Digital Ballast Vs. Analog Ballast

[+Malamute]

The extra juice for startup and the saved power on a digital vs magnetic ballast equals around 10 cents a day.  Seriously.

 

This has always been my big difference between digi and magnetic:

 

Powerhouse magnetic ballasts have an 8 year full warranty.  The best digital ballast just went to 5 year warranty. It has been 3 years warranty for a long time with a partial 2 year warranty on the back end.

 

If the companies aren't even willing to stand behind their products, why should I?

 

I will take the 8 year warranty anyday.  I have used it without issue and I will take the extra 37% extra expected lifetime use.  You are saving money on digital replacements by an average of 3 years by buying powerhouse.  That makes up for the cost of startup I would say. ;-)

[+Malamute]

But let me add,.... digital is getting better.  They are and have made progress.  But let us also remember where digi  came from.

 

1000 watt digi's used to get the police and power company at your house because of interference caused by the ballasts to your neighbours etc.

 

 They have mostly resolved that issue now, but some of the cheaper ones still run some interference.

 

 So digi's started in a place where they might burn down your house due to blub blowouts, get the cops to your house due to electrical interference and lasted years less than a magnetic ballast.

 

But they are much better and getting better and they have resolved many issues so far.

[Petyr]

Another factor is how easy it is to repair mag ballasts.  If you replace the capacitor every few years and the ignitor when needed, there is no reason a ballast can't last a decade or two.  Plus it takes about 5 minutes to repair rather than a couple weeks to send it in to the manufacturer.

[Highlander]

Another factor is how easy it is to repair mag ballasts.  If you replace the capacitor every few years and the ignitor when needed, there is no reason a ballast can't last a decade or two.  Plus it takes about 5 minutes to repair rather than a couple weeks to send it in to the manufacturer.

 

Two thumbs up.  I was just about to post a nearly identical post.

 

I have a couple old HPS ballasts that have stepped up to their duty many times over the past 15 years or so.  These dinosaurs basically have four components:

 

1.  Core:  Even the cheap ones will go for years.

2.  Capacitor:  Costs about $20 to replace.....

3.  Ignitor:  about $15

4.  Wiring.  Cheap wiring...or ballasts that run too hot...make the wire insulation brittle....This is when failures and fire hazards enter into the equation.  Keeping the ballast core cool helps preserve the wiring.  A fully-encased magnetic ballast might look nicer, but it traps the heat inside, which degrades the wire insulation.  For about $140 you can get a ballast where the core is more or less on the exterior - so while the unit might feel hotter to the touch, it isn't trapping heat inside like many others do.  So the wiring lasts longer.

 

You can have about $40 in spare parts on-hand, an electrical multimeter ($10 or so) and some basic instructions and anybody who is just a little handy and patient can keep a magnetic ballast running for years.

 

I have an old Sunmaster (in the kelly green steel case) HPS that I bought in, I think, 1997.  I paid top dollar, but it has never given me a lick of trouble.  Probably 220,000 hours of use and never an issue.  When you get that sort of service and easy repair if needed, it gets hard to think about buying a ballast with circuit board inside.

 

Anybody ever open up a digital ballast?  Every one I've seen has the greenboard completely encased in black epoxy....so it isn't serviceable.

 

Sure, magnetics might run a bit hotter....but take care of them and the good ones will run nearly forever...with maybe a $20 repair every five years.

 

Think about the HIDs in the gymnasium when you were growing up.  They lasted for years and years.  If you can't get a "generation" out of a ballast, then don't buy it. 

 

And if you're concerned about heat.....build a dog house outside and keep your ballasts there.

Edited May 24, 2013 by Highlander

[pergamum362]

I've been googling n what not and so far I have not found a single Unsatisfied gavita user.

[+Malamute]

I've been googling n what not and so far I have not found a single Unsatisfied gavita user.

 

 

 I have heard good things about them myself.

 

 Digi's have definitely improved as they have gone along.

[+Malamute]

Two thumbs up.  I was just about to post a nearly identical post.

