600 watt Blooming Bulb for Electronic Ballasts - What's Best?

[DrRabbit]

I'm making the switcheroo from 1,000 watt magnetic ballast blooming to using 600 watts electronic ballasts. Any specific, experience-derived recommendations out there for 600 watt bloom bulbs when using electronic ballasts?

 

[Seamaiden]

I didn't care for how the Lumatek played with my digital ballast, had some firing problems. I prefer Plantmax, but was hella pissed when I saw what was once a $12 bulb is now approaching $30. If your digi is switchable, you can use MH, but there aren't a lot of 600W MH bulbs out there, choices are limited.

I can't speak to the higher cost brands & bulbs, too cheap.

 

[DrRabbit]

Anyone out there with a non-marketing argument for spending the dough for a Bad Ass 600 watt HPS for digital use?

Our electricity rates are high, so I'm trying to maximizes my bang. So is spending an extra $30 (or so, depending on the alternative) worth it?

 

[orbad]

I'd like to know the same thing. I've been running mine for almost a year Nd I want to change it before this next round.

I'm guessing it would be better to run the cheaper one and change slightly more frequently.

 

[Seamaiden]

I think you'll be using 600W no matter what, I'm not sure what the ballast itself can do in terms of saving you the doe-ray-mee on the power consumption.

I missed the ship-out from 100bulbs. I'm getting the fucking Plusrites. Should have read just a wee bit more about them before ordering.

 

[Wbwidow]

Ive heard of 2 brandz that work good I think sunmasters 1 of them. the other being digilux I plan on giving them run soon.

 

[DrRabbit]

I think sunmasters 1 of them.

Sunmaster is what I've used with magnetic ballasts. They are good, but I did get one that formed an off-axis hot spot, causing it to fail early. These were their 1,000 watt HPS bulbs.

 

[Sunmaster]

Sunmaster is what I've used with magnetic ballasts. They are good, but I did get one that formed an off-axis hot spot, causing it to fail early. These were their 1,000 watt HPS bulbs.

This lamp that formed the hot spot. Do you know if you purchased a positional bulb? We carry an assortment of horizontal and vertical lamps. This lamp could of been positioned improperly causing the issue.

~Sunmaster