best ballasts???

European wiring? Please explain. Iam not familiar with European wiring?

If you look on your ballast most will tell you the amp draw at 110 and 220 volt. Take it from there. I have no clue what u mean by "European Wiring."

They use 220 in Europe right out of every wall outlet anywhere..we use 110

kermit2692 said:

So a normal circuit is 15amps right? So if I need to run 30 amps I can just use European wiring and boom I get double amps lol that can't be right. Does the whole electric panel need requiring to turn to 220? if you don't want to explain this shit I can look it up when I need to just making conversation

Click to expand...

Just the wiring and fuse (circuit) from that slot in the breaker box can be 220 (like a clothes dryer or electric stove - the double stack breakers - 30 amp or 50 amp). And yes.... Anything at say 6 amps at 110v is now 3 amps at 220v. Double the amouny of lamps that 220 cicuit can run. Thats the sweet part about it and why mulitple lamp growrooms usually run at that voltage with relay boxes and a trigger cord hooked to a timer to turn them all on. Its simple to hook up also.

Amps x Volts = Watts
9.09a x 110v = 1000w
4.54a x 220v = 1000w
The same 1000w lamps uses half the Amps on 220v

Electrical wire is rated on maximum Amps. So the same wire can run twice the equipment (Watts) on double the voltage.
12g wire is rated at 20 amps.
20a x 110v = 2200 watts
20a x 220v = 4400 watts
U could switch an existing 110v to a 220v just by replacing the single pole breaker in your box with a double pole and use the old neutral (white) as the new hot (red), but u must replace every outlet on that circuit with a 220v outlet and make sure there isn't anything else on it. Generally its much easier to just run a new wire for the 220v.

This^^^^^^ explains it much better than i can.

Interesting.. Is there a higher chance of fire? Shouldn't be just a thought... Why isn't the whole world wired this way then? It doesn't seem that your bill is affected in any way in that model correct? If I were starting with an empty metal building the seemingly best way to set up electricity would be wire the whole place 220 except for the front office room? Basically all in all this change only allows more power by taking the wire to its potential and that is the extent of the benefit, less breakers? Thanks, always good to learn about electricity my limited knowledge has come in handy in the past as it is!

No higher risk of fire. In fact ballasts tend to run a little cooler on 220v. Also, no ur bill is based on kilowatt hours. 1KWH = 1000w running for 1 hour. same at any voltage. very common misconception tho. u will want access to 110v outlets for small appliances (fans, co2 burners, small dehumidifiers, pumps) as many of these are not (easily) available in 220v.

patrickkawi37 said:

Stay away from de with 7 foot ceiling . Maybe 600/750'gavita. I had good luck with those under 8 feet ceiling . I prefer lumatek and nanolux ballasts . Quantum is dogshit I have a bunch of them I'm slowly trying to swap out

Click to expand...

I have no alliance to Quantum but mine has been running a 600 for 1.5 years without issue and the friend who suggested it has a couple going on 4 years. I too have been thinking about a backup, however. Can you elaborate on your Quantum complaint?

Ive noticed higher failure rates from Quantum ballasts from friends back in the day compared to other ballast brands. The Next Gen ballasts from C.A.P. before they went under were very shitty. That company was ran into the ground by the slickster owner. There were alot of carpetbagger types trying to slide into the "industry" and there still are. Alot like the seedy business of selling seeds.

bravedave said:

I have no alliance to Quantum but mine has been running a 600 for 1.5 years without issue and the friend who suggested it has a couple going on 4 years. I too have been thinking about a backup, however. Can you elaborate on your Quantum complaint?

Click to expand...

They flicker on start up, they don't look as crisp as a nanolux or a lumatek to eye . I haven't broke one but if I could have different ballasts I would. All personal preference I guess

Gquebed said:

My digital dimmable Lumatek is 5 years old now. Seems to be working fine, but I don't know how much longer it will last so I should get a new one and maybe keep the old Lumatek as a back up.

So what are the best ones out there now? Maybe go DE (I have a 9X5 space 7ft high)??? I have a newer Gavita dimmable 1000, which is pretty good.

Price doesn't matter much... I want good quality, reliability, low RF...etc.

Suggestions?

Click to expand...

Lumatek is great, I hear they work for five plus years

Gquebed said:

My digital dimmable Lumatek is 5 years old now. Seems to be working fine, but I don't know how much longer it will last so I should get a new one and maybe keep the old Lumatek as a back up.

So what are the best ones out there now? Maybe go DE (I have a 9X5 space 7ft high)??? I have a newer Gavita dimmable 1000, which is pretty good.

Price doesn't matter much... I want good quality, reliability, low RF...etc.

Suggestions?

Click to expand...

