digital dimmable

So ive read arguments on dimmable lights hurting the bulb or components badly over time or even quickly. Im looking for a decent priced hps setup in the 400w range but i see many 1000w are cheaper making me want to buy more lumens knowing i cant cool it properly on my current budget.
Sorry I'm lit off my ass rambling...if i get a 1000w dimmable and run it at half am i an idiot? I don't wanna blow or burn out a bulb in a single crop. Also do the newer digital ballast systems run cooler than old school ones? I have a family member that offered me a old basic 1000w hps but he said without fans out the ass and a ac its gonna be fryin in there.

Thoughts?

I run my 600watt dimmable ballast with just about anything. Will even fire a 1000w lamp on the super lumens setting.

I have not had any lamps burn out prematurely. It keeps em lit until the 14 month mark when I swap out old for new. I also use my dimmable as my flowering back up in case one of my magnetics goes down. Saved my ass this winter, then went right back to running MH in the veg tent. Buy good stuff and you should have no issues.

Jake

Don't dim,. Get a ballast that will do 400/600/1000 watt lamps and run the correct wattage lamp, dimming shifts spectrum and isn't good on lamps.

dbkick said:

Don't dim,. Get a ballast that will do 400/600/1000 watt lamps and run the correct wattage lamp, dimming shifts spectrum and isn't good on lamps.

Click to expand...

Any suggestions on a ballast like that?

blowingupjake said:

I run my 600watt dimmable ballast with just about anything. Will even fire a 1000w lamp on the super lumens setting.

I have not had any lamps burn out prematurely. It keeps em lit until the 14 month mark when I swap out old for new. I also use my dimmable as my flowering back up in case one of my magnetics goes down. Saved my ass this winter, then went right back to running MH in the veg tent. Buy good stuff and you should have no issues.

Jake

Click to expand...

Are you saying u run different wattage bulbs depending on how u have it set? A 1000w bulb on a 600w ballast?

There's several I'm sure, I believe the solis tek matrix is discontinued but I've had two of those running for a couple of years.

Hmm. In my mind I was thinking dimmable meant the selectable watt equipped ballast. Not the 100%,75%,50% deal.
Mine has 340, 400, 600, super lumens.

I run the lamp appropriate for the setting. Ie 400w lamp on the 400 or 340 setting. 600 for the 600 and SL. The 1000watt experiment was just that, an experiment. I do not recommend running 1000w lamp on 600w ballasts. I just thought it would illustrate how capable digital ballasts are.

I ran a 600w bulb in a 400/600 digital ballast for a year. I had the ballast set to 400w and ran a 600w bulb. I didnt even realize it. Never had a problem. I felt like an idiot when i realized it.

You are just using it for veg I thought?


Get a 8 bulb 4' T5 light..same price as 600 and covers same square footage of a 600 and draws 400 watts..bulbs last wayyy longer too

Corso312 said:

You are just using it for veg I thought?


Get a 8 bulb 4' T5 light..same price as 600 and covers same square footage of a 600 and draws 400 watts..bulbs last wayyy longer too

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Just for veg goes out the window with hps

Galaxy Digital offers a 400/600/1000 watt ballast... http://www.amazon.com/Galaxy-Digital-Select-A-Watt-400-1000w/dp/B00317EA5A