Philips 315w CDM Elite (CMH)

[blueberrydrumz]

can anyone chime in and let me know if the units from advanced are out of date or why are they so cheap.. sure i guess he deals in bulk.. but still he might have bought a cheap batch of a wholesaler that was faulty? should Advanced be avoided?
im looking to get some 315´s has anyone run them via flip flops?
would the ballast handle this well?
thx

 

[rives]

can anyone chime in and let me know if the units from advanced are out of date or why are they so cheap.. sure i guess he deals in bulk.. but still he might have bought a cheap batch of a wholesaler that was faulty? should Advanced be avoided?
im looking to get some 315´s has anyone run them via flip flops?
would the ballast handle this well?
thx

I can't help you with the Advanced question, but he has lots of happy customers other than the occasional spotty service.

The Philips ballasts have a lot of protective features built into them that would probably make them incompatible with a hot flip. A cold flip should work fine.

 

[Jhhnn]

Found this on Denver Craigslist for area residents who might be interested-

http://denver.craigslist.org/grd/5237205779.html

I have no connection to the seller. Observe the usual precautions.

 

[blueberrydrumz]

hey rives,
thanks for your input.. i have been reading a lot of your post since i joined and have allways appreciated your work.. big up
so you think if i want to flip flop i should for example do 11.50 on 5min off then again 11.50 on 5min off etc etc to let the units cool down for a few minutes..
just out of interest why do you say they might be incompatible with a hot flip and how come it works with mags?
many thx

 

[rives]

hey rives,
thanks for your input.. i have been reading a lot of your post since i joined and have allways appreciated your work.. big up
so you think if i want to flip flop i should for example do 11.50 on 5min off then again 11.50 on 5min off etc etc to let the units cool down for a few minutes..
just out of interest why do you say they might be incompatible with a hot flip and how come it works with mags?
many thx

Thanks, BB.

Electronic ballasts give the designers far more options to protect the circuit than a simple magnetic ballast does. The ballasts have end-of-life sensing for the lamps amongst other features. I'm not on my normal machine where I can look them all up, but it is pretty unlikely that the ballast would respond well to basically ripping a running lamp out of the circuit and replacing it with another one. It seems like a quick change to us, but it takes forever in the electronic world. I think that the ballast would probably go into some protective mode as a result. Some electronic ballasts, like the Gavitas, will have their warranty voided by running them on a flip. A mag ballast doesn't care - it just re-ignites and goes happily on it's way.

 

[Jhhnn]

I'm with rives about hot flipping. Well designed electronic ballasts have logic circuits monitoring operation & are designed to shut down & lock out when things go awry. An anomalous open circuit on the lamp output is likely to be one of those circumstances. When input power is interrupted, it "forgets", resets & is ready to go again. I doubt that it needs a cool down period but rather just enough time to shut down completely.

Mag ballasts have their good points. They're simple, durable & relatively easy to diagnose & repair. I'd still be using them if I hadn't stepped up to 315's. Electronic ballasts either work or they don't & there's basically no fixing them.

 

[Beavinator]

How many of these lights would be ideal over a 4x8 table? Would you go 3 or 4? I am thinking about using these as my veg lights as well as for my mother plants.

 

[rives]

How many of these lights would be ideal over a 4x8 table? Would you go 3 or 4? I am thinking about using these as my veg lights as well as for my mother plants.

For vegging, I think that you could easily get by with 3 of them. The only trick is going to be getting good distribution across the full 4'. I find them to work very well at a 30"-36" width, but at least for flowering, they get a little weak around the edges at 4' with my reflectors.

 

[blueberrydrumz]

So i am looking at going the mogul base route from ATL.. and with Vertical Parabolic Reflectors
sorry if asked before.. ive searched and think i know the awnser but just checking,
so the mogul base lamp offered by ATL for example is EX39 socket and will fit into a reflector with E40 fitting right?
so any Vertical Parabolic Reflector should work?! if anyone has any advice on what works well and what to avoid.. pls let me know
thx in advance

 

[Unclecrash]

If your going with vert parabolic . I would get the one DJM highly reccomends the low profile vertazontal it has the 8 piece german reflective insert at the top. I been thinking of them myself all the aluminum will act as a big heat sink to help cool the lights even further and with the fans going I think I will need no AC. I think greeners or one of them was selling it @ around $100 and some change . I will see if I can find the link.

 

[blueberrydrumz]

thx unclecrash.. ye send a link cheers

 

[Unclecrash]

I think its about $126 shipped to me anyways. http://www.greners.com/i/grow-light...flector/sun-system-vertizontal-reflector.html

I think you have to get the socket set for it too.

Here it is with the socket http://1274ym4fbva545shrh1giu44.wpe...ent/uploads/2013/03/vertizontal-reflector.jpg didnt work right but its at planet natural but I think now that I looked you still have to purchase the socket

 

[blueberrydrumz]

ahh yeah, i saw this the other day. can you run the bulb verticaly in these?
im sure the lightspread is better vertical... that why greenbeams has it that way

 

[Unclecrash]

Not sure in this fixture but there are other parabolics like it you can run vert.

 

[Jhhnn]

For vegging, I think that you could easily get by with 3 of them. The only trick is going to be getting good distribution across the full 4'. I find them to work very well at a 30"-36" width, but at least for flowering, they get a little weak around the edges at 4' with my reflectors.

I think it's really dependent on a lot of variables. I get solid buds down in the corners of my 44"x56" space & modified super sun 2 reflector w/ 630w of CDM.

https://www.icmag.com/ic/picture.php?albumid=52773&pictureid=1511212

The ones in the foreground are really further from the light than optimum.

I think it's easy to get carried away w/ reflector choice. I considered a vertical reflector when I built the space for a 1000w setup but the sacrifice in headroom ruled it out. With the narrow super sun tucked up between the floor joists, it's only 6'3" from the glass to the floor.

I'm a bit of a lazy grower, not wanting to trim much or scrog at all. I like to see their natural form, for some reason. That worked OK until I grew some wild assed goat wreck haze seen here in the back-

https://www.icmag.com/ic/picture.php?albumid=52773&pictureid=1511213

It went nuts when I switched to flowering. It's my first haze variety. Next time I'll pinch the tops of any haze while in veg.

 

[Hammerhead]

The LEC 630 works outstanding as a veg light in my 5x5 tent... I'm very happy with the results I have got....

 

[HUGE]

The LEC 630 works outstanding as a veg light in my 5x5 tent... I'm very happy with the results I have got....

Now give it a shot for flower I was impressed.

 

[blueberrydrumz]

can you get the lec 630 on a light mover?
they are too heavy i take it yeah?

 

[blueberrydrumz]

im in a clinch... i run 6,57 x 6,57 (2 meter x 2 meter) table setups..
i was thinkin two 630´s centered and maybe 2 x 400MH on lightmovers on the sides??!
the lec 630 wouldnt reach the corners ..
anyone with experience in a similar size room

 

[Hammerhead]

Now give it a shot for flower I was impressed.

I use Gavita in flower using both HPS/MH. LEC 630 wont increase yield or make the quality better. I have not tested the LEC 630 in flower but I suspect the yield would decrease. There is the newer unit called the Grow Beast has a DE bulb connection in the center with 2 315 CMH bulbs. It doesn't come with the 1k ballast or DE bulb..Very nice hood though. Not practical for veg use.

Its a heavy bitch with a large hood. Not piratical for a light mover..