Philips 315w CDM Elite (CMH)

[Jhhnn]

I have & occasionally use Philips 330w CMH, for example, and GE markets a 400w CMH, but Philips has taken the tech much further with the 315, tailoring everything to get the most out of it, even optimizing the lamp frequency & waveform. A lot of engineering from scratch went into it.

From preliminary testing using my bargain Ceramatec ballasts, the 330w in no way compares to the enormous light output generated by the 315. It's in a league of its own, so if you want the best you're stuck with Philips lamps, at least, but there are ballast alternatives.

It's unfortunate that Philips has gone with corporate posturing but I wouldn't let it interfere with future purchasing.

 

[LargePrime]

We switched our entire garden over to the NS-500 from Sustainable Growth Technology

I call BS
I am sure homebrew420 is a good human being, and i DO NOT WANT personal drama in any way.

That said, the NS-500 is crap. It is a super expensive version of a 25$ (overpriced) wing reflector. Seriously you could get Tom at ATL to wire his kit up to a cheap wing reflector and save big bucks.

I am not saying it wont grow. My very first 315 grows I retrofitted a cheap wing with PGZ sockets and it worked great. Its just way over priced.

Also the LEC 315 is 98% reflective on the sides, 95% on the small corner pieces, not that it matters.

 

[Jhhnn]

Put together the equipment panel for my ceramatec ballasts-

That's a sliding aluminum cover for a casserole dish from goodwill- $1. It'll mount in the air intake plenum shown in my construction pics w/ direct wiring from the term strip to the lamp holders in the reflector currently in use, so I have to finish this round in early August to proceed. Next round- 630w of CDM.

 

[McNerdius]

I started this grow season certain that the largest expenses the year might bring would be a more ideal inline fan, and possibly a new carbon filter if need be.

Then, some stars of various sorts aligned.

Just pulled the trigger and ordered the first and most costly ingredient in my 'utopia tent' - the ATL kit. Will be starting a thread on that build one of these days... I'll check back in here if i have any cdm q's, and status updates on the ATL order.

 

[HorseBadoritiz]

I started this grow season certain that the largest expenses the year might bring would be a more ideal inline fan, and possibly a new carbon filter if need be.

Then, some stars of various sorts aligned.

Just pulled the trigger and ordered the first and most costly ingredient in my 'utopia tent' - the ATL kit. Will be starting a thread on that build one of these days... I'll check back in here if i have any cdm q's, and status updates on the ATL order.

After a lot of pussyfooting around, and assurances from Rives, and this thread... I ordered 1 ATL kit to replace a 400W CMH. I wasn't sure if the mogul version was a legitimate contender.

I've since gotten 2x more to replace my other CMH's. They work, LOL!

 

[Jhhnn]

After a lot of pussyfooting around, and assurances from Rives, and this thread... I ordered 1 ATL kit to replace a 400W CMH. I wasn't sure if the mogul version was a legitimate contender.

I've since gotten 2x more to replace my other CMH's. They work, LOL!

Indeed they do. It's just a 315w 942 CDM light emitter in a different package.

I think they were built for the replacement market. There are umpteen gazillion 400w MH fixtures in use, and a lot of them are getting old. Even the transformers die eventually because they run hot in enclosed aluminum boxes. The mogul bulb puts the light emitter right in the same place as a standard 400w industrial lamp, so maintenance techs can easily upgrade to better efficiency & longer life w/ existing luminaires, saving money up front & in the long run. They don't hum, either, making them a better choice in many situations.

I'd have ordered mogul kits from Tom if I didn't really, really need the pgz lamps to do what I want.

 

[Avenger]

plug and play, 240v input cord, standard lamp output receptcle

plug and play, 240v input cord, standard lamp output receptcle

I mounted my Philips ballast in an aluminum enclosure, added heatsink to it and wired it with a potentiometer for dimming control.https://www.icmag.com/ic/attachment.php?attachmentid=319273&stc=1&d=1433168996
https://www.icmag.com/ic/attachment.php?attachmentid=319274&stc=1&d=1433168996
https://www.icmag.com/ic/attachment.php?attachmentid=319275&stc=1&d=1433168996

 

[Jhhnn]

I mounted my Philips ballast in an aluminum enclosure, added heatsink to it and wired it with a potentiometer for dimming control.https://www.icmag.com/ic/attachment.php?attachmentid=319273&stc=1&d=1433168996
https://www.icmag.com/ic/attachment.php?attachmentid=319274&stc=1&d=1433168996
https://www.icmag.com/ic/attachment.php?attachmentid=319275&stc=1&d=1433168996

Nice work. My situation lends itself to an open panel setup, a good thing since I no longer have easy access to brakes, shears & aluminum to do a job like yours.

