Why choose electronic ballasts?
More lumen output - up to 30% more lumens output than some old style
magnetic ballasts ...More light equals more yield.
We urge you to test this yourself with a good quality light meter.
Be sure to also check how much power the ballast is using with an ammeter
as many so called 600w magnetic ballasts now draw up to 750w as standard
to try to keep up with Lumatek’s lumen output.
More lumens generated per watt of electricity consumed - Lumatek ballast
have increased efficacy over magnetic ballasts.
They lose fewer watts from the power supply to the lamp. This a power
factor of 95%+.
The high frequency output results in low power loss at the cathodes
in addition to better overall power management.
Stable light output - excellent for Pharmaceutical-agriculture, laboratories
and other uses where precise regularized output is essential.
Fast start-up - It reaches full brightness in under one minute; magnetic
ballasts typically take about twenty minutes.
Completely silent Small compact design - 600watt 120v ballast weighs
less than 4.5 kilos compared to almost 20 kilos for magnetic ballasts.
Produce less heat Cut-off circuitry - cut off when a short is detected.
For ultimate safety. Longer bulb life - Lumen output loss over time,
with the correct lamp, is dramatically less than with magnetic ballasts.
Fully interchangeable - Lumatek ballasts can light both HPS and MH bulbs
(excluding the 750w which is HPS only).
Important information about lumatek ballasts:Lamp compatibility – The
Lumatek ballast is a high performance product that is designed to work
with most high quality lamps.
Cheap inferior lamps may cause problems and Lumatek recommends only
high quality American or European lamps.
One or two good lamps with very high strike voltages may also be difficult
for any electronic ballast to light; Lumatek has an adaptor available
for those lamps.
For specific recommendations contact your local supplier or Lumatek
directly.
Lamp Replacement - Be sure to disconnect the power source before changing
lamps.
Always use the specified wattage of lamp. (A 400W lamp should not be
used in a 600W ballast). Lumatek recommends lamp replacement every 6-12
months.
Hot Re-strike - It is VERY important that the lamp is given adequate
time to cool down before it is reignited.
You should allow a hot lamp to cool for 20-30 minutes before you try
to re-strike it.
Hot re-strikes cause premature lamp failure and lumen output degradation.
Additionally, the lamp should never be turned off before the lamp reaches
full intensity. H.P.S/M.H - Lumatek ballasts operate both metal halide
and high pressure sodium lamps.
They will not light MV mercury vapor lamps which are commonly sold in
hardware and some hydroponics stores.
*Please note the 750 watt ballast is HPS only.
Mounting Location - Do not install ballasts in areas of very high heat
such as an attic or a closed closet.
Do not mount the ballast to the reflector or blow exhaust air over them.
Do not stack ballast on top of each other.
Do not allow contact with water. Mount units at least six inches apart.
If a unit has any leaking resin please relocate to a cooler area or
place a fan near the ballasts.
