My dual bulb 630 cmh is vivosun. Got it on Amazon for about 220$. Havent had any problems with it at all. Used only one bulb for first couple weeks of veg, then put other bulb in to make it 630w. I love this thing! My experiences with different lights is very limited though. My buddy keeps telling me to put 1k hps in my 5x5 tent but I cant see how the heat would kill the plants or how I wouldnt be wasting money from oversaturating them with more light than the 6 plants in there could handle. I got 6 grandaddy purples in there now. Was going to go with 5, but figured I'll keep an extra in case something went wrong with one of them. Backfired in a great way tho as all are doing pretty damn good outside of newbie's experience level.
630W DE CMH - Anyone running these?
- Thread starter Renfro
- Start date
Dividedsky
Well-Known Member
5x5 is the exact footprint for a 1000hps. I used to run one in my 5x5 gorilla grow tent and did very well, it's definitely not overkill in that space dude. That being said, no point in getting one if you running a 630cmh in that space for flower, unless you want to get 2 lights going in bloom...you'd also need a bigger space with those 2 lights than a 5x5. Hps and a 630 cmh, you'd do very well in that case. But ya why switch to an 1000w hps when you already have the 630? You're going to save on electric and snot have the high temps you'd get with the 1000 especially with summer on it's way. Also from what I hear the dual bulb can out perform a 1000 hps, not 100% sure on that, but some of my friends have switched from their hps to cmh(they swear by their cmh)and aren't looking back.
Lucky Luke
Well-Known Member
The Hi - Par can be used remotely and comes with the cable for doing so. They do kits as well that come with all you need. https://www.hi-par-horticulture.com/630w-dynamic-de-control-kit Not inexpensive though.
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Lucky Luke
Well-Known Member
I don't think they will run properly in a HPS/MH ballast due to the difference in waves. In saying that im not tech enough to debate it.
Here is the difference in light from 600w HPS to 630DE CMH.(not a side by side test). Much more penetration.
Here is the difference in light from 600w HPS to 630DE CMH.(not a side by side test). Much more penetration.
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Serious question renfro:
Would a 1k hps on overdrive be about 1200w, versus a 600w cmh?
I know my mind is one sided when it comes to my cmh light. And I've admitted thst my experience with different lights is very limited.
That being said, it does look like your hps on overdrive is doing a slight bit better than the cmh.....although at 2x the watts?
Would a 1k hps on overdrive be about 1200w, versus a 600w cmh?
I know my mind is one sided when it comes to my cmh light. And I've admitted thst my experience with different lights is very limited.
That being said, it does look like your hps on overdrive is doing a slight bit better than the cmh.....although at 2x the watts?
Renfro
Well-Known Member
Yes 1200 watts. The HPS is doing better but with twice the watts.
The bulb I have was designed to be used in a HPS ballast (high frequency). https://growershouse.com/growers-choice-630w-de-double-ended-cmh-ceramic-mh-lamp-3100k
Renfro
Well-Known Member
It is my assumption based on what I have seen so far that a 600 watt CMH can do about what a 1000 watt HPS can do. Yes my HPS is doing better but it's running at 1200 watts. I think if the HPS was at 1000 watts they would be about equal. the HPS bulb does have a couple runs on it though.
Hey renfro, you like coco right? I need help with nutrient profile for after light flip this weekend. If I'm using the Canna a&b, Rhizotonic, Cannazym , and calmag+ for veg cycle this far, what profile do I need for bloom cycle? Just keep on with the same nutes and follow Canna recommendations? Cannaboost is ridiculously expensive for me in Alaska. Something like 78 a liter?
I picked up flower fuel with ratio 1-34-32, and Humboldt Sticky & Sweet to give it a try. Will those work as add ins? Do I need anything else?
I picked up flower fuel with ratio 1-34-32, and Humboldt Sticky & Sweet to give it a try. Will those work as add ins? Do I need anything else?
Renfro
Well-Known Member
I use peat based mix, Berger BM6 HP.
I have never used Canna nutes so I don't have any idea.
You should look at Jacks 3-2-1, there are some threads on it around here. That stuff is rocking, trying it for the first time. Major cost savings over the GH 3 part that I have been using for years. the Jacks Part A and Part B plus some monopotassium phosphate will cost a lot less, you aren't buying water and food coloring with a fancy label.
Lucky Luke
Well-Known Member
yea, ive heard of them but I thought 1/2 the point of CMH was using square wave ballasts.
I just tucked them back under the scrog today. trying to get the last of the filling in before this weekend. canopy is 4x4 in the 5x5 tent. Canopy scrog is at 28" from the floor. wish they couldve been taller but i will go with what i got this time. been in veg for longer than planned aleady. this weekend will be about 5 1/2 weeks. they should be taller. my own fault as a newb tho. still pretty tho. currently have 35 tops through the scrog that i have to push around everytime i see them. hoping for .75g per watt. id be ok with that for first grow.
