Electronic or Magnetic???

[gcantu]

What would you choose or Which do you use??? I am planning on upgrading to 400w but don't know if I should make the switch. I am running 250w MH Ice Cap Electronic right now...

 

[mthedude]

from what I've read, magnetic are loud, hot and energy suckers. Electronic are quiet, run cooler, make the bulbs last longer and are more effecient.......of course this could just be the marketing dept talking, I don't have any real world experience.

 

[sttroyiii]

From an electricians point of view, I agree...electronic is the way to go.

 

[DrBegalke]

http://www.mge.com/business/saving/madison/PA_55.html

 

[gcantu]

Very informative article. I guess I'll stick to the Electronic. Like I said earlier, I currently use electronic, just didn't know if it would benefit switching as I go up in lamp wattage.
Thanks Dr

 

[dcombs44]

I went with magnetic because of price. I run dual 250w. As far as noise, they don't make a peep, and they aren't enclosed. I just have them mounted to a board. They do put off some heat and are less efficient than elec. but that's what you pay for i guess.

 

[thejuggernaut]

I have been told by a rep at hellolights.com that the magnetic ballast run the bulbs harder and hotter, hotter as in color. The electronic ballast are more effecient, and cooler but dont run the bulbs as hard. For most people the electric are the answer but many people run the magnetic when they want to squeeze every ounce of light out of the bulb, at the expense of electricity consumed and the life of the bulb. Personally I would go with the electronic.

 

[xtrstangx]

I run all electronic ballasts on my new tank. They are more efficient (they actually draw ~250w, not 280-290w). They also run a LOT cooler which is good (don't need any extra heat).

Also, this certain ballast put out a better PAR compared to other magnetic ballasts and runs the bulb at a better color, IMO.

 

[theatrus]

About "driving the bulbs harder", yes, an HQI magnetic ballast WILL drive the bulbs harder brighter and whiter, but its consuming more power from the wall in the process, not by voodoo magic .

Some bulbs, such as Hamilton 14ks, are brighter on electronics than normal or even HQI magnetics.

 

[seanb]

Electronics produce less heat and are more energy efficient. That is no marketing ploy. Magnetics are less efficient because much of the electricity is wasted as heat.

 

[jimsta]

I have the 250w magnetic ballasts and they are perfectly silent....but they do run kinda warm (kinda hot actually). If I was to do it all over I would probably get HQI ballasts if I was going DE since the PAR ratings are USUALLY much better.

.......................I just went and checked results on Sanjays site and almost every bulb got better PAR on the Icecap 400w Electronic than on the HQI ballast. It seems that in 250w bulbs the HQI gets better results but for 400w the electronic gets better results.

So I guess go with electronic all the way!! I just learned something new tonight!

 

[Chrismo]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8377101#post8377101 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jimsta
I have the 250w magnetic ballasts and they are perfectly silent....but they do run kinda warm (kinda hot actually). If I was to do it all over I would probably get HQI ballasts if I was going DE since the PAR ratings are USUALLY much better.

.......................I just went and checked results on Sanjays site and almost every bulb got better PAR on the Icecap 400w Electronic than on the HQI ballast. It seems that in 250w bulbs the HQI gets better results but for 400w the electronic gets better results.

So I guess go with electronic all the way!! I just learned something new tonight!

Jimsta, I dont know what data you were looking at but you need to look fairly far down the PAR list before you find Icecap. As well, Sanjay's tests do NOT show electronic to be more efficient.

Here's the Data for 400W bulbs in order of efficiency - just look at it.

I would chose HQI over electronic any day. For many bulbs, I'd rather have a magnetic ballast too.

I have one electronic and one Magnetic, and am happier with the magnetic. Though I must admit my Electronic is blueline which is one of the worst electronic.

 

[gcantu]

My Ballast is a 250w Ice Cap and I run a Hamilton 14K on it supplemented by two VHO 36" Actinics. I have tried the 20K and the 10K, but don't seem to like the way the colors end up looking. They either come out too blue or too faded. I have never run Magnetic Ballasts or HQI Bulbs so I really can't say anything bad about the two.

 

[alde]

I have been running 400 watt Ice Cap electronic ballasts with Radium 20K's and am pretty happy with them. I am about ready to buy new bulbs and was thinking of trying 14K's but am worried they will look too yellow after running Radiums for so long.

I used to Run Radiums on HQI ballasts but switched to save electricity. They are much more efficient though the HQI's do run the bulbs brighter. With 400 watt's the electronics still put out plenty of light, even with the 20K's.