 

I have a couple old HPS ballasts that have stepped up to their duty many times over the past 15 years or so.  These dinosaurs basically have four components:

 

1.  Core:  Even the cheap ones will go for years.

2.  Capacitor:  Costs about $20 to replace.....

3.  Ignitor:  about $15

4.  Wiring.  Cheap wiring...or ballasts that run too hot...make the wire insulation brittle....This is when failures and fire hazards enter into the equation.  Keeping the ballast core cool helps preserve the wiring.  A fully-encased magnetic ballast might look nicer, but it traps the heat inside, which degrades the wire insulation.  For about $140 you can get a ballast where the core is more or less on the exterior - so while the unit might feel hotter to the touch, it isn't trapping heat inside like many others do.  So the wiring lasts longer.

 

You can have about $40 in spare parts on-hand, an electrical multimeter ($10 or so) and some basic instructions and anybody who is just a little handy and patient can keep a magnetic ballast running for years.

 

I have an old Sunmaster (in the kelly green steel case) HPS that I bought in, I think, 1997.  I paid top dollar, but it has never given me a lick of trouble.  Probably 220,000 hours of use and never an issue.  When you get that sort of service and easy repair if needed, it gets hard to think about buying a ballast with circuit board inside.

 

Anybody ever open up a digital ballast?  Every one I've seen has the greenboard completely encased in black epoxy....so it isn't serviceable.

 

Sure, magnetics might run a bit hotter....but take care of them and the good ones will run nearly forever...with maybe a $20 repair every five years.

 

Think about the HIDs in the gymnasium when you were growing up.  They lasted for years and years.  If you can't get a "generation" out of a ballast, then don't buy it. 

 

And if you're concerned about heat.....build a dog house outside and keep your ballasts there.

 

 Total

 

 But you do realize,... we are becoming dinosaurs.  Heh.

 

 They are moving to crappy quality "innerds" though for the best magnetic ballasts.

 

 Powerhouse has fallen in and gone with aluminum cores and are dropping their warranty to 5 years as I understand.

 

 Sad days...

 

 But when you can get a 1k switchable magnetic ballast for like $100 nowadays,... they are dam near 3 year disposable worthy. And they are the ones with the outside baring and stays cooler,.... just the parts are cheaper...

 

 Those "SG" ballasts.

[pergamum362]

I bought a new light about a year ago as a package and they gave me an "sg" ballast...I opened it...looked at it..took it back and payed an extra 50 bucks for a hydro farm mag ballast.

[GrassMonkey]

Thanks for the info everybody!

 

I figured there wasn't much for savings, but had to check into anyways.

[Dlo]

Two thumbs up. I was just about to post a nearly identical post.

 

I have a couple old HPS ballasts that have stepped up to their duty many times over the past 15 years or so. These dinosaurs basically have four components:

 

1. Core: Even the cheap ones will go for years.

2. Capacitor: Costs about $20 to replace.....

3. Ignitor: about $15

4. Wiring. Cheap wiring...or ballasts that run too hot...make the wire insulation brittle....This is when failures and fire hazards enter into the equation. Keeping the ballast core cool helps preserve the wiring. A fully-encased magnetic ballast might look nicer, but it traps the heat inside, which degrades the wire insulation. For about $140 you can get a ballast where the core is more or less on the exterior - so while the unit might feel hotter to the touch, it isn't trapping heat inside like many others do. So the wiring lasts longer.

 

You can have about $40 in spare parts on-hand, an electrical multimeter ($10 or so) and some basic instructions and anybody who is just a little handy and patient can keep a magnetic ballast running for years.

 

I have an old Sunmaster (in the kelly green steel case) HPS that I bought in, I think, 1997. I paid top dollar, but it has never given me a lick of trouble. Probably 220,000 hours of use and never an issue. When you get that sort of service and easy repair if needed, it gets hard to think about buying a ballast with circuit board inside.

 

Anybody ever open up a digital ballast? Every one I've seen has the greenboard completely encased in black epoxy....so it isn't serviceable.

 

Sure, magnetics might run a bit hotter....but take care of them and the good ones will run nearly forever...with maybe a $20 repair every five years.

 

Think about the HIDs in the gymnasium when you were growing up. They lasted for years and years. If you can't get a "generation" out of a ballast, then don't buy it.

 

And if you're concerned about heat.....build a dog house outside and keep your ballasts there.

