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

[TraneRek]

Anyone know anything about wiring?

I've got an adapter here that says:
Input: 120VAC
Output: 3VDC 700mA

And My PC fan says:
DC 12V .2A

So I know the amperage is fine, but I'm not sure how the voltage works.. Is the DC voltage of the adapter too little for the PC fan? Any help would be appreciated!

-Rek

 

[hoosierdaddy]

Nope, it won't work, Rek.
Your fan wants 12 volts of DC power, and uses it at a rate of .2 amps
The device is only going to work for stuff that wants 3 volts of DC power, at a rate of .7 (same as 700mA) amps.

The INPUT is what you can plug it into, 120vac being a common house circuit.

 

[hoosierdaddy]

Cozy,
I am a big time advocate of the 400 CMH. Although it is one of those controversial things...usually argued by those who have never seen one, let alone used one.

I'm no scientist, but when I see the spectrum comparisons with HPS, I have to think it is better...even before trying it. But, I tried it, and have been using it for several grows now.
I can't say that the plant is more leafy, ounce for ounce. It may appear to have more leaf, but I am convinced this is only due to the fact that there is more everything, including calyx. No lamps available can veg a plant like a CMH, and for flower (which is where I use mine) it swells the buds up much more than a HPS. But now that can for sure be strain specific, but the strains I have ran under both HPS and CMH this holds very true.
Typically round buds w/HPS will be knuckled up and swollen with CMH.
There is also a purpling thing going on with the CMH. It is causing plants to get much more purple than they would normally with a HPS. It may be in part due to the make-up of the tube glass, but I have also heard others say they are seeing this. A purple bleaching of the stems, leaves, and calyx. If you don't turn your plants, the opposite side from the light stays green.
Very odd, but evident occurrence.

The 400 is the smartest one, IMO...since you can always throw in a HPS bulb at will.

 

[jalajaslet]

Cozy,
I am a big time advocate of the 400 CMH. Although it is one of those controversial things...usually argued by those who have never seen one, let alone used one.

I'm no scientist, but when I see the spectrum comparisons with HPS, I have to think it is better...even before trying it. But, I tried it, and have been using it for several grows now.
I can't say that the plant is more leafy, ounce for ounce. It may appear to have more leaf, but I am convinced this is only due to the fact that there is more everything, including calyx. No lamps available can veg a plant like a CMH, and for flower (which is where I use mine) it swells the buds up much more than a HPS. But now that can for sure be strain specific, but the strains I have ran under both HPS and CMH this holds very true.
Typically round buds w/HPS will be knuckled up and swollen with CMH.
There is also a purpling thing going on with the CMH. It is causing plants to get much more purple than they would normally with a HPS. It may be in part due to the make-up of the tube glass, but I have also heard others say they are seeing this. A purple bleaching of the stems, leaves, and calyx. If you don't turn your plants, the opposite side from the light stays green.
Very odd, but evident occurrence.

The 400 is the smartest one, IMO...since you can always throw in a HPS bulb at will.

Hey Hoosier,
Can I use a CMH in a ballest for a MH?

 

[TraneRek]

Nope, it won't work, Rek.
Your fan wants 12 volts of DC power, and uses it at a rate of .2 amps
The device is only going to work for stuff that wants 3 volts of DC power, at a rate of .7 (same as 700mA) amps.

The INPUT is what you can plug it into, 120vac being a common house circuit.

Damn, that means I'll have to get another adapter -.-
Will it make a difference if I hook up two of the same pc fans to one adapter?

I know if you wire them at different points on the adapter it will decrease the power by half, but I can hook up two at the same point and still only need 12V right?

