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Ceramic Metal Halide (CMH)

VerdantGreen

VerdantGreen

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i got a 250 cmh from the link in the OP which worked fine with my magnetic ballast.

i didnt use it for very long because i didnt think it flowered plants as well as an HPS - they tended to be a bit more leafy.

i think cmh would be great as a supplemental light for a couple of hps though...

VG
 
whazzup

whazzup

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though a lamp may work fine on a digital ballast it doesn't mean that it is made to run under those high frequency conditions, they do not specifically specify a magnetic ballast for nothing. It may cause too much stress on the arc tube, create instability, too high temperatures and more danger of explosion in case of failure. I would take the manufacturers recommendations really serious. Of course it will light up and burn. That doesn't make it safe to operate.
 
magiccannabus

magiccannabus

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I think I remember reading that the ideal frequency for the bulbs to operate at is around 240hz or something like that. I think that basically wall power is closer to the ideal range than digital ballasts generally operate. Neither type is ideal, magnetic is just closer. Philips makes some e-ballasts that do this frequency range, as does Lifelight, and possibly a couple others. It's an extremely simple feat electrically, it's just that most bulbs don't require it, so nobody bothers to add the feature.
 
rives

rives

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magiccannabus said:
I think I remember reading that the ideal frequency for the bulbs to operate at is around 240hz or something like that. I think that basically wall power is closer to the ideal range than digital ballasts generally operate. Neither type is ideal, magnetic is just closer. Philips makes some e-ballasts that do this frequency range, as does Lifelight, and possibly a couple others. It's an extremely simple feat electrically, it's just that most bulbs don't require it, so nobody bothers to add the feature.
Click to expand...

Actually, it's a pretty simple trick electronically, and a pretty difficult one electrically. Many lamp manufacturers, at least in the past, have specifically recommended not using their lamps on electronic ballasts because the high frequencies caused premature failures.
 
magiccannabus

magiccannabus

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haha minor word detail. Really though, 240hz is pretty low frequency for an e-ballast. Most of them run at many k-hertz from what I understand. What would actually drive this sucker really well would be a modified audio amplifier. You'd have to rig a starter into it and regulate the voltages, but I bet you could drive one using a very specific tone played from a computer. It'd be a silly way to power a light, but it might be a fun experiment.
 
rives

rives

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Interesting idea on the audio amp. Azeotrope and I were kicking around the idea of using one of the micro variable frequency drives for motors some time ago. The frequency output would be damn near ideal (and programmable), and most of them are 3-phase output, so you could drive 3 lamps at a time. The problem would be the starting pulse - power electronics have a pretty serious allergy to capacitors.
 
1

187020

VerdantGreen said:
i didnt use it for very long because i didnt think it flowered plants as well as an HPS - they tended to be a bit more leafy.

i think cmh would be great as a supplemental light for a couple of hps though...

VG
Click to expand...

Why supplement with something that doesn't work as well? For just an added touch of leafiness? Peace homies
 
magiccannabus

magiccannabus

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rives said:
Interesting idea on the audio amp. Azeotrope and I were kicking around the idea of using one of the micro variable frequency drives for motors some time ago. The frequency output would be damn near ideal (and programmable), and most of them are 3-phase output, so you could drive 3 lamps at a time. The problem would be the starting pulse - power electronics have a pretty serious allergy to capacitors.
Click to expand...

You would need to isolate the circuit powering the starter, kind of like how they use cheap plastic timers to trip relays. Maybe between cycles from the amp you could get a pulse through the ignitor. This would mean a full cycle of power with no interruption, but just on that first second of startup anyway. Ignitor fires, then amp kicks in and takes it from there. Multi-zone amps could be interesting too.
 
T

thestruggle

Member
This is a little off topic, but has anyone done business with Advanced Tech Lighting recently? I ordered my CMH on may 26th, after 2 weeks I got a cryptic order confirmation saying that there was some kind of mix up or delay, and that the order was now being shipped (there was no order confirmation from them prior to that). Another week goes by, so I call and leave a message with my phone number and I receive a weird text from some number saying Ill get a call back. Its been a week since the text and I still haven't heard anything or received any packages in the mail. Im starting to think I should get my money back through paypal, but Id rather just get the light. Has anyone else had any experience like that with this company? Should I wait it out, or get my money back and go elsewhere?
 
magiccannabus

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Sadly a lot of people have made that complaint. I'd recommend BulbAmerica. They have their own site and are on Amazon too. I got my CMH from them just fine.
 
B

brotherjericho

Member
I get most of my lighting from Atlanta Light Bulbs. Usually good prices, and they ship same day if item is in stock. They have a chat on their site, and you can hop on that and ask if something is in stock before you order.
 
homebrew420

homebrew420

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thestruggle said:
Well it took literally a month for them to ship it but I finally got my CMH from advanced tech. Happy times ahead
Click to expand...
Same thing happened to me...about a year and a half ago! The company must be out of dudes basement and is his second job. As stated before, a whole lot of people have made the same complaint. Good luck. Sadly I found the lighting was none superior to the hps I was running. In both yield and quality. Maybe looked better? Was not a scientific experiment in my grow however.

Peace
 
magiccannabus

magiccannabus

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Does anyone know why a 400W Philips Mastercolor CMH would "red-shift"? Sometimes I'm sitting there looking at the plants and the light goes orange-red like an HPS. Just briefly, and then returns to normal. Anyone know why this might happen? I've tried listening to the AC to hear if the compressor is kicking on at that same time, but I don't think so. I definitely see a flicker when the AC compressor kicks on, but not a color shift.
 
F

Frosy

Active member
I have been enjoying my 400w CMH bulbs for 3 years now!! I am only curious about new HPS/flowering bulbs, are there any out there that will give the CMH a run for the money? Thanks for sharing your experience!
 
Maj.Cottonmouth

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Advanced Tech Lighting is doing a "sorry we screwed the pooch" sale and the Philips MasterColor Ceramic Metal Halide HPS-Retro White are $36.
 
D

dec

Member
Hey!
Probably a stupid question but I need to know for sure.

Can anyone please confirm that THIS (page 3-4) is a proper digital ballast for a cmh bulb?

Thank you!
 
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