Lumatek is great, I hear they run for five plus years.

Gquebed said:

My digital dimmable Lumatek is 5 years old now. Seems to be working fine, but I don't know how much longer it will last so I should get a new one and maybe keep the old Lumatek as a back up.

So what are the best ones out there now? Maybe go DE (I have a 9X5 space 7ft high)??? I have a newer Gavita dimmable 1000, which is pretty good.

Price doesn't matter much... I want good quality, reliability, low RF...etc.

Suggestions?

Click to expand...

Lumateck works fine for years wouldnt worry if its only 5 years old.

My cousin has supposedly shitty digital greenhouse brand ballasts from htg. 6 600 watters going on 7 years straight. She has no complaints.

If you want lowest rf possible your going to have to go with attached ballast like the pro greenhouse fixtures from Gavita or P.L. Double ended if you can afford it for maximum efficiency. These lamps truly are the best of the best out there if you can handle room heat. Gavita makes the 6/750 flex for low ceiling rooms. And the controller they make for them is pretty handy.

Well.... that may be. But... should have a back up though...

hellmutt bones said:

Lumateck works fine for years wouldnt worry if its only 5 years old.

Click to expand...

Is lumatek the quietest ballast on the market? I'm looking for quiet with no built in fan. Does that mean I'm limited to magnetic ballasts? Thanks

hellmutt bones said:

Lumateck works fine for years wouldnt worry if its only 5 years old.

Click to expand...

Is lumatek quiet? I'm looking for a quiet ballast.

I give up.

Thanks for the information!! Always good to know more!

patrickkawi37 said:

They flicker on start up, they don't look as crisp as a nanolux or a lumatek to eye . I haven't broke one but if I could have different ballasts I would. All personal preference I guess

Click to expand...

Appreciate the response, but you go from "dogshit" to the above? Kind if a wide range of review. .

I know another reason I felt comfortable with Quantum was it had/has a 3 year replacement warranty. I think most others offered one year.

patrickkawi37 said:

They flicker on start up, they don't look as crisp as a nanolux or a lumatek to eye . I haven't broke one but if I could have different ballasts I would. All personal preference I guess

Click to expand...

Another reason I went with Quantum was their 3 year replacement warranty. I think most other similar priced ones only offered 1 year.

I do wish now I got the 1000 and could have run it at 600w in the summer months and 1000 in the winter.

I use PARsource Commercial DE Open System. http://parsource.com/content/parsource-commercial-double-ended-light-system. My ceilings are only 7 feet high so I remote the ballasts for additional height clearance with no RF interference on 8 ballasts. the Open reflectors can be kept closer to the canopy than the Enclosed. just over 2 feet works for me.
With the phantom ballast that comes with the package you can choose to leave ballasts attached or remote them, also these lights dim and boost without changing the output spectrum like Gavitas do.

The 3 year replacement guarantee was the kicker for me in buying Quantum originally. Not disappointed.

For ceilings 8ft or less, you should use this style http://www.hydro4less.io/collections/reflectors/products/e-sun-reflector . The light distribution is a little more spread out to accommodate low ceilings. If you like phantom ballasts, you should checkout the Proflux from the aforementioned website. They come from the same factory, but for a cheaper pricetag. Ive replaced all my previous ballasts with these and only a few have had problems so far.

I run Phantom. Great ballast and no noise at all. Been running it for a couple years with no issues

For low ceilings gavita makes a 600/750 watt double ended that does not mess with the sectrum when using the dial. Thats why they made it. It also isnt as tall of a ballast. These are replacing and exceeding single ended 1000 watt hps yields for me and several grower friends. If you know what your doing and have the rite strains these lamps equal more buds for pess electric bill. Also....if i were to buy a remote digital ballast i would not buy one that had no less of A 5 year warranty. Do they even male bllasts with a one year? Research research research.

TJ baba said:

Is lumatek the quietest ballast on the market? I'm looking for quiet with no built in fan. Does that mean I'm limited to magnetic ballasts? Thanks

Click to expand...

Its quiet and it does have a fan but u wont even know its on. Im assuming ur growing cana so the noise of the filters would be ur concern.

krt1234 said:

I run Phantom. Great ballast and no noise at all. Been running it for a couple years with no issues

Click to expand...

How is it set up or where is it mounted?

hellmutt bones said:

Its quiet and it does have a fan but u wont even know its on. Im assuming ur growing cana so the noise of the filters would be ur concern.

Click to expand...

I don't know what cana is, but I don't have any filters in my grow area. I'm growing cannabis

TJ baba said:

I don't know what cana is, but I don't have any filters in my grow area. I'm growing cannabis

Click to expand...

Tham ur gonna need filters unless u wanna smell like skunk..