Magnetic VS electronic ballast !

[Faisal1976us]

Hi ,,,,

What is the different between 400w magnetic ballast and electronic ballast ?

[reefgems]

electronic does not have a core and coil and uses less power and gives off less heat.
its the newest tech out and the way to go if you ask me

[Faisal1976us]

Originally Posted by reefgems

electronic does not have a core and coil and uses less power and gives off less heat.
its the newest tech out and the way to go if you ask me

OK, what about the light color if i use the same bulb , is it differnt between magnetic and electronic ?

[frgrasso]

go with the electronic,you will have: better light output , less heat , less electric , lighter.

[roushracer]

Mag tends to overdrive bulbs giving you a crisper-whiter light, where as electronic ballasts tend to run the bulb at specs and is more effecient and will look significantly more blue (depending on the bulb of course)

[TampaReefer79]

Originally Posted by frgrasso

go with the electronic,you will have: better light output , less heat , less electric , lighter.

The way it was explained to me from the folks at reefgeek was that there are many pros and cons but that magnetic will give you more light. The magnetic ballast will overdrive the bulb...and therefore your electric bill will be higher. But they said magnetic is just as effecient, there's no power loss...the power is being used to drive the bulb harder and last longer. Plus on a 20000k radium bulb, it won't look 'too blue' on magnetic. This is the way I went.

[jthomps123]

Originally Posted by TampaReefer79

The way it was explained to me from the folks at reefgeek was that there are many pros and cons but that magnetic will give you more light. The magnetic ballast will overdrive the bulb...and therefore your electric bill will be higher. But they said magnetic is just as effecient, there's no power loss...the power is being used to drive the bulb harder and last longer. Plus on a 20000k radium bulb, it won't look 'too blue' on magnetic. This is the way I went.

How can they be just as efficient if they're giving off so much extra heat?

[Faisal1976us]

OK , Thanks all for help me , my main problem that we don't have electronic ballast in my country we just have magnetic ballast and its cost me 80 $ for one and if i wont electronic ballast i will order one from US and it will cost me 300 $ plus shipping !
just i wont some one to advice me , is it worth to pay 300$ for electronic ballast or i will go with magnitic ?

[thebanker]

Originally Posted by jthomps123

How can they be just as efficient if they're giving off so much extra heat?

+1

Also are magnetic ballasts better for MH than T5?

[captsluggo]

Originally Posted by jthomps123

How can they be just as efficient if they're giving off so much extra heat?

Lighting effiency is usually expressed as lumens per watt.
How much light output (lumens) per power consumed (watts).
Reefers are usually more concerned with light that our critters can use (PAR) and the perceived look (Kelvin) of everything. Some of this is a personal choice, then there is the cost factor.
I know of numerous magnetic MH ballasts that have run continously for 35+ years, magnetic flourescents for 20+, I've replaced tons of electronic ones in the last 10 yrs.
If your environment requires more heat then the extra from light doesn't hurt.
I still prefer the electronics for a lot of reasons, but it takes a good bit of calculating to be sure they are cheaper (more efficient $$$) in the end.
Captsluggo

[captsluggo]

Originally Posted by thebanker

+1

Also are magnetic ballasts better for MH than T5?

Two different animals. T5HO is a fairly recent development in lighting and is predominantly electronic if not entirely.
Captsluggo

[Suzukibusa06]

If you have to replace anything in a magnetic setup it's usually a $15 Capacitor as opposed to sending the ballast back. I have electronics now and I am pleased with them. I can tell you the Magnetics I had on my 400s were intense and we did a test in my local reef club with a par meter and it wasn't even close with a magnetic vs electronic. A magnetic ballast 400watt with a lumerarc reflector is about the best par we saw with any bulb. HTH

[James77]

Certain bulbs run better on certain ballasts. Electronics are good in the sense they can run almost any bulb, but they do not neccesarily run them properly. Most 250w DE bulbs run best on magnetic HQI ballasts, as well as several HQI rated SE bulbs.

Easiest example are Radiums. When run on HQI(m80) ballasts, they give off ~30% more PAR, and they will be running at their spec wattage. Running the same bulb on an electronic ballast will have reduced output, run dimmer, and have a shorter life because it is being underdriven. Running it, or any HQI bulb, on an HQI ballast is not overdriving the bulb.

