Ceramic Metal Halide (CMH)

[messn'n'gommin']

I sea and hear about many hps ballasts (even OLD ones) with Short range ignitor's (standard ignitor) with 8-12' bulb cords runing cmh.. without issue..

This is encouraging as I have been fretting over whether or not to get an igniter with a longer firing range. I just bought 2x250w S50 HPS Advance core and coil ballast kits [model no. 71A8271-001D, (NOS)] with a 2' lamp to ballast igniter. As it is, I will keep my wiring as short as possible and test it out when I get my bulbs to see how it goes. Thanks Simba.

Namaste, mess

 

[UBER21]

Regarding density:

Some of my buds are too heavy for the branches to hold them up, and the plant is less than 12" tall. They're literally laying horizontally in my cab. I haven't bothered staking them because the way they are laying is exposing more of the bud to light and it doesn't appear to be hurting anything.

If you squeeze the larger buds they are hard as rock.

I think people believe the CMH produces less density because it looks like there are lots of leaves (feeder leaves) and not many calyxes. Those feeder leaves, however, are collecting tons of light for the buds to use. More light = more food, more food = heavier buds.

I am at about 50/50 clear/cloudy trichomes, so I still have a few weeks left most likely.

I might be able to get some pictures up tonight.

Mpl pics plzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz...lol....

 

[simba]

i myself have gone to short range ignitors (to simulate typical conditions)

MPL Silica and molasses .. (silica threwout life, molasses at end. just a lil bit and i mean lil bit)

 

[Siddartha]

Why silica and molasses and why molasses only at the end? I always heard to do it throughout the whole thing, but what ya hear isn't always right :-D.

 

[simba]

silica is needed for cell division whether it be veg or bloom..(leaves or buds)
molasses is a sugar the plant can instantly take up as a Natural Bulking (not empty fill)
and you only need a sugar boost at end of flower..
shortened version

 

[Siddartha]

thanks simba!
(fast reply too!)

 

[varriform]

I'm not certain, is there a CMH thats fits into a normal 150w hps. This one specifically http://www.htgsupply.com/viewproduct.asp?productID=49255

 

[Guest]

Hello everybody, hello Simba !!

This was my first harvest under CMH 400W (first grow, 5 girls)



About 230g (8 oz) of very nice quality !!

Here is a bud of my favorite, KO Kush (Sannie) :



I am very happy with CMH bulb, so I continue with it !!

Here is a little cut of Sweet Skunk (Breeder Steve, SOL) under CMH 400W :



I hope that the CMH bulb will slow down the big stretch of this very nice sativa !!

I also have ECSD (DHK) and Bubba Kush (Katsu) so I will post some pics of these clones flowering under CMH in a few weeks !

 

[MPL]

I use the 400w HTG and am very (surprisingly) happy with it. I have it on a 4' lead made out of a 15amp extension cord. Not a single problem with it once I realized you should wait 20 or 30 minutes between turning it off and back on again.

Mine always starts within about 3-5 seconds after you hear the buzz. It's been quite reliable for me.

i have a question, is anyone using the HGT supply ballast? how do you like it (400w) i have mine but its taking longer and longer to ignite the bulb everytime it strikes. aroudn 15 seconds for me now, i know a guy who says it takes around 30 seconds to ignite his cmh so i guess im not worreid about it.

 

[MPL]

I'll get some tonight when the lights come on.

It's my first grow so while I may have talked them up in that post don't go thinking these are Cannabis Cup winning plants or anything. They also had a really rough start in life, mostly not my fault.

Mpl pics plzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz...lol....

 

[abirdintheair]

i know most of you use 250 and 400w cmhs, but im switching out my 150w hps for a 150w cmh for my vegg chamber. i know cmh runs cooler than hps, can anyone give me an idea on how much of a chance i could expect? would i be able to seal a 24x18x36 cab with a 150w cmh? i cant do it with the hps, gets too hot, just trying to see if theres a way out of odor control with my vegg chamber, thanks for the help

 

[NorCalFor20]

NorCal,
Ya some HTG had weaker ignitors (we think.. not Official)..
and nothing to concern our selfs with..
its strike time is going to very each time, your lucky if it strikes the same every time..

The main concern with CMH's failing is First Fire (first few cycles) Hence AdvTech Preburning all Products..
what the initial failure reason is is the Glues basically that keeps the arc tube together.
.it has a seal or not.. (its MH salts/gases/metals in a HPS arc tube) Corrosive as all can be..to the seals..
and the leak would happen in the first cycles.. generally (Obv there is the exception)
if the lamp works the firsst few times it shouldn't fail tell end of life..

i have seen a few cmh 250, 400 that have a electrical storm going (HV Stream bouncing around like lighting) for up to 1 minute before firing up.. and then perfect from then on.. and then some that just arc.. (if it arcs.. chances are its got a good seal.. just not hot enough to strike (obv again sometimes its the bulb seal)

I sea and hear about many hps ballasts (even OLD ones) with Short range ignitor's (standard ignitor) with 8-12' bulb cords runing cmh.. without issue..

thanks simba im not so worried about it now... my bulb goes through a few different spectrums and it looks like it goes from blue to green to yellow to red then back to white when its done "booting up" its pretty cool if you ask me its my first hid so for all i know they might all do that. i try to wake up right before the lights come on so i get to watch it come on, my plants are loving the light- i love how they don't stretch and have tight node growth... after using fluros and hid's i will never go back to those crappy fluros ever again!

 

[MPL]

It is normal. When my first ignites it is a very pretty sapphire blue, then it fades to a lighter blue until it is eventually white and full power.

my bulb goes through a few different spectrums and it looks like it goes from blue to green to yellow to red then back to white

 

[Pinball Wizard]

MPL Silica and molasses .. (silica threwout life, molasses at end. just a lil bit and i mean lil bit)

...Hey...simba

I got the molasses thing down ...but ...what's a good source for silica?

 

[duddits]

I like Pro-Tekt

I was just trying to find any link for it but that's a DAMN good price. Never seen it under $8.95qt. I add 3 ml to a gal.

Edit: Scratch that, I see it is 8 oz. Should be able to find a qt. for 10 buks.

Simba had said when I asked his opinion to make sure it is a potassium based silica and I haven't seen one of them yet that aren't, FWIW.

 

[messn'n'gommin']

Hey Simba, maybe I am just grasping at straws and worrying over nothing, but, since I have only a little knowledge on how electricity works, would the gauge of wire have any bearing on an igniter? I haven't made my power cords yet and I was wondering if using 14AWG or even 12AWG would assist the igniter in doing it's job? Thanks in advance for any input.

Namaste, mess

 

[varriform]

Which HTG ballast are you all referring to? The kit ballast or the one that comes with the $119 set-up?

 

[MPL]

I have the kit.

Which HTG ballast are you all referring to? The kit ballast or the one that comes with the $119 set-up?

 

[varriform]

You say it works pretty well? It is pretty cheap. I'm upgrading to a 400w and wanted something cheap but decent.

 

[varriform]

Thought you might enjoy this video about ceramic metal halides http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_nruZ52Qoeg