BEST OVERALL AIR COOLED REFLECTOR ?

[J.Magical]

GirlWonderGrows thanks for your input, i think what you've just said was a gut feeling of mine. Also it seems a little Ironic that their customers would be giving such feedback on the subject.

Would really like a cooled hood (a silver star actually), expensive , but being a believer in "buy best, buy once" dont see the point in waiting until im more experienced, lights are a key part directly influencing yeild, having a better light setup can only make the yeild better right from the start.

I think if your standards are high, then a cheap reflector would eventually end up in the bin, or given away. Waste of money.

 

[masterlow37]

Sealed 8" AC Reflectors

Sealed 8" AC Reflectors

parabolics = danger of being burned, blowin a bulb from 1 drop of water, electrocution and not to mention a bunch of heat !

 

[GirlWonderGrows]

Yeah, I agree with you J. I bought a bunch of air cooled hoods that each hold 2 thousand watt lights, it was the cheapest way to air cool my room. Now I'm realizing it was a bad move, and I wish I'd bought the higher quality ones. Besides hot spots, one of the worst things is how hard it is to clean the glass. Next to imposible, really. Because I suck through a carbon filer before the lights, this is a major problem, there is constantly light absorbing carbon dust building up in there.

It will cost more to do it twice poorly than once right. On the other hand, if the man comes and "relives" you of all your worldly possesions, it won't matter either way. Its a balanceing act between the two forces.

GWG

 

[pico]

I am testing some different air cooled hoods with a digital footcandle meter. Will post results as I have them.

http://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=51325

 

[stoned78]

"Adjust a wing" should give best and most even reflection.....(The book "marijuana horticulture" shows test of different reflectors).
Like said before...add an ordinary cooltube without the reflector inside.
Ultimate aircooled reflection.

book:
http://www.marijuanagrowing.com/reviews.php?op=showcontent&id=7

A page on reflectors from the book:
http://www.marijuanagrowing.com/lights.jpg

More on lighting from the page:
http://www.marijuanagrowing.com/article.php?sid=21

A light measurement handbook free..:
http://www.intl-lighttech.com/search?SearchableText=light+measurement

Some book on reflectors and bulbs:
http://www.amazon.com/Gardening-Indoors-H-I-D-Lights-George/dp/1878823213

 

[Guest]

I am testing some different air cooled hoods with a digital footcandle meter. Will post results as I have them.

http://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=51325

Sweet! Can't wait!

 

[DOS]

OK so far if i'm correct in my fallowings. The silverstar and the Daystar AC are the best reflectors?

I'm thinking about getting 600wHPS From my understanding there were some problems with the LT Digital balasts? That is all figured out now right? I dont need the RF issues.

I was going put one of these in-line with just a prefilter to keep debris, lint, and such off the inside glass. Keep a fan going on timer with the light and have another fan for the plants exhausting into a carbon filter hooked up to a T-stat with electronic dampers on intake and exhaust to trap heat and Co2 when temps are stable. If this makes sense?


Just working out the part list... I want the best AC reflector on the market.

This thread is awesome!

Pico we're all on stand by waiting for your test results.

 

[pico]

Ok well if you go to my thread I tested 2 hoods yesterday. The Sunleaves Arcticsun and the Sun Systems SuperSun 2. The SuperSun2 put off 15% more light than the Arcticsun over a 3x3 area.

I wish I had a silverstar or daystar AC to test but I don't think they sell those in town here.

Go to my thread, there is a lot more info there on how this was tested as well as all the data. More reflector testing to come.

http://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=51325

 

[2buds]

Just my 2cents here but my lights have never run cooler than the air I was pulling through them. My hoods are always what ever the temp is outside. I still use the old super sun reflectors with 4" duct, small, compact. They run as cool as it is outside, all the time, using an external duct/cooling system.

 

[THCV]

I just set up a new room using 2 1K Cool Sun XLs, an 8" 750CFM Vortex, and 8" insulated ducting after the first light. It's pure genius. Completely cool to the touch after being on for 11 hours. The sealed room temps are easily regulated by the AC. It's all set for my NG Burner that's on it's way!

My old room has 3 1K Econogrow (embarassing!) 6" air-cooled hoods and 1 PL, 1 8" Fantech 8XL and this set up is so so so much cooler. Main lessons i learned:

-8" ducting is way better for cooling, and not as bulky as you fear compared to 6"
-insulate all your ducting after the 1st light
-use a high CFM 8" or 10" fan, no more than 2 lights (1Ks) per fan
-buy the more expensive hoods with inserts--they transmit so much less heat to the room than the bare hoods of the econogrows
-make all duct runs as straight as possible in the design (obvious, i guess)

What a difference doing all 5 of the above made. Now I'll add the literal BBQ of a NG CO2 burner and i should be able to manage temps easily and stay at 1500ppm co2. Overall lesson for me (and us!): overbuild, it's worth it.

 

[masterlow37]

^^^

^^^

now thats what i'm f--%ing talkin about !!!

 

[BlindDate]

Why is it that not a single manufacturer puts out a lumen map showing the true performance (light distribution) of thier reflectors? Without that simple data it's just "gee, I think this ones better". All they need to do is buy a cheap-ass lumen meter.

