Are CoolTubes...................

[Jesusbuiltmygro]

Id say the most efficient way to cool your light is water cooling, but the most practical way is a cooltube.

The best way is probably something like an air cooled PL light enclosure, buy they are less effecient at moving air, just better reflectors.

 

[clowntown]

Id say the most efficient way to cool your light is water cooling, but the most practical way is a cooltube.

Would you like to explain? What kind of lights are you going to cool via water cooling, and how, without being grossly inefficient?

 

[Jesusbuiltmygro]

water cooling

water cooling

Water cooling for HID is not a new technology. I don't understand what you mean about it being grossly inefficient. Water is a great conductor of heat hence its use in heat exchange systems of all kinds, from cars to geothermal applications to nuclear power plants.

Here is a link with a basic description. http://www.hydroponicsbc.com/watercooledlighting.html

Water is a better conductor of heat than air, therefore it cools better. The negative claim against water cooling is that it filters out red spectrum reducing yields, but I've never seen any real studies showing the trade off of red spectrum loss vs having the lights closer.

In the device I saw the HID lamp was surrounded by glass coils filled with water. The water can be pumped through a radiator or any other device that allows heat exchange, such as a pool or lake (just like geothermal cooling). The easiet way is to run cold tap water in and just drain off the hot water, but of course this wastes water.

I think water cooling could be improved to be more practical by avoiding having your light pass through the water, but with the advent of new lights the produce less heat such as sulfer lights and LED lights it may be a technology better left to die.

However, as I said water cooling is great for cooling, but not especially practical for growing. You also have the added worries of leaks.

 

[Rare Groove]

Water Cooled Lights

Water Cooled Lights

I'm interested to hear if anyone has experience running these lights. How do they compare vs. a bare bulb or a cool tube setup as far as yields? If you don't lose terrible amounts of light it might be a solution for running higher wattages in small, enclosed spaces. But running water that close to high voltage does seem a tad sketchy.

I've seen these units commercially available in 400 & 600 watt versions, but the price tags are certainly up there.

I found a few pics on the web. Any thoughts?

 

[Hydropimp]

Rare,

looks crazy but do you guy think that 6in dia could cool fou 1000's I just bought one of those cool sun XL 8in dia.

Was thinking of cool tubes but wanted bigger dia.

Saw 10in dia but made out of plastic the guy at the hydro shop told me he will give them his only one so I can try it out. When I go drop another grand I will pick it up and tell you guy's if it turns yellow. I read that in a post someware.

 

[Guest]

just so you know that light system is 800$ US