Ballast choices - what would you do?

parkinsn · #1 03-04-2009, 06:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tom R

Hi Franklin

If you are interested in a tar core ballast you can pick up 175w Advance Ballast ( m56 or m57) at any of the electrical wholesalers for about $65. They use a little more electricity and are usually a little noisier.

Tom R

If you open up a PFO ballast it is Advanced ballasts inside it. I have this one and there is no noise at all. Sorry to side track this thread.

http://www.jlaquatics.com/product/pf...+2+x+250W.html

Whatigot · #2 03-04-2009, 07:25 PM

is it branded as such?
how can you tell?

funny how all this stuff is the same sometimes...lol

parkinsn · #3 03-04-2009, 07:29 PM

Ya the ballast says right on it Advanced. kinda made me mad because work for an electrical wholesaler and we sell Advanced could have saved a lot of $$$ putting one together my self.

Whatigot · #4 03-04-2009, 07:38 PM

aren't they almost 1/3rd the price?
Glad I didnt buy mine new....lol

If vertex is indeed the smae as the icecap and you are dead set on buying new...
It would seem obvious the best choice would be vertex and the 15k iwasaki par busters...?
performance and some savings....a rare combo.

fkshiu · #5 03-04-2009, 07:44 PM

I know EVC and Aromat ballasts are both Chinese - these are the other two 175W e-ballasts that Sanjay has tested. I've asked Icecap where theirs is made.

I'm not surprised that Vertex is simply a rebadge job. The only question is which manufacturer is being rebadged.

Whatigot · #6 03-04-2009, 07:48 PM

I have now heard from a lfs employee who does a lot of the ordering for his store that the Vertex are in fact ice cap rebadges.
still just hearsay I suppose, but promising.

fkshiu · #7 03-04-2009, 07:51 PM

Since I have both a PAR meter and a Kill-a-Watt now I can put whatever I end up getting to the test.

parkinsn · #8 03-04-2009, 07:45 PM

Well i get cost so its like $35 for the ballast and like $10 for the upgraded ignitor a $.50 switch and $10 junction box, a little know how = priceless

As for them all being the same.... There is only a handful of ballast manufacturers everybody just puts their name on it, hence why i can believe that Vertex and Icecap are the same. But im sure you would never get that on paper.