3 600W's or 2 1000W's

[botanygreen]

I first wanted to stick to all 600W lights b/c they can get closer to the plants hince covering more area per watt. But now that I am expanding and have about $1000 to spend on lights, I wanted to get three 600W lights with the cool sun reflectors from discounthydro.com.

My dilemma:
The 600W lights are actually $10 (379.95) more expensive than the 1000W (369.95). I still like the three 600's but will I be losing potential yield if I buy the them? If I can save $400 on lights by getting the 1000's that will be good. I am most concerned about energy usage from the lights. I only planned on using 1800W's.

I want to stick within 2000W for electrical reasons. Anyones' opinons on this are greatly appreciated. Also anyone with yield from 3 600W's or 2 1000W's please list or show link. Thanks

 

[Guest]

High botanygreen. I would say get the 3 600watts. You would get better light coverage and you can get them closer to the plants. Jorge Cervantes also recomends this in his grow book. Hope this helps peace.

 

[shaolin36er]

I am most concerned about energy usage from the lights. I only planned on using 1800W's.

the 600s run at 660 watts. add in some fans,ac,vent fans.carbon fans you should be 2500 easy. check the grow faqs for the ELC calc..goodkuck SH36
light movers are a must..

 

[botanygreen]

thanks devilock, I read the books and reference it many times. I have a grow room w/ 6 600's right now and this is for my new room. The addition of lights is why electric usage is a concern.

thanks also shaolin, I already took into acount the extra usage. I was just wanted to limit my HID wattage to 1800-2000W not everything included. I never used 1000's and noticed that that is most growers are using on this site for commercial grows. Just wondering if I should every go to the 1000's since the cost is the same.

 

[kilacaLIbud]

i would think u need ur own breaker panel to run 2 1ks...

 

[Nugs of Science]

I am doing 3 X 600 watts for flowering. Most efficient and multiple points of light. Plus, gives you flexibility if you have plants at different maturation stages. Plus, I have digital ballasts which I hoping will prove themselves indepensible.
NoS

 

[shaolin36er]

Hey where did you get those digi ballast? and whats the scoop on them?
thanks SH36

 

[Esskie]

As with all on this thread it seems?, I too would go with the multiple lights purely for the light intensity factor.
It's worth remembering that 'light intensity intensity decreases at a rate equal to the inverse square law', or to you & I : 2 times closer= 4 times more intense, 3 times further away= 9 times less intense etc, so even 2 x 400w lights are probably a better bet, taking the above into account, than 1 x 1000w?.
Have you considered a light-mover botanygreen?.

All the Best, Esskie.

 

[Guest]

Okay I just inlarged not long ago, have 3 600's that are sealed and independently exhausted, yes they air provided fresh cool air also.

Any way I went thru this delimma not long ago and got the 3 600's instead. I am a scrog grower, just can not stop using the screen, so this allowed me 3 source's of light that can be raised or lower each being independent. I run a 7 ft. long by 5 ft wide grow area, yes the 600's do lack the 5' foot print, so out came 2 400 watt unit's that light the side 2 ft the length of the 7ft.

So if a 3' x 3' area is foot print of the 600 I should be 9 feet long and 3 feet wide, my way allow's an overlapping of the center lamp with the outside two lamp's and so to me it all balance's out in a good way.

Yield really depend's on a few factor's, mine have not been perfect grow's and I changed strain's each time, but I did do better each time.

Each strain seem's to grow better and do better when grown a certain way and pruned a cerain way, so I do not feel one can get max yield from a strain until it has been grown at least 3 time's in a different manner, or with a different approach to prunning to get a true idea of the plant's ability.

I was just over 1.5 lb's the first run, no 400's used that time, second run was alot better, used the two 400 side lamp's with the 600's and got 2 lb's and some stash, need to make more stash for myself, LOL

Now this time, well I want 3.5 oz to 5oz per plant, now it is to see if what I want is what I can get, personally if not this grow the next one or so I will achieve this with this strain, just a feeling I have.

Cost, hummm, at best I can figure all is running me near 100.00 a month in extra power, but that is a fewy vegy box's also and what not.

Another thought, is the new GAVITA bulb, come's in 400 and 600 watt size and is about the size of a MH bulb of same wattage but is a HPS bulb that has a built in reflective material so no hood is needed.

