Its a proven fact....
The more Light your plants will recieve, the bigger, stronger they will become. The only draw back to these higher wattage unit is Heat build up! Most plants will grom most effective between temps ranging between 20-28 deg Celceus and it is also best to try and avoid large temperature fluctuations between night and day as this can lead to weak and poorley formed plants.
It is ideal for most species to try and bring these two temps as close together as possible which is easier to accomplish than you think Most effective way is a propane heater (usually sold as Greenhouse heaters)

Anyway......Back to the topic at hand. Here is a lowdown of how many lumens each light unit gives off, along with its cost of running.

Lamp: 400W Halide
Lumens: 38,000
Efficiency: 95 lumens per watt
Cost per 12 hours@ 8p a unit: 38p

Lamp: 400W Sodium
Lumens: 53,000
Efficiency: 135 lumens per watt
Cost per 12 hours@ 8p a unit: 38p

Lamp: 600W Sodium
Lumens: 92,000
Efficiency: 153 lumens per watt
Cost per 12 hours@ 8p a unit: 58p

Lamp: 1,000W Halide
Lumens: 115,000
Efficiency: 115 lumens per watt
Cost per 12 hours@ 8p a unit: 96p

Lamp: 1,000W Sodium
Lumens: 140,000
Efficiency: 140 lumens per watt
Cost per 12 hours@ 8p a unit: 96p

Happy Gardening!!!

MadagascarX

Thanks that is really helpful do you know the lumen output for 600w halides? It would also help to have the make of each lamp quoted.

hi OT,
Sorry mate, These are based on the Philips SonT+ and HPI Halide light. I don't know for sure the lumen output on the 600W Philips Halide, ..I'm not sure if they actually do one.
I know the Venture 600W halide produces 50,000 lumens.

Reposted from two other threads: No responses yet.

Can anyone help?

I am buying Japanese made, cool white (called "daylight") 24w (120w equivalent) compact fluro's - 3 for HK$90.00 (about seven pounds fifty).

They are rated 6400K and and are bright as buttons.

I also have the option of getting either "warm white" at 4200K, or "warm" at 2700K. Neither of these seem to chuck out anything like the same amount of brightness, but are, obviously, a more orangey colour.

There was a thread about the different "K's", but I couldn't find it. Can anyone remember where it is, explain what "K's" are, or direct me to a link learn more about the "K" thingy?

And can someone let me know (for flowering with fluro's) which would be better. The warm only - 2700K, the warm white only - 4200K, a mixture of those two, or a mix of all three types including the daylight at 6400K?

The ones I use at the moment, put out so little heat, I can get them very close to the plants (currently 6X24w daylights = 144w).

For flowering, could I simply add six of the warmer ones to the game and hence keep the daylights, but with a total of 288w of compact fluro light?

I could also arrange the lights at different levels, both above and among the plants to improve penetration since they are so cool.

Whatdaya all think?

Thanks.



Woof

Hi Jessiedog

Hope this helps


The higher the color temperature, the more 'blue' the light, and the lower the color temperature the more 'red' the light. Color temperature of light can be measured in degrees Kelvin (K). Daylight has a color temperature between 6000 and 7000 K. The color temperature of artificial light is much lower: approximately 3000 K. In reality, color temperatures range from 1900 K (candlelight) up to 25,000 K (clear blue sky). Television is set to 6500 K, simulating 'standard daylight'.

Color temperature Source
in kelvin
12,000 - 20,000 Skylight (blue sky)
8000 Average summer shade
7100 Light summer shade
6500 Typical summer light (sun + sky)
6300 Daylight fluorescent (caution!)
6400 Xenon short-arc
6000 Overcast sky
5900 Clear mercury lamp
5400 Sunlight (noon, summer, mid-latitudes)
5200 Design white fluorescent
5000 Special fluorescents used for color evaluation
4800 - 5000 Daylight photoflood
4300 Sunlight (early morning and late afternoon)
4000 Brite White Deluxe Mercury lamp
3500 Sunlight (1 hour after dawn)
3400 Cool white fluorescent (caution!)
3400 Photoflood
3200 Professional tungsten photographic lights
3000 100-watt tungsten halogen
2950 Deluxe Warm White fluorescent
2870 100-watt incandescent
2500 40-watt incandescent
2100 High-pressure sodium light
2000 Sunlight (sunrise or sunset)
1850 - 1900 Candle flame
1700 Match flame

This is a great file to read about the gro-lux and other lights: http://www.sylvania.com/forum/pdfs/faq0040-0800.pdf

Hi pen,

Thanks!

That's exactly what I was looking for.

Now!

Can you explain what it all means?



"And can someone let me know (for flowering with fluro's) which would be better. The warm only - 2700K, the warm white only - 4200K, a mixture of those two, or a mix of all three types including the daylight at 6400K?

The ones I use at the moment, put out so little heat, I can get them very close to the plants (currently 6X24w daylights = 144w).

For flowering, could I simply add six of the warmer ones to the game and hence keep the daylights, but with a total of 288w of compact fluro light?

I could also arrange the lights at different levels, both above and among the plants to improve penetration since they are so cool."