 

[Beta Test Team]

I mounted my Philips ballast in an aluminum enclosure, added heatsink to it and wired it with a potentiometer for dimming control.https://www.icmag.com/ic/attachment.php?attachmentid=319273&stc=1&d=1433168996
https://www.icmag.com/ic/attachment.php?attachmentid=319274&stc=1&d=1433168996
https://www.icmag.com/ic/attachment.php?attachmentid=319275&stc=1&d=1433168996

Very cool, nice work!

 

[Freet]

I'll try to get back on topic with this bit of cut/paste... http://growershouse.com/images/ALTEST_infographic_1.pdf , nice par ratings for the SS 315 LEC...

 

[RedBeardy5]

Do you guys use the 3100k spectrum bulbs or do you guys get the 4100k bulbs for veg?

 

[McNerdius]

Do you guys use the 3100k spectrum bulbs or do you guys get the 4100k bulbs for veg?

I've got a 4100k/942 in the mail as that's what advancedtechlighting.com offers... I'll be paying attention to the thread and my own results to see if i would like to try 930 for sure tho... Anyhow, post 250 or so starts a debate on 930/942 (3000k/4100k). Overall, i feel good starting with a 942.

 

[Jhhnn]

I've got a 4100k/942 in the mail as that's what advancedtechlighting.com offers... I'll be paying attention to the thread and my own results to see if i would like to try 930 for sure tho... Anyhow, post 250 or so starts a debate on 930/942 (3000k/4100k). Overall, i feel good starting with a 942.

Other people seem quite pleased w/ that. You probably will be too.

I ordered T9 930's because they were the least expensive & because I'll have an enclosed fixture. The 930's still have plenty of blue to encourage short internodes.

The 2 lamps aren't hugely different, not like the difference between MH & HPS. When it's time for lamp change out, I'll try 942's if the price is right. I don't expect much difference.

 

[RedBeardy5]

Yeah I was wondering because I just got my bulbs in the mail and they sent the wrong spectrum. Looks like I'll be returning it for the 4100k bulbs

 

[Jhhnn]

Yeah I was wondering because I just got my bulbs in the mail and they sent the wrong spectrum. Looks like I'll be returning it for the 4100k bulbs

I'd just let it go. Having no experience with either, I couldn't rationalize that much preference either way. I plan on doing this for awhile, so I'll maybe try the other flavor next time.

Yeh. Sometimes I'm a pushover.

 

[rives]

I use the 930's, and they work fine. I usually veg under LEDs, but have used the 930's without much discernible difference.

 

[Unclecrash]

Is there a special ballast for the lec 315 I see a socket adapter PGZ18/E39 that looks like it will screw into the MH/HPS socket. Im in the market in a couple weeks for at least one and would like to put it in a vertazontal hood will it work in this setup? Also would like a 120v where a converter isnt needed, who has the ballast the cheapist. Not much on ebay one guy selling 4 @ a time. Thanks UC

 

[Jhhnn]

Is there a special ballast for the lec 315 I see a socket adapter PGZ18/E39 that looks like it will screw into the MH/HPS socket. Im in the market in a couple weeks for at least one and would like to put it in a vertazontal hood will it work in this setup? Also would like a 120v where a converter isnt needed, who has the ballast the cheapist. Not much on ebay one guy selling 4 @ a time. Thanks UC

As has been stated repeatedly, 315's require special ballasts. Only the Wellthink ballasts operate at 120v. they'll all operate 315 lamps in mogul or PGZ configuration.

With a Wellthink ballast, the easy answer for existing fixtures is to run a mogul base 315 lamp rather than a PGZ lamp. Plug & play.

With either a Philips or Ceramatec ballast a voltage converter is required for 120v operation, along with some DIY wiring skills.

Advanced Lighting offers what is probably the best deal on a philips ballast & mogul lamp.

 

[Gloomshade]

Has anyone experienced any burning of leaves from 315's? I've been chasing my tail on a flower tent full of brown for a while now... I dont think any of the plants have ever been closer than a foot from the light...but at times maybe around a foot away.

I've spent heaps of time googling deficiencies and proper EC's and stuff for my DWC, and bounced around between thinking I have mag deficiency, or P, or K...nothing I've added or taken away nutrient wise has had any noticable effect... In an effort to try to keep it simple I've cut my nutrient line back to H&G A+B, and bloom calmag(RO water). EC around 1.2-1.4.

My last plant was a 3x3 scrog that only yielded under 3 ounces.

Theoretically...with 1 of these lights in a 3x3 I should be able to aim for 10 ounces, or even 12 maybe...

Just wish I could keep the bastards green.... Raised my lights up to 2foot all around and taped some string to them to keep track of when the canopy grows enough to want to raise the lights anyway... I don't know if I'm convinced that my problem is light burn...but geez it would really solve my problems if thats what it turned out to be.

 

[tenthirty]

1.2 to 1.4 EC is high in DWC. My bet is pathogens in the root area. I tried to run DWC for over a year and could not stop the root disease. E&F in rockwool is a lot easier.

6" to a foot should be fine.

On my best runs I would pull 18+ oz's out of a 3x3. I would say my average was about 15-16.

Good luck.