 

[BlindDate]

THCV Says:

8" ducting is way better for cooling, and not as bulky as you fear compared to 6"
-insulate all your ducting after the 1st light
-use a high CFM 8" or 10" fan, no more than 2 lights (1Ks) per fan
-buy the more expensive hoods with inserts--they transmit so much less heat to the room than the bare hoods of the econogrows
-make all duct runs as straight as possible in the design (obvious, i guess)

Blindate Says:

Throw a 10K AC in the window and screw all that ducting and fan mess (KISS).

A 10,000 BTU AC unit can easily cool 3000 watts of lighting on a hot day.
If it were running full power (10 amps) 24/7 for 30 days @ a billing rate of 9 cents per kilowatt/hour, the monthly bill is only $64.80 and obviously its not going to run at full power when the lights are out. So lets stick with a realistic $50 per month bill.

An 8" Vortex blower uses 185 watts x 2 = $12 per month @ 9 cents per kwH and running only 12 hours per day.

But guess what? YOU STILL NEED TO USE AN AIR CONDITIONER (although a smaller one) !!! so at the very MAX, you would only save maybe $10 a month by air cooling the lights.

Is air cooling worthless then? Absolutely not. Ask yourself this: If after installing a proper air cooled lighting system will I still have to use an AC unit in the room? If the answer is yes, then its probably not worth doing.

For those who live in a climate where air conditioners are not normaly needed, air cooling the lights is probably a good idea. If not, then you are only adding a huge amount of complexity into a grow room.

Some people love having wires and tubes hanging all over the place. They woulde'nt have it any other way!

 

[THCV]

well, i am limited to porto ac due to stealth needs (14K btu). and in the summers when it hits 100, i need every bit of help i can get to keep the room cool enough for making purps. especially with the damn co2 burner! and the ac compressor working less means electricity savings and less noise. truth is though, when the AC is running flat out on a 100 degree day with the burner flaming, the only reason my room doesn't go above 80 is because the lights are cooled. so it's TOTALLY worth it for me.

don't forget you can get the lights much closer to the plants with air-cooled hoods when done right. just keeping the room cool will not help you on this front--you'd have to take temps down so low that the plants would slow their growth.

 

[BlindDate]

don't forget you can get the lights much closer to the plants with air-cooled hoods when done right. just keeping the room cool will not help you on this front--you'd have to take temps down so low that the plants would slow their growth.

Everyone says "you can get the lights closer". Any refector with glass will cut downward heat by at least 75%. How close do you want to take your lights? I have to keep my 1000 watter a good 2 feet up just to get the proper coverage. With a glass insert on the hood temps are normal. Sure, I could air cool and bring the light down to 6" but then I would have a light footprint about 2 feet square. So it is really a moot point. The problem takes care of itself.

well, i am limited to porto ac due to stealth needs (14K btu). and in the summers when it hits 100, i need every bit of help i can get to keep the room cool enough for making purps. especially with the damn co2 burner!

If you're sucking 100 degree air into those refectors, I don't think there is a whole lot of cooling going on anyway.

You did say something contradicting. You said that your room is sealed. If using a portable AC how is it possible? I mean, those things are venting out of the room continuously.

 

[THCV]

the benefits of putting the lights closer without burning are obvious--more lumens delivered to the plant. that equals more yield if you can feed em enough nutes and CO2 to process all the lumens. if you have a smaller footprint as a result, add another light to fill in the space! kinda obvious, although there are diminishing returns--ie burning--so everything has its limit.

I have a dual-hose ac. it keeps the room sealed most of the time. no smell escapes. i explain here.

 

[somoz]

From all the reading and experimenting i've seen, these have produced the best chronic .......http://www.westcoastgrowers.com/belllighting.htm the LR series aircooled would be my recommendation.

@ thcv, you ever think of runnin a split system, if ya got a basement you could just drop the unit down there and run the lineset up......also, your temps are under 80 and your running co2?

And at your co2, you ever think if investing in the blu ox burner
http://www.thegrowroom.com/environ2.html#BluOx

uses a glow plug instead of pilot light, so no excess co2, and less heat to deal with....additionally it also has the ability to be vented to help control temps even more.....i likey!

sounds like you've been keeping buzy though bro, always a good thing......hope alls well......laer on

 

[BlindDate]

By keeping a 1000 watt light 2 feet from the canopy I'll get a 3' x 3' footprint. That is 9 square feet and 111 watts per sq/ft! How much more do you want? I think that 100 watts per square IS the border of "diminishing returns". Not burnt plants.

I don't want to be argumentive, but a true 14K Air Conditioner should handle 2000 watts with one hand tied behind it's back. Even on a hot day.

 

[THCV]

what can i tell you, blind date. i have a true 14k porto and 4K lights and burner and the 14K is doing a lot of work. doesn't break down, just works a lot. I just added a lot of insulation, so maybe that's what i was missing. still, i can't imagine not air-cooling the lights considering how hot it gets here. but again, to each their own. i like the backup element too, in case the ac dies or the fan dies, your crop still lives.

somoz, i have the blueox! the venting is bullshit, sucks all the co2 out the vent too, so i made a heat exchanger instead using the vents which works well. my temps are 80 ambient in the room, but at the canopy it's probably more like 85.

 

[pico]

Air cooling does a lot in a sealed room. I don't know what reflector you are using, but at 2 ft you should be getting way more than a 3x3 spread. Mine is less than 18" covering a 4x4 easy.




As far as light distribution for reflectors, check out my thread where I just tested a bunch of different models. I have some charts as well.



Go to the Aircooled Reflector Testing link in my signature for more details.