There's capacitors in those ballasts to stop fires, very safe.
I'm wondering why they would burn out on you, they should last several thousand hours before needing to be replaced, you may need to address that issue before you move forward!
That t5 setup will likely suffer the same fate!
As for the LEDs, it's new tech, take your chances!
They are way too pricey for my taste! It probably overkill for what you need.
If you do go for the led, expect dramatic changes in the way your plants looks and grow, you'll most likely grow the most compact jades in the world.
