Lighting digital ballast

[doobydoobydo]

I have 2 ballasts one is a sunmaster 600 watt adjustable which i have used for 3 grows. The other is a 600 watt adjustable Lumii slim used for 1 grow. I have 4 plants under each. I have noticed that the plants under the sunmaster are bit smaller. My question is should a ballast start to throw out less power after only 3 grows? in other words do digital ballast have such a small life?
cheers
a

 

[Oldbie]

I have 2 ballasts one is a sunmaster 600 watt adjustable which i have used for 3 grows. The other is a 600 watt adjustable Lumii slim used for 1 grow. I have 4 plants under each. I have noticed that the plants under the sunmaster are bit smaller. My question is should a ballast start to throw out less power after only 3 grows? in other words do digital ballast have such a small life?
cheers
a

Hi Doob,
are we talking dimmable HPS?
I am no authority on ballasts (apart from how my Lumii has a strong chemical stink),
is it possible that the bulb brightness has diminished and not the ballast output?
also...are they both in similar situations? or is one running in a hotter situation?
have you a light meter of any description?
handy thing to have to check light levels.

 

[doobydoobydo]

Thanks, both the bulbs were new, both ballasts are dimmable. The plants under the lumi are bigger than the ones under the sunmaster, the heat is the same for,both. This is the third grow with the sunmaster so i was curious if they wear out?.
I have seen a lumi ballast that has a timer built in. I may well get one and use the sunmaster on a 250'setting and use it for extra light
A