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I have a 150w HPS that puts out 16,000 lumens and a 250w HPS that puts out 27,500 lumens. If i use both lights in a cabinet do the lumens add up to 43,500 or am i mistaken about this.
Only way to tell what plants are getting is with a light meter, your local hydro shop probably has a cheap one. We're trying to get about 5-6K foot candles (I believe approx 10K lumens) to the canopy, more is better (to a point). This usually works out to ~50 watts per square foot, less is not acceptable for flowering.
Photonic resonance will result in a geometric increase in light energy which should boost your power output to 360 yottawatts, which will either flash vaporize the planet or give you some MONSSSSTER BUDZ maaaaaaan.
I really don't know the answer but, I search around for all types of opinions and, just came across this dude's youtube video collection. Check it out, he may answer your question.
Seems like you would add the two and that will make your total watts, but I'm not a scientist so I don't know. There's probably som physics law involved or something
Sure it would equal 43,500. Why wouldn't it? Light is energy, so having multiple energy sources in a single space, I can't imagine why one would interfere with another.
Try pointing to flashlights at an object. Or at each other. Light doesn't "reflect" or "impede" other light.
It's not about merging, he has two separate light sources occupying the same physical space. They don't need to "merge" for the area to have the total amount their output.
Why would the space have fewer lumens than the output of the 2 light sources?
I researched this issue and couldn't get anywhere. The only people that care are growers and most of us don't know (or if we do we can't explain it to anyone else).
A little out of balance with one being larger, but there are many considerations. How fresh the bulbs are, what your space is with reflection and cooling. I just see one light being closer than the other, I would use them!
As a final answer YES LUMENS ARE LINEARLY CUMULATIVE!!
In other words if two light sources are illuminating the same area that area is said to be lit by x lumens (x equaling the sum of the lumen output of the 2 light sources).
The lumen can be thought of casually as a measure of the total "amount" of visible light emitted. So, lumens add together regardless of whether they are projected into the same space or not. If you've got three emitters beaming out light from approximately the same place, you could add them together.
All of these are not to be confused with luminance, which also takes the surface area into account
Maybe i should elaborate. I had a 2sq. ft. cabinet that i scroged two plants under a 250w hps. I just got a 4sq. cabinet and i want to scrog four plants under 400w hps. I was given a 150w. hps and i wanted to know if i used the 150 and 250 in the same cabinet would i get the same benefits as a 400w. i have plenty of ventilation and a large carbon scrubber so that is no prob.
I can say this, a 400 watt lamp is more efficient than any combination of lesser lamps, same for a 600, etc . . .
Example:
A 250 Watt EYE HORTILUX Bulb has initial output of 30,500 lumens. So two would output 61,000 lumens and use 500 watts of power (not including power lost @ ballast).
A 400 watt light from the same manufacturer emits 55,000 lumens, and uses 400 watts of power (again not including power lost @ ballast).
Break that down and the 2 (250s) = 122 lumens per watt
Whereas the 1 (400) = 137.5 lumens per watt
More to your situation:
1 GE 150 Watt = 16000 initial lumens
1 GE 250 Watt = 28,500 initial lumens
TOTAL: 44,500
Whereas 1 GE 400 Watt = 50,000 lumens
So the combo produces 111.25 lumens per watt
Whereas the straight 400 produces 125 lumens per watt
if possible scrap the 150 and 250. get a 400 its more efficient 55,000 lumens. plus the ballast is remote so easier to cool. and a digital you could use hps or mh. hows that for irrelevant and useless info?