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cops are onto RFI-AM radio and elec. ballasts

growshopfrank

growshopfrank

Well-known member
Veteran
One way that a digital ballast maker could filter out RFI from the power cord and service would be to add some capacitance (capacitors) before the switching transistors in the circuit but that would ad to the cost so...
With the ham radio guy he is way more concerned about folks calling the FCC about him interfering with their electronics

I gave up on using digital ballasts that are over 600W mainly because they interfered with the home automation gear that I am using this is after trying several different "off the shelf" remedy's
 
B

bluerock

Member
Running a Gavita 1000w Digistar w/HPS DE (about 82,000 frequency and 15' lamp cord), I did not experience any problems with either my wireless internet or my satellite internet (which is tied to a wireless hub). I tested the speeds as well, no issues. I also made sure that there were no parallel cables in power cord, same for lamp/power cord, and same for lamp cord and no looping anywhere. No cable TV here, so I cannot speak for that. Also tried AM radio test (from the location of the radio, about 5' away but through drywall...could not detect anything.
 
whadeezlrg

whadeezlrg

Just Say Grow
Veteran
bluerock- you're saying that the routing of the cables has an effect on RFI? so running all cables neatly/zip tying them together, looping the excess is not a good idea?

the HAM guy just makes me nervous, because he's an old fart with a lot of time on his hands, and is at least semi-intelligent to be involved in that type of hobby...but that's just probably me being unnecessarily timid and pnoid.

sometimes I guess you just gotta "do your thing man phuck what they lookin at"
 
B

bluerock

Member
whadeezlrg said:
bluerock- you're saying that the routing of the cables has an effect on RFI? so running all cables neatly/zip tying them together, looping the excess is not a good idea?

the HAM guy just makes me nervous, because he's an old fart with a lot of time on his hands, and is at least semi-intelligent to be involved in that type of hobby...but that's just probably me being unnecessarily timid and pnoid.

sometimes I guess you just gotta "do your thing man phuck what they lookin at"
Click to expand...

Yes, the routing of cables is important. Not just for RFI, I believe I read that it can shorten the life of the electronics as well.

1. No looping, none. Either spread the cable out or shorten it.
2. No parallel of power cable and lamp cord. Either in combo or individually.

All digital ballasts produce RFI. However, it is not much until you get into the high frequency ballasts that are typically used for DE bulbs. The two ballasts that the HAM guys jumped on were the jacked up Lumatek and the Micromole (now known as the Gavita Digistar). At the time, these were intended for SE bulbs. I believe that both ballasts are now internally shielded (a big improvement), but Lumatek is kind of a thing of the past...and irrelevant.

Hydrofarm briefly marketed a competitive ballast to the Digistar. However, as the RFI issue became more "news", they discontinued that model out of FCC worries. Today, their "high frequency" model Phantom is labeled "Commercial Use Only" and is intended strictly for DE bulbs.
 
W

watts

ohms
Veteran
Maybe you should consider those Gavita Pro 6/750e DE Flex, whadeez. Don't think they give off RFI since the reflector is attached to the ballast.
 
whadeezlrg

whadeezlrg

Just Say Grow
Veteran
I'm planning on eventually swapping out 3k hps with 6 of the gavita flex's, but honestly I can't drop the coin on the lights and the upgrade at AC at the moment, which is a big reason I want to get digi ballast for the mean time...I want to eliminate any limiting factors in my room just so I can actually be able to go out and drop 6-7k to upgrade to the flex's...I've done okay yield wise with the cheapest mag ballasts for close to 10 years, but I'm just trying to make everything as absolutely efficient as possible in the new build.

plus my ballasts will be mounted in the "auxiliary" portion of the container that the reservoirs are in...that area doesn't have any kind of hvac. So, I'm also planning on going digi for the simple fact that they wont be 150 degree bricks that just add more heat to the entire environment...
 
whadeezlrg

whadeezlrg

Just Say Grow
Veteran
blue rock- so you just shouldn't run the lamp cord parallel with the power cord, but it is ok to have parallel running lamp cords, and parallel running power cords? or am I misunderstanding you?

what about trigger cords for controllers? no looping of them either?

my bad if I seem clueless, I've been running my lamp cords zip tied together for years, and have always looped the excess...many times on the lamp cords even!?! but I've also been running mag ballasts forever...so this is all kinda new to me.
 
N

noyd666

see lots of grows on here with there excess length all coiled up neat, all cords in oz I have come across have stated to uncoil ,do not coil in use. extension cords ,welding etc. I know my gavita knocks my monitor out soon as start up. can tell when lights goes out the monitor comes back on. 60 metres away. cords should not be tied together . heat , interference.
 
B

bluerock

Member
The lamp cord is the much bigger deal since it is carrying the high frequency output. Paralleling it with either itself or the power cord creates feedback issues.

I have found that "standard" type digital ballasts do run cooler than magnetics. However, the high frequency digital ballasts run very hot on a 120VAC supply. They are really designed for 240VAC supply and the step-up power transformation process at 240VAC generates less heat at the ballast.
 
whadeezlrg

whadeezlrg

Just Say Grow
Veteran
ok got it. what about one lamp cord from one ballast parallel with another lamp cord from another ballast? not sure if I was completely clear with the last post...

I only run my lights on 240v...there are many benefits of doing so...and I'm also under the impression that 240v is necessary in order to get the full spectrum and PAR out of the high frequency 400v output DE lights
 
Morcheeba*

Morcheeba*

Well-known member
Veteran
ChasingGreen said:
Is there anything to worry about with this running (2) 600w digital lumatek's?
Click to expand...

you can get an AM radio to test if you have any interference. tune a station in and as you get closer to interference the signal fades to static.

dont coil or roll up excess cord...that will amplify any feedback.

i would worry until i proved my ballast wasnt causing problems.


peace
 
the gnome

the gnome

Active member
Veteran
Morcheeba* said:
i would worry until i proved my ballast wasnt causing problems.
peace
Click to expand...

sage advice cheeba,
don't wait til trouble finds you.
what really gets your attention is get in the car
and drive down the street

turn on the AM radio and tune it to a clear station and drive back to your grow slowly, pull up as close to the door as possible.
it was an eye opening experience for me :nono:
 
ChasingGreen

ChasingGreen

Member
Morcheeba* said:
you can get an AM radio to test if you have any interference. tune a station in and as you get closer to interference the signal fades to static.

dont coil or roll up excess cord...that will amplify any feedback.

i would worry until i proved my ballast wasnt causing problems.


peace
Click to expand...

Do you have to have a bulb attached to the ballast for it to do the interference? I want to test it by plugging it in and unplugging it etc, but that would be a whole nother process if I have to have a bulb plugged in and wait for it to cool down, etc.
 
Morcheeba*

Morcheeba*

Well-known member
Veteran
ChasingGreen said:
Do you have to have a bulb attached to the ballast for it to do the interference? I want to test it by plugging it in and unplugging it etc, but that would be a whole nother process if I have to have a bulb plugged in and wait for it to cool down, etc.
Click to expand...

im not sure about that, my bulbs were in and going when the cable tech's were in my hood and pinpointed my place. as soon as i shut them down their test equipment showed the interference gone.


peace
 
Catatafish

Catatafish

Active member
Veteran
Correct me if im wrong but im pretty sure your not supposed to plug the ballast in without a bulb connected. Think it says so in the instructions. Definitely test with the radio in the car.
 
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