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Ceramic Metal Halide (CMH)

adilerr

Member
Thanks for the effort! After a quick double check I found the 930s are best for bloom (more deep red) @ 1.9 umol/sec...whatever that converts to.

Where did you get that info from?

The 1.9 figure is per watt, so multiply it by 315 (598.5 umol/s).
That's actually the figure for the Agro bulb, I've seen some sites that confuse the two (930 & Agro).
 

Stoogots

Member
Veteran
I've got all 3 bulbs with PGZX18 socket...

The MW (medium wattage) CDM bulbs are available in 3 spectrum -
942 (the 9 digit represent the CRI rating, ~90, color temp is 4200K)
930 (3100K)
Agro/GreenPower (3100K/3200K, inconsistent info in Philips docs, some list 3100K while others list 3200K - all share the same SKU: 415216)

I knew the 930 was @300°K, and the Agro(Aka GreenPower) @3100°K...i'm still testing, but so far i can't notice reliable differences between the 2 bulbs.
 

adilerr

Member
I knew the 930 was @300°K, and the Agro(Aka GreenPower) @3100°K...i'm still testing, but so far i can't notice reliable differences between the 2 bulbs.

Depends on what PDF you're reading :) Philips is inconsistent.

So you use the 942 for veg and 930/Agro for flower?
 

nodestar

Member
Philips rep is swamped. They need to hire more people. The 120v kit is all rigged up, and you'd have to splice your socket cable. I don't mind wiring if it'll save me $$$. I'll get more details this weekend.

Are you referring to the 120v ballast from AdvancedTechLighting you mentioned one page back or the Alibaba kit something else?
 

bigshrimp

Active member
Veteran
Shrimp, is the 860 the only light in that vert setup you just showed?

I just ordered 6 of the 860w bulbs with matching ballasts and 4 epapillion 1kw, gonna run 2 860, 2 epap, and 1380w of led in an 11.5x9.5 room. Room is built, just waiting on the plants to finish veg.

Just found this also, a ballast that is supposedly made exclusively for the 860.


http://everbright21.en.made-in-chin...Ballast-and-Grow-Light-Ballast-HID860C7-.html

There are two gavita pro600s (hps) running horizontally above on each side of the chm that aren't pictured. I'm running the 860w on and old magnetic ballast on 220v.

p.s. - Thats gonna be a kick ass mixed spectrum room!
 

redclover

Member
What is the price? The Philips ballast from advancedtechlighting.com is only $195 (but needs a a step up transformer).

Not the new models coming out very soon (that I mentioned earlier). They'll be 120v and sell as an affordable kit.

The Alibaba electronic 120v ballast is $260. Waiting back on if it includes shipping, socket, and bundle deal.

The DNA link http://www.dnalightingsolutions.com/products.html has 120v ballasts for $300 which comes with a socket. $380 for the whole kit with the 'Agro 930'. Whoever's interested should PM me...I'd be able to get a bundle deal!
 

redclover

Member
If you can find a ballast that is actually UL listed from Alibaba, I think lots of people would be all over that.
I know they say they are, but in my experience, its "other products, not this one, if demand is great we will get it done".

If you go to link, you can see that it is UL listed.
 

staank

Member
That's what it says - have you emailed them?
I did and this was the response:

Our 315w CMH is out of stock now and will be ready for order in 2 weeks. It does not have UL/CUL certificate yet.
 

redclover

Member
That's what it says - have you emailed them?
I did and this was the response:

Our 315w CMH is out of stock now and will be ready for order in 2 weeks. It does not have UL/CUL certificate yet.

I asked the total price of 2 ballasts shipped and scratched that option. It's down to DNA or advanced 'DIY' ballast.
 
So just after I posted I got a email quote for CE cert (NOT UL LISTED) Chinese knockoff 315W CMH Philip ballasts for <80USD. Anyone interested? They say they got a 3 year warranty...
Did no one see this?

But buyer beware. Ask for high res photos of the product they will be shipping. Bet you its a 250W CMH ballast and not a 210 or 315.

The 315W use a different ballast tech entirely, right? I think a bunch of these manufactures are just assuming the ballasts tech is the same.

Currently getting a quote for the 315W ballast with a DALI light control added. So sunrise and sunset dimming (IDEA STOLEN FROM Snype)

And IMHO a UL is not a big deal if they have a CE cert. But check the CE cert...
 
I'm convinced that our current set of performance metrics for assessing lights does not accurately reflect the whole picture.
I cannot agree more. Even the big headed people seem to have no idea how to approach this conceptually...
I've expounded on this a bit in another thread
can you like me to that? I searched your post history but did not find. I would really like a ' "Light, in theory and practice" by I. R. A. Plant ' thread...
 

Stoogots

Member
Veteran
Depends on what PDF you're reading :) Philips is inconsistent.

So you use the 942 for veg and 930/Agro for flower?

I was doing it as a side by side...
Box A: Veg with 942 and flower with 930
Box B: Veg & flower with GreenPower

But i had a lot of problem so I need to try again with other clones. :tiphat:
 
rives et. al.;

Do we have a good handle on how the 315W ballast is different from the 250W/400W ballasts exactly? I think I remember it is a low frequency square wave ballast right? Does anyone have anything else?

I thought I remember an article on it on advancedtechlighting. Found one, but it skimmed over the 315W ballast details.
 

redclover

Member
rives et. al.;

Do we have a good handle on how the 315W ballast is different from the 250W/400W ballasts exactly? I think I remember it is a low frequency square wave ballast right? Does anyone have anything else?

I thought I remember an article on it on advancedtechlighting. Found one, but it skimmed over the 315W ballast details.

Call Tom at advanced. He might send you pics of the 120v kit. I'd post em, but...ya know.
 
Call Tom at advanced. He might send you pics of the 120v kit. I'd post em, but...ya know.
I just wired in a sub panel and run all my ballasts with 220.

But I still don't know exactly what is different with the 315W ballasts vs the 250/400W CMH ballasts.

Perhaps I should call tom and ask?
EDIT. Found my answer

http://advancedtechlighting.com/cdmmw.htm
Important Warranty Note:
The CDM MW 210 & 315 Watt Lamps where specifically designed for 105hz-115hz LFSW Ballasts (IE Philips shown below)
In English these are only meant for electronic ANSI RATED 105hz-115hz utilizing a low frequency square wave (LFSW)
and NOT for High Frequency Ballasts (these Literally Rattle the lamps apart)
IE NO 100-200Khz High Frequency Ballasts as you will void your lamps warranty
 
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