150w HPS Club and Resource Guide......

[Indica Monkey]

I am currently on day 37 of flowering and this is how things are looking;












It looks a little light to me, is this OK or do I need to make some changes to ensure a decent yield? The space is 2x2 foot, I am running a 150w HPS and 18w fluoro tube at the side. I could add a couple of 21w compact fluoro's or
swap the whole lot out for a 400w HPS, I would like to stick with the 150w though.

Should I just stop worrying? Do I need to act now?

 

[Indica Monkey]

Clip the small buds from the stems, trim them up a bit, and then throw them in a regular brown grocery bag. Keep the bag inflated, then fold over the top and hold it that way with a couple of paper clips. If you want to speed up the process a bit, use a standard hole-punch and put two or three punches running down each corner. Keep the bag in a cool-dark-dry room. Give them about a week or a little more and they should be good to jar. Works perfect!

Alternativly, you could hang entire branches or even whole small plants with the buds still attached. This just takes more room and is far from stealth.

I'll look for a pic or two and post them later.

Here's one, still looking for the other.....

Thanks for the info PipeDream, do you not worry about the buds moulding in the bag when they are touching one another?

 

[green_grow]

indica monkey ... they look really nice and healthy to me.
how far is your 150 from the canopy ? i have found that mine can get about 6" away, but of course that will vary depending on so many factors.
with your floor space of 4 sq.ft., i would think of putting a pair of cfls in there, right close to the plants.

 

[Indica Monkey]

Thanks GreenGrow, the colour of them is beautiful it's probably never looked so dark and lush. The trichomes are packing on too I was just a little worried about bud to leaf ratio, I'll try and get the extra CFL's in there tonight.
I try and keep the lamp at around 6 inch, it could go closer but then the edges wouldn't get any light.

 

[Cozy Amnesia]

A good place to get a capacity...radioshack? either that or order it online - chack out mouser.com.

But why do you need a capacitor? If it's to improve your power factor to save on the energy bill, you should read this: (got this from searching "capacitor"? in this thread)

Lets set the record straight once and for all.....

Capacitors in HPS lighting do NOT affect or have anything to do with the operation of the lamp/fixture. They are only there to improve the achieved or rated Power Factor. Pull it out and the lamp will work fine. If you are growing in your home, or a small business environment, where you pay your electric bill based in Kilowatt Hours, the Power Factor has no meaning to you finacially. It doesn't matter if your P-Factor is 0.1 or 0.9, it costs the same to operate and produces the same amount of light. Power Factors only come into play in a commerical environment in which your electrical bill has whats sometimes referred to as a KVA Apparent Load calculation built into it. In this situation, a commericial bill can be kept in check by working towards higher PF's.

The only other advantage to a fixture with a Power-Factor correcting capacitor is again relative to a commericial environment. Such fixtures reduce the line or ballast input current. This reduction allows engineers to design individual circuits with more lighting points connected before reaching maximum load. In theory, could this come into play in a home-grow? Maybe if you had a huge set-up and were running multiple 1000 watt lamps on a single circuit, but then you wouldn't be posting in the 150HPS club, would you?

I hope this clears things up.

I often say that this is just my 2 cents and humble opinion, however in this case, these are the facts.

 

[aeonkidd]

hi all,
ive looked over, or you could call it lurking here for a while now and the first thing i want to say is "Go Team" Its great to see so many people so keen to help out a fellow home farmer...!!!
the second is ive never posted anything before for the fact that ive never had anything new to say until now....
im an electrician in australia, and not too long released are whats called a "shop light" (name could vary) and essentially they are either 70w (been around forever) and a 150w mh compact ballast and fitting.. you all would of seen thest in clothes stores etc..all plug an play..the buy a large edison srcrew porcelain lamp holder and a hps lamp..reflecter etc..which i made in all of half hour..ballast and fitting from any electrical supply store, $75 aus..damn site cheaper than other kits ive seen and ive looked into it and they are available in ALL countries..if this help out one person im a happy man, by the way total set up running both mh an hps an all basic stuff to finish it off...$125aus...and 1 an 3/4 hours from being home it was sunnig my lovely daughters...enjoy..!!

