To cool, or not to cool; that is the question

Hi All!

After having received my cool tube in the post yesterday, smashed, I am now wondering whether I need to air cool my little 150w HID at all. The dimensions of the space are 49x43x125, and the space has 2 passive intakes and is venting through a filter and 125mm inline fan.

I was thinking about switching to envirolites, but I got a 150w HID so cheap from DIY store, that I feel I should use it. I just need a reflector now.

Could any 150w users let me know how hot the little devils get? I only have experience with 400w+.

Thanks for any ideas on the 150 watter...Gutted about my cooltube, but acutally, I don't think it would have fit anyway (diagonal is 68cm).

My 1st lamp was a 250 hps and I really never had any heat issues, I used a pretty good size room with it.

The dimensions I gave are in centimeter. This is a very small space, with 1 DWC bubbler under scrog.

give it a shot without it, but I think you already answered your question, If you bought the cooltube your already expecting to have heat issues. I seen a great link using the hurricane glass found in hobby stores. It is in the FAQ section if your looking for a design. So my vote is to cool.

Whether to cool is dictated by your trusty thermometer. If your temps are markedly higher than the low 80's, you need to cool.

nice one guys, looks like I'm gonna cool. Hopefully got a used bake a round coming from someone in the uk...We shall see..otherwise, I got a glass blower who can make it for me. it might not be much cheaper than buying a cooltube, but it will be perfectly fit to my space...Hoorah!

I was thinking about envirolites, but 150w HID is surely so much better, and cooled i can get it really close to the tops...any idea of the minimum distance with 150w aircooled sodium bulb?

It sounds like you have decent venting so i reckon heat should not be an issue without a cooltube.

So, after receiving my cool tube, smashed in th epost, I pored over what to do about lighting my tiny grow cab.

I decided, as the original cool tube didn't actually fit anyway, that I would adapt the parts from the cool tube (the seller let me keep the cool tube, and gave me my dollars back- bonus!) to make a 35cm long tube to fit.

I then called scientific glass company, who made me a glass pyrex cylinder, 350mm long and 120mm diameter - The perfect cool tube.

So I adapted the parts from the original cool tube, and made my own, and it is SO GOOD.

Check out the pics of the light with the filter and the fan in the cabinet.

I am so happy, I could smoke Jamaica.

Cheers,

Blue