Digital ballast causing some sort of interference?

[ESPLTD]

I called my internet service provider this morning to pay my bill...

Me: "I'd like to pay my bill etc..etc..."
Agent: "I'm actually glad you called. We're showing there's something wrong with the line at your address....we'd like to send out a technician to take a look."

I got her to hold off on sending a tech out for a day. After a bit of googling it seems I'm not unique. Has anyone else experienced this? What's the solution? If need be I can run to the store and buy some temp lights or something. But I really like this light(600w). And what's more I'm seeing the seedlings are liking it too. They're doing quite well and I want to avoid shocking them when they're only 5 days old.

EDIT: Oh and there's nothing wrong with my internet services when the ballast and light are on.

 

[Weaselcracker]

I have heard of people experiencing electrical interference with some digital ballasts and I remember a thread in here from a guy who had various visits from the cable guy and eventually decided to pull the plug on his grow for safety's sake. I haven't had this experience - I'm assuming it's related to malfunctioning or low quality ballasts. What are your symptoms- for whoever may be able to help?

 

[Highpotanoose]

A lot of times the cable/telephone company hook their equipment ground to your house ground and if you have

a loose netrual(white wire)

on that circuit on any ckt really it will use the ground wire to return to the source instead of the netrual

This is assuming your house has grounds most built before 1970 do not


If you don't have grounds I would install one or have them installed

But those digital ballast create funky sine wave so they can expose your weak link in your electrical system

Hope this helps get you in the right direction so hard to trouble shoot someone's electrical system from an ipad

 

[ESPLTD]

I have heard of people experiencing electrical interference with some digital ballasts and I remember a thread in here from a guy who had various visits from the cable guy and eventually decided to pull the plug on his grow for safety's sake. I haven't had this experience - I'm assuming it's related to malfunctioning or low quality ballasts. What are your symptoms- for whoever may be able to help?

I'm not sure I understand the question. I'm not really experiencing any symptoms in my internet service or otherwise. I guess my main concern is just switching out lights in the meantime until I can have a bit more control over the situation. I'm just not sure if switching lights like that is going to be bad for the plants.

 

[BuddroGreen]

Here is the thread Weaselcracker was talking about.

Danger Will Robinson - Danger!

 

[Weaselcracker]

Oh I see, my mistake. I reread the first post. You aren't noticing anything- but the service provider is.
Is there anyway you can set things up so that the technician can come and take a look safely and get to the bottom of this? Maybe put the ballast and light in a different room over top of a few houseplants or something so they have access to it?

 

[ESPLTD]

Oh I see, my mistake. I reread the first post. You aren't noticing anything- but the service provider is.
Is there anyway you can set things up so that the technician can come and take a look safely and get to the bottom of this? Maybe put the ballast and light in a different room over top of a few houseplants or something so they have access to it?

Unfortunately the only indoor growth I have is MJ. And I know the tech would need to trouble shoot with the light and ballast on and I just don't see how I could do that without moderate risk. Is there something I can shield the ballast/light with? Some kind of signal blocking material? Forgive me. I'm a landscaper...not an electrician.

 

[Weaselcracker]

Check out that thread that BuddroGreen kindly put up a link to. There is mention of RF shielding/insulation in there.
There are some wizard electricians in this site. Alienpus is one of several. Look him up and try getting his attention. I've seen him out and about the last couple days. If you can't figure it out, and this thread doesn't attract them, then try putting up another post with an even more enticing title to lure in the electrical guys

 

[ESPLTD]

Check out that thread that BuddroGreen kindly put up a link to. There is mention of RF shielding/insulation in there.
There are some wizard electricians in this site. Alienpus is one of several. Look him up and try getting his attention. I've seen him out and about the last couple days. If you can't figure it out, and this thread doesn't attract them, then try putting up another post with an even more enticing title to lure in the electrical guys

Thanks WC. I did check out the thread. I don't find it very helpful. In he meantime, what lights do I need to get for the plants?

 

[Weaselcracker]

Switching lights won't harm your plants. If you're getting rid of the HiD for now- Cfls or regular flourescent lighting will get you by especially with seedlings- perfectly well. Or look into LEDs which I know nothing about but there's endless amounts of info here in the forum.

 

[OldMedUser]

I've read all sorts of horror stories about hassles caused by digital ballasts and it's mostly to do with cheaper package units than name brand gear. From what I've gleaned they actually feed some sort of signal back down the line that can cause problems in other homes on the same local grid that brings the techs hunting down the problem. Other ones do give off RF waves or something that causes other problems.

Another problem with digital ballasts is they can identify themselves when your house is equipped with a smart meter. In Ontario the courts ruled that power providers are free to give out info to almost any authority that asks. Lots of small growers are getting busted even with CFLs as the power company's computers raise a flag when there is easily recognizable patterns to power usage. 18/6, 12/12 etc.

The smart meters themselves cause problems like house fires and many jurisdictions are opting out. None here yet and I never hear a peep out of my old magnetic ballasts. My place is also wired for light industrial and as long as the bill gets paid my power provider would be happy to supply all the juice I want. I wonder how much pot I could grow in my shop. It's 37' x 18' x 10'h. Has 4 220V and 10 110V duplex plugs already wired in. I'll have to kick the wife's chickens out tho. Just a rooster with a sore foot in there now.

L8r