http://www.htgsupply.com/viewproduct...roductID=53168
Is this just a cheap sale? Will this light work well for growing four plants?
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http://www.htgsupply.com/viewproduct...roductID=53168
Is this just a cheap sale? Will this light work well for growing four plants?
That's a very good price for a very nice compact system. I'd jump on it, if I were you. No telling how long it'll go for that price before being bumped back up.
Purchased. Can't wait to get rid of these fucking CFL's.
bleh!!! that's too badQuote:
Originally Posted by jackforest
I was really going to advocate for you to spend $20 more and get a system where the ballast is seperate from the hood/light.
htg sells 400watt hps systems with remote ballasts for $119 which would've been much better as you can put the ballast outside your grow area and reduce heat.
Might want to give them a call tomorrow. They've got great customer service and would probably change your order for you without any problems if you asked them.
:thumbsup:
Actually I think this is a new product. Their standard 400 watt hps has sold for $119. This one came recently within the last 4-5 weeks. I'm assuming it's a lower end product and will remain at that price.Quote:
Originally Posted by Mr. Clandestine
I wouldn't urge anyone to jump on it for the simple fact that you can pay $20 more and get a remote ballast. Far more ideal for a grow room unless you live in a very cold area.
Hah, I knew there would be many, "Oh no, you should have..."
Unfortunately, I'm being loaned this money and bargained at this exact price barely. I need a job. That might have been nice to have the ballast seperate, I was a little skeptical of that feature but it will work to make enough crop to buy another light of better quality.
Thanks for the advice. I just don't have the extra 20 as silly as it sounds. I need alight as soon as possible. My rubbermaid idea is turning and kicking me in the ass with the space issue. I cannot wait to turn my entire closet into a grow space.
You can't sell a few games to gamestop/eb games to get 20 bucks? Or sell a few clones to other umm *ahem* Medical Marijuana patients at 5 bucks a piece?Quote:
Originally Posted by jackforest
It just seems a shame to spend twice the money when it could be done right the first time.
Other things worth noting:
1. You can't seal/air cool this light. It only vents out heat.
2. The reflector used is just a square box. No angles. Not the best reflector. Anything not directly below the light will suffer comparitively to a hood with some diagnol angles.
3. This unit is combined as stated earlier. Furthermore it's sealed with a glass lens but does not have any active air cooling abilities. This heat will drift upwards and into the ballast. This is sure to reduce the life of this light.
4. You cannot upgrade this. Meaning you can't add a cool tube or change reflectors or anything of the sort.
If you're really set on buying another light after this grow is complete then why not buy two of those $119 400 watt HPS systems.
Another option to consider is this; If you truely can not come up with $20 and are borrowing $100 to get a light then perhaps you shouldn't be buying anything at all. $20 is not that hard to come up with even for people who don't have the money.
Sell plasma. Pays like $40 I think.. umm what else pays money. Sell copper, pays pretty decent. Go do telemarketing for 1 day.
Telemarketing places typically pay about $7-$9/hr during your training phase. Which typically lasts anywhere from 1 day to 1 week. All you need to do is work 1 day.
Ask 20 different people for $1. It's kind of crappy but because it's such a low amount most people will probably forget about it and you won't even have to pay it back.
If you're dead set on it then you're dead set on it and I won't continue to try to change your mind, but I thought someone should at least tell you the benefits of the alternative.
I have a 400w core/coil ballast, about 6 years old, and it doesn't raise the ambient temperature of my room whatsoever. I keep a small 10" fan trained on the vent holes every time the light is on, and it never gets hot.Quote:
Originally Posted by daihashi
I stand by my statement. This is a good deal. Were it a 1k system, I'd be worried about heat. But even then, I also own a 1k digital system, and it stays very cool. As it is, a good active exhaust in the room would easily take care of any heat problems.
Jack: Don't worry about the extra $20, bro. That light is a good deal for the money. Just remember to spend about as much on ventilation as you do on the light, and you'll be just fine! :jointsmile:
You're right.
http://htgsupply.com/viewproduct.asp?productID=47929
This one?
He can't afford $20, he's growing in a rubbermaid box (I've seen nice setups but it says alot for his budget), and he's growing in a closet which will have little fresh air.Quote:
Originally Posted by Mr. Clandestine
With that said, I suspect heat will be an issue. And considering that he can't afford $20 I doubt he has any money to spend on ventilation.
I agree that this light is a bargain and will work, but not if all you have is $100 and nothing more.
I'm betting you have more than just a 10" fan blowing on it. Probably also have an exhaust pulling hot air out of the room and probably have some form of cool fresh air being pulled back into the room. Either via a passive intake or an active one.
I'm just concerned about heat in the closet for a guy who only has $100 to spend.
Good luck :jointsmile:
Yep.. that's the one!Quote:
Originally Posted by jackforest
And when you get some more money together you can hit ebay for a 4" pyrex bake around tube and a squirelly cage fan and stay super cool.
Really you should do what you feel is best. I'm not trying to persuade you one way or another, but I just want to make sure someone advocates the alternative and it's advantages so that way you can make a better informed decision.
Good luck with whatever option you settle on. :hippy:
Well, I'm afraid if you believe heat will be as much of an issue as you say. I can get the 20 dollars. It would just be an inconvience and I felt pretty good about this buy. Buyers remorse with a compulsive buyer is a bitch. There is not a vent in my closet. Would pics of the closet help in the decision?
