Dodgee Posted May 15, 2019 Share Posted May 15, 2019 Okay folks hope this finds you well! Time for another dodgey botch it n scarper adventure! Righto, well I been having some issues around lights, I bought a 1.5m2 roof tent with the intention of using a 1000w de. A bit of reading later and I realised I don't really have the head height for fucking around with 1000watters... Back to the drawing board! So I'm currently using a 600 which works but is grossly underlit at something like 26wsf.. I considered led but to light that footprint was gonna set me back best part of a grand maybe more... So CMH? 315 kits are getting cheaper but if I wanted to light the tent properly would need 4 so again best part of a grand I don't have plus lots of heat to deal with etc... 630/945 kits can be had cheaper but I don't think penetration from a single source lamp like those is gonna be any better (or much better rather) than a single 315 and a single 630 would still be under lit... So while I'm looking around online and pulling my hair out I came across these... The ballast cost 19.95. The bulb is a 150w CMH and cost 8.99. I had to buy a G12 fitting and the cheapest way to do that was to buy 10 for 7.95 so 79p each. The power lead is just a plug on a wire, wiring it was two wires in and two wires out, push fits no screwing required.. A flick of the switch and wallah! We have light.. Now I know it works I plan to scale up. I'm not sure how many or what configuration to use yet, I may just put 4 around the existing 600.. not sure yet will have a think... One downside noted so far.. According to that ^^^ I'm gonna need to build an enclosed fixture on account of UV??? Maybe I can just switch them off when in the tent, I'll have to look into that... But anyways ballast 19.95+bulb 8.99 + G12 fitting 79p so you got a working digital (soft start/dimmable)150w CMH for under 30quid. oh and for a few quid more you can make it WiFi remote controlled/monitored too.. Hope someone else finds this useful too Atb dodge 11 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sasquatch Posted May 15, 2019 Share Posted May 15, 2019 Congrats on some first rate bodgery Dodgee, but nowhere on either bulb or ballast does it say CMH. The lamps specified are ordinary MH or SON. Cheap as chips though, at that price for the light output it's still worthwhile. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dodgee Posted May 15, 2019 Author Share Posted May 15, 2019 The vision website specifies the ballast runs cmh. (Phillips do a version called cosmos for streetlights these are designed to run those bulbs) I wasn't sure about the lamp either till I saw it. It's defo cmh mucka There's another bulb that's 942 for 10.80 available too, I'll order one on payday to compare. The pic is taken a few seconds after striking, it took a full minute n half to reach full output. I thought it was too good to be true as well 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nl5 Posted May 15, 2019 Share Posted May 15, 2019 (edited) Doesn’t look very bright? E2a I’ll read the whole post next time Edited May 15, 2019 by nl5 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dodgee Posted May 23, 2019 Author Share Posted May 23, 2019 So I butchered the bulb and connector on to a beat up old euro reflector I had lying about, the bulb looks tiny! I fired it up in the 80cm square veg tent for now, Looks bright enough to me. I'll get a few clones under there sharpish and see how she goes.. If I turns out to be a bag of wank I'm only 30quid in the hole 9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dodgee Posted May 23, 2019 Author Share Posted May 23, 2019 (edited) And mk2 in the pipeline... For micro/smaller growers I think these maybe a great cheap alternative to what's currently aimed at the horticultural market. There are bulbs called 830's which are 3000k rather than 4000/4200 as well.. Your not gonna pull huge yields without multiple lights but for the smaller grower yield is rarely the first consideration.. Anyways just putting it out there folks E2a those constant color bulbs can be bought UV shielded as well and still cost pennies compared to 315s/630/945s Edited May 23, 2019 by Dodgee 12 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
subwoofer Posted July 31, 2019 Share Posted July 31, 2019 Nice one Dodgee. Looks good, I'm trying to have a go at this as we speak. I haven't been on this site in ages. Just finished building my new veg cab and I'm sure this will light it up perfectly. Not having much luck though. I got the Philips ballast, the HID-PV C 150/I CDM. Got both colour g12 bulbs and a bulb holder. There doesn't seem to be any useful wiring diagrams on Philips website. There are 2 lots of 240V mains input for some reason (maybe just for daisy chaining a few together?), and it doesn't tell you which are live/neutral. Only the earths are marked. So far, I've blown 2 13A plug fuses, and fused the switch on my cooker socket trying to figure it out. I don't suppose any wiring gurus are around to help? Sub Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimboo Posted July 31, 2019 Share Posted July 31, 2019 post a couple of photos of the terminals and I'm sure someone can help you out mate Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
subwoofer Posted July 31, 2019 Share Posted July 31, 2019 I It's the same one Dodgee posted above Jimboo 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimboo Posted July 31, 2019 Share Posted July 31, 2019 (edited) I think we should summon @Dodgee mate , .............(.but my bet would be either the live or neutral should be on the other side of the earth ) don't try it mate it is just a guess . Edited July 31, 2019 by Jimboo 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dodgee Posted July 31, 2019 Author Share Posted July 31, 2019 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dodgee Posted July 31, 2019 Author Share Posted July 31, 2019 That's the diagram from Philips site. I've still not wired mine up yet. The other one is working fine and the Philips one still in the box. I'll have a look when I get home and see if I can work out what you done wrong. Bare with Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
subwoofer Posted July 31, 2019 Share Posted July 31, 2019 Thanks Dodgee. Looking at that diagram, it looks like I'm wired up correctly. I guess live and neutral don't mind which way around they go. Also looks like the earths are internally wired together on the diagram? This is really bugging me. Mostly because I have been into car audio for almost 25 years; I feel pretty confident with wiring. Made my own fan speed controller with 2A Variac etc etc I'll hold on for you to check yours out before I blow any more fuses mate, Sub Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
subwoofer Posted July 31, 2019 Share Posted July 31, 2019 OK, so I found a slightly different diagram for this HID-PV 150 C/I CDM It looks as though I need to wire an earth separately for the bulb possibly? Can I just link it to the spare earth point on the mains inputs you think, like my red line here: Sub Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimboo Posted July 31, 2019 Share Posted July 31, 2019 (edited) I think the earths terminals are linked internally mate. I don't think its a reason for it to blow fuses eta that earth point would be there incase you wanted to earth the shade imho Edited July 31, 2019 by Jimboo 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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