 

[aeonkidd]

hey balckfoot..cozy's quotes spot on only in large ops will it make a difference in running costs..how ever i have found that when removing cap, which is there only for power factor, reduces lamp life...BULLSHIT!!!!! damn i heard that all the way down here!!! but its true..this is my theory...power factor down current up...simple...by only a touch but more current for heat yeah yeah fuck all but still a lamp thats runnin 18 hours a day sure clock up some hours...might only take a month off life of lamp but if your as broke as me a months a month a dollar a dollar,,also the wear on ballast ...if ya let me know what voltage your supply is i can let ya know what size cap..peace!!

 

[hoosierdaddy]

A 150watt HPS uses a 14uf 280v rated cap.
~10$ here: http://www.hidquickfix.com/

The power factor does not need to be effected in most homes, as explained by pipedream. The only thing the cap will actually do for you is to reduce the energy consumption at start-up only. A cap can lighten the surge load at start.
But, the savings has to be very minimal, and probably would take a couple years of the savings of energy at start to save up the 10$ the cap costs.

With a 150wHPS, a cap is simply not needed.
Folks, the bulbs cost $5.75 each from Econolights. A new bulb at each grow would be worth doing...the capacitor is not, IMO.

 

[exploziv]

I agree with this. Better change the bulb to ensure you're getting most of the rated lumens than using a capacitor to save some cents.

 

[Cozy Amnesia]

I'm not an electrician, but I am currently studying to get a degree in Electrical Engineering.

I'm going to try and keep this simple...Capacitors are like little batteries. They can hold a charge. They are used primarily for building up a charge and then releasing it when needed. This can help round off or even eliminate surges and spikes in current and that is exactly whey they are used in this application. The main advantage to a capacitor in an HPS setup is lowering the current drawn at start-up by correcting the power factor.

They are said to use up to 4.4 amps at start-up. Most surge protectors and breakers flip at 15 amps, so if you have over three of these lamps than you would have to install some capacitors. But actually I would just say upgrade to a larger lamp/ballast which will be much more efficient.

 

[exploziv]

They are said to use up to 4.4 amps at start-up. Most surge protectors and breakers flip at 15 amps, so if you have over three of these lamps than you would have to install some capacitors.

Anyway isn't recommended to have too many lamps on a single timer, so if you have more than 3 lamps, you'll have them on different timers, that can be set with a couple minutes delay between them.. But of course it is better to make profesional electric set-up if you think you drain more current that you should from the panel.

 

[mAKo BuDz]

ballast and fitting from any electrical supply store, $75 aus.

Im from Aus and found your info very helpful , just one question, where do i get the ballast and what do i ask for? (is it for a 150w hps or something else)

 

[jasonk]

Hola everyone. Haven't been reading up much lately, but I'll be joining the club once again! Moving into a 14th floor apartment soon and hopefully setting something up. The apartment itself doesn't have much room for a cab, my last one was 2'x2'x4' and I would definitely need to down size. There is however 2 large patios. The down sides I have thought of is the increased security of lights, noise and smell for neighbouring patios, however noone would be able to see from the same building. The next downside would be regulating the temperature. South West British Columbia, the temperatures don't get too extreme, probably down to -10°C and up to 30 in summer, not sure how that translates into °F, perhaps 20-70? I'm thinking of building a mok "bench" shaped like a C with a table in the middle, each of the 3 sections of the bench being roughly 1.5' wide x 2' tall x 2' long, Perhaps using one for veg with CFLs, one flower with a 150W and one for supplies and electrical.

I'm open to any suggestions or more downsides I haven't thought about a patio, and ideas on perhaps building something small and efficient inside.

Thanks!