This is true, for the most part (the ballast itself just gets that one fan), but everything else is still passive in my veg room, where the 400 is housed. I've made due with just a 400 (for veg and flower) and passive everything before... it wasn't ideal, but it worked. Even the reflector on my 400 is just a standard "bat-wing", but I certainly have more space than Jack has at the moment... which I didn't notice before, and I've got fans galore throughout the area. You're right, this setup will be tough to manage in a Rubbermaid growbox. Still, when he's able to convert a decent sized closet into a grow area, it'll be much more accommodating with just a passive intake and exhaust.Quote:
Originally Posted by daihashi
My flower room is a much different story, housing a 1k lamp, active exhaust, air-cooled hood, carbon filter, etc. I believe that anything over 400w should be either air-cooled, or setup with at least a strong active exhaust pulling hot air out of the room.
Misunderstanding - I'm not using the 400 watt in a rubbermaid growboxQuote:
Originally Posted by Mr. Clandestine
Closet Space:
:wtf:
Ah, I see... my mistake. Well, the choice is yours. Daihashi is right that with a remote ballast, you'll be able to keep the ballast out of the room the light is in if you wish to do so. But, for the life of my magnetic 400, as long as a fan was trained on it at all times of operation, the transfer case never got hot... and barely warm to the touch. It was always kept in the same room as the light, mainly because I'm a lazy-ass who never took the time to route the wires through the ceiling and into the attic. I'm confident that the ballast itself doesn't contribute to much extra heat when cooled by a fan, but the bulb itself does. You'll still need to have air circulating around the growroom to keep the air from becoming stagnant.Quote:
Originally Posted by jackforest
If you can keep the ambient temperature of the room under 80F with the lights on, then it really doesn't matter which one you buy. But also bear in mind what Daihashi said about upgrades, you won't be able to do much with the standalone ballast/light fixture, where you could always turn a system with a remote ballast into an air-cooled system later on down the road.
Whichever you choose, I wish you the best with it. HPS lights are wonderful for flowering plants, so as long as temps are kept in check, I'm sure you'll love the results.
Take care. :jointsmile:
Well, The temperature in there is already 75 degrees. I think that is from the hot air coming out of the rubbermaid. Heat might be an issue. You seem to think that it wont make a drastic difference either way. I'm a little complexed. I won't lie. :(
It doesn't make much of a temperature difference when you're able to circulate air efficiently. I have fans pushing air inside the veg room, and fans that pull hot air out. Nothing fancy, just a couple of tower fans pointed in opposite directions. But I also have fans inside the room itself that circulate the air, and as mentioned before, one on the ballast. Without these fans, the temperature inside the room would reach 90-100F pretty quick. But with them, the temps never raise above 80F.
Remember, the ballast won't be the primary source of your heat... it's the bulb that you have to worry about. I figured for the all in one system, it would maintain a steady temperature better than an open-hood reflector might, but then again, I've never used one of the all-in-one systems before. Whichever you choose to buy, just make sure that you're able to keep air circulating inside the room, and preferably somehow pulling in air from outside the closet. It doesn't have to be ultra-modern, it just has to be efficient enough to keep things cool.
I think I will try it. If anything it will be a matter of heat and you have a good point about just making sure there is enough air circulation. If worse comes to worse, I'll cut a hole threw the wall for an exhaust or intake.
Thanks for all of your help Daihashi and Mr. Clandestine. It is much appreciated. I will keep everyone updated.
DARNIT!!! I just bought the exact same light, it arrived today. I was soooo excited to get a 400w HPS for $100. Now i'm reading this thread and starting to wish i bought the next model up (as suggested earlier).
Let me ask you guys what you think of my setup using this light:
My room is in the basement, pretty cool right now, had a space heater down there during winter to keep between 70-75*F. dimensions are 5' deep x 8' long x 6.5' tall.
Both Veg and Flower are in the same room, separated by black plastic curtain (only when the flower side is dark, otherwise the curtain is up and air circulates. So when the flower light is off and the curtain is down the flower side is reduced to 5' x 3' x 6.5'.
I have a tower fan in opposing corners (one in flower and one in veg) and the air moves quite well inside the room. and i currently have a 130cfm fan on the flower side (although it affects the whole room while the curtain is up) pulling heat, smell, and old air out.
I haven;t even opened the HPS yet. I'm doing an ebb and flow system on both sides. currently 2 flowering plants (although i plan on moving up to 6) and anywhere from 6-25 vegging (counting clones and babies).
do you think that i'll have a serious heat problem?
should i return it, eat the shipping charge, and get the remote ballast?
thanks for the help!
Skeet
nah, if you already have it there are ways to work around it. It's just if you're looking to buy a new product I feel it's better to go ahead and buy something that's more modular as opposed to something you can't upgrade.Quote:
Originally Posted by elskeetro
You'll be fine if you have proper ventilation and a big enough area for heat to dissapate into.
thanks for the quick reply!
This is my first serious grow, although i've done LOTS of research. I guess the one area i missed in all that research is the advantage of a remote ballast.
i guess if it becomes a problem i can either get a new one or see if i can modify the light, adding a length of cord between the ballast and the fixture and move the ballast elsewhere. I'm usually pretty handy with electronics...but we'll have to see.
thanks again.
Skeet
I bet that would be fairly easy actually. Try cooling it the conventional way first and if you can't get your temps in the low 80s - mid 70's then try turning this into a remote ballast.Quote:
Originally Posted by elskeetro
If nothing else you would just have to keep the lights further away from the plant canopy.