Renfro
Well-Known Member
I am also testing some 1kW DE CMH bulbs for a manufacturer (not on the market yet). They run on a 1kW HPS ballast, high frequency.
As far as the square wave, I know some CMH setups are like that, some aren't. I suppose you need to see what the bulb wants??? I am still pretty new to the CMH lighting so I have limited experience to draw on.
Lucky Luke
Well-Known Member
The good ones are square wave, can normally tell by the Hz and the lamp life rating.
Lucky Luke
Well-Known Member
Not from a great source (maximum yield), but worth a quick perusal.
"CMH ballasts use square-wave technology. When you look at the graph on the back of the box your bulb is packaged in, notice the high peaks and low dips. The peaks are an indicator of energy pushing out of the bulb. T
he low dips indicate light trying to travel to the next peak. You can see this with your own eyes when you take photos and videos of your grow room. With most HID lights, you’ll see bands of light on your photos.
The bands of light are the peaks in the graph, and the spaces between them indicate the dips. With square-wave technology, there are fewer dips. A steadier beam of light is produced, which means your plants receive more light over their lives."
https://www.maximumyield.com/your-guide-to-ceramic-metal-halide-grow-lights/2/1462
"CMH ballasts use square-wave technology. When you look at the graph on the back of the box your bulb is packaged in, notice the high peaks and low dips. The peaks are an indicator of energy pushing out of the bulb. T
he low dips indicate light trying to travel to the next peak. You can see this with your own eyes when you take photos and videos of your grow room. With most HID lights, you’ll see bands of light on your photos.
The bands of light are the peaks in the graph, and the spaces between them indicate the dips. With square-wave technology, there are fewer dips. A steadier beam of light is produced, which means your plants receive more light over their lives."
https://www.maximumyield.com/your-guide-to-ceramic-metal-halide-grow-lights/2/1462
Use google searching "side by side grow. 630 CMH vs 1000 HPS". The first link that appears from another known growing forum will let you know how they compare 
. I tested a Lumatek CMH 630 DE for a short time. I was pleased with the coverage and intensity. In fact it's a very strong bulb, burned some tops at 60 cm distance. In my experience heat was a little bit more than a 600w HPS.
. I tested a Lumatek CMH 630 DE for a short time. I was pleased with the coverage and intensity. In fact it's a very strong bulb, burned some tops at 60 cm distance. In my experience heat was a little bit more than a 600w HPS.
Lucky Luke
Well-Known Member
Is that the 315 dual lamp (making 630w) SE Vs the air cooled 1000s on the Pineapple punch (from memory)? If so its a great thread but not a DE and he lost allot of light due to the 1000s running air cooled hoods.Use google searching "side by side grow. 630 CMH vs 1000 HPS". The first link that appears from another known growing forum will let you know how they compare
Heat on my 630DE is less than the 600w HPS I had.
Yeah, that is the thread I was talking about. My bad, thought test was done with DE bulb, not 2x315 CMH. Anecdotally, I replaced 1x600w HPS with a Lumatek DE CMH 630 in a previous grow and temps were a little bit higher after replacement. In this comparison test:https://growace.com/blog/ceramic-metal-halide-light-guide-review/ they found that 2x315 CMH raised temps a little bit higher than a 600w HPS. With this kind of kit they used for the CMH it seems logical to me. Still they did not use a 630 DE CMH so it's a little bit irrelevant to this thread and I apologize
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Lucky Luke
Well-Known Member
Was your ballast remote or on the fixture? Mines remote so that may be a factor, the HPS ballast was remote as well.Yeah, that is the thread I was talking about. My bad, thought test was done with DE bulb, not 2x315 CMH. Anecdotally, I replaced 1x600w HPS with a Lumatek DE CMH 630 in a previous grow and temps were a little bit higher after replacement. In this comparison test:https://growace.com/blog/ceramic-metal-halide-light-guide-review/ they found that 2x315 CMH raised temps a little bit higher than a 600w HPS. With this kind of kit they used for the CMH it seems logical to me. Still they did not use a 630 DE CMH so it's a little bit irrelevant to this thread and I apologize
From that link you supplied.
"One watt from a grow light creates four British Thermal Units (BTUs) of heat that need to be cooled. So in comparison, one 600w HPS grow light puts off 2,400 BTU ’s whereas one 315 W CMH grow light puts off only 1,260 BTU’s, which is almost less than half the HPS light. "
"CMH is the best lighting possible for in-home growing. They’re efficient, run cooler than HPS or Double Ended bulbs, and with all the benefits of the new and long-time growers alike can’t go wrong."