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Sun System 315 LEC Ceramic Metal Halide ~ VERTICAL?

Jhhnn

Active member
Veteran
i find it hard to believe a 315w cmh will replace a 600hps and yield the same amount

I'm not sure that's true, either. I do believe, however, that two 315's will work roughly as well as a single 1000w lamp, perhaps not *quite* as well. It's very close from my limited experience. If the parameter is yield per kilowatt hour then CDM's beat the pants off of other HID systems entirely. They'll pay for themselves in a couple of years or so. That's most pronounced in high rate areas & for people who use A/C to shed the heat from the grow. There's 40% less total heat to shed so those growers save twice.

The trade off is that a grower needs to put more up front for CDM's even using DIY skills like I did.
 

Boyd Crowder

Teem MiCr0B35
this threads disapointing me,
i was thinking thered be more pics or more interest lol
im hearing nothing but hypothticals, and mg is the only other guy here showing some real world ideas
can we get some actual real live photos and/or folks doing cmh vert for reals?
 

Boyd Crowder

Teem MiCr0B35
i mean no disrespect, but im saying im getting bored here talkin and not doin
im considering the switch , but im not sold,
i have other cats, old heads using these things, and they saying its hype

can we work towards seprating hype from fact here or ...
 

mojave green

rockin in the free world
Veteran
I'm not sure that's true, either. I do believe, however, that two 315's will work roughly as well as a single 1000w lamp, perhaps not *quite* as well. It's very close from my limited experience. If the parameter is yield per kilowatt hour then CDM's beat the pants off of other HID systems entirely. They'll pay for themselves in a couple of years or so. That's most pronounced in high rate areas & for people who use A/C to shed the heat from the grow. There's 40% less total heat to shed so those growers save twice.

The trade off is that a grower needs to put more up front for CDM's even using DIY skills like I did.
It need not be expensive:
https://www.icmag.com/ic/showpost.php?p=8030465&postcount=4171
 

Jhhnn

Active member
Veteran

That's only part way up the scale towards twin 315's in terms of efficiency. It pulls at least 230w more & I seriously doubt it will grow any better.

Twin 315 systems will pay for themselves rather quickly in energy savings. 12 hrs/day x 365 days is 4380 hours/year. That translates directly to Kilowatt hours for a 1000w lamp. The average rate in the US is $0.12/Kwh, so it costs $525/ yr to run it. An 860 will cost $452, saving $73/yr. Twin 315's will cost $331/yr, saving $194/yr. Actual number are somewhat larger because of ballast inefficiency. Twin 315's win again in that regard making the price delta even greater.

If you're running A/C on the grow, % savings for that will be similar. If your electric rates are higher, the proposition is even more attractive.

If we're talking about new equipment a vert 860W system would cost ~$250. Twin 315's w/ philips lamps would cost ~$450. The latter costs ~$121 per year less to operate so you get your upfront money back in less than 2 yrs & you'll save as much every year thereafter. Reduced A/C costs, if any, just make it more attractive.

That's all based on the proposition that a 1000w HPS, an 860w CMH & twin 315 CDM's will yield very similar results, something I believe to be true.
 

Jhhnn

Active member
Veteran
And why do you believe?

My own experience with twin 315's & the testimony of several others in rives' big thread on the subject-

https://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?threadid=299165

I followed that thread from the beginning in large part because I respect all the good advice he's given to people wrt electrical issues & because of his straightforward no bullshit style. I'd learned to trust him & wasn't disappointed when I went to 315's. Not at all.

I actually ended up with three 860's that were shipped to me by mistake. I couldn't use them horizontally so I gave them to Avinash_Miles & Seaf0ur. Neither party really commented on them one way or the other so I figure they do what they're supposed to do which is serve as power saving replacements for 1000w quartz MH lamps. They will save money particularly in their intended role in commercial lighting. Just screw them in when it's time to relamp. They won't overcome the inefficiencies inherent in mag ballast designs, however.

315's are a new departure built on that transitional tech that's state of the art in HID lighting. I honestly think a grower needs to use them to appreciate just how good they are.They're not some kind of miracle but they are remarkably efficient at turning electricity into usable light. LED's are only slightly more efficient & the price of quality units is way out there I'm afraid.

I also have a 400w MH system from early experiments with a Philips 330w CMH lamp. I use it occasionally for seedlings & veggie starts in the spring. It does a good job at veg although it doesn't have nearly the output of a 315. Never used one for flowering. They're good lamps like the 860's.
 
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