Ballast Advice

Looking to get an HPS ballast for an added boost to my herbal sanctuary. I've been looking around at various ballasts and I can only gather so much info from ads. Does anyone have experience with Miami Ballasts?
I don't have big plans, just something affordable that isn't a piece of junk.

roots and shoots,
Biomancer

$129.00 for a 1000 watt ballast ?

The price alone should alert you.

Compare it to reputable ballasts like "lumatek" or "nextgen" maybe even "phantoms", and you will understand what I mean.

I have a budget gro II 1000W HPS by Sunlight Supply that was 129.00, came with a warranty, and works great. Ballasts are ballasts, no need to spend more than you have to on them. I have digital stuff too and for the money I would still buy a magnetic first. As long as it comes with a warranty and the store you get it from takes stuff back without a hassle, go for it.

a budget grow or valueline ballasts is perfect, cheap,works great and comes from a reputable co. with a warranty and rebuild kits.

Biomancer said:

Looking to get an HPS ballast for an added boost to my herbal sanctuary. I've been looking around at various ballasts and I can only gather so much info from ads. Does anyone have experience with Miami Ballasts?
I don't have big plans, just something affordable that isn't a piece of junk.

roots and shoots,
Biomancer

Click to expand...

By the way, Welcome to Rollitup.org!!!

I picked up a Miami Ballast from a local supply shop. Feature-wise, it's selectable 120V/240V and selectable MH or HPS. It has never failed to light, started on fire, or quit working (about a year on it so far). It gets fairly warm, as will any 1000w mag ballast, but not excessively hot. The build quality looked very good - I'm no electrical engineer, but it's usually not hard to tell a well built audio amplifier from a cheap one visually and I assume that carries over to a ballast, I have a hidhut 250w mh ballast, and it's very clear that it, unlike the Miami, is a cheap ballast.

I won't hesitate to buy another again, and may in fact do so today.