i was almost sold today on a switchable ballast that could run 1 1kw or 2 600s Is this a good way to go? Or do you have a favorite best price for good quality digital ballast? A chestnut is neither a chest, nor a nut...discus
I like the dual so you can use it for a bigger or smaller grow depending on the out put needed. Its just like having 2 ballast
Most lamp manufacturers say dont use dimmable or multi watt ballasts as the lamps wont put out correct spectrum and it shortens bulb life
I am curious now, i got a 600w/400w one, i use to use the 400 for veg and 600 for flower, I need to check what the out put is. Gives me a good excuse to buy a volt meter.
Yeah, dimmable multi watt ballasts were huge when digital ballasts first came out, it was supposed to be the best of all worlds, one stop ballasts etc. But bulbs were never designed to meet that function. Hell it took a few years before major brands would even back their warranty if you used digi ballasts due to striking. There maybe speciality bulbs in the market, none that i am aware of though. No one wanted to redesign their lamps after just completing the testing for digital and now hps is moving more to double ended because of led and plasma. Most manufacturers till you flat out just run it at 1000 or 600 etc because the specs of bulb arent going to be right if you dont use recommended wattage, that includes super lumens or 110% power etc
. Or are you refering to where it says it does like 400 w and 400 super lums? I got one that has 250w/400w with a seperate setting for super lums for each. I would switch bulbs when using 250 or 400, i always left setting on super lums
i prefer digital when i used them, the mags were hot and hummed. The digital were quiet and way cooler.
I thought pretty much all ballasts were now being made switchable, even some magnetics. I use 400/600/ super lumens. 600 watt bulb dimmed to 400 watt and once i get more power i can then use them on 600 for low light winter months and 400 for fall and spring when sunlight is medium. Anyway what i understand is they are saying to use the rated bulb for the watts you have it set to, not like i do and put a 600 bulb on the 400 setting. I personally think that is fine but a 1000 watt bulb set to 400 watt i could see not putting out the intended spectrum. Also the supper lumen or turbo setting is for when your bulb is getting to the end of its rated life. You can squeeze a few extra months out of the bulb. (A bulb drops its spectrum output long before it actually goes bad, this is what i mean by end of its rated life)
