Ceramic Metal Halide (CMH)

[PACKERBACKER]

It's time to upgrade to a 250watt. I've read some good things about the CMH set ups. It'd be a real bear to read all 383 pages of this thread. I'm not very savvy w/all the technical stuff anyway. I understand that a CMH set up will put out a broader light spectrum and more intensity, & I guess that's what's important. I'm pretty handy, & have DIY'd a remote ballast before, so don't see much trouble doing so again. My question is if the set up from Phillips here is reliable? I noticed they do not come w/a socket though. Where would I get one?
If that is not a great set up, what does everyone recommend?

 

[Avinash.miles]

i'd love to see minivert done with either 210 or 315 watt cdm.

 

[redclover]

that seems too close to me, but i have only done one vertical run with a 400w CMH. i tried to keep the CMH about 10-12 inches away from the foliage.

i got an OG grolite reflector, and it works really really well compared to a cool tube and econo wing. you can really see how much more evenly the light is spread. i had no idea about the luxor hood or i would have gotten that instead of the OG, og reflector is made really shitty in comparison to the luxor.

Tried many distances and 14" from bare seems like the sweet spot. So much PAR in that bulb (second to the Philips DE greenpower), I could go 16-18" easy if trained. I plan on beanpoles 4-5' tall and a light mover 14" away. Should be beast @ $225 for set up...not including light mover.

 

[Bass Akwards]

Distance With 400 W. CMH

Distance With 400 W. CMH

We did several runs with a 400 W. horizontal CMH bulb in the cheapest "batwing" reflector that was available.

It worked just fine at much closer distances.

We adjusted it stay 6 to 8 inches from the top of the plants.

The technique was a variation of SOG with 9 plants in 3/4 gallon pots of organic soil mix. Started in large foam cups, they were transplanted after sexing, and forked several times to give them a little "bush".

If not placed close to the plants, you lose the benefit of having low heat from the lamp. There's little chance of overdoing the light intensity with a 400 W. lamp.

We're quite happy with the results, and plan to stock up on a couple new bulbs before they become extinct. They last a long time, have high PAR output for their size, and produce much less heat.

The only drawback to these CMH bulbs is the relative scarcity ( if not total lack ) of electronic ballasts. We'd like to use one just for efficiency sake, but we're not a tech-head and don't understand the reasons why most of them won't work properly with the CMH bulbs.

( Anyone know which electronic ballasts will work?)

 

[habeeb]

It's time to upgrade to a 250watt. I've read some good things about the CMH set ups. It'd be a real bear to read all 383 pages of this thread. I'm not very savvy w/all the technical stuff anyway. I understand that a CMH set up will put out a broader light spectrum and more intensity, & I guess that's what's important. I'm pretty handy, & have DIY'd a remote ballast before, so don't see much trouble doing so again. My question is if the set up from Phillips here is reliable? I noticed they do not come w/a socket though. Where would I get one?
If that is not a great set up, what does everyone recommend?

completely fine kit..

just know it's thee mogul version, and there seems to be a slight slight color adjustment, nothing I would worry about unless your a perfectionist to the highest order, and even wanted the other lamp style.. but easy to change over anytime, all you need is thee socket and lamp, you have the ballast.

one of the best priced kits out there, minus if you can find something on ebay.


what hood you thinking?

 

[PACKERBACKER]

completely fine kit..

just know it's thee mogul version, and there seems to be a slight slight color adjustment, nothing I would worry about unless your a perfectionist to the highest order, and even wanted the other lamp style.. but easy to change over anytime, all you need is thee socket and lamp, you have the ballast.

one of the best priced kits out there, minus if you can find something on ebay.


what hood you thinking?

Thanks for the reply habeeb Not sure what you mean by "3 mogul version" though. Will any 250 watt HID socket work? Not a perfectionist by any means. just try to do my best. As far as a hood goes, I'll DIY somethin up. I'm all about keepin' it simple & cheap
Thanks again. Keep it green &

 

[non]

for retrowhite standard socket works. might be some confusion because the new ceramic metal halides have new kind of socket. or just high.

 

[rives]

Habeeb got an extra "e" on the end of "the", not "three".

Most of us that are using the 315w CDM lamp so far are using the style with the PGZ18 bi-pin base. The kit that Advanced is selling uses the newer lamp style with a standard mogul base.

 

[Bubbagineer]

Sunny day.....

That's (5) plants in 3 gallon pots with (2) 315w CMH hoods and some LEDs in the corners

 

[redclover]

Nice Bubba..great combo. What LEDs?

I noticed my 'coil' around the core of my 860 CMH is loose. Anyone know what that does? I'll call the rep Monday.

Also, if I were to get an Elite Agro...What socket would I need for a vert set up? Thanks guys.

 

[LargePrime]

Also, if I were to get an Elite Agro...What socket would I need for a vert set up? Thanks guys.

you can get a mogul or a PGZ in that bulb. both work vert afaik

 

[Bubbagineer]

The LEd lights are HTG Supply 7-band 240w lights, but I wouldn't suggest buying any. They are into their 3rd grow.... I started with 3 lights, I now only have 1.5 due to blown bulbs. I could open it up and solder jumpers across, but that's just too much hassle.

 

[adilerr]

you can get a mogul or a PGZ in that bulb. both work vert afaik

AFAIK the AGRO bulb is only available as PGZ, and moguls come in 942 (4200K) flavor only:
http://www.ecat.lighting.philips.co...astercolor-cdm-elite-mw-mogul-base/67292/cat/

For those of you who already run the PGZX18 lamp, I need your help!
On the bulb itself, which of the contact points is considered "center" (meaning, red wire from ballast) and which is "outer" (blue wire from ballast)?
I ask because the lamp holder I got isn't color coded (both wires are white), and the wiring diagram (#9) refers to mogul/Edison base:

 

[Jhhnn]

AFAIK the AGRO bulb is only available as PGZ, and moguls come in 942 (4200K) flavor only:
http://www.ecat.lighting.philips.co...astercolor-cdm-elite-mw-mogul-base/67292/cat/

For those of you who already run the PGZX18 lamp, I need your help!
On the bulb itself, which of the contact points is considered "center" (meaning, red wire from ballast) and which is "outer" (blue wire from ballast)?
I ask because the lamp holder I got isn't color coded (both wires are white), and the wiring diagram (#9) refers to mogul/Edison base:

I haven't used PGZ socket bulbs, but if the bulb fits either way in the socket, polarity doesn't matter.

 

[adilerr]

The contact pins aren't identical:

 

[Avinash.miles]

I'm prepping to setup a side by side running a 1k w hps vs. 315w philips cmh,
the plants flowered under the cmh were also vegged under the cmh....
when i start that thread i will post a link here so anyone interested can follow along.

 

[staank]

oh I definitely wanna see that side-by-side!

 

[Stoogots]

I'm prepping to setup a side by side running a 1k w hps vs. 315w philips cmh,
the plants flowered under the cmh were also vegged under the cmh....
when i start that thread i will post a link here so anyone interested can follow along.

1kw HPS Vs 315w CMH? There's no match. In which area?

 

[Avinash.miles]

1kw HPS Vs 315w CMH? There's no match. In which area?

area? they both will be in roughly a 4x4 area....
as for no match.... I'm gonna be the judge of that, what are your expectations, stoogots?

 

[byzauc]

some kinde of coleage going out there...