Air cooled reflector testing with Digital footcandle meter

[corradogang*]

Ok I forgot to take pictures of the thing as I was trying to get it back in the flowering room. But I can post pictures later if someone really wants to see. Here is the box for now




At 18 inches. Measured in footcandles.

1. 820
2. 1350
3. 1330
4. 730
5. 2170
6. 4250
7. 4480
8. 1630
9. 2170
10. 4250
11. 4370
12. 1820
13. 910
14. 1460
15. 1440
16. 790

Average 2123


At 21 inches.

1. 900
2. 1360
3. 1420
4. 940
5. 1980
6. 3560
7. 3740
8. 2150
9. 2030
10. 3620
11. 3630
12. 2140
13. 940
14. 1430
15. 1450
16. 940

Average: 2014


At 24 inches.

1. 980
2. 1440
3. 1460
4. 990
5. 1860
6. 3000
7. 3090
8. 1850
9. 1800
10. 3000
11. 3030
12. 1880
13. 1020
14. 1440
15. 1500
16. 990

Average: 1833



Well the Coolsun XL is coming in last place right now. The Super Sun 2 produces 22.3% more light than the Coolsun XL over a 3x3 area at 18 inches.


I wasn't interested in the Coolsun XL for my 600w lights but I wanted to do the test anyways. I use the Coolsun XL reflectors for my 1000 watters. After seeing the data I want to try my 1000w hps lights inside the supersun 2 and see if it gives me a better spread over a 4x4 than the coolsun xl. I don't need 8 inch cooling if that much light is lost.

The Coolsun XL sure is a beast. Same quality construction as the original Coolsun. No leaks in the main body. Glass still needs to be sealed. 8" ducting provides a ton of airflow. Cord comes out the top of the body sealed instead of inside the ducting.

At last some knowledge that is not hearsay

 

[samba]

YES SUNSYTEM HOOD ARE NOW IN THE UK
heres a blockbuster





mine will be rocking a 600w in a 1m sq budbox

Where can I get one in the uk!?
Been looking for years!

 

[Nitrain]

Seems like alot of people asked about the Cool Tube, and the consensus was not to test because of weak light pattern? I recently bought a 600w system with cooltube online claimed better reflector than old cooltube. This is my first cool tube my other reflector is the SS Yield Master II 6" 400w MH. I have to say i do like my new cooltube w/improved reflector. I think it should get anotherchance as this reflector covers much more space..try to add pics never added any on here before here goes.












OH and pics are from my phone sorry!

 

[Dave Coulier]

I just got a Super Sun II, and I can test it against a generic cool-tube my friend has. Once I get a light meter Ill post some results. Maybe in a month or so when I can afford to drop $60 or so on the same one Pico has.

 

[samba]

I'd love to see a cooltube/super sun 2 comparison as I have cooltubes and the SS2 cost over 200$ over here
Nitrain, thous new reflectors look way better than the shitty ones I have

 

[Nitrain]

I'd love to see a cooltube/super sun 2 comparison as I have cooltubes and the SS2 cost over 200$ over here
Nitrain, thous new reflectors look way better than the shitty ones I have

Yeah its working well for me i paid a total of $290 w/shipping for the cooltube/reflector w/digital 600w ballast and 600w mh/hps bulbs also came with free timer and Yoyo Reflector Hanging kit.

 

[pico]

wow, the SS2 is like $110 around here. $200 sucks.

 

[samba]

wow, the SS2 is like $110 around here. $200 sucks.

Yeah, it sure does!
Thats why I/d love to see a comparison, so I know if it would be worth the investment. But then again, the SS2 seems to put out 10% more light than the other reflectors, and a nice uniform light footprint. The 10% increase in light would be worth the investment if it meant 10% increase in yield...

 

[pico]

The 10% increase in light would be worth the investment if it meant 10% increase in yield...

Very true. They say a penny saved is a penny earned, but sometimes they are wrong. A penny saved may be costing you dollars in the long run. I reinvest a substantial portion of my income and have yet to go wrong in doing so. Well, except maybe for those 2 omega gardens I bought 5 years back.....but that is a different story.

 

[dmoose]

WoW! You have put alot of time and effort into all of your testing! You are Most Awesome Dude! Sharing this information with ALL of us makes you an ICMag Forum Hero.

But you are such a TEASE! You keep mentioning how you are going to test the Light Diffuser every dozen pages or so........ I thought for sure I would eventually find some results, this thread did start back in 2007, hehehe. I've had one for several months, someone threw it in when I purchased a few of his ballasts on craigslist. But I am not sure if it will actually block the light output?

