High-intensity discharge lamps require a special power supply unit called a ballast. You can choose between electromagnetic ballasts and newer electronic devices, but the ballast must always match the lamp's power requirements. Since we are dealing with electricity, water, and heat, a low-price product of questionable quality is not an option.

What Ballasts Do to Make Light

Most people know that without a ballast a light won't fire, but they're not exactly sure what that means. To understand what a ballast does, it's important to know how a bulb works.

The bulb gets enough voltage to start that electrical arc to melt the solid into a gas. However, once that solid turns to gas the bulb doesn't need as much electricity to keep itself lit. In that case, you need to back off the electricity that the bulb's getting- that's what your ballast does. Ballasts are what help regulate the electrical arc in a bulb so that it doesn't blow. A ballast regulates how much electricity your bulb gets so that it can operate the way it needs to. If you didn't have a ballast you'd either give your bulb too much electricity and blow it, or it wouldn't be strong enough to turn that solid material into gas that'll give you light. What sets one ballast apart from another is its ability to provide and regulate the electricity your bulbs need, so be sure to look into reviews to make sure you can give your bulbs the power they need to run the way you need them.

How Ballasts Get Energy to Your Bulb

There are two types of ballasts: magnetic ballasts and electronic ballasts. As we mentioned before, ballasts help give and regulate the voltage needed for the electrical arc that makes your bulbs shine. However, these two types of ballasts achieve this very differently: Magnetic Ballasts- The problem with magnetic ballasts- and a huge reason they're being phased out are because of the heat they generate. Magnetic ballasts are made up of a series of copper coils wrapped around iron (or other metal-based) connectors. When it's plugged in, the ballast will send energy through those coils to give you the electricity your bulb needs. All of those components will heat up, and they need lots of constant cooling to keep your grow lights, plants, and grow room safe from heat and fire damage. That's where electronic ballasts come in. Electronic (Digital) Ballasts- Instead of coils and metal bases, electronic (aka digital) ballasts use a series of microchips, semiconductors, and electronic components to create and regulate that voltage. These components get hot, too, but because of their small size and design, most- if not all- electronic ballasts have internal fans to keep them cool when operating (just like a computer).

Types Of Ballasts

There are two main types of ballasts that suit the needs of indoor cannabis growers. Old-school magnetic ballasts have transformer coils and a capacitor starter in charge to regulate the voltage. They have been around for decades and their main advantage is the low price. Unfortunately, they dissipate a lot of energy in the form of heat, resulting in higher power consumption and temperatures in the growing area.

The digital technology integrated into the new generation of electronic ballasts makes them smaller, able to operate at a lower temperature, and much more efficient than electromagnetic devices. The built-in features of these ballasts usually allow the grower to control and regulate, in real-time, the power that the ballast sends to the lamp. Electronic ballasts don't emit vibrations, and they avoid the typical flickering induced by magnetic ballasts. The stable power flow they provide also increases the lifetime of the HID grow lights.

Features And Installation

Both the performance and the lifetime of the bulb depend in part on the quality of the ballast used. If the grower wants to hand-pick bulbs, hoods, and ballasts instead of buying a whole lighting kit, they will need to ensure that the lamp and ballast are compatible. Also, since the market is flooded with low-quality components, it's important to purchase all growing equipment, particularly electrical devices, from reputable suppliers to avoid any issues, some of which could be potentially catastrophic.

In an HID system, the ballast is connected to the power socket while its two output cables are connected to the bulb holder, which is usually incorporated in reflectors or cooling tubes. Don't forget to respect the polarity and to connect the ground cable too! Many new ballasts come with the wiring system already installed.

Ballasts should be kept out of the growing space - particularly the hot electromagnetic models - and off the ground to reduce the risk of short circuits and damage by water and humidity. A good idea is to hang them high on a wall or panel that can resist heat, together with all the rest of the electrical plugs and switches.

There are manufacturers that will tell you that 1000-Watt halide HID lamps are compatible with a digital ballast, even though these manufacturers are fully aware of the fact that this is an unsafe installation. The use of high-pressure sodium lamps does not create this type of interference and there are 1000-Watt HID lamps that are specifically made for use with high-pressure sodium lamps. If you ignore these facts, you will be limited to using only 400-Watt HID lamps.

