New cabinet needing opinion on light.

[Keif]

Hey there I am making a new micro cabinet and I would like to get away from my CFL that I use for flowering. Currently I use a 125w for veg and I enjoy it. I would like to keep the same veg light and just upgrade my 250w cfl that I use in flowering.

My new cabinet is 29.5"x16"x36"

I was thinking of using a 250w hps but thought it may be a little big. Does anyone have any other suggestions? I will be growing vertically as well.

Thanks

 

[Keif]

Now considering using another 250w cfl in vertical setup or a 300w.... im at a loss on what to do now. Any ideas?

 

[GMT]

why do you feel that you need to upgrade the 250 cfl? Are you not getting the results you want? Moving to HPS creates a lot of problems.

 

[gloryoskie]

why do you feel that you need to upgrade the 250 cfl? Are you not getting the results you want? Moving to HPS creates a lot of problems.

Please tell us more about pros and cons.
Many cfl users make the switch, but many
stick with cfl and swear by it.

Is it heat, ballast issues, light spread?

 

[DamnUglyDogE]

Hey there I am making a new micro cabinet and I would like to get away from my CFL that I use for flowering. Currently I use a 125w for veg and I enjoy it. I would like to keep the same veg light and just upgrade my 250w cfl that I use in flowering.

My new cabinet is 29.5"x16"x36"

I was thinking of using a 250w hps but thought it may be a little big. Does anyone have any other suggestions? I will be growing vertically as well.

Thanks

I would try a 150 hps bare balb hung vert
with a small fan below and a exhaust place directly above.
or even.
Do a stacked CFL & HPS..
Thats something Id like to see,myself.

Ya wont have many issues that way and gain the denseness that hps offer.


Just 2 cents for ya... Have fun and get er dun...

AD.....





.

 

[GMT]

Pros: More light means bigger denser nugs.

Cons: More heat, much more heat, requiring greater air flow, preferably controlled air flow over the bulb and out of the cab. More heat in my exp means less sparkle.

The ballast can be left outside the cab, so its not a problem.

 

[AshitMyself]

i would do what Alien dawg says use hps hung vertical but i would go for 250watts i am thinking of doing this for my veg set up

 

[GMT]

its a lot easier to cool a scottish cab than it is a cab in LA though

 

[Keif]

Thanks for all the insight.

I have been using my 250w CFL for a couple years and the buds arent as dense as I want. The light spread is fine in such a small cab but the quality of my buds arent what they could be.

Is the heat difference from a 150w HPS really that much different than a 250w CFL? That CFL gets things cooking pretty well..

The cabinet is in an air conditioned room of my house so its not going to be too bad cooling it, well no worse than anywhere else. I usually keep it on at about 75-78 degrees depending how hot it is outside..

Thanks.


EDIT:

I just checked out 150w HPS lights. The Sunburst is only about 70-80 bucks which is cool but can that be taken apart to run the ballast in the utility part of my cab so it doesnt heat the grow area even more?

Can this be cooled with PC fans or does anyone know of a small quiet scrubber?

Thanks.

 

[Keif]

Hey everyone.

I have a bit of an update.. This weekend, I ended up making a veg box so this way my flower chamber doesnt have to switch out the light and cool tube setup each time I veg. I also get to finally achieve a perpetual harvest!

For the veg box, I am running about 78-82 degrees F with a 125w CFL hanging vert with my clones around the outside of it.

The flower box, I am leaning towards a 150w hps in a cool tube setup which is on its own ventilation system with a couple large PC fans. The cab itself will be vented with a larger fan and CF..

Anyone have any recommendations? Do you think a 150w will be sufficient for my space (in the first post).

Thanks.

 

[hush]

Just found this thread.

Your cabinet is almost the exact same size as the cab I am using for my mother plants and rooting cuttings, and I can tell you that I plan on upgrading to a 150w HPS in there. A lot of people aren't going to be able to accept this truth, and some might argue, but oh well, here it goes: the amount of heat you are getting from your 250w CFL is the same amount of heat you would be getting from 250w of HPS. Yep, that is correct. Taking that a step further, if you replaced your 250w CFL with 150w of HPS, you will notice a drop in temperature.