As for the extra heat and electric usage, it truly is not that much more to run magnetic ballasts than electronics, not more than a couple bucks a month. Any savings realized with electronics can easily be lost through loss of bulb life and reduced light output.

A good article, with a chart showing the ideal ballasts to run popular bulbs on. Better than half of them run at their best using HQI ballasts.

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2007-03/sj/index.php

[sedor]

Personally, if Electronic Ballasts are not available in your country I would not pay the outrageous price difference. Yes electronic is better, newer technology. Magnetic ballasts are huge and heavy and you don't have that problem with electronic, but again...if its not available where you live they will both accomplish the same tank and considering you could get 3 magnetics for the price of one electronic I would not hesitate to go the magnetic route.

[TTown]

I've used magnetic for the last 7+ years with not 1 single issue from them. In your situation I would not hesitate & say go for the magnetic.

[FreakSRT]

I run both magnetic and electronic ballasts on my tanks. I have replaced 3 electronic ballasts in the past 6 years and I am still running my older magnetic ballast. Color is similar on both. Magnetic puts off more heat and the ballast is larger in size.

[tkeracer619]

Pick a bulb and then pick the ballast that runs them to spec.

Electronic are not better then magnetic. That is similar to saying apples are better then oranges. Magnetic will probably outlast electronic 2+ tines and puts out more light depending on bulb/ballast combo. Many would argue that makes them better.

A lot of people buy electronic ballasts due to shiny cases. The magnetic manufacturers got smart and put their ugly boxes in shiny cases.

[tall_jason79]

Who cares if a magnectic ballast is heavy or not? you do not carry it around, right ? jmo ...... go with the magnetic it will take to long to recoup the 220 $ you spend plus shipping to get it from the usa

[TampaReefer79]

Originally Posted by James77

Certain bulbs run better on certain ballasts. Electronics are good in the sense they can run almost any bulb, but they do not neccesarily run them properly. Most 250w DE bulbs run best on magnetic HQI ballasts, as well as several HQI rated SE bulbs.

Easiest example are Radiums. When run on HQI(m80) ballasts, they give off ~30% more PAR, and they will be running at their spec wattage. Running the same bulb on an electronic ballast will have reduced output, run dimmer, and have a shorter life because it is being underdriven. Running it, or any HQI bulb, on an HQI ballast is not overdriving the bulb.

As for the extra heat and electric usage, it truly is not that much more to run magnetic ballasts than electronics, not more than a couple bucks a month. Any savings realized with electronics can easily be lost through loss of bulb life and reduced light output.

A good article, with a chart showing the ideal ballasts to run popular bulbs on. Better than half of them run at their best using HQI ballasts.

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2007-03/sj/index.php

This is exactly how the folks at reefgeek explained it to me. I'm glad I wasn't talked into just buying what they wanted me to buy. lol I bought 20000k radiums with bluewave hqi ballasts and lumenmax elite reflectors. We'll see how good the lighting is shortly.

[Lo0seR]

Edit

[grigsy]

Depends on the bulb you are using.

Personally, I have used both and prefer magnetic ballasts.

Magnetic ballasts tend to be more reliable and produce generally higher PAR numbers.

I have been running 250 watt M80 HQI ballasts for over 6 years now. No problems and they work great.

[jayk198030]

Originally Posted by captsluggo

Lighting effiency is usually expressed as lumens per watt.
How much light output (lumens) per power consumed (watts).
Reefers are usually more concerned with light that our critters can use (PAR) and the perceived look (Kelvin) of everything. Some of this is a personal choice, then there is the cost factor.
I know of numerous magnetic MH ballasts that have run continously for 35+ years, magnetic flourescents for 20+, I've replaced tons of electronic ones in the last 10 yrs.
If your environment requires more heat then the extra from light doesn't hurt.
I still prefer the electronics for a lot of reasons, but it takes a good bit of calculating to be sure they are cheaper (more efficient $$$) in the end.
Captsluggo

+1 on i have replaced more electronic ballasts over magnetic's.
i prefer magnetic over electronic for hobby purposes.JMO

[herozero]

Originally Posted by TampaReefer79

This is exactly how the folks at reefgeek explained it to me. I'm glad I wasn't talked into just buying what they wanted me to buy. lol I bought 20000k radiums with bluewave hqi ballasts and lumenmax elite reflectors. We'll see how good the lighting is shortly.

How do you like the combo?