600 watt HID's

[JunkYard]

I was going to use a 400 watt, but was talked into a 600 watt, as they are said to put out %80 more [lumens?]

anyway I found a good deal on one @ ebay, but I've never seen this kind before. It's pretty inexpensive for a 600 watter & $256.00 it also comes with a MH conversion bulb, so both my veg and flower needs would be met.

Here's the light system.. ..tell me what you think if you don't mind. I have no idea what I'm doing when it comes to buying a light, and my budget is kinda low. Even so, I'm going with the 600 watt, I'm just not sure if this one is the ONE, ya know?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ALL-NEW-600-watt-HPS-Metal-Halide-grow-light-mh-w_W0QQitemZ260071793230QQihZ016QQcategoryZ42225QQs sPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

If you gus know where I can get a better one for less or the same amount.. ..PLEASE let me know!


Love,

[HiProGlow]

That light you are looking at looks ok, but there's no warranty....not always a good thing. For less than $100 more you can get one that comes with a warranty and is switchable as well. Here's a link. I've bought several items, including lights, from this place and they are fast...super fast...and back their products %100. Peace.

http://cgi.ebay.com/NEW-600-watt-GROW-LIGHT-HPS-MH-600w-both-SODIUM-HALIDE_W0QQitemZ180068084091QQihZ008QQcategoryZ422 25QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item180068084091

[JunkYard]

Thanks HiPro.. ..I contacted the seller yesterday and asked about a warranty, but he hasn't got back with me yet. There was much to read in his add, and I didn't notice it saying "No Warranty"

I looked at the one you posted, too, and was going to go with it at first, then I saw the six sided three foot reflector for cheaper, and was like DAMN! (LOL)

If it has a warranty, do you think it would be a decent buy? I also asked about hot spots, that shiney aluminum kinda scares me.. ..


~Junk~

[babystarbud]

that kinda price is quite competetive, so your budget of 260 USD is fine for a non-cooled set up, but you WILL nedd to buy a good fan and ducts to go with it to keep it cool, what size is your grow room? that will dictate the kind of light/s you buy over anything else.

im not to sure about that kit your loking at TBH, the reflector is mirrored, which isnt good, you should look at a brushed/dimpled aluminium reflector for best spread and diffusion.
and the ballast looks pretty cheap...
if you lived in the UK, i would tell you to get this for a very simmilar price:http://www.aquaculture-hydroponics.co.uk/product.aspx?categoryID=25&subCategoryID=303&productID=1390
i have the 400w version, it comes with a sylavania grolux wide spec HPS and its very good.....no need to swap bulbs...no stretching at all.

i would shop around a bit more, but you do need to budget for cooling, if you can stretch to it, get an enclosed or cooltube type reflector.

what sort of space are you growing in?

[JunkYard]

3 X 5 X 6 and decided on a 449 cfm vortex fan (6") That 'should' relpace the air enough to keep the room cool, but I'm not sure? I can't really afford a cool tube right now, so I'll probably go with the light HiPro suggsted, and put an oscillating fan in the room also.. ..

Do you think that would suffice?


~Junk~

[HiProGlow]

It works wonders for me. (But I use two fans!) The reflector is top notch and my plants are proof of that! Anyway...a two year warranty is well worth it and even the bulbs are warranted. Peace and Good luck growing.

[JunkYard]

yup, def going with that light, HiPro.. ..

what kind of fans do you use?

[Splifted]

I can't really afford a cool tube right now... ~Junk~

Haha, anyone can afford a cooltube now man, I got a sweet link for ya :D

http://www.marylandhydroponics.com/ht-reflectors.html

They are on sale for 59 dollars at the moment. And you can exhaust a cool tube using just a shitty round plastic fan from wal-mart with some ducting taped to the back. Its not ideal, but its cheap and it works as long as you don't need a carbon filter. Lol, if you don't believe me, just look at the grow in my sig, and thats with a 1000 watt hps. If you're interested, I'll show you a pic of my ghetto exhaust fan, but I do HIGHLY suggest getting an air cooled light, otherwise you will be fighting heat forever. Not to mention you won't be getting the max potential out of your 600 watt because you will have to keep it pretty high above the plants to not burn them with an open air light.

