250 watt hps ?

[smokesalot]

i'm looking in to a 250 watt hps i was wondering if anybody has or is useing
a 250 watt and if so how well dose it work,will it cover a 3ft x 3ft area and is it hard to keep cool how much heat will it put out any input would be great


thankx

[The Grim Reefer]

Good questions!

I use 2x250 watts, they work well but I don't know how pinpoint I can answer you since I use them side by side. As far as using it in a 3 x 3 area, you shouldn't have too many problems depending on how many you're planning on growing.. I would also recommend to throw a few CFLs in there to get the lower growth since the 250 doesn't have as much light penetration through the leaves. But then again, that also depends on how many you're planning on growing, wether you LST, scrog, ect.

Heat wise.. well, I was keeping the temps down really well last night but I'm using a portable swamp cooler x 3 fans.

[Pepper]

I've used a 250 in a 28" x 28" area and it was about perfect size for a flowering box. A bathroom fan (80 cfm) was enough for me since the intake air was in the lower 70's.

I would want an air-cooled 400w light for a 3X3 ft area.

[LIP]

I'd also like to know what they are like, because im selling my 1000 watters and getting two 250 watt HPS's with MH conversion bulbs, hopefully this will sort out my electric bill.

[The Grim Reefer]

Not to hijack the thread, but LIP - do you have any ideas on how to distribute the light from 2 x 250 watts aside from just hanging both above?

I was thinking maybe one with a reflector over the plant and then maybe one on the side of the plant or you could angle it or hang it between them all.. I have no idea lol.

Input!

[sjacobs713]

hey LIP how much did that 1000w jump your electric bill up?

[smokesalot]

hey reefer how bad is the power bill on those 250's

[LIP]

hey LIP how much did that 1000w jump your electric bill up?

Too much to keep paying for a year.

And heat was a problem, i mean, i got vents and fans. I got it under control, but cant keep it at a steady temp, and i've had to re-build the ballast once.

I was thinking just getting two 250's and haning them above, but about 10 inches apart. That will give enoguh light to the canopy, and then i was gunner get CFL's to put all at the bottom and sides of the plant.

[Pepper]

The only thing that I don't like about using two 250w HID's with standard magnetic ballasts is that they are not efficient. You end up using more electricity than a 600w with digital ballast.

The advantage is that one 250 can easily keep mothers and make clones on a budget.