reef noob
Member
Can I use this ballast with DE metal halide bulbs:
http://www.1000bulbs.com/150-Watt-Me...-Ballast/2547/
http://www.1000bulbs.com/150-Watt-Me...-Ballast/2547/
ballast's
- Thread starter reef noob
- Start date
jonthefishguy
Active Member
Those ballast's overwork and over heat. That is a magnetic ballast and not an electronic one. There are many issues with magnetic ones when it comes to power consumption, lifespan, heat, and reliability.
scsinet
Active Member
+1
I won't disagree that magnetic ballasts are less efficient than electronic, and less efficiency leads to more heat production to be sure.
However, reliability wise, IMO it's presumptuous to make a blanket statement that one type is more or less reliabile. Magnetic ballasts consist of two or three components (core, capacitor, and sometimes ignitor). All of these parts are individually user replaceable, and the core is a very, very reliable part as there is nothing to go wrong. An electronic ballast is a complex circuit, operating at high heat, frequency, and stress. The entire circuit board is usually potted in solid epoxy or tar, making the unit throwaway... if one of the 50+ components in an electronic ballast fail, the entire ballast has to be junked.
I would say that a poorly built electronic ballast is going to be the least reliabile, and a decent quality Sola, Magnatek, or Advance magnetic ballast will be the most reliable (and most easily fixed). IMO a decent electronic ballast is a great investment and very reliable, but magnetics aren't bad either.
I won't disagree that magnetic ballasts are less efficient than electronic, and less efficiency leads to more heat production to be sure.
However, reliability wise, IMO it's presumptuous to make a blanket statement that one type is more or less reliabile. Magnetic ballasts consist of two or three components (core, capacitor, and sometimes ignitor). All of these parts are individually user replaceable, and the core is a very, very reliable part as there is nothing to go wrong. An electronic ballast is a complex circuit, operating at high heat, frequency, and stress. The entire circuit board is usually potted in solid epoxy or tar, making the unit throwaway... if one of the 50+ components in an electronic ballast fail, the entire ballast has to be junked.
I would say that a poorly built electronic ballast is going to be the least reliabile, and a decent quality Sola, Magnatek, or Advance magnetic ballast will be the most reliable (and most easily fixed). IMO a decent electronic ballast is a great investment and very reliable, but magnetics aren't bad either.
scsinet
Active Member
Originally Posted by acrylic51
I have to disagree with some of what was said about magnetics.....Can you honestly show how much would be saved money wise using electronic and how long to recoup your extra cash? I have no heat issues with my magnetics, and reliability??????
Not an issue as well.
+1
I won't disagree that magnetic ballasts are less efficient than electronic, and less efficiency leads to more heat production to be sure.
However, reliability wise, IMO it's presumptuous to make a blanket statement that one type is more or less reliabile. Magnetic ballasts consist of two or three components (core, capacitor, and sometimes ignitor). All of these parts are individually user replaceable, and the core is a very, very reliable part as there is nothing to go wrong. An electronic ballast is a complex circuit, operating at high heat, frequency, and stress. The entire circuit board is usually potted in solid epoxy or tar, making the unit throwaway... if one of the 50+ components in an electronic ballast fail, the entire ballast has to be junked.
I would say that a poorly built electronic ballast is going to be the least reliabile, and a decent quality Sola, Magnatek, or Advance magnetic ballast will be the most reliable (and most easily fixed). IMO a decent electronic ballast is a great investment and very reliable, but magnetics aren't bad either.
I have to disagree with some of what was said about magnetics.....Can you honestly show how much would be saved money wise using electronic and how long to recoup your extra cash? I have no heat issues with my magnetics, and reliability??????
+1
I won't disagree that magnetic ballasts are less efficient than electronic, and less efficiency leads to more heat production to be sure.
However, reliability wise, IMO it's presumptuous to make a blanket statement that one type is more or less reliabile. Magnetic ballasts consist of two or three components (core, capacitor, and sometimes ignitor). All of these parts are individually user replaceable, and the core is a very, very reliable part as there is nothing to go wrong. An electronic ballast is a complex circuit, operating at high heat, frequency, and stress. The entire circuit board is usually potted in solid epoxy or tar, making the unit throwaway... if one of the 50+ components in an electronic ballast fail, the entire ballast has to be junked.
I would say that a poorly built electronic ballast is going to be the least reliabile, and a decent quality Sola, Magnatek, or Advance magnetic ballast will be the most reliable (and most easily fixed). IMO a decent electronic ballast is a great investment and very reliable, but magnetics aren't bad either.
