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Why iPower Makes The Best Ballast For Indoor Growing – 2024

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A Detailed Look At The iPower 400 Watt HPS MH Digital Dimmable Grow Light System Kit

Over my years of experience in growing, I have realized that lighting is one of the most important factors for getting good quality and high yield from indoor growth. A vast variety of lighting options are available to people for providing the correct amount of light to their plants.

Modern equipment such as reflectors and ballasts can help in efficiently utilizing the energy while maintaining safety levels. Advanced systems can be adjusted to ensure that the plants remain in the correct temperature and get optimal levels of lighting.

Before we move on below is the current price and rating on Amazon.com

Features At A Glance

  • 400W Digital Dimmable Electronic Ballast: Support 120V/240V Input; Dimmable Options: 50%, 75%, 100%; 8 Feet heavy-duty power cord included; Stable power output ensure flicker free light.
  • 1 x 400W Super HPS Bulb 2100K; 1 x 400W MH Bulb 6000K; Optimized spectrum and high PAR (Photosynthetic Active Radiation) to promote healthy plant growth and soonest flourish.
  • 1 x Pair of 8-ft adjustable Ratchet Clip Hanger Rope: hold up to 150 lbs.
  • 19-inch Wing Reflector: up to 4′ x 4′ light coverage; Built-in 15 feet heavy duty lamp cord (UL Listed) with E39 Ceramic Mogul Socket and standard Hydroponic S-Plug; highly 95% reflective textured German aluminum maximizes the light reflected to the plants.
  • CAUTION: This system will generate too much heat to be used in an enclosed area without ventilation. Adequate ventilation is required for all iPower grow light systems. We recommend the use of an iPower inline fan.

Best Lighting Option:

Ballasts are commonly employed for indoor gardening to install a large number of bulbs safely. The bulbs used have high intensity which can imitate sunlight to promote plant growth as required. The ballast controls the electric current which helps the lamps to function with higher efficiency resulting in lower energy bills.

Ballasts can have different designs and types which can make it extremely hard for you to select the perfect one. However, I have noticed that most growers do not stick to the same type of plants (strain) for long periods of time which makes it extremely hard to predict what type of lighting the future batches may require.

After trying more than two dozen popular models by most recommended companies, I have found iPower’s HPS MH Grow Light System with 400 Watt power rating to be the best ballast for indoor growing.

Brand Trust:

The products from iPower come with a guarantee of high quality and advanced technology as the company has an experience of over 10 years and is among the leading grow light system manufacturers. Along with digital ballasts, iPower also provides super MH and HPS lamps along with LED and fluorescent lighting.

Their products can help indoor growers and gardeners for hobby or commercial purposes. Their equipment and tools can help in efficient climate control, hydroponic growth and irrigation for helping the plants to thrive in any type of indoor environment.

Advanced Technology:

iPower’s system comes with HID technology which helps in generating more lumens of light through the available energy. This helps in reducing the energy consumption drastically as HID is the most cost effective lighting solution available commercially.

The system features a balanced set of lights to create a spectrum which is absorbed by the chlorophylls easily while promoting more production of chlorophyll and regulating the life of plant.

Everything Within One Kit:

This system contains everything that you will need for setting up a lighting system indoors. You don’t need to mix fluorescent or extra LED bulbs which provide minimal benefits while costing twice or thrice as much. Since the entire kit has been designed and manufactured by iPower, the parts are highly compatible with each other and can be assembled easily.

Although it is simple to connect and set up the iPower Grow Light System, I would advise you to refer the manual instructions carefully when using it for the first time. This will help in avoiding any mistakes while allowing you to know the vast range of functionalities offered by the system and adjusting it for best results. The kit comes with 5 main parts along with accessories:

1. Digitally Dimmable Ballast Of 400 Watts:

This electronic ballast supports input voltage of 120 or 240 Volts and can be operated at 50, 75 or 100 percent power for adjusting the light as required. The ballast claims to generate 30 percent more light as compared to magnetic ballasts and I noticed that my yield increased because of this.

It is extremely convenient to set up and adjust the ballast as it comes with a durable power cord and wired using S-Plug. The lamp also ignites quickly within 2 minutes once the bulbs are lighted while the high frequency output reduces power loss. The ballast can be programmed through a microchip and converts automatically between MH and HPS lights.

I also noticed that the stable voltage generated no flickers and the ballast was not damaged due commonly observed factors such as power surges, bulb fuses, short circuits or ignition failures.

A cooling fan and intelligent design further kept the ballast temperature low and allowed it to function for long periods continuously. It comes with a 2 year warranty period as well which is not bad and it’s pretty standard among other brands of ballasts on the market.

2. Wing Reflector Hood:

The basic gull type reflector I use can also be employed for 250, 600 or 1000 watt MS/HPS light systems to cover an area of up to 4X4 square feet. The lightweight hood comes with an inbuilt lamp cord of 10 feet length and ceramic sockets.