I'm subscribing reguardless! Thanks for all you DO do! Hehehe, I said Do do +rep

 

[Turtle Lord]

I love this thread...just...props.

 

[jimbo99]

Agreed. I cant wait to see how the cool tube does against the ss2. I used to use a cooltube back in the day and use ss2's now. I wonder how much light i was missing out on using the cool tube.

 

[pico]

WoW! You have put alot of time and effort into all of your testing! You are Most Awesome Dude! Sharing this information with ALL of us makes you an ICMag Forum Hero.

But you are such a TEASE! You keep mentioning how you are going to test the Light Diffuser every dozen pages or so........ I thought for sure I would eventually find some results, this thread did start back in 2007, hehehe. I've had one for several months, someone threw it in when I purchased a few of his ballasts on craigslist. But I am not sure if it will actually block the light output?

I'm subscribing reguardless! Thanks for all you DO do! Hehehe, I said Do do +rep

I still have that diffuser. One of these days I will pull it out.

 

[grow nerd]

I've pretty much been in that exact mode with the diffuser. Always had one available to pop on, but never really got around to it. Maybe this time.

 

[jess_storm]

Just as an FYI, if no one's mentioned it, but you can get a cheap old GOSSEN PANLUX Electronic 2 Light Meter that measures footcandles. eBay has things like 'em regularly. Mine is fantastic, and cost about $22 delivered:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=150411861730&ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT

Pic attached of a newer model, which will run near-ish to $100. But the old ones (similar looking) can be got for *cheap*!

~jessie

 

[ITryToGrow]

Personally, I'm not a fan of the diffusors...

Had 'em on all my setups (5) and I noticed how the plants directly under them were stunted in their growth. The moment I removed the diffusors, they ALL picked up!

 

[SweetIndica2]

That's a no-brainer. Two 600w HPS lamps side-by-side is 180,000 lumens while a single 1000w is only 110,000 or so. Yeah yeah I know lumens isn't the plant light measurement but it's much more light than a single 1000w in a much bigger reflector. Absolutely go with 2x600w in SS2 hoods (can I recommend SolarMax bulbs too?) for one hell of a strong footprint. Plus you get the option to raise each light separately. While the poster above correctly points out that 1000w have more penetration, the multiple 600s will grow better weight on the outsides while only sacrificing minimally in the middle compared to a single 1000w. Drawbacks are more heat to remove and more ducting to run. If that's not a concern than I see no reason to go with a single 1000w over 2x600w.

eta: Wait wait...I just saw how big of an area you're working with. 4.5'x4.5' and only 6' height? Is that 6' ceiling height from the floor? If so, I'd probably consider the 1000w instead. If you were more like 4'x6' with 8' height then the 2x600w would be preferred. 2x600w in only 4.5' is a whole lot of light and not much height to work with either. You could probably pull it off with some serious cooling but stick with the 1000w.

I agree with everything you are saying, but your "Lumen math" is really off. Two 600W standard Bulbs would be about 180,000 Lumens like you said but a standard 1000W bulb is about 145,000 Lumens. Although like you said, Lumens don't matter.

I do agree that SolarMax Bulbs are the way to go for sure, i just got one of their 1000W MH Veg Conversion bulbs and it's great quality and gives a great blue/white spectrum for vegging.

 

[grow nerd]

Personally, I'm not a fan of the diffusors...

Had 'em on all my setups (5) and I noticed how the plants directly under them were stunted in their growth. The moment I removed the diffusors, they ALL picked up!

Interesting... more details, please. Wattage / type of bulb, type of reflector, height from canopy, etc...

 

[SweetIndica2]

Yea, i don't know much about the diffusers but i've done a little research on here about them and most people seemed to agree that they are useless for the most part. There are alot of things the hydro stores sell that sound cool, but don't have much of a purpose. Or items like the diffusers that sound good in theory, but don't really do what they are supposed to do. I haven't used them myself though so who knows.

 

[ITryToGrow]

Interesting... more details, please. Wattage / type of bulb, type of reflector, height from canopy, etc...

Wattage: 600W
Bulb: GroLux Dual Spectrum HPS
Reflector: Ecotechnics Diamond 600

Height:
Umm, difficult to say since the plants under the diffuser where shorter than the ones around the edges. But if the plants around the edges where approx. 8 inches from the reflector, then the ones directly under the diffuser where about 16 inches away.

When I then removed the diffuser those plants "caught up".

Hope that helps!