Ceramic Metal Halide (CMH)

[Azeotrope]

You can find CMH or CDM bulbs from most of the major manufacturers. GE, Venture and the off brands as well. Best to do your research though. Philips is the easiest to source in the U.S. from my experience. Their products have been very reliable for those of us that have years of experience with their bulbs.

I have a GE 250w CMH that I have used (3k version) and it was seemingly quite good...... More expensive and hard to find though.

 

[Azeotrope]

315w CDM 930 Day 2 12/12

315w CDM 930 Day 2 12/12

This is the JohnyBlaze(F)xSweetBlue cross I have been working through for a few years. Just trying to document that this bulb will grow some healthy plants. I know this cross very well. I have 3 distinct phenos under the screen all from seed. They are a shorter more 'kushy' girl that doesn't branch out well. The center girls is the large yielding purple pheno that scrogs o.k. and can be a real bitch of a strecther! Really an aggressive grower. The right is the very branchy, citrus smelling and hazy high (ultra potent) that branches and scrogs perfect.

1hr in to the 2nd 12hr light cycle. So start of day 2 12/12.











Hope you all don't mind the photos...... Lots of tops coming along and should be fun. Could not fill the screen before the flip as two of these girls would have taken too long for me. The left side will have some open space, but I am all about trying these Philips CDMs and this is a medical and personal only deal for me so if yield is sufficient for that and to provide good efficacy relative to KWH usage and effort then I am good.

Peace all.

 

[rives]

I think these girls are liking life! I fired up the second hood, and am running them both at reduced wattage, roughly 500w total or 250w per lamp. Enough to be damn bright in there!

 

[unregistered190]

500w total or 250w per lamp. Enough to be damn bright in there!

View Image

Hi, went back a few pages for my answer but didn't find it........how big is your tent? thanks

 

[311devon]

Here's my two cents. I've run cmh,hps,and mh in the same system, same nutes, yada yada yada. CMH grows killer nugs. As does HPS and MH. IF you are going to discern a tangible(i.e. not esoteric/minute) difference between CMH and other sources in your final product, your system better be DIALED. You should be able to predict whats gonna happen in there when a gnat farts in your living room.
I believe I get tastier, more trichome laden bud with CMH as opposed to HPS alone. Add a MH with that HPS vs CMH with equivilant wattages and the game is much more level. Right now, I run 800w, 400MH and 400HPS on a Vscrog. approx 12sqft of floorspace. As soon as someone makes a 1k CMH I'm on it.

 

[Azeotrope]

rives - Looking really good!

Thinking about throwing the 942 in vert and bare in addition to the 930...... Maybe pick up a couple potentiometers and do what you are doing. I am in only about 4sqft so it might be overkill!LOL

 

[Azeotrope]

311devon - They make an 830w that runs on a 1k metal halide ballast (mag core&coil).

google - philips allstart 830w

 

[unthing]

azeotrope, bare bulb? not worried about bulb failure? i know it's rare but still.

 

[rives]

Hi, went back a few pages for my answer but didn't find it........how big is your tent? thanks

That one is 48".

 

[Azeotrope]

unthing - The 942 I have is the open fixture rated and therefore double jacketed. The 930 I have in the relector is not though and that is an open reflector..... Just going with it. No real fire risk as this is in a freezer an everything is metal.

I have run vert bulbs many times and suffered a few forehead burns! LOL I like having one horiz and one vert in the cab....... Gives me the option to play around with different bulbs. I have an 8k aquarium bulb 175w that I was thinking about hanging vert in there for the UV, but I really want to just see what these CDMs are like on their own. Maybe just flower through on the 930 this go around and the 942 next..... Maybe switch each week..... Who the hell knows, lately I have been obsessing with changing stuff up all the time. Don't know why, but why not? Ha Ha

 

[Greenheart]

311devon - They make an 830w that runs on a 1k metal halide ballast (mag core&coil).

google - philips allstart 830w

Is there anybody using it on the IC? I was looking into it but the 2cnd hand phillips rep info I got didn't seem to think it would do so well in a horticultural application. They said it was more of an energy saver model for parking lots and such. I got the impression that it wasn't even a true cmh. The retailer looking into it seemed open and as curious as myself and I've grown to trust them over the past few years so I'm just a bit hesitant to make the leap without more info. I'm loving that 400w cmh in the veg area which is why I'm so curious about the 830. Anyone know the efficiency/par/micromoles on the 830w allstart?

 

[Nader]

ordered the 830w tonight, will find out soon how it measures up

here's the spectral gorgeousness

 

[rives]

ordered the 830w tonight, will find out soon how it measures up

here's the spectral gorgeousness
View Image

That pretty much looks like it was designed for us, doesn't it?

 

[Azeotrope]

That 830/860 is a CDM.... Seems there are some differences in the newer CDM bulbs than the original CMH designs. They are essentially the same tech, but the arc tubes/chambers are now more rounded and the ceramic material has changed some. The allstart just consumes less wattage and really does produce well. It is also designed for either the older tech probe start or more modern tech pulse start ballasts which is nice.

 

[Azeotrope]

550w CMH Tent

550w CMH Tent

Here are 5 JBxSWTBLU ladies in a tent under 1 - 400w 4k CMH and 1 - 150w 3k CMH (metrolight eballast). They are in 2g smart parts in coco dtw. crappy phone pics. 21-25days 12/12 or so. Not my tent. Just watching it for a day or two. I germinated and vegged these for the first two weeks.

 

[Azeotrope]

JBxSWTBLU Day 7 12/12 under 315w 930

JBxSWTBLU Day 7 12/12 under 315w 930

Day 7 12/12 930 315w is feeding them well. Can keep it about 8-10" off the tops. Not trying to dominate this thread with pics, just document the bulb has some PAR...... Agro version or not.

 

[tenthirty]

Look'in real good there.
I can hardly wait/weight for the finish.

I'm about 2 weeks from completion of the first run. I guess I'll have to post some pics.
They do look much healthier than the HPS grows from the past.
I'm talk'in no yellowing and the EC is at about .7 at day 56.
The weight may be the same or maybe a little down (really can't tell) from the HPS grows ,but 600w to 315w.
Hmmmm. and healthier plants

 

[Azeotrope]

Nice to hear that you are close. Mine will go another 65-70 days I think...... I hate waiting, but they are worth it....

Let us know how it finishes up. Way to blaze the trail with the "proto-type"!

 

[dec]

How hot does the 250w cmh get?

Would it be possible to have it in 25,6D x 18,1W x 26,7H inches (2,1x1,5x2,2 feet) cab in a cool tube with 106 CFM fan whidout temperature problems?

 

[Azeotrope]

dec - I think you could pull that off..... What would be the real factor is the temperature of the air entering the cool tube. The hotter the ambient supply for that, the more air you will need to move. Certainley easier than with an HPS or standard halide.

Best of luck! Let us know how it goes.