Best 400W MH Ballast?

[thegrimreefer]

Which 400W MH Ballast do you think is the very best choice?

[Redwinger]

I love the last choice.:rotflmao: I am partial to the sunlight supply with a xm20k bulb.

[epidemic]

I like mag. coil ballasts with 20K. Looks more like 15 and is much brighter than e-ballast

[mtfatwork]

the pfo 400 hqi's are supposed to be really good, I believe that is what spazz runs with SE bulbs in his luminarcs. I have sunlight supply ballasts, and I like them better than the other ones I have owned so far (blueline, ARO, f-can). On a side note, you may find that the electronic ballasts can cause interference with your aquarium controller. I personally am a magnetic fan.

[mattb]

Part of the problem with 400w HQI is that they aren't really HQI, they are high pressure sodium. I don't know why they haven't got the 400w over to HQI. I do know that this causes bulbs to burn differently on 250 HQI vs 400 HQI...

Also, the 250 HQI are more like 360watts, pretty close to 400, plus, I like the way that some overdriven bulbs look on hqi, like radiums....

I've not run 400w electronic, but they are supposed to be less reliable than their 250w counterparts.

My .02 cents fwiw...

[sea monkey]

i forget , what's supposed to be better , the blue lines or the blue waves ? more to the point why, they are both magnetic right ?


Generally speaking i thought the consensus was that magnetic ballasts were better for MH because they will most likely outlive your interest in the hobby where the electronic ones are prone to breaking after a few years.

[stuckey_t]

if you look on sanjay's site the 400's put out the most par bulb for bulb running on an m59 (coil) ballast....More than one company makes the m59 coil. sunlight supply uses the m59 coil in their ballast as do a few other ballast manufacturers. Hello lights uses them in their fairly cheap ballasts and for the money you can't beat em'. I personally like the 400 watt xm 20,000K bulb and the best par for that bulb comes out of the m59 coil ballast according to Sanjay...

[David Grigor]

It's a real bonus if your bulb of choice runs best on a m59. While the electronics may save you a little in electricity when you account for possible failures you would never recoupe that money. Now of course it all depends on your quantity. Running 2 ballasts coil ballast is your safest best but like Stan where you have 10+ is may make more sense to use electonic.

I have two coil tar ballasts from a greenhouse that are over 20 years old.......About the only thing I hear of failing on a coil ballast is the capacitor which is easily replaced.

[rihanssu]

does anyone have a link to sanjays site? i would like to look at it.

[sea monkey]

http://www.reeflightinginfo.arvixe.com/index.htm

[oyam123]

LT-PFAQ1-400MH-120V
PFO 400 watt metal halide ballast....more
view similar products
SALE PRICE $121.99

[sea monkey]

PFO use the m59 coil ?

[David Grigor]

Yes. As long as it doesnt' mention hqi the PFO will be m59.