E-Ballast Poll

  • Thread starter dedust
  • Start date
  • Tagged users None

Which eballast do you use?

  • Galaxy

    Votes: 6 11.1%
  • Lumatek

    Votes: 21 38.9%
  • NextGen

    Votes: 3 5.6%
  • Quantum

    Votes: 24 44.4%

  • Total voters
    54
HeadGrow

HeadGrow

272
63
It's not so much about where the capacitors, microchips, and other micro-components are made but more about how those parts are put together into proprietary circuits. (Ever try to find out how the protection circuits or anything works inside a ballast? cuz i haven't been able to find anything) Any company with a little electrical background could build a ballast that turns a light on. It takes the research and experience to know how to design the circuit to turn that bulb on and make it burn at peak efficiency at all times. Things have come a long way since magnetic ballasts. That's why some of the knock off cheap competitors might not be the best choice of ballast. But if they've been working for ya then more power to ya.
 
C

cymbaline

78
8
That might be true if most of these ballasts didn't roll off the same factory lines.
Don't doubt they can't reverse engineer something as well as just label the same
item a different name.
For some buying the name brand is definitely the way to go.
You walk into your grow store buy the ballasts and if something goes wrong it's pretty
much return and replace locally. Which is worth its weight in gold for that convenience.
With the chinese ones good luck trying to warranty it (if you even can), but on the other hand buy 2 for the price and you have a backup.
Mostly I was just razzing the OP over the lack of the "generic" option haha :P
 
motherlode

motherlode

@Rolln_J
Supporter
5,524
313
lol they dont have to reverse engineer anything - in most cases these chinese manufacturers have the contracts - its not like these things are top secret or even patented

like I said they make the ballast - you buy them in quanity and they put whatever name on it youd like
 
D

dedust

65
0
That might be true if most of these ballasts didn't roll off the same factory lines.
Don't doubt they can't reverse engineer something as well as just label the same
item a different name.
For some buying the name brand is definitely the way to go.
You walk into your grow store buy the ballasts and if something goes wrong it's pretty
much return and replace locally. Which is worth its weight in gold for that convenience.
With the chinese ones good luck trying to warranty it (if you even can), but on the other hand buy 2 for the price and you have a backup.
Mostly I was just razzing the OP over the lack of the "generic" option haha :P

haha.. i agree with you. i don't think you can beat the convenience of returning defects to an actual store.
 
D

dedust

65
0
lol they dont have to reverse engineer anything - in most cases these chinese manufacturers have the contracts - its not like these things are top secret or even patented

like I said they make the ballast - you buy them in quanity and they put whatever name on it youd like

would that apply to the quantums and lumateks as well?

so from what you're saying, these chinese manufacturers supply the parts, but are ultimately put together by someone here in the good ole' usa? if that's the case, i'm willing to bet that the chinese ballasts don't have too strict guidelines to follow. just a thought...
 
G

Genius Genetics

325
0
Lumatek rock!! Get the one's that have the super lumens switch or the newer model with the dimmer switch and you wont be dissapointed.
Plus you carnt beat the guarante/warranty its 3 years full + 2 years prorated the best in the industry and the rf shielding is unbeatble!
 
P

PoopyCoopy

116
18
having dealt in the electronics industry i can tell that there is a lot of counterfeit goods out there. But then again at the same time a lot of these things are manufactured right in the same plant. I would tend to believe that the eballast HTG sells is just a private label one made prob in the same place as one of the other brand(s)
 
G

Green Supreme

Guest
Lumatek has gotten where it is on the backs of it's paying customers. I can't really call that R&D or good customer service. Period. Peace GS
 
HeadGrow

HeadGrow

272
63
I'd like to see some evidence that Lumatek, Quantum, and Phantom are coming from the same manufacturing plant as any other brand. I'm pretty sure the circuitry design is "top secret" or for better words, illegal to use by a competing company. If these ballast manufactuers went into as much R&D as they claim, to have the top of the line digital ballast, I'm pretty sure they'd put a legal hold on the design. I'm an electrical engineer and out of curiosity i wanted to see how an e-ballast works. I could not find one schematic from any of the leading brands. The only thing I could find was generic details where most components and mico-processors where shown as a "black box". The most important part is the processor inside these devices and I can almost guarantee that you will not find the code behind the processor for any brand.