Also, these are just a bit more expensive than you were paying, but they come with a cool tube.
http://www.hydrowholesale.com/Merchant2/merchant.mv?Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=hydro&Category_Code=BAIR
I got my cool tube 1kw hps w/ hortilux bulb upgrade from them shipped for around $320. I ordered on a friday at 6pm and i still got the light the very next tuesday. Only thing I've ever ordered from them, but from that experience :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

[GaGrown]

I've got my eye on a 600 watt switchable digital electronic ballast.You have not comprimised any lumen issues as you would by using the conversion bulb.The switchable is not that much more.There are a few on ebay.But,do what cha wallet let's ya do!! Tax time is here!!!! I'm gonna get 1 in about 2 weeks.The vortex fan you mentioned.That will be more than enuff.Still I would put the oscillating fan in there as well.Make sure you have a dampered intake so as to get the most from your fan!! Meaning it will cool the room faster ond get the much needed co2,the natural kind,into the room! Grow on! Good luck with it all.

Ga Grown!

[JunkYard]

Splifted, thanks for the link man.. ..59 bucks? Wow! :eek:

GaGrown, what is a dampered intake, lol! I was just gonna cut a couple 6" holes and light proof them.

Also, I'll be using a DIY scrubber in my out take exhaust; will that effect the fan functunality too much?


~Junk~

[GaGrown]

A dampered intake is one of those dryer caps that go on the outside of your hause that your clothes dryer exhaust hooks to.It has a swinging damper on the inside under the hood.That way cold air can't fill your room at night and drop the temps way low.I use 2 per room.Got 2 rooms,so 4 in all.

Ga Grown!

[JunkYard]

I don't think I can use outside intakes; I'll have to put them in a seperate room [inside the house] I know plants need 'fresh' air, but I'm afraid I cannot supply them with anything more than the air circulating in the house already./shrug

I could probably pull air from underneath my house, but it's so damp down there, I'b be worried about mold, and humidity. (Yikes!)

Will they still grow well with just normal house air? I guess I could keep a window open in the intake room.. ..that would help, yes?

[Splifted]

I don't think I can use outside intakes; I'll have to put them in a seperate room [inside the house] I know plants need 'fresh' air, but I'm afraid I cannot supply them with anything more than the air circulating in the house already./shrug

I could probably pull air from underneath my house, but it's so damp down there, I'b be worried about mold, and humidity. (Yikes!)

Will they still grow well with just normal house air? I guess I could keep a window open in the intake room.. ..that would help, yes?

Yes, they'll grow fine. The only intake/outtake fan I have in my whole grow room is that shitty plastic one I have pulling air out of my cool tube. And you can see what my plants look like, just check out page 7 of my log :D

[GaGrown]

You don't have to use it on the outside of your house. It's just like the one you use for the dryer.You can use it anywhere.Your best bet is to use it inside the room.They only cost about 3 or 4 buck's,at home depot.

Ga Grown!

[JunkYard]

Alright.. ..very good, then! How well do the dampers keep out light? I'll be putting it inside the GR itself if I use them, and cover the outside hole/s with a large vent cover to camoflage, and maybe use a hepa filter to keep out dust n stuff.

Oh, and that guy got back with me about the light I posted about. This is what he said:

"Hi,

Our reflector design is designed to largely avoid hot spots. It does so because we do not employ imaging optics. Light is deflected down, but an many different angles.

We discovered that the basic winged profile of our reflectors actually has higher utilitilization coefferents than continuously curved reflectors that keep light unidirectional.


It does have chain bails on the ends that you can hook chain to.

600 watt lamps are exclusively used in horticultural applications. So the spectrum of the HPS lamp, for instance, is tuned to the needs of the plants. The HPS lamp is from Phoenix electric, a Japanese company. The MH lamp is a grow power lamp.

The internal ballasts have a standard type of 2 year warranty."


I guess I'm undecided again, lol! :D I can't do the cool tube just yet, I have a lot of other things to buy before I even think about getting started.. ..moneys tight, but I want to do it right to start out!


~Junk~


You guys are a great help, so thanks. :thumbsup:

[GaGrown]

The damper works great! Just pull the damper off the hinges from the hood and spray paint it black! You have now lightproofed it!

Ga Grown!