The 0.4 mm thick reflective surface is made of German aluminum which has been textured to reflect 95 percent of light and reliably helps to intensify the light while enlarging the lighting area. The mounting bracket for reflector is made using galvanized steel which makes it extremely sturdy and strong.

3. HPS Bulb Of 400 Watts:

With a capacity of of 55,000 lumens and a color temperature of 2100 Kelvin(K), this high pressure sodium bulb (HPS) boasts having a lifespan of 32,000 hours while featuring a 1 year warranty. They are also compatible with magnetic ballasts and maintain more than 90 percent of initial lighting capacity even after working for 6500 hours.

They are designed specifically for indoor growing proved to be better for promoting the growth of flowers and fruiting process when I compared them to other HPS grow lights and bulbs.

4. MH Bulb Of 400 Watts:

The metal halide (MH) bulb has a lighting capacity of 36,000 lumens with a lengthy lifespan of 12,000 hours and boasts a color temperature of 6000 Kelvin(K).

They are also compatible with magnetic ballasts and maintain more than 90 percent capacity even after running for 5000 hours. They also feature a one year warranty and helped my plants by speeding up their growth process.

5. Heavy Duty Clip Hanger Adjustable Rope:

I found this rope to be extremely helpful while adjusting the height and position of the lighting system. This rope has ample length of 8 feet and a thickness of 0.125 inches which helps it to support up to 150 pounds of weight although I have never needed it for supporting more than 100-110 pounds.

It comes with 4 carabiner clips which further increase the ease of usage. The rope is made using braided polypropylene, hooks are made of zinc plated steel and internal gears contain 100 percent stainless steel making it highly resistant to tear and rust.

I have used this fully adjustable rope with locking facility for a variety purposes but it has never given me any problems.

Other Models Of This Kit Available

iPower creates other Models of this kit. The main difference between the models is the wattage of the bulbs. I haven’t personally used them myself, because I’ve only used the 400 watt version, but I’ve listed the other models below:

iPower 600 Watt HPS Digital Dimmable Grow Light System Kits Wing Reflector Set

iPower 1000 Watt HPS Digital Dimmable Grow Light System Kits Wing Reflector Set

Overall/Final Thoughts

As I’ve said at the beginning I’ve tried quite a few ballasts, but out of all of them I’ve been impressed and pleased more with the iPower ballasts. Added to the fact that this ballast comes in a complete kit with a reflector hood and all at a competitive price just completes the sweet deal. You certainly won’t be disappointed with this item.

Additional Resources/Info

Grow Light Switchable Ballasts Info

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The Best Grow Tents With Lights In 2024

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What to Look for When Shopping For Grow Tents with LED Lights

Ever since I started indoor gardening and practicing hydroponics I quickly realized how indispensable grow tents are. Sure, you can place grow lights over plants out in the open and you’ll get growth, but is not the same growth that you will get in a controlled environment that grow tents will provide you.

If you’re shopping for a grow tent with LED lights, (which I recommend Amazon.com for the best grow tent deals) you’ve already decided that energy efficiency is a key criterion. With that in mind, having a grow tent with excellent light reflectivity to maximize the luminosity of the area without having to install secondary lights or reflectors is probably something you’d appreciate.

In the same vein, having a grow tent with good insulation, whether keeping the warm air inside the tent or minimizing drafts that let moisture escape and bugs in probably matters to you.

The best grow tent, though, will also depend on the application. Some people want a small grow tent for a mother plant, while others want a grow tent to give them the same environmental control as a greenhouse for a large crop but without the attendant expense. Ease of access is a given, but whether or not you need dividers to maintain two or more crop stages at once or tool storage depends on you preferences.

And the value of all in one kits containing both LED lights and the grow tent depends on the equipment you may already have versus what you need and the kit contains. Without further ado, Here are some of the best choices in my opinion when looking for grow tents that come with led lights. I have not personally tested all of these but from my years of experience they seem pretty promising in order to help with your plant yields this year.

TopoGrow 300 Watt LED Complete Kit

The TopoGro grow tent is 32” square by 63” tall, enough to fit in many closets or a corner of a living room. The kit, though, comes with everything you need. It comes with a right-sized LED light, a basic 4” fan, ducting and air filter.

You get everything you need to grow several mother plants or a small crop. And the grow kit literally lets you grow almost anything, since the full spectrum light supports everything from seedling germination to the flowering stage. The tent itself is waterproof on the inside and light proof on the outside.

You can spray water on the crop and not worry about damaging the tent, while the exterior means that the bright lights on the inside won’t bother you even if you’re close to it. It is easy to assemble and just as simple to maintain.

The only downsides that I see and according to customer reviews are that it doesn’t always come with all the connecting hardware and you don’t get a light timer with this kit.

Current price and customer reviews below:

TopoLite 300W LED Compete Grow Tent Kit

The TopoLite Grow Tent is another kit, grow tent and all. The grow tent’s dimensions are 20″x20″x48”. I actually own this grow tent kit myself. Not a bad tent, but I wouldn’t consider it my favorite one although I am actively using it.

