First Grow Prep Questions

[i.play.4.keep]

Helloooo!

I germinated two seeds by paper towel method and I had a few questions in regards to electrical with the size of my grow space.

I'm using 6500K CFL's for vegging and i have a 250w HPS bulb i plan to use for flower. The dimensions of my grow box are: 28"x23"x10.75". It's basically a small video cabinet if you can imagine one. I'm using soil and i hope to use the ScrOG method to maximize my yield from sucha small space.

Like i said, i have the 250W bulb, but what are my options as far as getting electricity to it? I've seen sockets with a cord coming out of it at my local hydro store that look like they would fit my bulb. If i bought that socket i could just hang the hps directly downward, and with the entire interior mylared it should be fine.

Will i need a ballast for that 250W bulb? I have an air cooled hood, but i didnt think for only 250W you would need a full on digital ballast and all that. I didnt think it required that much power?

I would like to avoid having to have a huge ballast and hood, if possible.

The overall theme is, what are my options? Any help will be greatly appreciated thank you!!!

 

[billmoe93]

Seems like a big light for a small box. Make sure you got great ventilation. HPSs let off a decent amount of heat. I couldnt use my 400w hps in a pretty big walk in closet unless I made my own system for venting just the light.

Heres an answer about ballasts from yahoo.answers.

"No, any bulb normally used with a ballast (including HPS and MH) will do one of two things if screwed in a socket directly on the line: 1) It won't start or 2) It will barely start then explode in a dead short. Both of these bulbs and others with ballasts work by making a plasma in an evacuated tube. The plasma normally requires a high voltage to trigger its start then it needs limitation of the current because a generated plasma is eventually a dead short. The ballast generates the high voltage, then cuts out the starting circuit and chokes the current."

Pretty sure if you use the HPS you are going to want to use a ballast. Check out the DIY section of the grow forum. There is a lot of electrical stuff in there that could be very useful to you. Just be careful and make sure you know what your doing.

As far as options on a box that size, dont underestimate CFLs through the entire grow. I see heat as your biggest problem in a small box like that.

If you got the dough you might want to look into LEDs but shopping for those can be a headache and the high end models seem to hold the most promise. Id check the grow journals to see what LEDs are being used and what the user is saying about them if you decide on LEDs.

If you are deadset on using the bulb you have. You could get a enclosed reflector with a glass insert and run ventilation through the light to keep the grow box cool. Im lit so im probably overlooking some options, but hope this will get you started.

 

[i.play.4.keep]

Thanks Bill!

I just ran across that 150w setup for $70 from htgsupply and i might just sell off the equipment i have to get one of those. It seems it would be a better decision for this box. With a 150w would you expect the same issue?

 

[billmoe93]

Too be honest I haven't seen a 150w in use so I cant really tell you how much heat is generated. Just with a box that small there isn't much space so things will heat up quickly.

The issues I see with a box that small.

Accounting for the height of the lamp as well as the pot and the plant. With HPS you have too keep some distance between the plant and the light or you will scorch the new growing tips as they emerge.

Also when you switch to flower you have to account for stretch in the plant. Both of these these things take away from maximum height you can grow your plant. You do not want to run out of height.

What kind of fixture are using to power the 6500ks? Have you thought of just buying redder bulbs for when you flower? I recently completed a full grow using nothing but 23w mogul socket bulbs and results outweighed expectations.

 

[i.play.4.keep]

I had considered it, but i wasnt sure if the results would be worth the time. I've heard mixed results. I'll definitely be mounting some sockets along the sides for CFL's tho. For now and thru vegging I'll just wing it on a fixture for the couple lights i need. I tried using Y-splitters but i didnt have any success perhaps i missed a step? Do you have any insight on this?

 

[billmoe93]

Y splitters like 2 bulbs for 1 socket? I used them with success for lower and side lighting.

What problem were you having with them?

 

[i.play.4.keep]

I plugged the y splitter into a regular metal back spotlight type fixture with the clamp back like we see so often. And only 1 bulb lit up.

 

[billmoe93]

Well that sucks, faulty splitter maybe? Refund/Exchange it? If you can get some splitters that work they are nice to have. Ive plugged splitters into splitters and made chandeliers , just got to know the max wattage of your splitters or you can run fire hazard risks.

 

[i.play.4.keep]

I thought maybe i was just dumb. When using a splitter is there typically an adapter that plugs into the socket an then you plug the y-splitter into that adapter? Ill try different splitters tho ill go grab a couple today. I thought maybe i was just stupid and couldnt figure out how to work them things.

 

[billmoe93]

No adapter necessary. Either you got a faulty bulb or faulty splitter.