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Air cooled reflector testing with Digital footcandle meter

darthvapor

Active member
that reflector seems to like a 3 X 5 rectangular pattern. the super sun2 is more square. I dont like the mangnum xxls to huge and cumbersome to handle, hard to hang and adjust. I think the supersuns on a light mover do a better job.
 

Mr.Meds

Member
long read for one afternoon... can't give out anymore positive reputation for the day i'm afraid.

Appreciate all the time spent doing these test. I'm curious to see the numbers for the blockbuster reflector.


:lurk:
 
So the results are starting to come in, I see...

I've said for a while now how I felt that, regardless of the misleading "superior numbers" posted here, the XXXL was an inferior reflector for most applications (at least with a 1000w; might be even worse with lower wattage).

Glad I quickly sold the those XXXL's on craigslist (for more than I paid :D), when the IC community was still pumping up the hype on 'em. I know a poor performance reflector when I see one.
 

Dorje113

Member
So the results are starting to come in, I see...

I've said for a while now how I felt that, regardless of the misleading "superior numbers" posted here, the XXXL was an inferior reflector for most applications (at least with a 1000w; might be even worse with lower wattage).

Glad I quickly sold the those XXXL's on craigslist (for more than I paid :D), when the IC community was still pumping up the hype on 'em. I know a poor performance reflector when I see one.

I've seen 3 lbs / 1kW from xxxls so you might be mistaken about their performance.

Have your yields gone up since switching from xxxls?
 
What does that mean? That means nothing. Did their yield go up from an inferior reflector, with everything else the same? I seriously doubt it. Unless their specific environment takes advantage of the XXXL (mostly single-light tents w/ 4 sides of reflective walls very nearby), I would bet that replacing that POS XXXL with a "better" reflector (BlockBuster is one) will instantly gain results.

Have my yields gone up? I haven't harvested yet, but it is already a noticeably stronger looking crop.
 

Dorje113

Member
What does that mean? That means nothing.

Actually, it means the xxxl reflectors produced 1.37 g/W.

If it were a "poor performance reflector" it wouldn't be capable of this. However, yields did not noticeably change vs. the previous unventilated reflectors, but we are extracting a lot of heat from the growing area that we couldn't before.

Also, I have an 8" xxxl set up with a super spreader hot spot diffuser and the quality of light over it's 5.5 x 5.5' space is really good. I get uniform growth and uniform quality across my canopy, and can lower the reflector to about 12" from glass to canopy. I don't believe the best quality buds come from the most intense light, usually resin production suffers under the hot spot, but not with this setup....
 
I'm not great at analogies especially when drunk, but it's like saying that a certain bullet designed for a pistol travels "fastest" just because it goes several hundred feet per second, while completely ignoring rifle rounds that can go a few thousand feet per second.

Sure, it's a helluva lot faster than I can run, but it doesn't mean that it's the fastest or best or whatever.

Terms like "good", "better", "best" and so on are reserved for comparisons and if you have nothing to compare against, how are you judging?
 
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Dorje113

Member
A cola produced by 6" xxxl

01.jpg
 

Dave Coulier

Active member
Veteran
I just ordered the same fc meter as Pico used. Ill test Hydrofarm Cool-tube vs the Super Sun II. Im also going to order a P.L. Maxima reflector. My buddy said his Maxima out did his SSII when he tested it. It'll be interesting to see how these tests turn out. It'll probably be 2 weeks or so before results are in.
 

LIFEISGOOD

Member
Sorry but I got lost around post 400..

So is anyone up for compiling this thread into a top five list for short, med, and tall plants or small, med, and wide foot prints?

If it isn't a well built reflector leave it off the list.

Dorje, what strain was that and how did it smoke? Looks beautiful.
 
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silentbob16

New member
My space is 2' x 4'
How should I position the Super Sun Reflector?
The light from the bulb goes to the left and right of the base but with the reflector shape should it be positioned the other way?
 

41hope

Member
light meters

light meters

Bought a Sun leaves Sun Gage digital light meter. How do I use it? Foot candles = what?
 
i like that the hydrofarm radiant 4" original hood had the highest #'s compared to anything, and didnt get mentioned 1 single time after. it never even got a graph, though other hood's #'s were graphed repeatedly by different people. the 6" and 8" get mentioned, because they are close to the ss2, but the radiant 4 was the clear winner. Now it goes back to the whole aircooling efficiency debate, which circles right to the use a plenum instead of running all lights inline solution.

I have 2 of these hoods and was considering selling them and upgrading to xxl's, but after reading this, i think i'll keep them. I'd even go so far as to highly reccomend them for anyone running 4 k or less. If you had lots of lights, then the amount of ducting to cool them all efficiently would be a pain, but for 4 k or less they really can be cooled efficiently ( i have 2k on a 6" vortex fan that is dimmed to about 50-60% power and thats inline w/ all 4" duct, if i used a t and upped to 6" duct where possible it could be cooled on a cheaper fan.)
 
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