Underground Scientist

Well-Known Member
do you know of any cheaper ballast systems? this one seems pretty over engineered for what i need.
I saw much cheaper ones on CA eBay. $170ca shipped for a hydro crunch ballast conversion kit, but the hoods would be pricey. They have the Nanolux unit on there you've mentioned, that comes with the Maxpar bulb for $395ca shipped. On a budget, that's probably the best deal. Sun Systems LEC vert hood only is about $290ca on CA Amazon. I'm not sure how I'd feel about the hydrocrunch ballast...could have the Phillips bulb issue. Too bad the Prism ballasts are about 300 over there. I did see a deal on a pre owned phantom on eBay though. Hope that helps!
 

hybridway2

Amare Shill
This is the advert I saw here.
Hortrilux just released their DE CMH's & already there's these guys.
https://www.sunplix.com/product-category/fixtures/
Their prices to sell, that's for sure. Not to sure about the rest.
Square wave. IR dimmer function available.
1000w & 630 DE. 315 & 630 bulbs.
Is it just me or does their spectrums look different then regular Philips bulbs?
 
I got my 315 from that vendor. Mine is the vertical bulb design in a hood and i upgraded to the phillips 3k bulb. It works great. Make sure you get UV protecting shades to wear around it they are really bad for your vision.
from growlights.ca? there has been a few 315's posted in here, might just use my ski goggles haha
 

hybridway2

Amare Shill
I got my 315 from that vendor. Mine is the vertical bulb design in a hood and i upgraded to the phillips 3k bulb. It works great. Make sure you get UV protecting shades to wear around it they are really bad for your vision.
The SunPlix vendor?
I like what I see from them.
 

remington_tuff_lipz

Active Member
I was talking too a guy at growlights.ca.They have the silverstar
I got my 315 from that vendor. Mine is the vertical bulb design in a hood and i upgraded to the phillips 3k bulb. It works great. Make sure you get UV protecting shades to wear around it they are really bad for your vision.
I am seriously thinking about a sun system 315 vert or this silverstar..The silverstar looks like quality,claims made in canada,lfsw ballast,ir dimming w/optional $10 remote,vertical bulb placement,Phillips bulb upgrade.The price is competitive.You are happy with the silverstar ?
How many grows have you got with that light?

I have a 4'x2' I would be putting this light in....is a single 315 vertical reflector gonna be enuff for coverage.I will have 2 plants in the tent?

Thanks and have a great day
 
Last edited:

gwheels

Well-Known Member
I was talking too a guy at growlights.ca.They have the silverstar


I am seriously thinking about a sun system 315 vert or this silverstar..The silverstar looks like quality,claims made in canada,lfsw ballast,ir dimming w/optional $10 remote,vertical bulb placement,Phillips bulb upgrade.The price is competitive.You are happy with the silverstar ?
How many grows have you got with that light?

I have a 4'x2' I would be putting this light in....is a single 315 vertical reflector gonna be enuff for coverage.I will have 2 plants in the tent?

Thanks and have a great day
Growlights canada is where i got mine. Prices have come down. I use mine in a 4 x 4 but i like space for stuff (reservoir and fans etc). I think it is 3 x 3 ish coverage. But I am just a hobbyist. I got the cheapest one they had. I think the silverstar is prettier

I am on my 2nd grow with the CMH. So far so good

The problem with a dimmer on a CMH is you are not going to get full spectrum from the light. I believe the heat at full power is what activates the salts within the bulb to give you the full CMH spectrum with the UVB etc.

And upgrade to the phillips bulb. I use the 3100 and I have no complaints. I might get a 4100 after tax time so i can switch at flower to see what it does. :D But the 3100 does it all.
 
Last edited:

hybridway2

Amare Shill
Hi !
Could you tell us about your lights?
How are you getting that full spectrum in this pic provided on your site? image.jpgAlso, the spectral charts above in your post? Are those 31k & 41k?
Is there a difference in the spectrum the DE has from the bulb?
What's the lamp efficiency when on full power?
Do you have PPFD mapping charts available to share yet?
Some say they like the footprint in the vertical bulbs better then horizontal, what's your opinion on that?
Are you using Pholips bulbs & are there CMH bulbs available in different spectrums or maybe different companies have varrying 31 & 41k's that are a bit different then the next? Like a 5k would be sweet if they made it seeing how it's the closest to the sun.
Does each fixture come w/ a dimmer or is it only IR dimmers?
I'd like to have one in my room, do Par mapping followed by a grow w/ it. I'm sure the growers/members here would like to see what your lights can do as far as output data & growing a nice wide single plant. Maxing out both the light & plants potential & ability.
It's nice to see data coming from an unbiased grower & results to follow.
 
Growlights canada is where i got mine. Prices have come down. I use mine in a 4 x 4 but i like space for stuff (reservoir and fans etc). I think it is 3 x 3 ish coverage. But I am just a hobbyist. I got the cheapest one they had. I think the silverstar is prettier

I am on my 2nd grow with the CMH. So far so good

The problem with a dimmer on a CMH is you are not going to get full spectrum from the light. I believe the heat at full power is what activates the salts within the bulb to give you the full CMH spectrum with the UVB etc.

And upgrade to the phillips bulb. I use the 3100 and I have no complaints. I might get a 4100 after tax time so i can switch at flower to see what it does. :D But the 3100 does it all.
is the ballast loud from growlights canada??
 

gwheels

Well-Known Member
Seriously you will not regret a 315 CMH. It may not fill a 4 x 4 but it is more than enough for me even with edibles. The sunplix look great but I trip over heat when i turn on a 200 watt vero cob with the 315 CMH. I am trying to draw the least amps with the grow and the 315 alone with filters fans etc is about as low as I would go (total amperage is 4.5 amps with my present setup).
I could run it on a 10 amp circuit (It is on a 15 atm)

I really think a 315 CMH in a 3 x 3 tent is perfection. As long as the heat of the tent is managable. If not you are better off with a timber fixture. Where I live the cost of running a portable AC unit is not worth it. It also adds considerably to the amperage draw on the circuit. Many exceed the wattage of your light.
 
Last edited:
Top