Specialty Ballasts vs Regular

[bugsybrown]

Just wondering if anyone has any experience using another ballast for lighting (VHO, T-5, MH, etc...) compared to a specialty ballast made for the hobby. Online and at Home Depot and Lowes, you can find electronic ballasts for T5, VHO, probably even MH that are substantially less than say ballasts made by Icecap or others. My thinking is that a ballast is a ballast and if I can save $100 than that is great.

Anyone have any thoughts on this?

[Geoff]

use them all of the time. they are all the same electronically. as long as they are labeled for the wattage and number of bulbs you are looking to lite you will be fine.

G~

[bugsybrown]

Thanks Geoff. That is what I thought, but wanted to be sure.