I'd love to see a real e-ballast schematic if anyone can find one, not a functional diagram but a schematic. Not that I want to reverse engineer it or anything ;)
 
D

dedust

65
0
I'd like to see some evidence that Lumatek, Quantum, and Phantom are coming from the same manufacturing plant as any other brand. I'm pretty sure the circuitry design is "top secret" or for better words, illegal to use by a competing company. If these ballast manufactuers went into as much R&D as they claim, to have the top of the line digital ballast, I'm pretty sure they'd put a legal hold on the design. I'm an electrical engineer and out of curiosity i wanted to see how an e-ballast works. I could not find one schematic from any of the leading brands. The only thing I could find was generic details where most components and mico-processors where shown as a "black box". The most important part is the processor inside these devices and I can almost guarantee that you will not find the code behind the processor for any brand.

I'd love to see a real e-ballast schematic if anyone can find one, not a functional diagram but a schematic. Not that I want to reverse engineer it or anything ;)


so, in your professional opinion, which of the more known brands are reliable? or in fact, which brand period?
 
D

dedust

65
0
the lumateks and quantums are neck and neck on the poll at 12 each. inneresting...
 
G

gudkarma

Guest
cheap chinese knockoffs for 1/3rd of the price.

me too!

i've had no issues with the lumatek knock-offs... & i am on my thrid run with the same ballasts (1 year).

since they are cheap, i do keep an extra as back-up.

imo, and like so many things from batteries to antifreeze, the cheapies look EXACTLY the same as the brand name units.

i bet $100 they're made in the same factory using the same technology.
 
A

andy107

439
16
anyone have any info on digital greenhouse ballasts? Ive been looking but cant find any recent reviews on them.
 
D

dedust

65
0
me too!

i've had no issues with the lumatek knock-offs... & i am on my thrid run with the same ballasts (1 year).

since they are cheap, i do keep an extra as back-up.

imo, and like so many things from batteries to antifreeze, the cheapies look EXACTLY the same as the brand name units.

i bet $100 they're made in the same factory using the same technology.


that's the thing though. i think the lumatek and quantums are made in the us, and not overseas. i could be wrong though. do you have a link to the lumatek knock offs?
 
HeadGrow

HeadGrow

272
63
Lumatek is a European company that has it's manufacturing in china and indonesia.

Quantum is solely american and manufactures out of Las Vegas.

Phantom is a Hydrofarm brand and is based out of California.

Galaxy is a sunlight supply Inc brand. They are a solely american company too based out of Vancouver WA.

C.A.P. makes NextGen which is a Hydrofarm company also but Hyrdofarm doesn't claim the ballasts. (kinda weird)

Not sure about all the other brands. Until I did that research I never knew that Galaxy was made by the same people as the awesome Magnum XXXL hoods AND they are in my "back yard". I think I'll have to try galaxy next time. I'm running phantoms because i've liked all hydrofarms stuff but it was a toss up between those and galaxy's when i bought them.
 
G

galaxyuser

33
8
gotta love galaxy's!
3 or 4 years ago i would have said differently but these things are rock solid now! and with the dimmer switch and the overdrive!!! what more could you need?
 
G

gudkarma

Guest
that's the thing though. i think the lumatek and quantums are made in the us, and not overseas. i could be wrong though. do you have a link to the lumatek knock offs?

sure i could find the link.

but i bought them straight off ebay, broham.

quick aside :

i restore & modify old cars... i couldn't tell you how many times i've bought a GERMAN part ...suppliers from europe to the usa ...& the only thing "german" about said part was the box in which it came.

that's a euro product from germany, in a german box, from a german store, mailed to my house from germany, with a chinese part inside... and it's the same with ballasts.

dont kid yourself.

if you pay electric & buy your grow stuff in the USA, dont be concerned about where your shit was (supposedly) made... best price for the product wins my $.

no matter the $ and country of origin, who runs any decent sized op w/o back-up for everything?
 
D

dedust

65
0
Are you sure quantum's are made in America?

:icon_dizzy:what the...are you serious? i could've sworn they were from las vegas, as someone mentioned. i'm gonna go look into this thing. thanks for the info...
 
Top Bottom