The tent itself could actually fit in a closet or fit easily in a corner of your house, although for aesthetic reasons I would try to keep your growing tents out of sight as best as possible. Ideally, if you have a basement that’s where you should place your grow tents which is what I do since I have a basement.

The later scenario is good for having multiple grow tents in order to maintain several different crops that need different environmental conditions. This of course will depend on how big your basement is.

The kit comes with a 300 Watt LED grow light and pre-cut vent holes. The LED light although it produces 300 Watts which I have confirmed myself, does not compare with a grow light such as the GalaxyHydro 300W or other 300W grow lights that I have reviewed in other posts but it will be enough especially for beginners.

The TopoLite does not come with a fan or the vents themselves like other kits do which is one of the things I didn’t like about the kit. If you understand the side hardware that you’ll need you won’t have issues putting this tent together, but if you already have the hardware or can get it easily, everything snaps together quickly.

Current price and customer reviews below:

Casolly 32″x32″x64″ Hydroponic Grow Tent

I know what you’re going to think, this tent is not a complete kit and furthermore does not come with a light. However, the tent itself is very high quality and so easy to install almost any small to medium size grow light in it. I should know because I personally own a Casolly. Here’s a pic of my light setup. Click on the pic to the right to make it bigger.

The Casolly brand grow tent is a sturdy, basic grow tent. It has a highly reflective interior surface and light-blocking exterior. It has a convenient access door, pre-cut vent holes and easily assembled push-lock connectors which are further reasons why I like it so much. The vent holes and zippers keep in both moisture and light.

It’s durable and solid; the frame is strong enough to let you hang grow lights, fans and grow filters from them, up to 110 pounds. The tent also comes with a floor tray you can use when growing seedlings which comes in very handy.

A rare thing now a days with products but the assembly instructions that this unit comes with are written in a way that even beginners can figure out. The manufacturer has a good warranty and equally good customer service according to Amazon customer reviews because I haven’t had to personally contact them. I highly recommend this tent.

Current price and customer reviews below:

Oppolite Grow Tent Kit

The Oppolite Grow Tent Kit is intended for those who need both plenty of light and plenty of space. The tent itself is 48” by 48”. This is a nice size especially if you have a large crop that your working with.

The Oppolite itself is 80” tall, which is also perfect for those who want to step in and walk around without having to constantly hunch over. This grow tent also comes with a window to let you check on the crop without having to open the door. Now how cool is that!

The kit comes with a 1200 Watt full spectrum LED light perfect for sun-loving plants. This grow tent and supporting equipment is perfect for fruits, vegetables and herbs. The LED grow lights have an even light distribution and deep penetration, perfect for growing bushy plants and thick flowering plants.

On a personal level I am considering a bigger tent for a large batch of oregano that I’m trying to grow and the Oppolite is definitely on the top of my list because of how much of a punch it packs for for the price.

Current price and customer reviews below:

Viparspectra 36” x 36” Mylar Hydroponic Grow Tent

The Viparspectra 36” square grow tent is perfect for growing a few mid-sized or tall plants. The tent is 72” tall, good for letting someone conveniently access the plants or when raising very tall plants whether on a trellis or a small tree.

This grow tent is simply a grow tent and not a complete kit, no supporting hardware like fans or lights. I simply placed it in the list because Viparspectra is mainly known for their high quality grow lights and I would assume that their grow tents would be just as high in quality.

The tent comes with pre-cut connection points for vents and fans, which helps seal in light and moisture. The tent itself is tear-proof and water-proof and comes with a one year warranty. It has an easily removed floor when it is necessary to clean it which is a very much needed feature in grow tents.

One of the things that I especially like is the fact that the tent is tear proof which I mentioned above, but you won’t end up tearing the light-proof material inside of it when you’re trying to work with your tools which is such a pain when this happens.

Current price and customer reviews below:

iPower 96″x48″x80″ Hydroponic Water-Resistant Grow Tent

Sometimes you need the biggest grow tent you can find that will fit in a master closet or small bedroom. The iPower Mylar Grow Tent is designed for exactly this. It is 96” wide and 48” deep, perfect for hiding away in an unused master closed or a small bedroom.

Again, this is not a complete Grow Tent Kit, but because it is so big and comes with so many features I had to add it to this list. At 78” tall, it also lets you walk around with minimal cramping, but it will also fit under most closet shelves. The tent itself is versatile; you can adjust the vent doors, for example.

The unit has a removable floor tray ideal for growing seedlings which is a feature I really like and wish all grow tents would have. The tent itself is light proof, tear-proof and durable.

Also, the Mylar interior reflects back more than 95% of the grow lamp’s light which helps promote faster blooming and growth for your plants. The poles are strong and stable and allow for you to be able to attach fans or grow lights to the tent bars.

Current price and customer reviews below:

Conclusion

I’m not going to pinpoint just one particular grow tent because these are all great. What I will say is that you have to purchase a grow tent that will meet your hydroponic/indoor gardening needs the best and that it doesn’t break your budget. To learn more about grow tents and their features click here or view the video below:

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