Hi guys! Am just coming off my first successful harvest, feeling like Frank Lucas'. What started out of boredom has turned into some really really official bud and I'm hungry for more. (I'd send pictures, but only if you are located outside the US). The next step is optimizing what's there already. I bought a cheap starter kit and I am very happy with the lamp, only the ballast (the steel block that converts the power that the lamp needs to be fed) is a little fickle. (Has stopped working for a couple of night. Re-plugging after a few hours unplugged have solved the issue, still very weird and probably a little dangerous.) Can someone give me the FULL rundown on ballasts? - What is the go-to brand of professionals? - What are good brands, bad brands, ... - Where do you buy? Mostly, I want to get brand advice from people who have had the chance to test a few different ones or happen to know about their quality. Any help is highly appreciated. Thanks!!
Just got these Friday, hood will be here monday. Solis tek is one of the top brands. I'm replacing all my cheaper apollo ballasts. This is the 2nd one I've changed. Super efficient, no fan needed so they're super quite. Plus a fan, like on my apollos draws in dust causing the unit to run less efficient and hotter so that it needs a fan to stay cool. Pick up a can of keyboard duster if you get a ballast with a fan. Fans are also another item to break or become noisy. Plus a fan draws in moisture. If the ballast is built right a fan is not needed. Solis tek does not need a fan because it has alot of surface area to dissipate heat and runs super efficient and cool. Solis tek matrix have nice LCD screens, fancy remotes and can be programmed but I like the simple Solis tek digital ballasts. Plug it in and let it eat. Granite, name brand ballast are a couple dollars more but they quickly make up for it. I don't know about you but I plan on growing the rest of my life. I want quality equipment thats efficient and lasts. A couple dollars will be made up by the thousands of dollars I'm saving by not paying today's ridiculous prices for weed. I'm sorry but there is no plant on the face of this planet worth today's prices.
Wow, thanks for all the knowledge and education. Can you recommend any good buying sites? Am located in Europe, though. Thanks so much.