Many people repeat things over and over again that they heard or read somewhere, and it's obvious that they have no personal experience with the things they proclaim. The idea of fluorescent lighting (especially CFLs) being any cooler than the equivalent wattage of HPS is pretty much hogwash. Those of us who have actually tried all the available forms of lighting out there, all because we live in hot climates and temperature is our biggest concern, know that this myth is bunk.

Now, it is very possible that if you are using an older, or a magnetic HPS ballast, that may very well output more heat than the electronic ballast in a CFL bulb of equivalent wattage, but that's what a remote-ballast is for. Keep the ballast out of the cabinet, and you will be golden.

If you want to REALLY keep temps down, I highly recommend going with a 150w HPS, remote ballast, and use a mini cool tube on the bulb. You do this and the temperature inside the cab (with proper airflow/exhaust) will be only a few degrees warmer than your ambient air, AND you will be able to let the buds grow right into the cool tube without being burnt. I speak from over 20 years of experience growing cannabis in confined, stealthy conditions, like inside of cabinets among other places. In a climate that averages about 90 degrees F for about 9 months out of the year.

FWIW.

 

[Keif]

Hey bud, I appreciate your very detailed response. I am only 23 but this is my 12th or 13th real grow and I have been growing since I was 14 y/o learning by some older friends and family.

What you said about the light watts being the same per light, that does make sense however my HPS kit I am going to get is magnetic. I do plan on using a cool tube and remote mounting my ballast in the top of my cab near the exhaust. This should keep my temps down.

I appreciate the input and I think the 150 will be my best bet. Any idea what we should expect for yield? I generally shoot for .5 gpw or so with CFL.

 

[hush]

I used to use a 150w HPS in my first few stealth cabs, "way back" in the 90s (lol), and even when I didn't know what I was doing I was yielding a good 2 ounces or more doing a SCROG. The largest yield I ever got from a 150w HPS was 3.1 ounces, and that was with Serious Bubblegum, in SCROG. But there have been notable examples in the past where people were regularly bringing in a QP under a 150. NIMBY from the OG days comes to mind.

Are you sure you want to use a magnetic ballast? If I were you, I would go with a digital. Gotham Hydro sells a sweet digital HPS/MH switchable ballast for $80. That's what's on my shopping list, as soon as I get a chance to work on my mother cab (the flowering rooms are all much more important to me at the current moment).

 

[Keif]

I remember reading some threads on OG that people were pulling about that much, you are right, I forgot about that. I miss that place but IC is my new home.

I just didnt see any 150w digi ballasts.. I will have to look.

I appreciate your help man. ++vibes to you

 

[hush]

My pleasure. Here you go bro:

http://www.amazon.com/150w-Digital-...78236285&sr=8-12&keywords=150+digital+ballast

 

[Keif]

Thank you, never heard of that brand before but I think I will give it a shot. Do I need to buy an igniter now? Or just get the mogul to ballast cord and bulb..? I have never ran HPS before so please bear with me. Thanks

 

[hush]

Just buy that ballast, a mogul socket that has the "standard" cordset, and a 150w HPS bulb. That is all you will need. No igniters. Nothing like that. Just the ballast, a socket, and a bulb.

 

[Keif]

Great thanks a lot. I appreciate it a lot man!

 

[hush]

Since you are so genuinely appreciative, here is a link to the mini cool tube I bought for my mother cab:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/250-HPS-COO...879?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item53fc845287


It comes with the standard cordset, so all you need is this, the ballast, and a bulb.

 

[Keif]

Damn, thats a great deal. However, the cord only looks a few inches long and the holes seem to be 5"? Is that true to what you have noticed with your own setup? I dont know what kind of ducting I can get at 5", 4 or 6 is the standard around here.

Thanks so much!!