ATL HYDRO
Active Member
Just so everyone knows, I didn't ever have any interference or interuption with my cable service. Just because your tv still works doesn't mean you are safe.
WARNING! Digital/ Electronic ballasts can get you busted! The A.M. radio test!
- Thread starter ATL HYDRO
- Start date
Feelinit
Active Member
I feel like I'm copying your thread but again your right on the cable signal. My cable did do some strange things my wife noticed like the DVR fucking up on occasion, but for the most part the cable tv was fine. Just Internet was toast.
Apparently if your not home when they come by they will just put a "filter" on. Filter = no Internet, so of course you call them too see what the deal is.
ATL HYDRO
Active Member
It just seems to me that eventually after witnessing this problem over and over again the cable company will eventually figure out that some people growing marijuana run lights that are causing interference to their business. Once this happens you could start to see people getting busted from this if it becomes too big of a problem to them.
PJ Diaz
Well-Known Member
That's not equivalent to 2000w of HID lighting. 400 watts of cfl is around 30,000 lumens, which is just more than half of what a 400w HPS light puts out. You are going from running 1200 watts for an output of close to 200,000 lumens to running 400 watts for 30,000 lumens. So, in short you are using one third of the energy to get 15% out the light output you had before. Just buy a magnetic ballast and call it done. Good info from the OP otherwise though.
ClaytonBigsby
Well-Known Member
"A post I read in a different forum was saying that he thought it was funny that the neighbor was complaining to him about the crappy tv reception between 8am and 8pm, which was the exact time when he was running his lights."
LOL!
LOL!
doooood
Member
haha i got a saltwater tank too...i have a digital ballast in the same room as this cable internet computer...all seems ok...no internet probs or interference that I know off...make sure u get all new cable wires from yer cable company cuz they are way better sheilded now and are high quality.
ATL HYDRO
Active Member
PJ, That is some good info I had no idea I would be losing so much light by going cfl.... They seem just as bright or brighter than the mh and hps. I am going to do one grow with them anyways and see what I get. In all I have 2-200 watt cfls, 4-85 watt cfls.
I may order magnetic ballasts in the future, but my funds are kind of tapped out over here with all the upgrades I've been making to my room.
I may order magnetic ballasts in the future, but my funds are kind of tapped out over here with all the upgrades I've been making to my room.
beans davis
Well-Known Member
Thanks alot for the info,it could save someones ass.
That's the way to look out for each other.+rep my man.
That's the way to look out for each other.+rep my man.
PJ Diaz
Well-Known Member
If I were you I would just try to trade it on craigslist with someone who has a magnetic. They would be getting the better end of the deal, so it shouldn't be too tricky.
CFLs on average produce about 60 lumens per watt. My 400w HPS produces 55,000 lumens, so that's close to 140 lumens/watt -- more than 200% of the light output of cfls, and much better penetration. You can't really use cfls the same way as hps. You gotta get a bunch of them and surround your plant with them. You can't just put them above the plant like a hps, or you will only sufficiently light the top of the canopy.
resinousflowers
Well-Known Member
my maxibright digilight ballast is RF sheilded.it doesnt mess with radio frequency or my mobile signal,so i suggest you get a ballast thats RF sheilded,problem solved.
ATL HYDRO
Active Member
As far as I know it only affects Digital Ballasts, because the high frequency nature of how it works is what interferes with RF and therefore cable.
The ballast in T5's are electronic. Some have what i've seen called solid state electronic ballasts and I've heard the words electronic/digital ballast used in place of each other before. Just checking.
ATL HYDRO
Active Member
Listen guys, I would recommend using the A.M. radio test mentioned earlier regardless of whether or not your ballast claims to be RF shielded or not. I would test the T5 as well. You can't trust the company who is selling you the product to tell you if it is shielded or not. If your A.M. radio station reception gets fuzzy when you turn your ballast on you have a problem.
dbkick
Well-Known Member
Come to think of it, I was at work one day when we had the cable guy over looking at a problem we were having with the cable, I don't think it was the digital ballast interfering (comcast old cable system in this hood blows) but the dude made a comment to my old lady "so this is the place thats been lighting up the neighborhood", she told me this and instantly I wondered wtf this guy meant, I figured he meant with all the wifi devices here but he may have been talking about the ballast, he wanted to come downstairs to check all the other cable outlets, basically I told the woman to tell the dude I said he wasn't allowed downstairs and that's how it went. he put a couple new connectors outside and unhooked the cable that ran down here(fuck tv anyway, nasty little signals ).
Grumpy'
Active Member
If anyone is going to be paranoid of RF interference, then just go to your local thrift store, flea market, whatever, and get a portable am radio dirt cheap. Then it's super portable. One thing I haven't seen mentioned is that when electronics fail, even though it checked out good once, it can start to give off RF interference. So having a portable easy to use model will help. (If your paranoid)
sweetswisher
Active Member
I have nextgen and lumatek ballasts and have never had any rf problems. Kind of a scary thought tho
