Air cooled reflector testing with Digital footcandle meter

[darthvapor]

But Pico, Im gonna ask another one of those annoying questions... and I was set on the SS2, and until recently was gonna run all 4 of my 1000's with um. But now Im stumped... You did the testing with 600's correct? do you think the results will vary much with 1000's (position of bulb etc)?

All the test I did were with a 1000 watt. you can find the data in the middle of this thread. I tested every reflector my local hydro store had, but this was awhile ago

 

[LacyLePlante]

sweet!!

sweet!!

OK here are the results for the Sun Systems Super Sun 2. Same ballast, same bulb, same hooks, same tape marks.....blah blah blah.


At 18" from ground. Measured in footcandles.

1. 1220
2. 2170
3. 2160
4. 1120
5. 2320
6. 4960
7. 5050
8. 1680
9. 2250
10. 4900
11. 5000
12. 1810
13. 1250
14. 2190
15. 2240
16. 1210
Average = 2596

At 21 inches.

1. 1430
2. 2300
3. 2320
4. 1350
5. 2130
6. 3940
7. 3990
8. 1670
9. 2100
10. 3880
11. 3910
12. 1750
13. 1320
14. 2180
15. 2250
16. 1300
Average = 2364


At 24 inches.

1. 1480
2. 2250
3. 2260
4. 1340
5. 2050
6. 3370
7. 3370
8. 1570
9. 2030
10. 3330
11. 3360
12. 1680
13. 1370
14. 2150
15. 2160
16. 1290
Average = 2191


So as you can see, the Super Sun 2 reflects more light than the arcticsun. If you compare the averages at 18", the Super Sun 2 reflects 15% more light than the Arcticsun. At 21 and 24 inches it reflects about 14% more light.

The inside of the hood has a lot going on in the way of spectral aluminum. It isn't just 1 sheet like the arcticsun, it covers every surface and looks real clean. It also looks like the air will travel faster through this hood than the arcticsun.

Wow!!! what an amazing thread!! I was waiting for someone to do some tests on these hoods!

 

[jump /injack]

Pico, great thread and made me a believer. Just bought the Sun System Super Sun 2 for my Quantum 600 Watt switchable and found the male and female plugs didn't match. Would you or someone else know where a 'plug adjuster' might be bought?

I'm curious as to the many hours you put in on this endeavor? Thanks again.

 

[RockyMountainHi]

jump -

Most "grow stores" carry common plug adaptors. If,, like me,, your ballast is no longer in production - you may require surgical intervention.

Like you I bought the SSII hoods - waited a bit - went to install - only my ballasts had "Old style" plugs and I was "Old style" shit outta luck.

Per chance I happened to ask - well how much for a new ballast? - the clerk says we got a sale on. 1000W with a new GrowLux bulb,,, $200 - $430 for 2 (With the handy plugs) , $450 out the door

I put my 2 used systems on the net for $250 - bada-bing - new ballasts and bulbs for $200 outta pocket - I've worked in industrial maintnance - and understand replacment cycles and new can be better - and I've taken brand new - what-evers out of the box and had them be bad - brom bearings to fuel pumps. So far - after a few monthe the ballasts are humming along (quietly)

just a thought!

 

[darookie2000]

Pico, great thread and made me a believer. Just bought the Sun System Super Sun 2 for my Quantum 600 Watt switchable and found the male and female plugs didn't match. Would you or someone else know where a 'plug adjuster' might be bought?

I'm curious as to the many hours you put in on this endeavor? Thanks again.

Ask for a pigtail adaptor at a hydro shop. Does the quantum have a 3 round pin plug?

 

[jump /injack]

Thanks for the response "RockyMountain." Its the new Quantum and the reflector was said to work with this ballast.

"Ask for a pigtail adaptor at a hydro shop. Does the quantum have a 3 round pin plug?"
darookie2000, the Quantum is very close to the SS2's plug, the difference is the SS2's plug had two round male pin's [of three pins] and the Quantum's female part is slightly square, don't want to force it. Has to be a pigtail adapter on ebay but can't find it. Thanks for the thoughts and help.

 

[NicholasSmokes]

Hydrofarm makes adapters (BAASP and BAASR). You can find them for under $10.

 

[aggregatebuzz]

quantum ballast have ss2 plug type receptacle,it will connect to the super sun 2 as is
the versatile nextgen ballast receptacle does both style plugs

 

[RockyMountainHi]

I'd be pissed off if my hydro store sold me new ballasts when I just needed an adapter cord. Seems either dishonest or stupid to me.

R U talkin to me?

U R


Read the post - 5 year old ballasts with plugs they don't make any more -- ya know about obsolete? Kinda like Pinto from Ford, they still drive but - the dealers don't have parts for them

My old ones - one had a burn power plug - were WELL USED and paid for several times over - And a wise grower might acknowkege this - and look at the cost of replacing, Now that wise grower might just toss the old shit and buy new, but I think. used equiptment has value - even if it needs work.

I figgured 2 1000 W ballasts - 1 working, the other would work, but a plug was getting hot and needed a repair - not hard for the right buyer. Anyway - I figgure 2 ballasts 2 used hortilux bulbs and 2 odd ball hoods for $275 - had a
buyer in 2 days. Isn't C/L great? - I paid a friend a 1/4 Oz and $25 to sell from his place cause I'd rather not.

