Don't waste money on double ended lights

[Third Coast Cultivators]

So, I usually ask for advice on here, today I thought I would post something helpful for others. I don't see the value in double ended lights. They offer an increased PAR value, but force you to stay farther from the canopy, working to negate the increase in PAR right? They are more efficient, costing less to run, but they are hotter. So how much of the efficiency is negated by increased AC requirements? When you do the equation, I think they still save money, but not as much as advertised, because of the heat they produce. You don't lose intensity as fast, but considering the heat and extra AC cost, before the over priced bulb pays for itself in electricity savings, it's life is over, and you have to invest in a new bulb. In terms of quality products, electrical savings don't equal higher production, most of the time. And I bet these bulbs do result in a small savings, but not enough to justify the problems they have. Hope this can help someone...

 

[Kingrow1]

just like the fact that they light from both sides meaning a more even spread.

No idea what your on about, aint that exspensive.

 

[Third Coast Cultivators]

just like the fact that they light from both sides meaning a more even spread.

No idea what your on about, aint that exspensive.

Thats a good point, the uniformity of light distribution, but I can get a more even spread in my single ended bulbs if I wanted to raise them higher in the canopy right? I think I can get more production out of my air cooled single ended bulbs directly on top of plants than I can get with a double ended bulb 18 inches away. i don't know this is the logic I have used for a long time, if I am wrong please enlighten me brother. I have been doing this for 20 years, and some of the habits and process I have is 20 years old and may be able to use updating. When something works well we repeat it, and that compliance will stifle innovation. So help me out brother. Other than light distribution, what else do you like about them? Are you using them right now?

 

[hotrodharley]

https://growershouse.com/ac-de-8inch-double-ended-air-cooled-reflector

Buy one. This will make you change your mind. I can get the tops about 6" from the glass.

 

[Third Coast Cultivators]

https://growershouse.com/ac-de-8inch-double-ended-air-cooled-reflector

Buy one. This will make you change your mind. I can get the tops about 6" from the glass.

Thanks for the tip! I run experiments a lot of times in the room to compare things, I'm gonna make trying one of these a back burner project. Thanks brother. So are you running them now? If I went with 6 to 8 of them, how much more BTU of AC would I need?

 

[hotrodharley]

Thanks for the tip! I run experiments a lot of times in the room to compare things, I'm gonna make trying one of these a back burner project. Thanks brother. So are you running them now? If I went with 6 to 8 of them, how much more BTU of AC would I need?

Bought one this summer. Can't believe the difference. It's really worth the money.

 

[Kingrow1]

Im a small grower, my house is regulated to human habitable levels and that keeps me and my plants sweet all year long. I just run some extraction and that refreshes my tent before heat can build.

Air cooled or bare bulb, same thing to me, glass wont shield you from heat, stand in a window on a sunny day

 

[xtsho]

You make a post saying not to waste money on lighting that will improve your grow but in another post you go on and on about pushing some overpriced nutrient as if without it you can't grow good plants. http://www.rollitup.org/t/advanced-nutrients-users.972680/#post-14442426

Too funny.

 

[Farmer.J]

https://growershouse.com/ac-de-8inch-double-ended-air-cooled-reflector

Buy one. This will make you change your mind. I can get the tops about 6" from the glass.

Don't air cooled fixtures change the spectrum of the bulb?

 

[xtsho]

Don't air cooled fixtures change the spectrum of the bulb?

The glass changes the light but only minimally.

"For most glasses with a refractive index of 1.5, reflection losses at the surface result in an approximate 4% decrease in light intensity."
http://www.koppglass.com/blog/optical-properties-of-glass-how-light-and-glass-interact/

 

[hotrodharley]

Im a small grower, my house is regulated to human habitable levels and that keeps me and my plants sweet all year long. I just run some extraction and that refreshes my tent before heat can build.

Air cooled or bare bulb, same thing to me, glass wont shield you from heat, stand in a window on a sunny day

It's not the glass protecting. It contains most of the heat so the fan can move it on. Drawback is it's mounted solid. Solution is milk crates or whatever.

Edit add: I still run my normal air exchange in the tent. It just makes temperatures at the canopy much more manageable.

 

[hotrodharley]

Don't air cooled fixtures change the spectrum of the bulb?

Depends on the glass whether it blocks UV partially or not at all.

I know i got some buds off a Bowser 24 after I got this that are rock hard. Or were. Gone fast!

 

[apollo4201982]

https://growershouse.com/ac-de-8inch-double-ended-air-cooled-reflector

Buy one. This will make you change your mind. I can get the tops about 6" from the glass.

I thought i read that air cooling a de bulb was bad for the bulb? Something about the bulb doesnt get to full temp so you lose some of the added spectum...

 

[hotrodharley]

I thought i read that air cooling a de bulb was bad for the bulb? Something about the bulb doesnt get to full temp so you lose some of the added spectum...

Read about this hood. It cools between layers. Not the bulb.

These are expensive no doubt. American made in Washington . Heavy and heavy duty.

I don't know anything about any other brand.

 

[Farmer.J]

Depends on the glass whether it blocks UV partially or not at all.

I know i got some buds off a Bowser 24 after I got this that are rock hard. Or were. Gone fast!

Ok thanks for the info, I was turned off of sehps cool tubes a long time ago because someone told me air cooling bulbs weaken their spectrum quality.

 

[xtsho]

Ok thanks for the info, I was turned off of sehps cool tubes a long time ago because someone told me air cooling bulbs weaken their spectrum quality.

 

[Dynamo626]

Ok thanks for the info, I was turned off of sehps cool tubes a long time ago because someone told me air cooling bulbs weaken their spectrum quality.

Depends on how the ac fixture is constructed. Cheep ones run the air directly over the lamp. Good ones chanel the air around the lamp.

Will also say this. Large scale licensed facilities like every other large scale industry monoters everything down to the penny and do everything possable to make the most profit possable. If florecents made them the most money guess what they would use? If single ended 600 waters made them the most would they use it. They use 1000w de because it is better when it comes to there profit.

 

[Tangerine_]

Wait a sec? The OP has zero experience using DE lights but is offering advice to "help others"?

 

[Kingrow1]

It's not the glass protecting. It contains most of the heat so the fan can move it on. Drawback is it's mounted solid. Solution is milk crates or whatever.

Edit add: I still run my normal air exchange in the tent. It just makes temperatures at the canopy much more manageable.

The heat the air cooled fixture holds is easily extracted through the main extractor if using bare bulb style, it is a slight misconception that air cooled fixtures actually work better than bare bulb.

Many dispute but i am an air cooled grower thats now only barebulb because they arent needed let alone work.

Why is my version of heat so different to the rest of the site or ate you lot just growers that got here after the bulk of riu got deleted by led noobs and legal fly by nighters? Dont bother answering lest i get trolled till your right and im trash....!

Seriously though i did attent physivs and riu when more scientific peeps layed it down like the physics i mentioned i attended.

 

[Kingrow1]

Ok thanks for the info, I was turned off of sehps cool tubes a long time ago because someone told me air cooling bulbs weaken their spectrum quality.

Unlike led noob stuff info hps spectrum even if weakened (by which im not sure what you mean by weakened) will still be good as the spectrum is pretty wide to start with.

Actually if we delete ppfd led data we actually see hps has quite a kick ass spectrum, much better than led diodes which have trouble keeping spectrum over short distances.

Single vs multi light point stuff science dictates but leds replaced with just pure ppfd rubbish.