We're talking fluros here. I already understand HPS.


Oh! And what is the "Caution" about?

Thanks and blessings.



Woof

Hi JessieDog,
All the info you need can be located here. In the link below.

http://www.overgrow.com/faq/browse.php?qa=588

Hapy gardening
MadagascarX

Hey jessie Dog

I'll help you out. It's actually quite easy. Start your seedlings with as close to daylight as possible. 6500k(daylight) is best right up till you start flowering. then change your bulbs to a redder spectrum for flowering. If you use HPS you will find that your temp in kelvin drops right down to about 1900k, which is perfect for flowering. Or if you are staying with floros(not advisable, far less bud at the end) you must change your tubes to 2700k when flowering.

Stay high

Dr.Sativa

Thanks peeps.

So, if I were going with compact fluros for flowering then, I'd be better off using all 2700K, rather than a mix of 2700K and 6400K. Is that right?

Or should I just add additional 2700K's to the existing 6400K's?

Also, would having some of them hanging down among the plants increase light penetration?

Thanks.



Woof

Just go & get yasen a decent HPS & stop messin' about!

Just trying to expand me knowledge Bish.

Keep yer 'air on!





Woof

Hi,
You can also get really good info on lights, lamps etc at RSonline, sorry havn't got the link
But seem to remember some new double HID lamps being available, which effectively double the life of your lamp, for just less than double the price, handy
I think i had to register(free) to get access to the technical data sheets, which means i must still have access......i'll go and do a search and try and copy a link
Which is a major technical feat in my present stoned state
ufo

RS Components

Tks for the info MGX,

Can anyone give me the low-down on 400w mixed spectrum bulbs.

Are there different types?

Are they always 430w.

Cheers MYH

I think what size grow room u got & then extraction is important.

Mind Your Head,
Nice one mate!
ufo

Hi MindyourHead,
There are really only two quality twin spectrum light units I would recomend. The Philips Son-T Agro and the Osram Planta, there are alot of Japanese and various models coming on the market, but I really wouldn't trust them. Stick with these for quality light output. But in your case MindyourHead, I think it's only Philips that do the 400w version.

To get the best perfomance when light is concerned follow this table below.

1 Lamp : Metal Halide for Vegging, HPS for flowering
2 Lamp : 1 Metal Halide & 1 HPS
3 Lamp : 1 Metal Halide & 2 HPS

Then follow this rule...
1 Metal Halide for every 3 HPS

Happy Gardening
MadagascarX

Tks MGX. Thats what I needed to know

MYH.

great info

but i noticed i have a 6100k(125w)enviro - is this ok?? i hear you talk about 6400k(is this the 200W)
awaiting hps soon

I was told that the ballast will also cost additional electricity.
the cheaper the ballast , the more power it will generally consume.
A very bad ballast , inteded for 400 watt hps can cost you up to 250 watts of power ( so i was told by experienced growers).

any comment on this guys?

evenin ya'll, been scrolling around this site for hours and learning plenty, just one simple question, i understand the 2700k is best for or meant for flowering, but would it be rediculious using it to veg, as i have purchased it not knowing its exact purpose an am now out abut 100 bucks.

thank you kindly

these are guides to getting the best out of ya grow. you can veg under the red spectrum lights and flower under the blues

ofcource. the wattage everyone is basing there cost on is lamp wattage. heating the ballast does not come for free, and as the lighting systems in use are not resistive loads, your style of electric meter also comes into play. some work on watts, some work on peak volts times peak currant, which is not watts. ohms law is for resistive circuits. Then to complicate the matter further, some lights are compensated to account for this metering system, most are infact, thats what the capacitors do.

look at a 250w set. there about 3amp. thats more like 700w.
look at modern 600's, they say 3amp aswell, thats based on wattage though, and the 250 quoted real amps.
confused? yes i bet you are!. Add 20% to the givern figures and you will be closer.



on topic. the 92,000 lumens from a 600 is based on plus lamps. normal ones are 75,000 lumens. dont get the wrong ones
also, many plus lamps hold 90% output till the day they die. non of that 'two crops and there 50% duller' stuff of yestoyear

Thought it was the other way around??? No???

Any info on the Osram 250 watt sun t plus Lumens ?

Thanks

This is an interesting question. Anyone able to answer?

the 2700s are better for flowering

the 6400s are better for vegging

a mix of these wud benefit vegging & flowering.

flowering 3:1 (3x2700 to each 6400)

vegging 1:3 (3x6400 to each 2700)

ef.

persomally, i dont use the 2700s at all

e2a -hanging em 'tween the plants does indeed increase penetration

I'm looking at 250W myself... The OSRAM site has no SON-T Plus listed that I could find but they do list these:

Vialox NAV-T 250W: 2000K Colour temp and 28000 lumens
Vialox NAV-T Super 4Y 250W: 2000K Colour temp and 33200 Lumens

They also have a lamp called the 'Plantastar' which they're saying is specifically designed for horticulture although it has the same specs as the Super 4Y lamp above... I bet there's a price difference though.

Couldn´t agree more - this is why mine are under the sun. Costs me nothing as well.