150w HPS Club and Resource Guide......

[floppy]

all im needing now is my ballast, i have just seen this digital ballast on that very well known auction site, has anyone used this digital ballast before?

any RF interference ?

also, i remember a forum that has a full list of "tried & tested digital ballasts, but i carnt seem to find it now, if anyone knows, please link me to it....

 

[Pipedream]

Maybe if I was using multiple 600's or a couple of 1K's I would consider a digital ballast. But when I face the facts that I'm only cooking with a single 150, I say what's the sense? What are you really going to save, or how much load am I really going to reduce? Just not worth it in my book. And I assure you the purchase price is not a consideration. I've got non-capped cheap ballasts that I've been using for many years without a single problem. Probably paid less than 20 bucks for them. And as far as a container goes.....be creative. Just be sure its metal, has a bit of air-space, and the ballast is mounted to it not just floating in there. One of its main purposes is to wick away heat. Here's one I made from an old pressure cooker I pulled from the trash. (next to box on floor)

 

[VapingBuddha]

Pipedream - I like that a lot - the pot-tv home entertainment center.

About the digital ballasts, I think once the radio interference kinks are worked out, they will be no brainers. Getting as much as 30% more lumens simply by choosing a different ballast turns a 150w into the equivalent of nearly 200w with no extra heat (actually less heat). That's pretty sweet.

OTOH, just a plain 150w will grow an amazing amount. I'm beginning to believe a half pound is possible with the right strain.

floppy - Lumatek, who doesn't make a 150, brag about their shielded cables cutting down RF interference. I was looking at those Fastlight ballasts the other day, are those HPS or MH? I'm thinking they are MH.

 

[igrowdadankest]

Ok here is a list of the supplies that im using.
Cabinet=50$
150 watt hps=61$
Mylar(Don't have it yet)
Intake fan(Don't have it yet)
outake fan(Don't have it yet)
oscilating fan=10$
Fox Farm's Ocean Forest=20$
ph pen=20$
Hashberry seeds=28$

I still havent decided how to grow them i was thinking sog and leaving a male in there so i can get some seeds but i dont know.Any help with on how to grow them and the easiest way for a first time indoor grow would be helpful.I might make a thread or i just may post the pics here.I'll get some pics when i get more batteries for my camera.

 

[floppy]

I was looking at those Fastlight ballasts the other day, are those HPS or MH? I'm thinking they are MH.[/QUOTE]

i think they run both mh/hps, not sure though, he says:

"An Electronic Digital Ballast for 150w Metal Halide or HPS Sodium Lamps"

i even asked the person about RF etc he replied:

"Unfortunately no electronic components can be completely shielded, that said we have sold a large number of these to the marine industry for use over fish tanks and not had a problem with interferance.
The electrical cost savings are consideable in using these in lieu of magnetic ballasts and if for any reason you are unhappy with your purchase you can return to us within 14 days for a full refund"

i realy would like a digital ballast, i have even been looking at 250W digital ballasts...

 

[COCOPUFF]

$20 150hps ?????

$20 150hps ?????

Does anyone know where you can buy those $20 150 hps lights????
Need lights don't have much money

 

[Guest]

e-conolight.com <<< click it

 

[Lemon]

Helllo all, quick question.

I was wondering if any of you that use a carbon filter and a blower type fan could comment on increased fan noise due to higher back pressure and the scrubber its self. Is it significant? minimal existant? My particular blower becomes significantly louder when it faces back pressure due to the nature of its design.

Thanks!

 

[panopticist]

Just got my 150w up and running earlier today...



I finally feel like I belong!

Just kiddin'...

 

[greenhead]

I have an HPS mounting question. I'm going to be raising my 150 HPS a little closer to the ceiling of the cabinet pretty soon. At the moment I'm just using the same upside down V hooks that came with the light, but I could use a couple of more inches of room.

I was thinking about picking up some sort of roll of steel wire and just using that in place of the upside down V hooks. Does anybody know if that sort of wire is strong enough to hold the light, or does anybody have a better suggestion ? Maybe metal L hooks would work, if I mounted 4 of them in the ceiling ? Thanks.

Here is how the 150 HPS is currently mounted:

 

[Shove_it]

hi guys...well some pics whit 16 days of flowering under the 150...

ak 47


Great White Shark


Jamaican Blue Mountain


Sandstorm x Destroyer


Destroyer x Jamaica*Destroyer


Jack herer


C ya from SouthAmerica

 

[Lemon]

I have an HPS mounting question. I'm going to be raising my 150 HPS a little closer to the ceiling of the cabinet pretty soon. At the moment I'm just using the same upside down V hooks that came with the light, but I could use a couple of more inches of room.

I was thinking about picking up some sort of roll of steel wire and just using that in place of the upside down V hooks. Does anybody know if that sort of wire is strong enough to hold the light, or does anybody have a better suggestion ? Maybe metal L hooks would work, if I mounted 4 of them in the ceiling ? Thanks.

