Heat Shields - Waste of money or an essential purchase?

[PhatJay]

I am planning on buying an HPS light, was wondering if I should get a heatshield? I would like to hear peoples opinions on them.

PhatJay Reviewed by PhatJay on 01-13-2012. Heat Shields - Waste of money or an essential purchase? I am planning on buying an HPS light, was wondering if I should get a heatshield? I would like to hear peoples opinions on them. Rating: 5

[Dutch Pimp]

If you mean a reflector?

...best way to buy an HPS light; is get the complete package: Ballast, bulb, base, cords, reflector.

(different brands might not be compatible)

[PhatJay]

I mean a heat shield. A metal thing that mounts below the bulb to reflect heat. It is supposed to help prevent a hot spot below the bulb.

[Dutch Pimp]

The only heat shield I have ever heard of is glass inclosed reflectors.

A metal shield below an HID bulb is pointless.

[JeffersonStateGrower]

These are the only heat shields I have ever seen, and they go around the reflector.
Attachment 281636
I personally wouldn't think you would want anything below the bulb except for the plants.
JSG.

[Weezard]

Opinion follows:

The basic premise is flawed.
I say waste of money and photons.

Weeze

[Farmer Rich]

If you're talking about something like a Super Spreader, I tried them and took them off within a day.. The idea is to reduce heat directly above the plants where in theory you could put the lights lower. It may work, but did all kinds of weird things to light distribution.

Adjust-A-Wings :: Super-Spreader :: lighting for indoor plant growth

I do like Adjust-a-Wings though! Used to run 2 x 1k lights with big octagonal reflectors called Sun Soakers.. way too hot. Swapped out for 3 x 600w with adjust-a-wing mediums and I'm getting much better yields due to better light control and it's much easier to manage the temperature.

Peace,

Farmer Rich

[PhatJay]

If you're talking about something like a Super Spreader, I tried them and took them off within a day.

Yeah thats the thing. One comes free with the adjustawing reflector I am looking at.

I do like Adjust-a-Wings though!

I only have a small tent 75cm x75cm x 2m. So I don't need to spread the light and I am only going to be running a 250 or 400w bulb (depending on how temps go - I am buying a switchable digital ballast and both bulbs). Do you think it is worthwhile spending the money on an adjustawing? There are cheaper copies of the adjustawing that use the same material and are of a very similar style.

[Farmer Rich]

Go with the adjust-a-wing, the socket that comes with them is very good. You can go with an imitation, but you'll get what you pay for. Regarding the bulb with a switchable digital balast, I use Lumatex 600w switchable and don't change the lights when I turn them down and they work great.

Make sure and vent your tent well, it will get hot in there.

[PhatJay]

Go with the adjust-a-wing, the socket that comes with them is very good. You can go with an imitation, but you'll get what you pay for.

I went with the midrange adjustawing in the end (the white one that produces a 1x0.75m rectangle of light) the more expensive one was designed to spread the light over an area larger than my tent. I am very impressed so far, like you say, they come with a high quality bulb holder and I really like the way the reflector can be assembled/dis-assembled and flat packed without the need for any tools.

Regarding the bulb with a switchable digital balast, I use Lumatex 600w switchable and don't change the lights when I turn them down and they work great.

I thought running bulbs at lower wattages altered the light spectrum? I am running a 250w bulb@300w as I was advised this would produce a better spectrum than running a 400w bulb@300w (I bought a 250 and a 400w bulb).