HPS users... Help! (Please), and a few other concerns...

xesvuli420 said:

how about LED's?

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jrk152 said:

A HPS bulb is not 6500K, more like in the 2000s. 6500K light would look more bluish (like early mornings) while HPS is always a yellow/orange colour.

As for your dilemma xesvuli420, I'm currently running a closed closet grow around the same dimensions as yours with a 250w running 24/7 only a foot away from my plants (which are delicate seedlings btw, and are thriving). Ventilation consists only of one 20cm desk fan running 24/7 keeping temperatures between 78-85 (they usually drop a couple degrees when I open the closet to tend to them for a couple minutes at a time). I even have two 65w CFLs about an inch away from the seedlings in addition to the 250w lamp. I know there are posts in this thread advising against the use of a HPS in a small grow area like ours but so far my problems have been more with humidity (very low 20-30%) than with heat. Then again outdoor temps aren't too hot at around 50-75.

Unless you live in a particularily hot location, a 250w shouldn't be too hard to keep temps in check. 400w would be a different question.

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xesvuli420 said:

I know this is a lengthy post, but I wanted it to thorough as possible to avoid confusion.

Normally the web is a useful tool,, but in this case the more I search the more I get frustrated. I would like to know by experience the truth about HPS lights. .. Energy usage, heat, noise, ect.
F.Y.I. - I will be using 1 light for 12 hours daily.

My Flowering room is about 18 inches front to back, 33 inches wide, and 6.5 feet tall. It is enclosed with no option of ventilation besides occasionally opening the door. I need to keep it as quiet as possible!!!
***Can a HPS setup be quiet?***

For these reasons, It seems that the 250watt HPS, is about as big as I can go, or I will just have to flower with fluorescents. I will have a fan circulating the air.

I searched Google and have read (in forums and articles) different opinions on these HPS lights.

Some say that a 250w HPS light WON'T even really show up on an electric bill. Some say It WILL raise your bill and by about 15.00-30.00 dollars. I've even seen people who swear that a 400w raised their power bill from 60.00, all the way to 100.00 dollars. This site says it will go up by about 10.00-13.00 dollars (I picked something that used close to 250W)
http://michaelbluejay.com/electricity/howmuch.html

***Funny note- When I was buying my supplies from a garden center, I asked a guy where I could find water pumps, he looked in my buggy and saw the hoses, fluorescent lights, and other irrigation supplies and said "You ain't going to get no good weed from that light" LMAO, I just smiled and said I know, I'm getting a HPS light as well. Long story short, he told me to call my power company and inform them I had bought a deep freezer, because the HPS would raise the power bill about 30-60 dollars, and I should inform them so I don't get flagged.

I don't mind increasing my power bill a little.I also plan on cutting back on my stand alone air conditioner, surround sound, and a few other things to help keep it in control but I can't go more than around 15.00 dollars!!!

When I do make a decision, If I go with the HPS, then I plan to "stage it in" meaning run it for about 5 hours a day the rest of this month, 7 hours a day all next month, then finally 12 hours a day the next month (hopefully have it staged in before I need it)
***I think this is a good idea...***

So in case you forgot what all I'm asking...
1.Can a HPS light be quiet
2.Will a 250w HPS be ok for about 4-6 plants
3.Whats the FACTS on cost
***If you need any more details just ask,

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