When installing air conditioning, ventlation, and light movers, a couple old ballasts seems to be potential issues I can afford to avoid. Especially with the old style plugs

And again. 2 1000 W ballasts with 2 new Hortilux bulbs for $200 out of pocket and you would be pissed? That's $100 ea - with a new Horti bulb - and the $10 adaptor. Nothing is hobbled together - hard wired in or likely to cause a fire or stop working for awhile,,,,


We see things differently.

 

[RockyMountainHi]

There are only two types of ballast plugs on the market (in the US anyway)..

True for current models but you don't know squat about older equiptment

I'd be pissed off if my hydro store sold me new ballasts when I just needed an adapter cord. Seems either dishonest or stupid to me.

R U talkin to me?

U R


Read the post - 5 year old ballasts with plugs they don't make any more -- ya know about obsolete? Kinda like Pinto from Ford, they still drive but - the dealers don't have parts for them

My old ones - one had a burn power plug - were WELL USED and paid for several times over - And a wise grower might acknowkege this - and look at the cost of replacing, Now that wise grower might just toss the old shit and buy new, but I think. used equiptment has value - even if it needs work.

I figgured 2 1000 W ballasts - 1 working, the other would work, but a plug was getting hot and needed a repair - not hard for the right buyer. Anyway - I figgure 2 ballasts 2 used hortilux bulbs and 2 odd ball hoods for $275 - had a
buyer in 2 days. Isn't C/L great? - I paid a friend a 1/4 Oz and $25 to sell from his place cause I'd rather not.

When installing air conditioning, ventlation, and light movers, a couple old ballasts seems to be potential issues I can afford to avoid. Especially with the old style plugs

And again. 2 1000 W ballasts with 2 new Hortilux bulbs for $200 out of pocket and you would be pissed? That's $100 ea - with a new Horti bulb - and the $10 adaptor. Nothing is hobbled together - hard wired in or likely to cause a fire or stop working for awhile,,,,


We see things differently.

 

[NicholasSmokes]

ignoring

 

[NicholasSmokes]

ignoring

 

[RockyMountainHi]

I agree that if hand wiring is a concern for you, it is best to avoid it. Has to be done correctly.

HARD WIRE NOT HAND WIRE


PLEASE READ THE POST AS MANY TIMES AS NEEDED TO COMPREHED THE FACTS

 

[NicholasSmokes]

Ignoring

 

[chef]

Thanks again for this thread & all of your hard work

I'm really happy with the Vertizontal I bought, based on your test results.
Great big even coverage, running a Hortilux Blue in it for the flip (first 15 days of flower) then under the vert Hortilux HPS saucers.
Nice improvement in lateral side branching over vert bulbs, would be too much & cause penetration issues any longer tho.
I found the perfect combo, buff'em up then let'em run!

Thanks again

 

[onegreenday]

i read this entire thread to see the results on pl reflectors! ive never used anything but pl complete light systems. 400w hps for veg and 1000w hps for flowering, and i can attest to the amount of light they pound the canopy with; pure fuckin' insanity. i have to keep my 400 3-5ft up, or else the plants cant handle it. and when i say ''cant handle it'', not that it fries them from being too hot, rather they leaves completely fold downward, as if retreating from the source. i easily cover 4x4 area 400 and 7x7 with the 1000w.

and yes, the leaf folding its relative to every strain ive grown. ak47, chronic, and white russian, all from serious, and some good bag seed here and there. when i first bought the systems i started with ak47, and going with the general consensus from overgrow, i hung the light from the stated 1-2ft distance. after a few days of wondering why the leaves were turning such a glossy yellow, accidently and oh-so-luckily i stumbled on the culprit. i moved the light up higher to work on the plants and being a complete stoner <its awesome> i forgot to lower them, and went surfing for a few days. came back it and it was... like jesus himself had walked through my garden shackling whores and washing dirty feet. every ailing ak was robust and exploding with growth. and that told me something, even if this thread didnt.

props to pico, experimenting is the most enjoyable aspect of growing. if i had the money and the resources, id be the first person to o.d. on weed.

hey doofus I'm getting PL's this week
and I'll post the specs
If it's ok.

I have the same type light meter

 

[darthvapor]

onegreenday-- pl is one of the brands I really wanted to put up against the bell and supersun 2 which reflector style will you be testing.

imadoofus- which reflector style do you own


im not sure but I think I tested a pl 1000watt deep but did not have a midi, maxima or delta available to me. looking forward to the results

 

[onegreenday]

I'm getting the newest design the Delta.
I figure it's their most advanced design.
All their reflectors are good.
People here may be shocked when I get the readings

I'll try to match the test method used here
as best I can.

 

[etinarcadiaego]

This one right?

It would be interesting to see if it does score better, as the design is very different from the air cooled reflectors that had the highest scores here.

Are they designed for specific applications? Wondering what to attribute the shape too . . . .

 

[onegreenday]

That's it. Tradwinds has been running ads in
Maximum yield. The Delta is a combo of the Midi & the Deep
reflectors
and is 10% more efficient according to PL.

That picture they use is not that good;
it's way more reflective then it appears there.

I use CMH but I can put a HPS lamp in
for testing.

EDIT: It's important that the arc tube line up in the center of
of the reflector. Depending on the bulb & how it's made
the arc tube can end up at a strange angle & not even
be in the center of the reflector.
Watch for that when your bulb is in tight & see if it on center.
The old style Pl you could adjust the socket to help
get the arc tube on center; not sure about the new ones.