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

[20/4]

but I myself prefer negative air pressure inside as IMO it seems that less of the same air is recirculated thru the same space. With a negative pressure scenario you can't have anything impeding or hindering its abililty to draw air out of the cab by hindering a passive intake. With a 200CFM inline set at exhaust at the top of the grow space closest to the bulbs as possible

Cheers Check out the last previous page last post also, its got pictures and all... But first off lemme get this straight, as of right now, I DO NOT have a heat problem whatsoever right now temps 75-80, all im really asking is for peoples opinions, do you think i will be able to add another 150watt light in my cab without raising temps too much... When i first bought the fan i tired to use it as an exhaust, at the time it was about midlevel in the cab, very close to the blub, even had a computer fan trying to blow air across the bulb to be sucked out by the big fan...And had computer fan as an intake...But temps didnt even budge, dropped 3-4 degrees tops... Also humidity levels raised alot when i did things that way for some reason...So i sat down and thought maybe if I switched them around it will work, and that did the trick, i instantly lowered my temps 10-15 degrees, so right now they are fairly stable at 75-80 degrees. Thanks!


My question: What do you think? Will i be able to add a 150watt hps light next to my current 150 for a total of 300watts of hps and not have to worry about temps too much or do you think adding the light will add too much heat in my cab?!?!

Please anyone that can offer some guidance before i drop money on a light i wont be able to use due to heat, just wanna get some personal opinions, as i know alot of 150watt growers work in small spaces...Thanks!

 

[StoneElemental]

Lookin' great man keep it up! happy growing!

took this pic late last night and though you all might like to see an overhead view of my scrog , you can see the 2 pl-l fluros i have at scrog level for suplimentary lighting and just how many bud sites i have . this pics was taken at the start of day14 since switch to 12/12 . spot the bub sites lol.

 

[blwd67]

Sweet scrog, bro haha. It's like they are all lined up nice and neat except for that one effing guy who's like screw you guys, I'm getting BIG. Can you remind me whT strain you're running? How long did you veg?

 

[StoneElemental]

Ok sorry if it came that I thought you still had heat trouble, tho not the case I understood clearly.

About the extra lights, allow me to clarify. Youre using a positive pressure setup. Pushing into something is generally not a fans strong point, IMO its strongest at pulling IE exhausting. You can use positive air pressure to vent the case tho I think negative air pressure may work for you better if you honed it more.

If you want to remain with postive air pressure and achieve best efficiency. Make sure the intake is in the lowest possible point of the area. I would suggest adding another similiar size and rated PC fan as a second exhaust on the opposite side to help draw off as much air as possible. If you cannot do this you'll have to expand that exhaust. A passive exhaust might work but I think you're better off with a larger/better exhaust fan.

If you decide to go back to negative air pressure and want it's best efficiciency. To start make sure your exhaust is at the highest point possible. When you've done that I suggest having as many passive intakes as possible to maximize airflow. If you have one passive intake it should be at least the same size as the exhaust. If it's bigger then all the better. I suggest having two passive intakes at either side of the grow space cut to the same square are as the exhaust, not combined; each.

Adding another light will add more heat this is obvious to us all at this point. However how much is surrounded by variables IE: Ambient room temperature, brand of light, integrated vs remote ballast. It's just hard to tell without details, I can't see what you can. Is your ballast remote? It seems it may be integrated to me. Is there a reason your largest plant is next to the intake? I bet your airflow suffers at least slightly from positioning them that way. I suggest taking your clones and seedling and sticking them next to the intake as they would create less interference and drag. Also if your ballast is integrated I suggest remoting that ballast and possibly the same for the next light. This will help tremendously. If you don't feel very confident wiring it, it is easy but you have to know what you are doing, if you don't its simple learn or don't bother. If youre ok with electrical by yourself, I would extend the wires between the ballast and the socket with 14g/12g cable long enough to put the ballast in a safe place outside of the grow space with each connection wire nutted and properly electrical taped. I really hope you can gather something from all of this good luck please don't so anything stupid and happy growing!

-S.E.

Cheers Check out the last previous page last post also, its got pictures and all... But first off lemme get this straight, as of right now, I DO NOT have a heat problem whatsoever right now temps 75-80, all im really asking is for peoples opinions, do you think i will be able to add another 150watt light in my cab without raising temps too much... When i first bought the fan i tired to use it as an exhaust, at the time it was about midlevel in the cab, very close to the blub, even had a computer fan trying to blow air across the bulb to be sucked out by the big fan...And had computer fan as an intake...But temps didnt even budge, dropped 3-4 degrees tops... Also humidity levels raised alot when i did things that way for some reason...So i sat down and thought maybe if I switched them around it will work, and that did the trick, i instantly lowered my temps 10-15 degrees, so right now they are fairly stable at 75-80 degrees. Thanks!


