1000w or 600w + 250w for a 4x4?

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celticseas57

Well-Known Member
Hi,
I currently have a 600w mh/hps light with a cool tube and I am vegging 8 plants. This is for personal use as I wanted a variety so I could pack things away for a spell. I have a medical referral and I've been ill. The thing is my 600w doesn't feel all that hot, and it's new, which I find strange. I am using a 440cfm 6" fan to cool everything but I expected more heat. Anyway, I also have a 250w HPS with a built in ballast. So my options are either to hang the 250w along with the 600w, or sell everything and get a 1000w. I guess maybe I'm concerned about the hanging weight on a 4x4x7 tent as well; I'm not sure how much weight they'll support. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Cheers,
cs
 
Ekac

Ekac

New Member
If I were you I would just sell the 250w and buy another 600w, especially if you have no problems keeping the tent cool.

Are you using a dimmable ballast? what power setting do you have it at? could be why the bulb isn't running as hot.
 
Chem Dawg

Chem Dawg

New Member
I have the lumatek multiwatt ballast.. By switching the bulb and turning a switch I can run 600,750, or 1000w in my flower room.. I have the smaller one for my veg wich allows my to switch between 250 and 400 w.. I too have a 4x4x7 tent and I run my 1000w with no issues.. Granted my grow is in a cool basement.. But I've hade 2 600w lamps in my 4x4 with noooooo. Problem what so ever! Go multiwatt and you'll never go back!
 
C

celticseas57

Well-Known Member
Yes, I am using a dimmable, it's set all the way up. I never thought about buying another 600w, that would be 1200w in a 4x4x7.
 
C

celticseas57

Well-Known Member
How much weight can your 4x4 support? Could you hang a 250w with a ballast plus a cool tube, fan and filter?


Chem Dawg said:
I have the lumatek multiwatt ballast.. By switching the bulb and turning a switch I can run 600,750, or 1000w in my flower room.. I have the smaller one for my veg wich allows my to switch between 250 and 400 w.. I too have a 4x4x7 tent and I run my 1000w with no issues.. Granted my grow is in a cool basement.. But I've hade 2 600w lamps in my 4x4 with noooooo. Problem what so ever! Go multiwatt and you'll never go back!
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Ekac

Ekac

New Member
celticseas57 said:
Yes, I am using a dimmable, it's set all the way up. I never thought about buying another 600w, that would be 1200w in a 4x4x7.
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If you can get 2 600w's in there and still keep the heat down I would go for it. Have a 600w above each set of 4 plants,
 
Chem Dawg

Chem Dawg

New Member
celticseas57 said:
How much weight can your 4x4 support? Could you hang a 250w with a ballast plus a cool tube, fan and filter?
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Tbh I double scrub.. Filter hangs inside pulling air out through the fan and the into another filter.. So I only hang a filter inside.. My tent easily support that weight plus hood..
 
C

celticseas57

Well-Known Member
Ekac said:
If you can get 2 600w's in there and still keep the heat down I would go for it. Have a 600w above each set of 4 plants,
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No, I can't do that, my wife would be pissed. It's either going to have to be the 1000w or the 600w plus the 250w. And that may not work out so well as they're uneven in power, and the roof might fall in. Still it'd give me 850 total watts.
 
C

celticseas57

Well-Known Member
Chem Dawg said:
Tbh I double scrub.. Filter hangs inside pulling air out through the fan and the into another filter.. So I only hang a filter inside.. My tent easily support that weight plus hood..
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so it goes filter > light > Fan > Tent > Filter > into the air.....that's a good idea. I'll bet you no smell at all. How big is your fan?
 
Chem Dawg

Chem Dawg

New Member
celticseas57 said:
Yes, I am using a dimmable, it's set all the way up. I never thought about buying another 600w, that would be 1200w in a 4x4x7.
Click to expand...
The multiwatt ballast also has the dimmable feature but I never use it.. Burns out the lamps quicker.. But I do use the super lumen feature wich boost lumen output by 20%. And yeah man my 2 600w in that 4x4 was putting out more lumens then the sun on a clear summer day!! Lol .. But I never had heat issues.. Used a fan speed controller to adjust temps.. I could get anywhere from 60f to 90f by adjusting the dial.. If you can keep the temps down bro go for it....
 
Chem Dawg

Chem Dawg

New Member
celticseas57 said:
so it goes filter > light > Fan > Tent > Filter > into the air.....that's a good idea. I'll bet you no smell at all. How big is your fan?
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It goes filter ( inside tent )> hood > fan ( outside tent )> filter ( outside tent ).. My fan 500 CFM .. You will need one this size or larger with the double filter. No man no smell at all until I unzip the tent.. Lol
 
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celticseas57

Well-Known Member
Chem Dawg said:
It goes filter ( inside tent )> hood > fan ( outside tent )> filter ( outside tent ).. My fan 500 CFM .. You will need one this size or larger with the double filter. No man no smell at all until I unzip the tent.. Lol
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I think that's great!! Yeah I couldn't do that, but I would if I could because I don't like the smell much unless it's cut and dried. :-)
 
Ekac

Ekac

New Member
I mean if you can't get two 600w I would just use the one in your tent. I don't see the point in throwing the 250w in there.
Heat is all dependent on how efficiently you can control the temperature, so if you really want to run a 1000w you shouldn't have a problem.

I'd just sell the 250w if you don't need it and save the cash, as a grower there's always going to be more shit you'll want to buy lol.
 
Chem Dawg

Chem Dawg

New Member
celticseas57 said:
I read somewhere that a 1000w hps has a temp of 300 Celsius. That's seems damn hot for a 4x4.
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But as I stated my grow is in a cool basement that rarely gets above 60f.. I had the 2 600w in the 4x4 with no probs.. But honestly if I were you I'd just master the 600w you already have.. Once you get close a gram per watt then upgrade... The more light the better , yes.. But not if the light is being wasted !
 
C

celticseas57

Well-Known Member
Ekac said:
I mean if you can't get two 600w I would just use the one in your tent. I don't see the point in throwing the 250w in there.
Heat is all dependent on how efficiently you can control the temperature, so if you really want to run a 1000w you shouldn't have a problem.

I'd just sell the 250w if you don't need it and save the cash, as a grower there's always going to be more shit you'll want to buy lol.
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Yeah it's up on craigslist, you don't think the extra 250 would make a difference? Okay. I know what you mean, I see stuff I want all the time. I really enjoy doing this, reading about and watching them grow. It keeps my mind in a positive state.
 
Ekac

Ekac

New Member
celticseas57 said:
Yeah it's up on craigslist, you don't think the extra 250 would make a difference? Okay. I know what you mean, I see stuff I want all the time. I really enjoy doing this, reading about and watching them grow. It keeps my mind in a positive state.
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I mean if you were to grab the 1000w it would go directly in the middle, if you were to grab 2 600w's there would be one on each side.

I just don't see where you would put the 250w unless it's side by side with the 600w. Obviously if you put one on each side, one side is going to be getting less light.
 
C

celticseas57

Well-Known Member
Ekac said:
I mean if you were to grab the 1000w it would go directly in the middle, if you were to grab 2 600w's there would be one on each side.

I just don't see where you would put the 250w unless it's side by side with the 600w. Obviously if you put one on each side, one side is going to be getting less light.
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Lopsided, would that make them grow funny?
 
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