was that bad. The inline fans and oscitalying fans always grounded out the ballast sound. I loved my 600 galaxy but it took out my internet the sec it kicked on. I had internet through the TV:Satalite and cable. I didn't even have a home phone line. But this was at least 8yrs ago maybe longer. Also I had the first galaxy's that come out. I was mainly hoping it wasn't even a question if the electronic ballast still interfere with internet .....but it still seems it kinda like it's always been. Even when electronic first come out a lot of guys said it didn't mess with internet. I was hoping there was something new that prevented this interference. I cant believe after all these yrs that this is still a problem.....
 
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