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Philips 315w CDM Elite (CMH)
- Thread starter rives
- Start date
That would probably be a very reasonable assumption for a US-made product. For a Chinese $33 device, perhaps not (Allied = $170, Grainger = $338, Automation Direct - $157, all for bare 750va transformers).
If you look at the comments for the TG 750W, one fellow said that the installed fuse had no markings whatsoever, and the pictures of the included spare fuses are obviously fast-blow.
Offshore junk.
If you look at the comments for the TG 750W, one fellow said that the installed fuse had no markings whatsoever, and the pictures of the included spare fuses are obviously fast-blow.
Offshore junk.
Ultrahot_Grower
New member
Hello! I'm a superhot pepper grower on the east coast and we recently switched all of our 600W HPS setups over to CMH 315 combinations using the Phillips Ballasts, PGZ18 sockets from SemperLite, and Blockbuster 6" A/C hoods. We're currently running the 3100k 930 bulb but I'm thinking about switching to the 4200k CDM-T Elite that comes in the 120v version of the LEC 315w. I need the increased blue spectrum the 4200k provides and I don't want to run the Mogul 942.
Has anyone used these bulbs and can give me a review on them? Does anyone know why Sun would ship the 3100k Agro with the 240v system and the 4200k Agro with the 120v unit?
Thanks!
Has anyone used these bulbs and can give me a review on them? Does anyone know why Sun would ship the 3100k Agro with the 240v system and the 4200k Agro with the 120v unit?
Thanks!
Ultrahot_Grower
New member
By the way...here's the bulb I'm referring to:
http://growershouse.com/philips-mastercolour-cdm-tmw-elite-315w-942-lamp-4200-k
http://growershouse.com/philips-mastercolour-cdm-tmw-elite-315w-942-lamp-4200-k
LargePrime
Member
https://www.sunlightsupply.com/shop...stem-lec-315-light-emitting-ceramic-fixture_1
sun sells both bulbs with both.
The 942 is a better veg bulb, period. perhaps even a better bloom bulb. the AGRO has better PAR/Watt numbers
<IMHO> but i think those particular numbers are very crappy cause they count all photons the same, and blue photons cost 35% more energy then red to make. but i have not got time to bug BetaTestTeam enough about this.</IMHO>
sun sells both bulbs with both.
The 942 is a better veg bulb, period. perhaps even a better bloom bulb. the AGRO has better PAR/Watt numbers
<IMHO> but i think those particular numbers are very crappy cause they count all photons the same, and blue photons cost 35% more energy then red to make. but i have not got time to bug BetaTestTeam enough about this.</IMHO>
Why do you keep saying this? Can you substantiate in any way? What exactly is better about the 942 for flowering? A graph on paper? And your opinion about what those numbers -might- mean?
I'm not even convinced the 942 is necessarily better for vegging, and I have some.
LargePrime
Member
Never had anyone say otherwise. I have had them side by side in coco promix and hydro, and the 952 looks and grows better. Have not raced them in bloom.
BetaTestTeam has said that in the teams studies, the agro has not beat the 942, IIRC.
Perhaps your set up is different? Perhaps its genetics? I don't know.
thought i'd pop in and let you guys know Thomas @ Advancedtech is MIA again, feel bad for the guy must be having a really hard time lately, I'll chime in again and let you guys know when he's back at it.
these are kicking ass in the veg room, can't wait to see what they can do in flower!
cheers and thanks again you guys
*whoops accidentally posted this in the main CMH thread meant to put it here lol
these are kicking ass in the veg room, can't wait to see what they can do in flower!
cheers and thanks again you guys
*whoops accidentally posted this in the main CMH thread meant to put it here lol
LargePrime
Member
Edit: that should be 942, not 952.
Ultrahot_Grower
New member
I wouldn't recommend using any of those adapters. None of them are ETL listed and IMO they're not a very safe choice. You can buy the 942 mogul version of the bulb from ATL if he ever gets back into good shape. The mogul bulb works well if you're looking for a 4200k bulb.
I would just swap the sockets. It's very easy to do and takes less than 5 minutes on most hoods. I used a dremel to slot the mounting holes on my Blockbuster hoods. I can always put the mogul sockets back on if I needed to.
SemperLite has a great deal on the sockets. DepotLighting and BulbAmerica are good sources for the ballast and bulbs.
Thanks
Ultrahot_Grower
New member
Does anyone know of a good spacer to use with the PGZ18 socket? I know hydrofarm makes the positioning spacers but there's not enough material to drill new holes due to thr narrowed width of the pgz18. I could epoxy the socket onto the spacer but the high temperatures inside the hood could cause problems.
Thanks
Thanks
The situation demands mechanical fasteners. Period. Also metal or ceramic spacers.
I wouldn't worry about using a ceramic adapter inside a cooltube. Just make sure it appears to be of good quality, & that everything gets seated the way it should be. It's not best practice, but it's not fundamentally unsafe, either.
When you don't have the resources to do it the best way (often the hard way) then you have to resort to a good way in order to proceed.
Ultrahot_Grower
New member
Understood. Epoxy was a true last ditch effort. I've been looking around for 2" diameter ceramic spacers but I haven't found anything yet.