Here is how the 150 HPS is currently mounted:

Hey greenhead. You can buy chain in various thicknesses by the foot from a hardware store. A lightweight (1/8" etc) chain anchored to one of the hanging holes in the light, through the anchor in the ceiling of your box, and back to another hole on the light would work great and will be more than secure. You may need a small, narrow pair of plyers in order to open up the links on the chain at the ends.


PS: hows that floralux working for you?

 

[greenhead]

Hey greenhead. You can buy chain in various thicknesses by the foot from a hardware store. A lightweight (1/8" etc) chain anchored to one of the hanging holes in the light, through the anchor in the ceiling of your box, and back to another hole on the light would work great and will be more than secure. You may need a small, narrow pair of plyers in order to open up the links on the chain at the ends.


PS: hows that floralux working for you?

Hey, thanks alot. I'm going to take a look at some stores nearby me and see what kind of chains they have. I might have to buy a pair of plyers also, as I hardly own any tools at all, lol. As for the floralux, I don't have any experience with using any other types of HPS lights before, but so far I'd say that I'm happy with it, it seems reliable, well built and quiet. The only minus is of course having the ballast integrated with the hood (if heat is an issue), but I've read that it should be relatively simple to seperate the two, if that's needed. I might look into doing that in the future sometime, and placing the ballast outside of the cabinet, if it will have any noticable impact and make the cabinet a couple of degrees cooler. My cabinet temps are fine, except for in the summertime, something which I found out on my current second grow. They also sell these 4" flanges that can be placed on the floralux which makes it pretty easy to be cooltubed I believe, though that's probably not neccesary with only a 150 watt HPS. I keep a small computer fan blowing over the top vents of the light, and that seems to keep it pretty cool. I do like the glass shield on it, because it allows me to put the light very close to the tops of the plants. Obviously, a small percentage of light energy is lost that way, but I've tried it both ways and for my way of growing at least, I prefer the glass shield to be on. I'd like to eventually step up to a slightly larger cabinet and a slightly more powerful light, but for the time being at least, the 150 suits me just fine, and I feel that it has already paid for itself on the very first harvest.

 

[greenhead]

And here's a small update, I found a chain lying around my apartment, and I used four of the links on it and I already mounted the HPS higher. I figure that I've gained quite a few inches, so I'm satisfied with that, because every single inch counts when dealing with small cabinets, as far as I'm concerned. I don't want the HPS all the way on the top, because that's where the vent holes are. The chain seems strong enough, I just hope that the HPS doesn't come crashing down on the plants one day, lol.

Here's a picture of the HPS after it got raised. Now, I'll probably have to raise the plants slightly, because I'd like them a little closer. At least I will have more room to work with this time around as compared to my first grow, when the light was lower.

 

[sir.smokealot]

hello everyone

i've been looking around ic for a few days now and yall have your shit together here some more than others. i like to smoke,but the prices are killing me. so with that said, i have a few question.
1) would anyone be willing to help me along & help my tweak my ideals?
2) how do i join the 150 club?

ps: i'm not dumb, i just never Grown before & i would to start

 

[COCOPUFF]

shipping costs

shipping costs

anyone know the shipping costs for a 150hps from eco lights?

 

[Guest]

a few bucks at most in th US

 

[Lemon]

1) would anyone be willing to help me along & help my tweak my ideals?
2) how do i join the 150 club?

I'm sure everyone here would be glad to help! How do you join the club? You just did, welcome aboard!

 

[vintner]

hello everyone

i've been looking around ic for a few days now and yall have your shit together here some more than others. i like to smoke,but the prices are killing me. so with that said, i have a few question.
1) would anyone be willing to help me along & help my tweak my ideals?
2) how do i join the 150 club?

ps: i'm not dumb, i just never Grown before & i would to start

My best advice to you is to start reading everything you can find reguarding growing MJ. Then come back to this site w/any questions you have. Start w/simple and very basic techniques and equipment. Then, once you know if you like to grow or not start investing in more sofisticated and expensive equipment. If you don't know anyone else that grows and could give you a couple seeds or a rooted clone, just start w/seeds from a bag of good smoke.
Normally I would advize that you start w/compact (curlly) fluorecent lights (clf's), but you can mail order a 150 watt HPS for about $30 including shipping and tax.
If you're interested, PM me, and I can direct you to some basic beginner articles.
You join the 150 club by growing w/a 150 watt HPS. That doesn't mean you can't hang out w/the best growers on the web though!
Welcome, and good luck!
vin

 

[vintner]

anyone know the shipping costs for a 150hps from eco lights?

Econo light recently lowered! their prices. When I bought my 150 from them it was $38, and I paid a total of $52 for shipping and tax.