What light for a 60 x 60 tent?

[Iggle]

Due to major space constrictions in our loft, my tent options are extremely limited. I'm eyeing up the Secret Garden L90 as one of the very few that would work in my space. It's a two compartment tent with a 60 x 60 x 130 main room and a small 60 x 30 propagation area although the divider can come out to make a 60 x 90 tent. While this is obviously rather smaller than ideal my needs are extremely modest so it could be worse. 

 

What light would work best in a tent of this size? I'm a bit concerned about overheating such a small space (0.5/0.7 m3). From poking about on dealer websites, I've been steered in the direction of the BAY6 Euro CFL 125w rig by one retailer and toward the 125w Sunking Mini 8 HID by another, for example.

 

Any thoughts?

[Ital]

Still trying to control a 400w in a cool tube in a DS60 - similar size, a 250w is no problem.

[M1PEL]

250w HID all year round & possibly a  400w HID in the winter months providing you have good extraction & intake....!

[Iggle]

Hmm, so not quite such a problem as I'd been expecting heatwise. The fan's a Systemair RVK 100mm with a Rhino Pro filter. (I must admit, I hadn't even considered an intake fan.)

 

So HID looks to be the favourite then, I guess? Will the limited height of the tent be a problem with a bulb that runs hotter?

 

[M1PEL]

A 100mm might struggle on hot days....ok for it to be a intake... but a 125 RVK is best for extract.... using a scrog in a small tent is ideal for keeping the girls low as your height is limited..... !

[spankydemonkey]

if you go 50w per square foot,which is based as rule of thumb, then you are looking at around 200w bulb, you also dont have much head room either, so i owuld say you are pretty limited.

i would go 250w cool tube or even LED with a actual output of 200w for that size room. 

personally i would go the LED route .

Edited May 14, 2017 by spankydemonkey

[sroporilshoot]

If you go down the HID route a dimable digital ballast would be one to consider, so's you can change bulbs according to heat. 

[Bird]

2 x 150w cmh would be worth considering.  A single one would suffice although you are quite short of headroom.

Edited May 15, 2017 by Bird

[Iggle]

Thanks, all, for the suggestions. Much to think about. Those 150w CMHs look very interesting although I must admit I was looking for something a bit more plug and play at this point!

[Satchitananda]

1 hour ago, Iggle said:

Thanks, all, for the suggestions. Much to think about. Those 150w CMHs look very interesting although I must admit I was looking for something a bit more plug and play at this point!

 

 

They are surprisingly plug and play, I bought the Osram ballast and wired it to an E40 lamp fitting. Easy.  Someone uploaded a pic of how to wire it, I can't find it but I downloaded it so I can upload it for you if you like. Then you get the GE CMH150/T/UVC/O/U/942/E40 4,200K or the GE CMH150/T/UVC O/U/830 3,000K which are both E40 fitting lamps. I got the Lumii Mini reflector and chopped the end off the lead (from the light fitting that comes with it) and wired that straight to the ballast.

 

However....for a 60x60 tent a 250w HPS is normally recommended and what I use most of the time, with a 125mm RVK extraction fan. If needed you can then get 100mm RVK intake. You might even get away with a 315w CMH but it's a bit overkill for the space.

 

Or LED's? I imagine the Mars Hydro II 400 or similar with a real draw around 180w would be ok, but I don't really know anything about LED's except they are noisy.

Edited May 16, 2017 by ananda

[Iggle]

They are surprisingly plug and play, I bought the Osram ballast and wired it to an E40 lamp fitting. Easy.  Someone uploaded a pic of how to wire it, I can't find it but I downloaded it so I can upload it for you if you like. Then you get the GE CMH150/T/UVC/O/U/942/E40 4,200K or the GE CMH150/T/UVC O/U/830 3,000K which are both E40 fitting lamps. I got the Lumii Min reflector and chopped the end off the lead and wired that straight to the ballast.

 

Hmm, I see what you mean and that would only work out to about sixty quid per light. Actually, is there any reason why a homebrew 250w CMH wouldn't be as straightforward?

[Satchitananda]

@Iggle there are no 250w CMH's. There are 210w CMH lamps but I am buggered if I can find a ballast to power them. The only one I have ever seen was on Ebay in America. There must be some way of buying one but I can't find it. If you find them available in the UK let me know please.

 

[Iggle]

@anandaI just did an eBay search for "250w metal halide ballast" and there were a good half dozen results that *appeared* to be suitable. (However, lest we forget, I clearly don't really don't know what I'm looking for!) There's even a Parmar ballast for £5.97!

 

(Can we do eBay links here?)

Edited May 16, 2017 by Iggle

[Satchitananda]

Metal Halide is not the same as Ceramic Metal Halide. 

 

You need to search for 210w CMH or CMD ballasts.

[Iggle]

Aha!