Ballast upgrade for all you Sunpod/solana 150 watt users

[spicytuna]

I've been running the solana orb pendant for about 3 years now. Every 9-12 months I swap the bulb, originally I ran the current 14k and then went with the Phoenix 14k a few months later and have been stuck on the Phoenix for years.

I have always wanted to give the radium 150 a try, but know it will eventually fail if not fire at all on the stock sunpark ballast that comes with our current fixtures.

So I went about sourcing out an m81 magnetic ballast, and while searching I was recommended to go with the galaxy select-a-watt 150/175/250/HQI electronic ballast. Being my LFS had them on sale at a very reasonable price I gave it a go.

I finally got around to hooking it up and although I have yet to even try the radium, I am overwhelmed with how much brighter my 6 month Phoenix is already. Maybe it's just going from an old ballast to a new one, but it's incredibly bright compared to the sunpark. It's even more white then the washed out windex look, and my coral color has much more pop.

Can't wait to try the radium.

[Michigan Mike]

I have a outer orbit 150w hqi thatuses the sun park internal ballast. How tough was it to change from internal to a external ballast ? I would love to switch out that sun park to a m81

Radiums are nice but the phoenix has more par. With a good ballast I bet even the xm10k would be sweet with 4 t5 supplement bulbs ( outer orbit ) and very high par...hmmmm

[spicytuna]

I have a outer orbit 150w hqi thatuses the sun park internal ballast. How tough was it to change from internal to a external ballast ? I would love to switch out that sun park to a m81

Radiums are nice but the phoenix has more par. With a good ballast I bet even the xm10k would be sweet with 4 t5 supplement bulbs ( outer orbit ) and very high par...hmmmm

My ballast is already external, I have the solana disco ball.

It shouldn't be hard to pop open your outer orbit and get the ballast out. Wiring the ballast was pretty simple. The sunpark had the same color wires as the galaxy wires so it was really a no brainer.

I'm still using the Phoenix 14k and it's WAY brighter on the galaxy ballast. It also fires the radium well.

My LFS advised me against an m81, that's what I originally wanted. Although the radium was made for an m81, it's not a very common ballast anymore. Your better off looking for a used one. Most companies that still produce them for the hobby use any cheap Chinese magnetic ballast that specs to m81 and all m81's arent created equal. The radium is made for a PFO m81.