Got any tips for the new owner of a P.L. 400w HPS light?

[ddd]

What would a person who just bought a 400 w HPS need to know? Any basic tips?

From what I remember:

Keep the balast cool and dry.
Let the lamp fully power up (30 min) before shutting it off.
Once the bulb turns off, let it cool before moving it (30min).
Never touch the bulb with bare hands.


Is there anything I'm missing?
It's going to burn a CMH bulb. Is the 15 ft cord an issue with the CMH?

THANKS
ddd

 

[NorCalFor20]

turn it on and put some plants under it!

 

[LolaGal]

Most important thing you forgot.... A milk crate to sit it on to keep it off the floor! One good watering leak, and no more 400!

 

[oks226]

You CAN touch the bulb with your bare hands. It is a common minconception that the hps bulb is like a car headlight that you can ruin from the oil on your hands.

Growing with a 400 is great!! I have 2. Best advice I think is to keep the plants short. So the lowest buds aren't more than 3 ft from the light itself. Below this threshold, and the buds tend to get airy and not very large.

 

[Clackamas Coot]

What would a person who just bought a 400 w HPS need to know? Any basic tips?

ddd

The P.L. Light Systems product was the first horticultural lighting system developed 33 years ago. They were designed to extend the morning and evening 'daylight photo-period' in greenhouses in the autumn and winter months in Holland. They were designed to last for years and years without problems other than switching out the bulbs.

Did you get this model?

Or this one?

Which model of reflector did you order? They do make an air-cooled piece to work with their standard reflectors if you get to that point where you need additional cooling processes.

Here's a bulb to consider for your P.L. Light - Philips SON-T Master GreenPower Lamp

Good luck with your new purchase.

HTH

CC

 

[Clackamas Coot]

ddd

If you got this reflector -

You'll need to be aware that you should definitely have reflective walls because this Superwide model are designed, again, for greenhouses where you would want wide dispersion of the supplemental lighting.

These are good reflectors but you need to work around the intended design of this specific reflector.

HTH

CC

 

[itsjustaride]

that reflector is acually pretty badass, the one with no cornors. i thought i read once that it was the cornors with all the reflectors that messed up the footprint.

Also, so you can or cannot touch the bulb? i had always screwed in my bulbs by hand until i heard recently it would damage the bulb, or at least the horluix's

 

[Clackamas Coot]

that reflector is acually pretty badass, the one with no cornors. i thought i read once that it was the cornors with all the reflectors that messed up the footprint.

Here's the blurb from the manufacturer about their reflectors and why they claim that they are better.

What Makes Our Reflectors Better Than The Rest?

• All reflectors are made out of one piece of aluminum and are guaranteed to be uniform
  
• Reflectors are polished and anodized. The microscopically small facets at the surface diffuse the light pattern and reduce the collection of dirt.
  
• Anodizing cause a layer of aluminum oxide to develop which protects the reflector against chemical influences, diffuses the reflected light and makes the reflection uniform
  
• The reflectors are sealed and treated with a matte finish, which reflects evenly, or a high gloss reflector, which reflect selectively
  
• An innovative mounting collar provides enhanced durability and ease of maintenance

That's what they claim anyway......

They must be doing something right because the reflectors designed in partnership with Hortilux Schréder over 33 years ago are still the lights of choice in professional greenhouses around the world.

HTH

CC

 

[ddd]

http://www.bghydro.com/BGH/customkititems.asp?kc=HLPLHPS04&eq=
This is the light. It has the midi reflector and air cooled shroud. The ballast and reflector have been modified a little compared to the older model pictured above.

Would that son-t bulb be better than the CMH? The light will be used for starting and growing veggies indoors. I'm looking for a bulb that will grow those plants and be nice to look at (like natural sunlight). How does that son t burn? Is it white? I've seen the grow lux burn. It's supposed to have an enhanced spectrum, but it's still gives off an orange light.

 

[Clackamas Coot]

http://www.bghydro.com/BGH/customkititems.asp?kc=HLPLHPS04&eq=
This is the light. It has the midi reflector and air cooled shroud. The ballast and reflector have been modified a little compared to the older model pictured above.

Would that son-t bulb be better than the CMH? The light will be used for starting and growing veggies indoors. I'm looking for a bulb that will grow those plants and be nice to look at (like natural sunlight). How does that son t burn? Is it white? I've seen the grow lux burn. It's supposed to have an enhanced spectrum, but it's still gives off an orange light.

I know absolutely nothing about CMH technology so perhaps someone else could help you on that.

All HPS bulbs that I've used (mainly Hortilux, Phillips and Osram) all have an orange cast even with the various full(er) spectrum bulbs.

HTH

CC

 

[Pharma Geddon]

I use the cardboard wrapper to instal the bulb. Pull the screw thread out just enough and hold the bulb in its wrapper to screw it in. Once screwed in, pull the wrapper off, never any need to touch it.

 

[FreezerBoy]

Never thought of the cardboard sleeve. Good trick. I've always grabbed something clean from the dryer: Tshirt, socks, shorts.

If you wear a hat under it, make sure it's cloth and not polyester. I found a large mass of melted hat on my 250 CMH that I had to plane down and shave off with an Exacto.



CMH, at 250 and 400, use magnetic coil ballasts. No cake for Hitler and no CMH for you.