 

[Knives]

Whats up guys, first post but ive been lurking around the forums for a few weeks now. Usually on ***** but they are down right now and you guys have a shit load of info. anyways, ive got a 150watt set-up, 2 clones and a bag seed. dont know how old the clones are but they are mature. a sativa, i think skunk, from sam the skunkman, and a bubblicious from nirvana. bag seed is unknown, sprouted the 2nd of september and its kinda hard to tell if its sativa/indica. hoping for indica....and a female lol. closet set up for me though. rubbermaid bucket, fan, 150watt hanging with a reflector..in a upside down v....problend organic, foxfarm ocean, blah blah blah. wont really matter until i post pictures lol. would it be safe to send them to my email from my phone??

 

[Cozy Amnesia]

would it be safe to send them to my email from my phone??

Thats what I do but it makes me paranoid as fuck.

Check out this thread http://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=67489

 

[Knives]

Details

Details

Let me properly introduce myself. I am a pot-head for medicinal purpose and the pure enlightened pleasure the fine herbal substance provides. My very first grow was a let down. Outdoors, nice and fat, then the po-po found it and left me a letter lol. So now I am growing indoor for the first time. My set up as follows....

150watt HPS- ballast and reflector came with for $80 at a hydro store.
Rubbermaid container- cheap from walmart...$5....maybe
9' inch fan- $10...walmart
Fox farm ocean forest- Forgot how much, pretty high at the hydro lol
Pro Blend Pro grow- all organic, $18
power strip- $2 at wallyy mart

yup, thats it for now. small but works...i think.
anyways, got some clones in flower. had to re-veg which was a slow process.
i run 24 on and its been that way since the start. I have a bubblicious and a sativa possibly skunk. oh, and popped a bag seed and it sprouted the 2nd. LST'ed, doing a whole bunch of tying to keep low, props to a thread i found here. I plan on vegging the bag seed if its a female for 2 weeks then flipping the lot of em to 12/12. i water with bottled spring water and they love it. every other water i add in 2 caps of the pro-blend. with that being said, heres the only 2 pics i have.

the sativa



the bubblicious, just transplanted today!




Send some good vibes, hope to join the club =D
oh, and any advice you experienced growers, please share

 

[cajun79]

Hi guys Ive just read through this entire thread took me 3 days in total. lol
Im so glad I come across this forum and have seen the results people have had using just a 150w hps its totally inspiring.

Im in the middle of building my own stealth cabinet as the price of cannabis here in the UK is rediculous £20 an 8th of whatever is available at the time.


I will be coating the inside of my cabinet with a few coats of white matt paint, I have my 150w hps light coming tomorrow and today my 6 feminised seeds turned up. woo hoo

I will be making some DWC pots like Pipedream's but my problem is I dont know what to do about airflow/ventilation.

I have a power supply that has variable voltages upto 12v to control some PC'fans but unsure what to do about an extractor fan.

Please advise me on good places to install fans and what I can do about an extractor fan as adour can and will be a problem during flowering.

All advice is much appreciated and welcomed, thanks for reading




oh yeah and the cabinet measures 15x20x40 inches

 

[hoosierdaddy]

Welcome, cajun79.
I would use the fans as extractors, and simply open up holes for intake. Create a passive airflow.

Best of luck!

 

[cajun79]

Thats a good idea mate thansk for the quick reply.

Only thing i wanted to know was will smell escape from the open holes at all?

 

[hoosierdaddy]

Not if you keep the air flow passive and continuous.
Search here for ways to light-proof the holes.
Also do not neglect the odor issue. You will need a means of deodorizing the exhaust air, and in most instances this will also effect the air flow you have available.
Search here and find many ways that other growers have addressed these issues in similar sized grows, and you can incorporate all the good ideas, and things that simply catch your fancy, into your own grow situation.
Trial and error are always going to exist, and even if you start out with what you feel is optimum, it is almost certain that you will need to tweek the set-up in.

Also, patience is a virtue that should never be forgotten about in this sport.
Cheers