logo
logo
Sign in

The Best Grow Light Ballasts of 2021

avatar
grow light

It may be ironic to know how a global pandemic has drifted our minds to productive horticulture opportunities rather than exposing ourselves to dangers outside our homes.

Indoor garden setups have suddenly become a thing that the market for Indoor Grow Lights rose. The spike in purchasing these items is because the sunlight adaptable to plants is limited to more than just a couple of hours per day, possibly leaving their growth to chance. Now, this is where the best 1000 watt ballast will do wonders as we induce artificial light to sustain life in your at-home nurseries and gardens.

Ballasts regulate the flow of current to your lamps, thus ensures voltage sufficiency to them. Read along as I share my expertise on these things and help you in picking the best one for your pot babies.

What to Look for When Buying Digital Ballasts

Different 1000 watt digital ballast reviews suggest practices when choosing a ballast. If you are looking for it but unsure of the characteristics to look at, consider the following important notes that may lead you to the best one:

  • Bulb safety – To preserve your bulbs, select the ballast with ignition voltage control and regulate current flow.
  • Versatility – Your ballast must be able to withstand different conditions and locations. It also has to work with either MH or HPS bulbs, DE and SE ones. And it’s expected to run bulbs of different wattage.
  • Durability – A quality ballast shows little to zero effect on your lamps’ performance in cases of voltage fluctuations. You have to consider the kind of materials used for its casing, and even its internals.
  • Dimming – Crops do not grow on the same level of sunlight. So, your ballast has to have different dimming levels for you to switch on whenever necessary.
  • RFI Protection – Wire shielding is essential for your ballast to protect electronic devices and radios from signals within frequencies coming from it.
  • Temperature – Ballasts get hot, but not too hot that you can’t touch it. You need to pick the one that causes no overheating, otherwise, your greenhouse will burn out, or your plants will lose excessive amounts of
  • Noise – Little sounds coming off its cooling fan is bearable, but not the one that becomes annoying.

ECO Farm 250W/400W/600W/1000W Grow Light Dimmable Electronic Digital Ballast

What we like:

  • Smart alert technology
  • High-precision microprocessor regulator
  • Built-in hot re-strike programming
  • 4-way dimming feature

What we don't like:

  • Restarting may take 15 minutes

iPower Horticulture Digital Dimmable Electronic Ballast

What we like:

  • Exclusive features: Slow Start and Slow Light Start-up
  • 3-year warranty

What we don't like:

  • You have to cool down lamps first before turning them on
  • Might have interference problem with your cables

Phantom Commercial 1000W Double-Ended Digital Ballast

 What we like:

  • The power cord is extra-long.
  • The color is good.
  • It offers up to 12 choices of wattage settings.
  • It does not get hot.

What we don't like:

  • It does not have an internal timer.

Things to consider when buying

Adjustable wattage/ Dimmable feature

Adjustable ballast will allow you to power different light sources. This will give you peace of mind if in case your plant reacts differently by the time you applied alternative light sources.

Can power High-Pressure Sodium and Metal Halide Lights

These are the kinds of lights your 1000 watts ballast can match with. They are both high-intensity discharge lights. They are both being utilized to enhance plant growth. If you have a ballast that can power both, you will be thankful!

The High-Pressure Sodium light releases white light. This white light is focused on the spectrum that bolsters the reproduction mechanisms of plants (orange or red spectrums). This is being used during the flowering stage as well as the fruiting phase. On the other hand, Metal Halide lights enhance the growth process. They emit bluish-white light.

Budget

Make sure that you are always paying for function. Some ballasts are expensive yet they do not have very good quality. Check the one which will give value to your money.

Setting up

If you would like to check how to set up your lights and ballasts, I suggest you watch this video.

Caring for your Watt Ballast

  • As for all the gadgets you have, you should not operate a watt ballast without reading the instructions of the creator.
  • Do not operate your ballasts in damp areas.
  • Learn how to read wattages before you use this.
  • Sometimes, the advertised wattage is not the same with the product watts. Failing to do so will destroy your lamps.
  • Lastly, for ballasts that are not automatically regulating their voltage, make sure that the settings are correct before plugging it in electrical outlets.

Final Thoughts:

The world of ballasts may seem overwhelming at times but with a little know-how, you should be able to navigate your way to a prosperous indoor growing setup.

Digital ballasts outshine their magnetic counterparts in a number of areas. For instance, digital versions are more efficient, quieter, and generate less heat than magnetic models. Also, Grow Light Ballasts are smaller with a lighter weight and can be dimmed, unlike the magnetic options.

collect
0
avatar
grow light
guide
Zupyak is the world’s largest content marketing community, with over 400 000 members and 3 million articles. Explore and get your content discovered.
Read more