CMH Choice

[GreenVision]

Hi again, I've not bought a CMH for around 6 years or more now, there's a fair bit more choice than there was then.

 

Would be great to get some advice / pointers on which ones come out on top.

 

I'm a fan of Lumatek, and I've had my eye on theirs for a little while, they have an AIO or the Ballast & Reflector set, both look pretty solid and I know Lumatek have a standard.

 

 

My main buying point is reliability. I want a light that's built solid and safe, price isn't much different across the board from what I'm seeing so budget isn't something I care too much about. Safety has always been my main focus when setting up a grow area so I want something I can rest easy knowing its going to last and do so safely. 

 

I'll be having 6 of these by the looks of things, plus after years of buying everything the grow shop sells I want something I can use for the next few years at the very least. Desert Island CMH kinda' thing.

 

 

Anything CMH ballast or light related anyone can throw me would be great reading.

 

Thanks.

[KC]

Hey man  

 

I bought a CMH for my veg tent a few years ago, I don't know why I bothered really as a normal MH would have been fine and I already have ballasts that can run those but it's done now! Mine is the Maxibright Daylight 315w. It's been faultless so far. (It's not dimmable btw)

For bulbs I've always been fussy and like to buy what I'd think of as a branded one, for CMH I wouldn't look anywhere but Phillips myself. Saying that, they are £100 a pop.

 

I'll ask before someone else does, but why on earth do you want 6 cmhs??? You've heard of l.e.d right? 

[GreenVision]

Hi ya mate, yh I was using Lumatek Zeus 600w Pro's for the last 3 years, Was using LED's when all we could get was HLG Q'Boards. 

 

To be blunt after years of experience I have come to the conclusion that for me LED cant give what HID lighting does. About a year ago I went back to my 1000w Dimlux and two 315w CMH units after countless small issues with my LED grows, bottom line is I wont be going back to LED any time soon. It's not a question of one being better, just that HID, in particular CMH, works best for me personally.

 

 

But that said the Maxibright is on the current shortlist 

[KC]

It's funny you say that as I'm using HLG q'boards  

 

Fair play mate, I've noticed over the years on here what works for one doesn't for another, it really isn't one fit for all is it.

 

[GreenVision]

No it isn't mate, they all grow good bud in the right hands for sure, for me its simply that the CMH have given me the best results over all I've had in many moons of growing. 

 

God as my witness I've spent hours over the past few years scratching my head trying to figure out WHY the LED's don't perform as well, but when I use CMH I have no issues what so ever, so its a no brainer.

 

 

But yes try I did  

 

[stu914]

@GreenVision

 

What issues did you have with leds GV? More curious than anything because I made the switch from HPS/CMH some years ago

and although I had one or two problems at the start but once dialled in I hit my best gpw ever with quality to match.

Edited May 11, 2023 by stu914

[purepotstill]

I have a Lumatek 315CMH with the dimmable ballast. It's solid gear, no problem so far.

[catweazle1]

I look at cmh as LED with heat. I have a dimmable Lumatek.  After 3 years with it, it will always be part of my setup when I need atmospheric warmth, mainly in the colder times. The dimmable nature of the Lumatek ballast and bulb seems to have zero effect on growth quality once you understand what each level is suitable for.  The only downside I found is having the bulbs delivered... they break too easily. Someone mentioned MH as alternative... bulb life is hundreds of hours, not thousands. 

 

Edited May 11, 2023 by catweazle1

[GreenVision]

12 hours ago, stu914 said:

@GreenVision

 

What issues did you have with leds GV? More curious than anything because I made the switch from HPS/CMH some years ago

and although I had one or two problems at the start but once dialled in I hit my best gpw ever with quality to match.

 

Morning matey.

 

The troubles are minor but things that are very easily rectified with CMH for my type of growing, a light that has all the benefits of LED's spectrum etc.

 

 

[GreenVision]

11 hours ago, purepotstill said:

I have a Lumatek 315CMH with the dimmable ballast. It's solid gear, no problem so far.

 

8 hours ago, catweazle1 said:

I look at cmh as LED with heat. I have a dimmable Lumatek.  After 3 years with it, it will always be part of my setup when I need atmospheric warmth, mainly in the colder times. The dimmable nature of the Lumatek ballast and bulb seems to have zero effect on growth quality once you understand what each level is suitable for.  The only downside I found is having the bulbs delivered... they break too easily. Someone mentioned MH as alternative... bulb life is hundreds of hours, not thousands. 

 

 

Really good to know guys, as I said its top of the list atm. Always liked Lumatek, I still have and from time to time use my old Lumatek 400w and 600w HPS ballasts from maybe 8 years back, and their LED's did me proud when I used them. 

 

Catweazle1 your 100% right there mate, so much easier to turn a fan controller up 10% than it is to add 2000w of heating. One of the few reasons for the switch.

[LK1]

Hello GV, i'd be interested to know more about the problems you had with LED. Everyone seems to rave about the lumatek zeus's

[purepotstill]

16 hours ago, catweazle1 said:

I look at cmh as LED with heat. I have a dimmable Lumatek.  After 3 years with it, it will always be part of my setup when I need atmospheric warmth, mainly in the colder times.

 

Yeah. Just bought a LED quantum board because my grow is late and I'll have to cope with hot temps soon, but for now I keep the CMH for the extra heat.

[Pot of soil]

Must say I too seem to get better results running the cmh alongside the leds but dimmed down, compared to just running the leds on there own dimmed up

 

ill be able to double confirm that as we move into summer I expect 

[GreenVision]

6 hours ago, LK1 said:

Hello GV, i'd be interested to know more about the problems you had with LED. Everyone seems to rave about the lumatek zeus's

 

Hi mate, nothing wrong with LED's for growing what so ever. I have had a few minor issues but nothing that any else need be concerned with, just things that my personal growing methods etc struggle with whilst using LED as my lighting.

 

But in gerenral LED's have given me some fantastic buds ove rthe last 5 years.