My question: What do you think? Will i be able to add a 150watt hps light next to my current 150 for a total of 300watts of hps and not have to worry about temps too much or do you think adding the light will add too much heat in my cab?!?!

Please anyone that can offer some guidance before i drop money on a light i wont be able to use due to heat, just wanna get some personal opinions, as i know alot of 150watt growers work in small spaces...Thanks!

 

[GFORCE]

@ Blwd67 - the strain is AMS by greenhouse seeds , it is a 50/50 mix of swiss indica , swiss sativa . I honestly can't remember how long i vegged it for as i generally just veg them until they reach roughly 24" then top them so they are the full length of the scrog once supercropped and layed horizontal below it. I have tried scrogging the way most people do it by growing the plant vertically into the scrog but this way is far more effective.

 

[20/4]

Adding another light will add more heat this is obvious to us all at this point. However how much is surrounded by variables IE: Ambient room temperature, brand of light, integrated vs remote ballast. It's just hard to tell without details, I can't see what you can. Is your ballast remote? It seems it may be integrated to me. Is there a reason your largest plant is next to the intake? I bet your airflow suffers at least slightly from positioning them that way. I suggest taking your clones and seedling and sticking them next to the intake as they would create less interference and drag. Also if your ballast is integrated I suggest remoting that ballast and possibly the same for the next light. This will help tremendously. If you don't feel very confident wiring it, it is easy but you have to know what you are doing, if you don't its simple learn or don't bother. If youre ok with electrical by yourself, I would extend the wires between the ballast and the socket with 14g/12g cable long enough to put the ballast in a safe place outside of the grow space with each connection wire nutted and properly electrical taped. I really hope you can gather something from all of this good luck please don't so anything stupid and happy growing!

My ballast with my current light deff has a remote ballast...Its like 10 feet from the cab itself lol...I understand what your saying, but i can only do what actually works in my cab, all im rly trying to find if i can add another light and not suffer too much, guess im just gonna drop the money on it and see what happens... And actually in my cab i have my 3 biggest plant right next to my intake, reason being the intake is too powerful for little seedlings and almost blows them away...The air is filtered some what still has enough power to blow leaves around on the smaller plants, they just need more light imo...

Im planning on buying the cheapest hps i can find which right now is this one, with an internal ballast...

http://cgi.ebay.com/New-150-Watt-Gr...846?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item5d2aa65316

So im pretty sure im gonna get the light and if i have problems with heat, will invest in bigger exhaust fan, or trade it in for a equiv t5.. Thanks again

 

[Bueno Time]

47.90 shipped

http://cgi.ebay.com/150-Watt-HPS-Br...848?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item23092c6180

 

[20/4]

47.90 shipped

http://cgi.ebay.com/150-Watt-HPS-Br...848?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item23092c6180

I almost went the route, but once i make a reflector and stuff its gonna end up being close to same price i belive....

 

[Bueno Time]

Yeah I know what you mean just wasnt sure if you were going to remote ballast it or just take the plastic or glass shield off and add a 3 prong cord to it and just run it like that. I got a sun system 150 hps off there for 70 shipped and I ended up remote ballasting it so I could mount my light correctly in the cab for increased yeild. I used the dimple reflector that came with the unit and it works great. As for resale value...thats another story. The one you linked to is pretty nice I think you can unbolt the section that has the ballast in it from the reflector part so tahts pretty cool.

 

[StoneElemental]

Well I definately wish you good luck with it all and from this point forward you will only know once you try. Again good luck and happy growing.

-S.E.

My ballast with my current light deff has a remote ballast...Its like 10 feet from the cab itself lol...I understand what your saying, but i can only do what actually works in my cab, all im rly trying to find if i can add another light and not suffer too much, guess im just gonna drop the money on it and see what happens... And actually in my cab i have my 3 biggest plant right next to my intake, reason being the intake is too powerful for little seedlings and almost blows them away...The air is filtered some what still has enough power to blow leaves around on the smaller plants, they just need more light imo...

Im planning on buying the cheapest hps i can find which right now is this one, with an internal ballast...

http://cgi.ebay.com/New-150-Watt-Gr...846?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item5d2aa65316

So im pretty sure im gonna get the light and if i have problems with heat, will invest in bigger exhaust fan, or trade it in for a equiv t5.. Thanks again

 

[blwd67]

BC, dude, judging by your results I would say the super cropping method is superior. As for veg time, I was just wondering like a general time frame. Do you have any idea what total time from seed to harvest is?

