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Thread: Digital ballasts or magnetic?

  1. #1

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    Default Digital ballasts or magnetic?

    So do these digital balasts actually give out a genuine equivelent of a 250w,400w from a 600w bulb?

    Or is it better to stick to a dedicated 250w or 400w?

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  3. #2

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    I love my dimmable digi ballasts.

    Means I can flick them down to 400w after transplant, and right at the end of the flush, nice and easy.
    You can dim them while they are on, so if i am having a hot day and exterior ambient temps get a little high I can knock both lamps down to 400w and easily control my temps. Its very quiet and I've never had a problem.

    From what I can remember on the research i did in to them before buying, they can skew the light frequency a little bit on the bulbs, because they are rated to give a certain temp at a certain wattage, and you are not providing that when dimming the ballasts. But from experience I've never had a problem with plant not growing, and would recommend them.

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  5. #3

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    Lumitek do great ballasts and bulbs
    You will lose a bit of spectrum when switching
    Between wattages if you don't use the actual
    Bulb for the wattage used



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  7. #4

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    also stick to dimming the hps or dual spec bulbs and not dimming MH bulbs.
    when running MH stick to dedicated bulbs for the matching wattage

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  9. #5

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    Quote Originally Posted by joker_the_smoker View Post
    also stick to dimming the hps or dual spec bulbs and not dimming MH bulbs.
    when running MH stick to dedicated bulbs for the matching wattage
    Like joker says probably best not to dim the MH, it throws them well out, it is blue, when my lights come on I'll grab a picture, its not ideal, but in a pinch its ok for a couple of days.

    I've found it handy on hot days, and I do leave it on 400w for 48hr after transplant to get them settled, and personally I've found it far better than sticking it straight on to 600w

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  11. #6

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    Thankyou chaps, more food for thought.
    Although with the size restrictions i cant possibly use a 600watt

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  13. #7

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    Running a 400w bulb in a 600w ballast, dimmed to 400w, would be fine.

    Just never turn it up. Likes seriously. Never

    If you run a 600w bulb dimmed to 400w it looks like the area on the left, super blue (although it does show up more on camera)




    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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  15. #8

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    Unless a bulb is spexifically designed for dimmable ballasts i wouodnt use it . And using a lower watt bulb say in a larger wattage ballast is asking for an explosion tbh .

    Sent from my LG-H812 using Tapatalk

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