Longevity
When deciding on a ballast, longevity, and quality are always important points to consider. A ballast that has been manufactured to high standards and has been designed to offer years of service is the way to go.

The longer a ballast operates without interruption, the more it will cost for replacement. A ballast that can burn for up to 24 hours is a great choice because this saves a lot in replacement costs, especially in situations where there is no regular use of the ballast.

Flexibility
Digital HID ballasts are versatile. Whether your plants are grown indoors or outdoors, digital ballasts are the best choice.

The digital ballast's versatility in the growing environment may mean a more efficient environment with fewer temperature changes for your plants. Digital ballasts produce a stable light, which means your plants receive the same spectrum of light from start to finish.

Another bonus quality of digital ballasts is their smaller size and consequently less weight.

Low Temperatures
Don't let ballasts work under high temperatures because they will die. Most ballasts such as HID ballast, for example, will work at normal temperature levels ranging from 0 " 40 degrees Celsius or 30"100 Fahrenheit. It is not advisable to have your ballasts to be exposed to direct sunlight or heat because they might die. The HID ballast is a complex system of metal and glass that will melt if there is high heat.

Low Noise
HID lights generate a bright, white light. This makes them ideal for a wide variety of indoor and outdoor uses. HID fixtures are used for a variety of lighting purposes. Some are only for outdoor use, whereas others work equally well indoors.
HID lights are used in industrial applications, commercial properties, and outdoor applications.

In commercial and industrial settings, HID lights have become a popular choice in recent years.

They are used to provide outdoor area lighting and in places such as warehouses and parking lots.

HID lights are used in commercial applications, such as restaurants or bars, as well. They also provide general lighting in parking lots and building entrances, including many hospitals and other medical offices.

Features to Look for In Your Digital Ballast

The most popular type of lighting in the vertical farming world is HID lighting. Many of these lights are electric whereas others run on gas. In either case, they require a ballast to power them up. The ballast does a lot of work. It regulates the flow of power and coordinates the two different frequencies that the light operates at. It also contains a protection feature that kicks in when the light is not running at the appropriate frequency. This prevents damage to the bulb and the ballast itself.

The ballast is usually the first part to fail in an HID light system. They burn out after a fairly short period of time and if you have a digital ballast, there is an easy way to upgrade them yourself with parts readily available online.

HID ballasts come in a few flavors. There are magnetic and digital. Magnetic ballasts have been around for a long time and they tend to be less expensive. The ballasts are analog and have a starting capacitor. They do a good job regulating the power to the light but if for some reason they go bad, they have to be replaced.

Digital ballasts are more expensive to start out but they serve as the brains of the HID light system. They regulate energy to the light and when they go bad they can be replaced by the farmer. They are designed with this in mind so finding a factory replacement is quite easy to do.

Dimming
Are you tired of reaching over your tank to adjust your light's output every time you want to get the right amount of light for your aquarium?

That is a problem. Electro-Magnetic ballasts solve that problem by managing the electrical output of the fixture. You can simply set your ballast for the proper wattage for your aquascaped tank and let it go.

However, there are some drawbacks to using an emitter ballast. When you purchase a new ballast, you might want to opt for digital. This allows you to adjust your lights' output with the touch of a button.

But is turning your light to a lower intensity really the way to go? You will find that it does lead to wastage of electrical energy. The other issues with digital ballasts are that they can create interference and they are more likely to burn out at some point.

Overall, it is good to have the choice of whether you want to opt for an analog or digital ballast for your light system.

Bulb Protection
A digital ballast's ONLY function is to fire the lamp. Once the lamp is ignited, the ballast begins another process: ballast protection, which lasts for up to 15 seconds. During this time, a certain amount of electrical interference is created.

The interference is the result of the ballast converting arc energy to heat energy in an attempt to protect both the lamp and reflector from overheating.

This amount of interference is typically minimal. However, there are variables that increase the interference levels for a specific ballast.

Changes in operating voltage can increase interference as well as the condition of the ballast itself.

Can You Run A 1000 Watt Bulb In A 600-Watt Ballast?

A 1000 watt bulb will be able to run with a 600 watts ballasts as the starting voltage requirement remains the same. However, the 600-watt ballast will not be able to power 1000 watts bulb to its capacity and will result in underperformance and also loss of color and temperature for the growth of your plants.