Ballasts do get hot. I am not sure what you mean by hot. Does it burn you when you touch it or is just very warm to the touch.

Most fixtures sold as grow lights will have electronic ballasts. Electronic ones run cooler than the traditional ballasts.

All of my lights the ballsts get warm to the touch. I have electronic ballasts.

They get pretty hot at the ballast area...more tham warm. If they were hanging up from the ceiling, that would not have been noticed.!!

Surely someone has shop lights.

Ballasts can get pretty hot. The metal case is the heat sink for the ballast. Make sure the ballast is bolted tight.
The new solid state ballasts do not get hot like the old.

Thank you rosemallow.