Asking because I am seriously thinking of scrog as an alternative to a vertical set up. Its one or the other for me, and I think scrog will be cheaper initially. I'd like a good comparison of finishing times, though.

 

[GFORCE]

blwd67 - this plant is a cutting from my last plant and i think it was somewhere around 6 weeks veg time from cut , 4 weeks in my veg cab and then a further 2 weeks once it was put in my flower room , the 2 extra weeks was to give it time to re-adjust after supercropping and topping and to re-orientate itself from being upright to horizontal. to give you some idea of the yield i am expecting , if every one of the 75+ bud sites weighs roughly a quarter when harvested wet i will be looking at somewhere around 5oz's or just under which is veg close to magical 1g per watt mark.

 

[blwd67]

Well, this is only my first grow in this cab and first with proper genetics, but here are some pictures. Both went through some rough times early on, notably very high temps and a hot soil mix. The Ice was fimmed, the Safari Mix from Mandala was lsted. Both have been supercropped on multiple shoots, and so far its been positive. Budsites have just now started to really form at day 12ish of 12/12, and I think they vegged for about a month or so. In my opinion I did a better job with the fimming than with lsting, although it could just be genetics or I just suck at lst.

First is Ice, it had all of its fan leaves removed because of a pretty severe K deficiency, basically complete necrosis of the margins. Second is Safari.

 

[GFORCE]

they both look really good man , to be honest mate it's harder to get fimming correct than it is with lsting, and as they seem to be very compact plants you won't really reap the benifites of lsting like you would on a bigger plant .I have another small AMS clone it could even be considered a bonsia as i kept it in a small pot until it was pretty much rootbound . it has been topped and lsted in the last week in preparation for scrogging once my current beast is finished . on it you can clearly see the effects of lsting as i waited until the branches wher some 5/6" long before pegging them flat. i will post a before and after photo of it so you can see the effect

 

[blwd67]

Thanks, dude. The LSTed plant would be about 15-16" tall now if I hadn't bent it over. I just think that the fim was done better because all budsites on the Ice are forming where as on the Safari really only the main one is throwing flowers. The Ice was dimmed at like 4", so yeah haha it's short. It would be wider if I hadn't trimmed every single fan leaf.

Post up those pictures when you get a chance, bro. So you kept it root bound on purpose? I was thinking of keeping this Ice as a bonsai mother for a while but decided to just finish these up, not bite off more than I can chew ya know. The one clone I took never went anywhere.

Edit: just bought a 6" inline duct booster fan for $30.00 from the depot. Big props to hoosierdaddy for the heads up. 250 cfm, I have 4" exhaust right now, so I'll be doing some modifications tonight when I get home.

 

[StoneElemental]

I've had some real giant monsters (by micro standards) grow from LST that yeilded pretty heavily too. I also used FIM'ing for mothers it made so much sense as it produced many more clones than I might've had room for. I'd like to try SCROG and see how that goes. Oh and on another note I've tried a little bit of defoliating techniques too results were better than I thought. BTW nice plants blwd. Happy and safe growing guys.

-S.E.

 

[Bueno Time]

Chopped my three White Dwarfs I had goin. Wet weight was 160g. Should get easily an oz of bud dried n trimmed. Pretty decent from A. a 150w HPS B. tallest of three was only 10-11 inches and C. only 8 weeks from seed! Looks really good hopefully the high is alright I hear the autos arent all that great in the potency dept but hoping itll be pretty good cuz it is by far the best I have grown yet.

I have two more White Dwarfs at day 14 or 15 today not sure and planted a germinated Blue Himalaya Diesel today hopefully she pops above soil. Also have a White Skunk at about 21 days old it has been topped after 4th node. It is the only one of my plants that is a photo strain. Transplanted all three plants into 2 gal grow bags. Hoping for more quantity and variety this coming harvest!

I will post pics of the White Dwarf buds soon.

 

[420tyme]

i just ordered a 150w hps

my grow area is 22"width x 17"depth x 55"height

is a 150w hps sufficient for that size area ?

 

[StoneElemental]

Should do pretty nicely altho you might have to yo-yo the light for height and a small chance that you might have to add small supplemental lights like a couple CFL's. But thats all a maybe otherwise you should do nicely. If you can yo-yo the light and you should be good. I hope the walls have some kind of light reflective surface. Good ventilation is always key too. Good luck be safe and happy growing.

-S.E.

i just ordered a 150w hps

my grow area is 22"width x 17"depth x 55"height

is a 150w hps sufficient for that size area ?

 

[420tyme]

small chance that you might have to add small supplemental lights like a couple CFL's.

how small of a chance ?

cuz i honestly dont think i will be able to

it will just be the 150w hps !!!