240w cfl vs 240w hps

jayme001

Well-Known Member
hi all, i have previous cfl growing experience. how much better is it to use a hps setup. i can normally yield 8oz from 4 plants in a hydro pebble setup. does anyone know how much more yield i could expect from the same setup and growing conditions but using a hps 240w light instead of the usual cfl i use.
 

monkeybones

Well-Known Member
An HPS will yield you 2-3 times as much as similar wattage CFLs
that isn't necessarily true. it depends on how well you are trapping in the light

if nothing at all is wasted, i.e. every bit of light makes it to a leaf, then it doesn't matter if the light is coming from a HID or a candle

watts are watts. energy is energy

the benefit of HIDs is their penetration

plants typically do better under them simply because it is ALMOST impossible to get 100% usage out of your CFLs

the light from them is too flimsy to penetrate anything
 

Warlock1369

Well-Known Member
If you can keep temps in check and don't mess up on nutes. And don't stress them out. You can get over a L. But gonna say your going to get 8-16 zips. It all depends on how you grow. But the light will help
 

PJ Diaz

Well-Known Member
that isn't necessarily true. it depends on how well you are trapping in the light

if nothing at all is wasted, i.e. every bit of light makes it to a leaf, then it doesn't matter if the light is coming from a HID or a candle

watts are watts. energy is energy

the benefit of HIDs is their penetration

plants typically do better under them simply because it is ALMOST impossible to get 100% usage out of your CFLs

the light from them is too flimsy to penetrate anything

This is totally wrong. Stop spreading misinformation.

True, watts are watts -- however you don't measure light output in watts. You measure in in lumens, lux, or footcandles.

The simple facts is that different light sources have different levels of efficiency.
The energy (wattage) is used by the specific lighting instrument in two ways:
1: light output
2: heat

I less efficient instrument or lamp (like a cfl) will emit less light and more heat than a more efficient HID type light.

A 250w cfl will produce an average of 12,000 lumens, while a 250w HPS will produce around 28,000 lumens. My math says that's more than twice as bright for the same wattage.
 

jayme001

Well-Known Member
so with all things equal etc, if i go from 12,000 to 28,000 lumens. If i get 2 oz per plant under cfls maybe 2.5 to 3 oz could be possible
 

smokinrav

Well-Known Member
An HPS is an easy way for a new or newer grower to drastically increase yields over CFLs. Can we agree on that?
 

RollupRick

Active Member
My CFL use includes 4 x 125w CFL bulbs, each giving off around 8,000 lumens. That means a total of 32,000 potential lumens, split across 4 seperate sources of light. Combined with ability to get a lot closer to the canopy, its possible to get fantastic results. Most of the people with poor results from CFL's seem to use tiny generic household bulbs. You want the big ones, in the right spectrum. And theres no way CFL's are hotter than HIDs. One of the main selling points of CFL's is their low temperature compared to HIDs. 500w of CFL puts out about 32,000 lumens, similar MH about 10,000 more. So if you use the CFL's advantages (low temp, portability) you can sew the gaps so to speak.

My setup is getting a 400w metal halide light, for a ScrOG, that being the main top light, but each 4 corners of the mesh will have a 125w CFL as well. To me the most efficient way is to use the benefits of each light, to the maximum advantage. Why does it have to be one or the other?
 

smokinrav

Well-Known Member
600 watts of cfls and a 400 mh. You think that would outyield a 1000 HPS using the same power? Anyone seriously think that?

The right grower with the right strain can regularly nail 2 lbs every 2 months with a 1000 HPS. I mean, come on.
 

billybob420

Well-Known Member
I'm surprised people even argue about this still. watt to watt HID>CFL any god damn day. Fuck heat, get a fan.
 

RollupRick

Active Member
600 watts of cfls and a 400 mh. You think that would outyield a 1000 HPS using the same power? Anyone seriously think that?
The 1000 hps will kick ass, but if you don't get it close to the canopy, 1000w made up of multiple types of light positioned close/more efficiently could produce the same results.
 

RollupRick

Active Member
lol, my addition sucks, it's 900 watts. But none of you called me on it first. Ha!
125w x 4 = 500w, nice save, but I didn't notice, BUT, more importantly, I might have noticed and still couldn't manage to really give much of a fuck, LMAO, sorry, just looking for an excuse to use this image I found:

 

jayme001

Well-Known Member
i have only grown atm under a cfl 240w with some outstanding results. but have recently got a 240w sodium to find out if results are different. Hopefully there is a difference in the final outcome to justify the extra purchase and electric cost.
 

RollupRick

Active Member
There will be a noticable different absolutely, as long as you adjust the height of the light to the best position as they grow etc. Any light is only as efficient as we allow it to be.
 

DrGreener

New Member
The 1000 hps will kick ass, but if you don't get it close to the canopy, 1000w made up of multiple types of light positioned close/more efficiently could produce the same results.
well i will chime in as of last few years i noticed CFL growers are doing pretty dam good trying to compare 600 watts of cfl's to a 600 watt hid or 1000 hid is plain crazy a 1000 hid can be 24" away from canopy and still have litterally 100 percent efficiency thats the thing with 1000's it gots a shit load of penetrating power so you don;t need a 1000 to be close to a canopy for it to produce BIG YIELDS secondly you here that you can't get a 1000 close to a canopy again i beg to differ with proper wind movement in a grow room you can place 1000's like 13 - 16" above tops again having them this close isn't going to give you better yields being a 1000 watt hid starts to lose lumen penetrating power @ around 24" from tops and up
and 600's will start losing par around 20" from canopy 600 will faster luminous by every inch further from tops as it goes away
 
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