[Dlo]

^^^ Is there a good tutorial vid on this?^^^

Edited May 29, 2013 by Dlo

[cristinew]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VZqgDA9852QHere is the Answer  Digital all the way  for the plants , they both cost the same to run,, but it is the plant we are looking out for,,http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VZqgDA9852Q

Edited June 5, 2013 by cristinew

[semicaregiver]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VZqgDA9852QHere is the Answer  Digital all the way  for the plants , they both cost the same to run,, but it is the plant we are looking out for,,http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VZqgDA9852Q

The tester in the video seemed to have all the toys to do a good comparison. One short coming to this test is he used different bulbs. He mentions at the end that he used "similar" bulbs. I would assume he used the same model and brand, but do we have any info on variability of bulbs? From his set up he could have easily used the same bulb.

[cristinew]

I use the High Par Bulbs   at  340 he says he is using the idinacal  bulbs

[phaquetoo]

Digi's wear bulbs faster and any lumens gained is lost twice as fast due to bulb wear. So over the course of a 1 year bulb life,... it equals out. ;-)

 

Overall, you won't save more or get enough lumens to make any difference. Heat I guess.

 

We are talking coffee money at best here.

Ive got an hps/mh digital and it usese a 600/400 watt bulbs, I also have an hps 600 watt ballast, the digital went thru 2 600 watt hps bulbs last yr, in fact it was less than a yr, one i got off of ebay and one i got from the closest hydro store to me, Oh man it pissed me off, them are like 85 dollar bulbs! I know im gonna move my ballast around, mean time I was forced to use flouros for veg, Im thinking of trying the 400 watt digital on the veg and moving the 600 watts hps to my bud room, It just p i s s ed me off to know end to go thru 2 bulbs in less than a yr, im just getting ready to change over my room, so I will prob get and mh ballast for my veg and save the digital for a backup!

 

 

Peace

Jim

[garyfisher]

ive noticed my hortilux bulbs turning black from my digital ballasts.  This didnt happen on magnetic ballasts

[cristinew]

Many  topics on other forums about Hortulx  lamps  and digital ballast,,, if you run digital  try the high par lamps that are made for them,,, 

1. Digi-Lux Dual-Spec!   lumatek high par    ect

[cristinew]

 hortilux bulbs  are made for  the old magnetic ,,,they did not change 

[kak1963]

i use these with no problems with mine...  Agro sun red sodium

AgroSun Red Sodium

[pergamum362]

Yah..I put a hortux blue eye in my digi, burnt out within 3 months.so pissed when that happen...bulb cost more than the dmn ballast.never again, digilux for digi ballast...such a waste.

[+Malamute]

Improper bulbs in digital ballasts is near the top reason for grow room fires now.

[ozzrokk]

Improper bulbs in digital ballasts is near the top reason for grow room fires now.

 

 

Are you saying that a hortilux bulb is not SAFE in a digital ballast?

[+Malamute]

Well, here is an explanation by Hortilux:

 

 

 

Do HORTILUX lamps work on electronic/digital ballasts?

HORTILUX lamps work equally well as any competitive brand on electronic ballasts. Performance really depends on the quality of the electronic ballast and the ability of the ballast manufacture to produce consistently good products.

Magnetic, core and coil ballasts are made to conform to ANSI Standards. ANSI is the American National Standards Institute that establishes specifications on how specific HID lamps are to perform electrically. This designation ensures that all lamp brands work interchangeably on the ANSI compatible ballasts. For example, all major brand LU1000 lamps comply with ANSI S52, and when matched with a ballast designated ANSI S52, the consumer is assured the lamp and ballast are matched correctly. All major lamp brands currently comply with these ANSI standards, and have for decades.

Most electronic ballasts do not comply with ANSI ratings. This means that each e.ballast brand can be different.

Compound this with actual variations in the production runs from the same manufacturer/ brand and you can see why system dependability is easily compromised. These are clearly NOT lamp issues but ballast challenges to be improved upon. If you chose to operate our lamp on a ballast that does not meet these ANSI specifications, lamp life and performance MAY be dramatically reduced. Since the quality of artificial light is paramount to successful plant photosynthesis and optimum growth, it would seem ill-advised to compromise lamp performance in favor of unproven ballast technology.

[+Malamute]

Digital ballasts aren't as safe is what the problem has been.

 

 They have been getting better.

[cristinew]

HORTILUX   will not admit that their  bulbs are not made for digital ballast,,,,, but i advise you to use a bulb that is make for them,,