Quantum ballast?

Hi, I just seen one of these online and was wondering if anyone on here has used one. it looks really interesting with the adjustable output.1000w for both MH and HPS. I dont know if I care for the fan cooled thing. I just havent heard good results with the little cooling fans that they use in the digital ballast. all thoughts appreciated.

i think they rock, i havent used one yet but i have 2 600's on the way, i like the whole dimming idea and the fact that it will burn both bulbs is a plus, now i can ditch my 250 mh, but yeah from what i have read they are the hottest ballast on the scene right now

thats cool let me know what you think when you get them.

I would also like some opinions on other ballast like futurebrite, galaxy and lumatek. are they worth the money or are you just as well of spending a couple hundred bucks on a cheap one. right now I have 2 older magnetic ballast. one is 1000w mh and the other is for 1000w hps and they havent been used much. I like the looks of the Quantum cause you can change the power output for different stages. I just dont know if I want to use the older style. how much difference is there in electricity use? can you even notice a change? are the new digitals more reliable? I also found a cost calculator on here and am wondering how accurate it is. I would really like to know how much power one 1000w setup is going to use. the calculator say like $2 a day at .08cents a kwh.

.08 per kw is cheap, i could add another light for that, but yeah $60 a month sounds right for 18 hours a day for a light, and yes the digital ballasts are more effiecent and are brighter, they do it by feeding the lamp cleaner, higher frequency power.....or so a local light manufacturer told me, but yeah as far as reliability goes that goes to the core and coil, the guy down at the light shop said he see's 20 year old ballasts come in that dont work and all it is is the cap needs replacing....but here is the flip side, say your new ballast has a 5 year warranty, well in 5 years i think there will be some huge leaps in led technology that those will be the ones to get so it might be time to scrap the ballast all together, but yeah my new quantums will be here in the next few days so for sure ill keep track of them

well guys i just bought 4 of them....they are nice no dought about it...however..they make a shit ton of noise..that fan and a hum that can be herd even when the tv is on....I do have a galaxy as well..and i almost would stay with that one cus it doesn't make any noise... the fan on that quantum is like a small mini jet engine..i wish there was some way to dim that....however idid buy these guys for a flat garden howeve will be using them in My GI grows...like the dimming idea so i can harden off clones and dont need to mess around with smaller lights...for that respect they are good..however with traditional gardening it would be just fine with a strait up 600 cus all you have to do is raise the light...

+1 with naturalhigh. I 've had mine for almost 3 months and love it. it is really nice to be able to drop it down right on top of some clones at like 50% than as they grow bump it up to 100% expanding your coverage. they do wonders on your electicity bill too, starting at 50% then going up save quit a bit.I'll be buying another soon as i harvest. check out www.elitehydro.com they have some really good prices and fair shipping.

polishfalcon420 said:

I would also like some opinions on other ballast like futurebrite, galaxy and lumatek. are they worth the money or are you just as well of spending a couple hundred bucks on a cheap one. right now I have 2 older magnetic ballast. one is 1000w mh and the other is for 1000w hps and they havent been used much. I like the looks of the Quantum cause you can change the power output for different stages. I just dont know if I want to use the older style. how much difference is there in electricity use? can you even notice a change? are the new digitals more reliable? I also found a cost calculator on here and am wondering how accurate it is. I would really like to know how much power one 1000w setup is going to use. the calculator say like $2 a day at .08cents a kwh.

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I got a 600w lumatek...nothing but positive things to say hardly ever gets hot and quiet as can be....

yea there good but remember there a little noisey but super cool and i love the fact you you can dimm them...

BigBub420 said:

I got a 600w lumatek...nothing but positive things to say hardly ever gets hot and quiet as can be....

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the lumatek also has my eye on it. have you ran it 24/7 for like 6 weeks straight at all?

I've heard nothing but good! This will be my next ballast.

any thoghts on fan cooled vs no fan. is there any real benefits either way? also whos got the best deals on quantum ballast?

polishfalcon420 said:

any thoghts on fan cooled vs no fan. is there any real benefits either way? also whos got the best deals on quantum ballast?

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I think an air cooled reflector is the simplest way to control your temps, especially in a tent or growbox

polishfalcon420 said:

the lumatek also has my eye on it. have you ran it 24/7 for like 6 weeks straight at all?

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i got a lumatek 1000watter for $280


lumatek is the best when it comes to digi...point blank, period!!!

comes with that banging ass 5 year warranty too.... quantum aint touching it.

and imho, fans on ballast is just a failure waiting to happen. more moving parts, more problems......

and you dont even wanna imagine if that poor little fans gives out..... i bet that sob will overheat and kill the ballast



but im just saying though...thas my 2 cents...

hell, what do i know?

polishfalcon420 said:

any thoghts on fan cooled vs no fan. is there any real benefits either way? also whos got the best deals on quantum ballast?

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i have one coming soon. i kind of don't like the idea of a fan in the ballast, just one more thing to break. i've always kept a small fan on my ballasts. you can't believe how much cooler they run with a little air blowing over them...

is it possible to make any ballast dimmable? it seems like you could use an external dimmer switch. anyone done this, if so how did you do it?

I'm a noob but for what its worth, I did a fair amount of research and ended up with the Lumatek 400 watt digital ballast to run my 400 watt hortilux bulb. I was told that if you go with the lumatek, to make sure its purple, which is the newest one.

yes the purple and some blue are the newest ones....dont get any other color

The lumateks do look really interesting but the dimmable option on the quantum makes it a hard choice. any input on using a dimmer with the lumatek yet? its gotta be possible you would think unless it is not recommended or something.