I bought two of the 400 watt size bulb's and will use them this grow after I get some strecth done and bud's are starting to fill in, I have all new bulb's to nail my girls with and make some big bud's, yes it work's as I have done it before, I feel it is a timming thing, to early and massive stretch is achieved, to late and I risk missing the prime time of bud growth and do not favor as well, so it is day 20 to 25 that give's me the best result's, but that is in my room and what I think.

Hope you the very best on this, a tough choice to make and remember once you have purchased it, well it is your's to work with.

I do agree I could have done it all cheaper with 2 1k unit's, but I have never dealt with a 1k's heat issue and I am a firm believer in the closer the bulb is to the grow then the higher spectrum intensity the plant's recieve and the bigger bud's I do get.

stay safe and grow the same way.

realhigh.

I would also look at wirring those lamps to run of 220 circuit and wire that in to provide for them. Just a thought.

 

[BigToke]

If it were my I would go with the 3 600w, good luck with your grow.

 

[Your Neighbor]

I would choose 600's on 220 too

How loud is a light mover if anyone knows?

 

[botanygreen]

Well so far I am getting the answers that I suspected. I chose 600's in the first place so that I could get the lights closer to the plants. But after seeing alot of people using 1000's and getting unbelivable (but belivable ) results I starting to think whether my next purchase should be the same 600's or 1000's.

I have looked into the light mover and think that I will get one for this room since it is limited but first thought was to make 3 600's for a vegatative room and the other 6 600's already using strickly for flowering.

yourneighbor, I have heard the light movers in operation at the hydro store and they are not loud, no louder than an air unit or fan turning on. Plus I would only use it for like 1 or 3 times during the light cycle and it would more than likely be in the day while "my neighbor" and myself are not at home anyway. So if a light mover turns on and and no-one is around to hear it does it really make a sound?

 

[Your Neighbor]

lol no thanks for the quick answer botanygreen

 

[badmf]

Well ponder this; 1k's penetrate better so you can have taller "bloom starts" and if LST'ed can give a great yeild, but they run much hotter and require serious air cooling or the safe distance slightly defeats the added lumen concentration, you will also need a stronger fan to cool em.
The 600's give you, as mentioned, a greater amount of flexibility, run cooler, with mutilple lights you can tailor the lights to your needs, use only one or two to veg and add as they grow, by having different strains, height adjustments are no problem, but they have less penetration so you must start shorter "bloom starts" to get max from the light, also the footprint is smaller.
Now as far as going to 220, it doesn't do much for you, true it would give you less start up power and a seperate circuit but the bill is the same and you just spendt $$ on putting in the 220V! If you are trying to go "commercial" then it might have merit. If you want fewer plants and a quick turn around then 600's (smaller footprint gives less #'s)if you want a longer total crop time for more plants then 1k's(longer because of the veg time and finish times are longer with larger plants)
How about the best of both worlds, one 1k and two 600's?

 

[botanygreen]

badmf, I might just do that. Buy the one 1k and 2 600's. I pretty much stick with the same strand and height flucuation is not a problem as long as the clones start the same and at the same height. I just thought that the 1k in the middle of the 600's would cause the plants in the middle to not grow like the ones on the outside. I will buy the lights next week so my decision will be made soon.

your neighbor, i don't understand you "no thanks", does my answer not have merit.

 

[Guest]

could u not use 5 x 400's ,4 x hps and 1 x mh in middle ,was best configuration for 2 square metres i was told

 

[badmf]

With un-equal light you will need to rotate the plants, but if you mix the light spectrums you can benefit the most. Otherwise just go with one type its easier to deal with.

 

[Guest]

I have a Light Rail 3.5 Intelli Drive on a 6 foot track and the noise is barely noticeable.

I too would opt for 3 - 600w HPS.

 

[Your Neighbor]

your neighbor, i don't understand you "no thanks", does my answer not have merit.

Your answer was good I just forgot the coma. It's my Birthday today and I'v been smoking alot
:friends:

 

[botanygreen]

hazyfontazy, the goal is to make my money count when I by the lights. With only around $1000 to spend on lights I felt that my best buy was with the 600's or 1k's. Going to 400's really doesn't do it for me, rather stick to the 600's which is what I most likely will buy (three of them).

your neighbor, thanks for the clarification, you had me confused with the "lol no thanks."

badmf, I have made up my mind and I'm sticking to it. yeah right, I will most likely dream tonight about what lights to buy and system to use it with. I am all about easy so I will most likely get the 600's since 1. I am used to them, 2. Everything grows about the same, and 3. I can switch them out with my current lights if one goes down in the most important flowering room.