HPS gear from way back - still good?

[ED-209]

I've been digging around in the attic and uncovered my two old digital ballasts from a decade or more ago when running HPS/MH.

Are they worth holding onto? The cheap one probably only got a few months of use before I got the Solistek unit, and that one probably ran for many 12 months. I've got some bulbs and a cooltube fitting also.


I've since switched over to LED but can see the value in maybe going HPS in the winter if needing extra heat. But maybe that's not a good way of looking at the efficiency difference.

 

[Goonie Goat]

I've been digging around in the attic and uncovered my two old digital ballasts from a decade or more ago when running HPS/MH.

Are they worth holding onto? The cheap one probably only got a few months of use before I got the Solistek unit, and that one probably ran for many 12 months. I've got some bulbs and a cooltube fitting also.
View attachment 45558View attachment 45559

I've since switched over to LED but can see the value in maybe going HPS in the winter if needing extra heat. But maybe that's not a good way of looking at the efficiency difference.

I'd just hang onto the HPS just to have a backup if things were to go wrong. LED drivers can fail I guess.

 

[One Drop]

I’ve got all mine stored ready to flash up for winter down here it’s to cold for led

 

[Dubbski]

They'll be good to go for sure, unless they were stored in water. Maybe you've been running them for the last decade, then you might want to change the bulb ha ha.

I bought myself a hi-par duo not too long ago. Its a sealed hood running both, 600w hps and 315w cmh, it arrived with digital ballasts and bulbs for both and it was cheap.
More than likely it was old stock that came in at the same time as the decent LEDs so they couldn't give them away, almost..... needless to say I grabbed it and the performance was outstanding!
They have been sitting for years before I used it.

Blow out the dust like a it was an ol' 32-bit cartridge (because that'll fix it), plug it in, then play mate. Hps still produces top shelf and with the sealed hoods the heat can be negligible. The good, new, comparable LEDs that challenge hps are still high in wattage.. so the slight difference shouldn't be noticed too much on the bill.... because you now have good, good weed.

 

[ED-209]

They'll be good to go for sure, unless they were stored in water. Maybe you've been running them for the last decade, then you might want to change the bulb ha ha.

Cheers dude - yeah they have been stored in the attic which may not be ideal, certainly not bad. I'm thinking I might give the HPS another go this winter, and run along side LEDs. Depends on how I reconfig things. I kinda miss the old setup with the big cooltube hood and ducting, so could be fun

 

[Dotts]

I have a cupboard full...

Can't bring myself to throw it out,

Can't even give it away ...

..i wont lie...I still get a lil stiffy when I see a HPS grow diary..