anyone have problems with htg/digital greenhouse ballast? post here

Ok, so I finally got through today, (after hitting an answering machine 10+ times) and was told by the guy that the digital ballasts are supposed to make noise?!?!

(Can anyone here tell me exactly how much noise a normal 400w digital ballast is supposed to make because I was expecting almost silent?) From their own website..."The DIGITAL GREENHOUSE electronic ballast is lighter, smaller and more reliable than standard technology "core and coil" ballasts. It is also virtually silent, no noise or hum.!"

He asked if I still had their address and said if I didn't like the noise level I can send it back for a new one...apparently on my dime and with no light on my plants. Not too happy, nope, not at all. Going to buy a Lumatek from someone else and then return it to try to get a refund/store credit. Lame.

I have a different brand and it is completely noiseless. I do not agree that digital ballasts are suppose to be noisy that is one of the reasons for buying them.

That's what I thought, I'll have to call back tomorrow and bitch harder...it's so loud it wakes me up when it comes on.

HailTheLeaf said:

That's what I thought, I'll have to call back tomorrow and bitch harder...it's so loud it wakes me up when it comes on.

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If it was magnetic I could see it being that loud but when it comes to Digital you shouldn't hear anything.

Here is a quote from the advertising of the one I bought

"
Compared to magnetic ballasts our digital ballast offer up to a 30% savings in power, and up to 7% increase in light output. They have a fast start up time, run much cooler, and are silent in operation. "


SILENT IN OPERATION, digital shouldn't be waking you up !!!!!

I have no light right now, bulb blew this morning, (I think) the ballast still turns on and buzzes/hums, but nooooo light. The long thin tube inside the bulb is now white in the middle and black on either end...not sure what that means. Yeah, so far definately not recommending the HTG route.

Go magnetic... & props to HTG and Tony they are the best costumer support i know off.

HailTheLeaf said:

I have no light right now, bulb blew this morning, (I think) the ballast still turns on and buzzes/hums, but nooooo light. The long thin tube inside the bulb is now white in the middle and black on either end...not sure what that means. Yeah, so far definately not recommending the HTG route.

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my ballast still turned on but wouldn't fire the light when it broke so don't rule that out... Mine makes almost no noise while running just the fan in the ballast is the only noise I get and it's very faint. I have not had any problems with the replacement ballast but The "growbright" bulb that came with the setup did blow on me not to long after I got the replacement. I bought a higher quality bulb, eye hortilux and I have not had any issues for about 2 months so far"CROSSES FINGERS" btw the growgright bulb lasted a whole 2 weeks total... it's hit or miss with there products...

sexagenario said:

Go magnetic... & props to HTG and Tony they are the best costumer support i know off.

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customer service means nothing when the products that are sold have a very high failure rate... yes they take care of you very well but it shouldn't get to that point imop...

guudbud said:

customer service means nothing when the products that are sold have a very high failure rate... yes they take care of you very well but it shouldn't get to that point imop...

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I'm not going to order anything from HTG, just too many complaints I see from them.

Sam Story "Got my stuff, it didn't work, cutomer service is good though, 3 weeks later I got my replacement stuff, 3 days later it's broke also."

I'd rather spend $10 - $20 more and get something that works, especially lighting.

I predict more and more people will continue to buy from them because the cheapest you can get is what everyone buys.

la9 said:

I'm not going to order anything from HTG, just too many complaints I see from them.

Sam Story "Got my stuff, it didn't work, cutomer service is good though, 3 weeks later I got my replacement stuff, 3 days later it's broke also."

I'd rather spend $10 - $20 more and get something that works, especially lighting.

I predict more and more people will continue to buy from them because the cheapest you can get is what everyone buys.

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i still havent had any problems with my 400 w or the bulbs, but i will be upgrading the hps bulb soon ....

i've seen more good comments than bad about HTG... and alot of bad comments seem to come from you la9 and you dont even shop there.

where did you get this 3 week replacement story from ? did they live in china ?
i saw one guy had a damaged hood/balast that were still perfectly functional and HTG told him to keep them and they sent out New ones.

420weedman said:

i still havent had any problems with my 400 w or the bulbs, but i will be upgrading the hps bulb soon ....

i've seen more good comments than bad about HTG... and alot of bad comments seem to come from you la9 and you dont even shop there.

where did you get this 3 week replacement story from ? did they live in china ?
i saw one guy had a damaged hood/balast that were still perfectly functional and HTG told him to keep them and they sent out New ones.

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Why is it that everytime someone complains about HTG you need to show proof but if you are defending them or have nothing but praise then no questions need be asked ?

If you want to order from them go ahead that is your opinion.

My opinion is they SUCK and I'm not going to order from them.

I order from HIDHUT and have had zero problems with everything I've ordered from them, even the cheap brand of bulbs. Why would I switch to someone else ?

For that matter I've ordered $4 bulbs from E-conolight and they've lasted their life expectantcy, why can't can't HTG get it right ? Probably selling used bulbs they just cleaned off real well.

Give us proof they aren't selling used bulbs as new. WTF can't they get it right ?

la9 said:

Why is it that everytime someone complains about HTG you need to show proof but if you are defending them or have nothing but praise then no questions need be asked ?

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Dude, i got no problems with you but i know you are a bash-o-holic!
im recalling a thread you made about LED grow lights and some supposed comparsion pictures you came up with(which was extremly clear you just found online and called them whatever you wanted)... and everyone had a good laugh

hmmmmmmmmmmmmm... bring back any memories ?

lol whered you go la9, you've been following this thread for awhile now.... now you dissapear ? or just speachless ?

I just ignore dipshits anymore especially ones that don't understand jokes.

la9 said:

I just ignore dipshits anymore especially ones that don't understand jokes.

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lol ok i was joking with you ... but i guess you cant take it, instead you act like a dipshit ur self

420weedman said:

lol ok i was joking with you ... but i guess you cant take it, instead you act like a dipshit ur self

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Cool, you are awesome dude, thanks for the laugh.

I bought two 1000k magnetics from HTG when they were still just an e bay store. The Grow Bright 1000 switchable. One burned out on this past grow after two years. The wires metled inside. Im going to upgrade to digital but i might go lumatek from bg.

From now on fans and ballast are the only thing im buying from this fucked hydro industry. Maybe fittings and small misc nic nacs but oother than that im done drooling over all this overpriced shit.

They are shit ballasts. As for HTGsupply well I think they are shit as well. I have sent them emails, I have called and left my number and still I sit with no light on my babes. Well I am the kind of person who thinks about calling the better business bureau when companies pull this crap.

HTGsupply took care of the problem. Well they tried to take care of the problem . By the time they got in contact with me I had already fixed it. Oh well at lest they tried. true story

huge joint said:

HTGsupply took care of the problem. Well they tried to take care of the problem . By the time they got in contact with me I had already fixed it. Oh well at lest they tried. true story

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I bought a 600w ballast the other day for $80, it said it works on both types of bulbs but when i got the ballast it says that it works with HPS and MH conversion bulbs, not the standard MH bulbs. I looked at HTG Supply's site and it doesn't state this requirement. I feel a bit cheated, how hard is it for them to put in a chip to convert the bastard. Now i gotta spend $60 on a bulb apparently.

I read somewhere that HPS will fire a MH bulb, if i put in a standard MH bulb, will it work?