 

[Cozy Amnesia]

Hey Cozy,

How did you set up that 150Watter? I just got a great deal on 19 150w bulbs from Circuit City when they were closing here and I got them for a dollar a piece. At first I was going to try to sell them, but no-one seemed interested in them, So I figured I would just find a way to use them myself. They have medium bases and i was thinking about just going and buying an outside security light to use them in in the flowering room cause right now I have one 8 week old, 5 six week olds, 12 3 week olds and 8 sprouts in the flowering room. My 3 week olds and sprouts are all growing in a 12/12 from seed to harvest and my 8 and 6 week olds all got one month of vegging first. I have a 400W MH and 9 23w CFL's in the flowering room and think they could all use the addition of some 150w HPS. Had I sold some of them I would have used the proceeds to purchase a HPS light fixture, but since that didn't see to work I am now looking for the easiest most cost effective way to utilize them. Any suggestions?

I used a "hurricane" glass thing from HobbyLobby, pipe strapping, and foil tape. You'll also need sockets and ballasts for all those bulbs you bought. If you can do the wiring, I recommend ordering a bunch of ballast kits (1000bulbs.com, htgsupply.com, etc.) and medium sockets.

Cozy,
I am a big time advocate of the 400 CMH. Although it is one of those controversial things...usually argued by those who have never seen one, let alone used one.

I'm no scientist, but when I see the spectrum comparisons with HPS, I have to think it is better...even before trying it. But, I tried it, and have been using it for several grows now.
I can't say that the plant is more leafy, ounce for ounce. It may appear to have more leaf, but I am convinced this is only due to the fact that there is more everything, including calyx. No lamps available can veg a plant like a CMH, and for flower (which is where I use mine) it swells the buds up much more than a HPS. But now that can for sure be strain specific, but the strains I have ran under both HPS and CMH this holds very true.
Typically round buds w/HPS will be knuckled up and swollen with CMH.
There is also a purpling thing going on with the CMH. It is causing plants to get much more purple than they would normally with a HPS. It may be in part due to the make-up of the tube glass, but I have also heard others say they are seeing this. A purple bleaching of the stems, leaves, and calyx. If you don't turn your plants, the opposite side from the light stays green.
Very odd, but evident occurrence.

The 400 is the smartest one, IMO...since you can always throw in a HPS bulb at will.

Thanks man! That sounds great. I'd be happy with two 150w CMHs, but that's almost twice as much cost as one 400w CMH, which is looking more and more enticing.

 

[jalajaslet]

thanks for the input Cozy

 

[Cozy Amnesia]

Damn, that means I'll have to get another adapter -.-
Will it make a difference if I hook up two of the same pc fans to one adapter?

I know if you wire them at different points on the adapter it will decrease the power by half, but I can hook up two at the same point and still only need 12V right?

Yes, wiring them in parallel will allow you to provide the same voltage potential to both fans. Wiring them in series won't work because the resistance will be 200% instead of 50% with parallel wiring (intense physics shit, don't get me started). Sense the resistance is cut in half while the current is doubled, the voltage will be unaffected. In layman's terms, hook up all the positive wires in one wire nut and all the negative wires in another wire nut and the two fans will work like normal.

 

[Divine Cosmos]

Thanks man! That sounds great. I'd be happy with two 150w CMHs, but that's almost twice as much cost as one 400w CMH, which is looking more and more enticing.

Can You get 150w CMH? that'll be sweeeet

 

[hoosierdaddy]

jala, the 150 and 250 are run with a pulse start metal halide ballast. The 400 uses a typical HPS ballast.

TR, like cozy stated, wiring the fans together and running from a single 12vdc transformer is fine to do. The only thing you have to be aware of is, your fan is using the 12volts at 700mA (or .7 amps), so two of them will use the 12volts at a rate of 1.4 amps.
If the 12vdc transformer is rated at 1.4 amps or higher, then it's golden.

 

[jalajaslet]

jala, the 150 and 250 are run with a pulse start metal halide ballast. The 400 uses a typical HPS ballast.

The Ballest i have is one given to me by a family member who is an electrician. It is one with the light fixture attached to it and like the ones you see hanging from the ceilings of warehouses and such. It runs a 400w MH. How do i find out if it is a pulse start and could i run a lower wattage CMH in it? Or would i want to?

