has anyone experimented with two 400w lights?

[deftdrummer]

I was thinking about this, and I heard from someone that two 600W lights is more efficient (electrity usage) than one 1000W light, and also puts out more light. Is this also true for two 400w lights? Thanks

[the image reaper]

just my view, but I think two lamps are better than one, for more even light dispersion, and lumens may be higher with two lamps ... go to http://www.1000bulbs.com/ and search their specifications as to lumen output (good place to buy, also ... check out their odor-neutralizing CFLs too, they WORK !!!) ... one thing to consider is price ... in my price searches, the 600w lamps are priced much higher than the 400w, and not that much cheaper than the 1000w lamps ... if you can afford the electricity, I'd take the 1000w over the 600w ... where I live, my 400-watt sodium, fans, etc., cost me about $22/month for electricity, no big deal ... :smokin:

[katacus]

Im running two 400 hps atm. They are doing great. I would vent the lights thou.

[Garden Knowm]

Hello Mr. Drummer...

2 - 600s used properly will almost always out grow (yield) 1 - 1000 watt bulb..

The reason why many people don't choose to go the 2 - 600's route is because it requires one to grow MORE plants and keep them shorter (SOG)... more plants = more risk

The 1000 watt bulb will have greater penetration... meaning, the plants will have more quality buds further down the plant.. This is irrelevant when growing numerous small plants..

2- 600's can cover a greater area than 1 - 1000 watt... more plants with more BIG main colas.. YEEE HAA

Now.. 2 - 1000's.. now you're talking a GREAT harvest...

iloveyou

[Racerx]

The only time I would use 2 600s is when I have a long and skinny grow area and a 1000 watt just wont get the edges. However, having observed myself and others use 600s and 1000s...I will always use 1000s. The penetration like Known says is really spectacular. Those little bottom nugs make up a lot of the harvest and if I can double their size...it makes a big enough difference that the little bit of extra electrcity is well worth it. For SOG, I still think its better cause your nugs will just be that much fatter if yuo can get the light close enough.

I dont neccessarily think 1200 watts is better then 1000, for the plain fact of penetration, but Known has good points for why you would use them. 600 watt lights tend to run more efficient (not less total electricity used then a 400 watt, but comparitively its better).

1000 watts does also produce more heat. I think its harder to cool 2 600 watt lights then 1 1000, but for some people it might not be depending on what equipment they have. On average, Ive seen 1000 watt lights run about 10 degrees warmer then 600s (if they have a good fan). With a 1000, I need a 300cfm fan aircooling the hood to keep temps respectable if there isnt much airflow inside the actual grow room. For a 600, it only needs a 150cfm fan. I wouldnt do more then 8 smaller plants with 400s. However, without even an aircooled hood, you can get a 400 watt with 8" of the canopy no problem long as you have some air running between them.

[deftdrummer]

well currently we have a 128cfm rat wheel style fan that is air cooling our 400w HPS light. The light stays ultra cool as you could imagine. My issue of course is yield. Not this time, and maybe not even the next grow but in the future we are going to want another 400w or maybe a 600w to replace this one. Katacus touched on the fact that he was running two 400w lights and it was working out fine, but that's all the info he blessed us with!

The main point of my thread is to see about running two 400w lights. We would have to get a stronger centrifugal fan probably but that is no big deal when it comes to yield. BTW we DO have a narrow small grow room. It is probably about 8ft x 4.5ft and about 7.5ft tall at the tallest point. Thanks for the help guys!

[stinkyattic]

two lamps are better than one, for more even light dispersion,

This is a very important thing to note, and the exact reason I run 2x400.

In a month or so when the weather cools down I'm going to replace the a/c and one of the 400s with my 1000, but still leave the other 400 on.