250w HPS vs 400w HPS

[SackausAmerika]

I am on my third grow(White Rhino) and im about to switch to 12/12. So far I have always used a 250w HPS in my C-13 and temps are perfect. Even though the 250w does a great job I would love to increase the light penetration and possibly increase bud density a little bit. The only issue is if the 400w HPS will increase temps too much. Im going to add a super sun air cooled reflector if I get the 400w, would this be enough to keep temps in reasonable range? Here is a pic of my last grow(DP Oasis).

 

[Verite]

What are the temps with the current 250?

 

[SackausAmerika]

The temps hover at around 80 degrees F. Give or take a few. It's about 6-8 degrees above ambient temp; its not aircooled atm.

 

[Guest]

thats a little high... might want to use an aircooled hood.. and you wont have much trouble with a 600 even if you use a good enough fan...a 4-6 inch vortex...

 

[Guest]

SA,
I actually used to run a 400 in a Super Sun hood(the original, not the new one) and my temps were around 80. I ended up using two 4" centrifugal fans, one to vent the light and one to vent the cab. You could probally rig something up with just one fan though...

 

[SackausAmerika]

Thanks for the replies Looks like i'll have to air cool my light before I do anything and see how temps are. I'll add a 4" vortex and a 400w hps if I think the hood does a good enough job w/ the 250w. I'm using a 265cfm dayton for ventilation right now. If only I could lower ambient temps, maybe a window unit or something...

 

[sunnyside]

Thanks for the replies Looks like i'll have to air cool my light before I do anything and see how temps are. I'll add a 4" vortex and a 400w hps if I think the hood does a good enough job w/ the 250w. I'm using a 265cfm dayton for ventilation right now. If only I could lower ambient temps, maybe a window unit or something...

Hey brotha....if you can find a reflector with six inch flanges, thats the ticket!! The Hydrofarm Daystar AC is a great example of the reflector you need to be looking for. You could pop a 600 in that cab with no issues if you were runnin a 6 inch fan. I guess what I am trying to say is that you can cool the lights...no problem

I'm not in a c13 (anymore), and you cant really see in the pics below, but my space is very limited. With just one fan, I have had zero heat problems



6" fan pulling the hot clean air out of the room...


Reflector with lens and 6" inline flanges...and the scrubber on the other end.

 

[SackausAmerika]

So I just need to focus on getting enough air movement through the reflector...makes sense, if the bulb doesn't have time to heat the air around it there wouldn't really be an increase in heat. My vent system is alot like yours: passive intake - (aircooled reflector) - fan - carbon scrubber. Just need to add the reflector Thanks Sunnyside, you've got a nice looking set-up

 

[chepnut]

You should be fine with a 400, when you put the glass on the reflector, it helps trap the hot air around the bulb, and then you want to be able to pull that hot air out of the reflector fast enough. Pretty much any 4" inline fan should pull enough air to keep it cool. And the supersun is small enough so you can really get some good air exchanges.

 

[sunnyside]

eh...^^ maybe. He says 4", I say 6" inline...you want it cool or not hot? If you want a cool room get a reflector with 6" inline flanges.

 

[chepnut]

^^^ Yes 6" would be way better, but I wanted to let him know that the 4" would also work.