 

[Cozy Amnesia]

CMH needs pulse-start metal halide ballasts, but you can buy ones that are retro-fit for HPS. I don't think you would want to put an bulb in a ballast that is bigger than the bulb can handle, it could cause it to fail and burst into an explosion of hot metal vapors and shattered glass.

 

[jalajaslet]

ouch, no fun there...ok thanks
think I will stick with the getting an outside HPS security light and using it...about 60 dollars

 

[hoosierdaddy]

The 400 watt CMH uses a HPS ballast, not MH. Only the 150 and 250 CMH requires a PS MH.
Do go to the CMH thread for good info folks.

jala, the light you described is more than likely going to be wired for 3phase 440 AC voltage.

 

[jalajaslet]

It was set to use three different types of plugs I think, however he made certain to set it so i can use it in a regular household outlet. I have been for about 2 months now, but I think i should probably change the bulb...Not way of knowing how old it is or how long it was used prior to my receiving it. Just thankful for it....

 

[TraneRek]

ouch, no fun there...ok thanks
think I will stick with the getting an outside HPS security light and using it...about 60 dollars

An alternative to the security light you might wanna look in to is the HTG 150W. It cost me about $84 but it comes with a hood and is already assembled (except for the hood; easy to do though). So if you're willing to shell out the extra 25 bucks it may be worth it.

http://htgsupply.com/viewproduct.asp?productID=53025

-Rek

 

[jalajaslet]

Thanks Trane,

I just looked that light up with the link you provided. I would agree with you, however I have one question for you. I couldn't find anywhere on the site where it designates the light bulb or fixture as being either Medium base or mogul based. Do you happen to know which it is. The 19 NEW bulbs I have are all Medium based. the same as a regular light bulb. It would be counter productive for me to purchase a light that requires a Mogul base as I would then have to purchase more bulbs.

 

[maryjanegirl]

Using 150watt HPS bulb for my entire grow 18 hours on 6 hours off

Plants are 3 1/2 weeks old

Using Earth Juice grow, bloom, and micronutrients

In a closet with a fan, mylar, and space is about 3 feet by 2 feet

All of the plants are doing well except one that is shown in a picture and I am wondering what is wrong with it, because it looks burned and is kind of thin

I am not sure when to start flowering and would like some advise on that as well.

Any advise??? Thanks!!!

 

[Pipedream]

It would be counter productive for me to purchase a light that requires a Mogul base as I would then have to purchase more bulbs.

Or, for just a buck or two and 5 minutes of work you could swap out the Mogul lamp socket for a Medium socket and have a lifetime supply of bulbs.

All of the plants are doing well except one that is shown in a picture and I am wondering what is wrong with it.....I am not sure when to start flowering and would like some advise on that as well.

When you see one or two plants exhibiting symptoms that its siblings don't, and they are all being treated exactly equally, it usually stems back to the seeds. Being bag-seed, the parent plants were not grown or harvested with seed production in mind. Its likely that the seeds were either not all fully developed, or old, or maybe not even from the same plant. In both of your plants, the one with the curling leaves and the one with the light colored tips, they are showing signs of what is likely a neutrient deficiency or chemical burn due to excess. The problem is, the issue likely lies in the plants ability or lack there of to uptake the nutes, not the availability of them. If availability was the issue, its likely that all of your plants would exhibit similar signs.

As far as flowering goes, it all depends on how much head-space you have and your style of growing. Keep in mind that your healthy plants are going to stretch a good deal once you switch them over to 12/12. If you over-veg, you may run out of space. All of your plants look mature enough right now to make the swap. While some folks will even flower right after the second set of real leaves, I prefer to wait till at least the first alternating node shows.

 

[AdamH420]

I was gonna say it looks like a hardcore MG problem.

I notice that you have the sun system 150, is yours loud as hell too?