We're using Sunlight Blockbuster 6" hoods right now and they're working great with the cmh setups. I would like to position the bulb more in the center but I'm not rigging anything that would be unsafe.
LargePrime
Member
There are two bolt holes in the PGZ socket, right?
Use threaded rod and nuts to extend the socket into the hood as far as you would like. Locktite the nuts if you like. red for high heat.
Beta Test Team
Member
They have UV-B, just not much of it relative to the rest of the waveband. This is one of the reasons the 942 (MasterColor) is better than the 930 (GreenPower), more UV-B and UV-A (as well as blue).
I'm seeing pretty high variation in the listings for the life and lumen maintenance of these 315W T12s.
This spec sheet from Philips has them listed at 30k hrs life and 91% @ 12k hrs:
Philips 315 MasterColor
But then many suppliers of the bulb have them listed at 90% @ 10k hrs and I have seen listings in a few places where % was in the 80s (Maybe 87?) @ 8k hrs! (although this may have only been for the 930). I am pretty sure I was looking at T12 versions of the bulb the entire time.
Am I overlooking something?
Also: has anyone gotten hold of a Ceramatek ballast yet? Their claims of lumen maintenance of 95% @ 20k hrs are alluring if not a bit questionable. This would mean FAR less re-lamping (once every 5-6 yrs maybe if using the lamp constantly) and would put the 315w CDM system FAR ahead of any competition, even for large-scale applications. Anyone gotten a price quote on them?
This spec sheet from Philips has them listed at 30k hrs life and 91% @ 12k hrs:
Philips 315 MasterColor
But then many suppliers of the bulb have them listed at 90% @ 10k hrs and I have seen listings in a few places where % was in the 80s (Maybe 87?) @ 8k hrs! (although this may have only been for the 930). I am pretty sure I was looking at T12 versions of the bulb the entire time.
Am I overlooking something?
Also: has anyone gotten hold of a Ceramatek ballast yet? Their claims of lumen maintenance of 95% @ 20k hrs are alluring if not a bit questionable. This would mean FAR less re-lamping (once every 5-6 yrs maybe if using the lamp constantly) and would put the 315w CDM system FAR ahead of any competition, even for large-scale applications. Anyone gotten a price quote on them?
Gloomshade
Member
I'm planning on running a rotating light mover, with 3 arms, each holding a sun system 315 LEC. My tent size is 6x6, I'm considering running a bare vertical bulb hanging low from the centre point of the light mover....
Is there a configuration of 315w that would work for this?
What would I need to make it happen?
Do you think it will be worth it? Or would I be better off going for a 400w hps or mh or something there, or nothing at all...?
Is there a configuration of 315w that would work for this?
What would I need to make it happen?
Do you think it will be worth it? Or would I be better off going for a 400w hps or mh or something there, or nothing at all...?
Gloomshade: I think the 3X 315W LECs on a spinner sounds good for the idea of maximizing yield/W and minimizing heat and perhaps the best thing about the spinner IMO would be moving the hot-spots of the lights around more "evenly" (I say in quotes because the center-line of the ring that the lights will be moving in will still be far brighter than the outside ring or inside circle).
If you are looking to maximize yield/W and keep heat lower, I would say this is a smart choice (though you will get considerably less development/density in the corners). If you are looking to maximize yield potential of the SPACE (tent itself) then I would just opt for 4X 315s in there. The spinner will not make up the difference in weight of a 4th light.
As for a bulb in the center: I think that would be a waste of time. I imagine the center will be plenty bright, as far out as you may mount the lights (which you should go pretty far with). It's the corners and possibly the outside edges that will be least illuminated. If the center comes out being less than bright I would consider something low-wattage that you could hang low and focus on a relatively tight area, like perhaps a 50W LED flood light or something similar. A bare bulb is going to throw the light outward (and upward) and all over but not downward so well, certainly not with the sort of concentration that you are looking for to hit perhaps a 1 sq ft area that may be dim.
Also: Keep the LECs at LEAST 30" above the canopy for proper coverage. They are bright enough to be raised higher and that way the edges will get decent illumination. At 24" above the canopy the center 2'X2' is illuminated far past necessity and the outer edges of the 3'X'3' square that it is supposed to cover are under-illuminated.
If you are looking to maximize yield/W and keep heat lower, I would say this is a smart choice (though you will get considerably less development/density in the corners). If you are looking to maximize yield potential of the SPACE (tent itself) then I would just opt for 4X 315s in there. The spinner will not make up the difference in weight of a 4th light.
As for a bulb in the center: I think that would be a waste of time. I imagine the center will be plenty bright, as far out as you may mount the lights (which you should go pretty far with). It's the corners and possibly the outside edges that will be least illuminated. If the center comes out being less than bright I would consider something low-wattage that you could hang low and focus on a relatively tight area, like perhaps a 50W LED flood light or something similar. A bare bulb is going to throw the light outward (and upward) and all over but not downward so well, certainly not with the sort of concentration that you are looking for to hit perhaps a 1 sq ft area that may be dim.
Also: Keep the LECs at LEAST 30" above the canopy for proper coverage. They are bright enough to be raised higher and that way the edges will get decent illumination. At 24" above the canopy the center 2'X2' is illuminated far past necessity and the outer edges of the 3'X'3' square that it is supposed to cover are under-illuminated.
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