Adjust a Wing Light Pattern Question

[dorjewright]

I have yet to see any mention of this in discussions of this reflector. I have a large on a mover with a 1000w bulb. The area right under the bulb is dimmer then the edges. As the reflector moves over the scrog (4x6) its as if a cloud dimming the light moves right along under the bulb???? I thought on other reflectors the area of greatest light intensity was right under the bulb. I'm at a loss what to do or why this would happen. I think there is more vigorous growth toward the outside edges of the grow inspite of the mover.

 

[dorjewright]

So my latest fiddle with the reflector. Dropped the bulb down as far as it would go and closed up the reflector another 2 1/2 " . Now I've got an acceptable light pattern; pretty even from edge to edge.
That's a break, but how come I'm the only one with this problem?

 

[fishwhistle]

If you are using the spreader under the bulb throw that thing in the trash!Better without it.Also if your lighting a 4x6 tray try turning the reflector 90 degrees and see how the pattern is that way.try doing a search there should be tons of shit on here about A-wings,all the smart people use em...

 

[TrichromeFan]

dorjewright,
I have the adjust-a-wings, and have experienced the same thing. You just have to play with the adjustments to work for the pattern you need. I also agree with fish that the spreaders are not worth anything, although I don't know if you mentioned if you were using one.

-TF

 

[dorjewright]

TrichromeFan
I checked out your grows - looks a lot like what I want to do on a smaller scale. Love the corrigated roofing and gutter idea!
So what did you do exactly to adjust the wings. My adjustment is a couple of posts earlier. And the spreader seemed to just make things worse.

 

[Legallyflying]

That is just the way the wings work. The light is more powerful on the edges. I know it's weird but I have one an dicked with the different settings and a light meter for hours.

 

[dorjewright]

That is just the way the wings work. The light is more powerful on the edges. I know it's weird but I have one an dicked with the different settings and a light meter for hours.

Well at least I'm not the only farmer with this problem! What was your solution?

 

[green punk]

I run the adjusta wing too. One thing ive noticed is the intensity on the edge is so that the leaves pale (bleach) maybe. Plants directly under bulb shiny dark green. Scratched my head worried a bit, still don't know. Plants yield and perform the same though.

I love them. scrapped a hole stack of 0chos. Another thing thats nice about the wing is one can fit a dozen in a hatchback.

 

[PDX420Grower]

I love them. scrapped a hole stack of 0chos. Another thing thats nice about the wing is one can fit a dozen in a hatchback.

I gotta see that. :D
Ive been steering towards the adjust a wings lately. They seem to put off such a huge footprint. I called to buy a large AAW last week, off craigslist for $100, but it was SOLD! I figured for $100, why not but I think I'll just end up forking over the $150.

 

[dorjewright]

This is my maybe not so final solution. Bent out the triangle at the top of the reflector and closed up the wings by maybe 4 or 5 " to focus the light on to a smaller area. The reflector is on a mover so the most intense light below each edge gets swept back and forth 1/2 of a 3.5 x4' scrog. In the 3rd photo with the purple diesel the right side is getting full light; when the reflector moves to the left the left row gets full light; basically the same under the other wing Right now I have just a single 1000w bulb but when I flip I will use a mh and an hps head to head giving me at least 170k or about 78ws/sq'. I can also rotate the reflector (shown in the photo) and get the edges of the short side of the screen.
The medium adjawing is in front and shows the normal adjustment. Eliminating the triangle at the very top smoothed out the light at the edge a little. Might not bother with that again.
5 Purple diesel in the back, then 2 sweet tooth, 2 atomic northern lights and 4 super silver haze. Could get a little crowded.

 

[CelticEBE]

I've noticed the same thing with the A-Wing after I set mine up. Other than that I am STOKED with my A-Wings. I was super surprised at how close I could get them to my plants (I bought a laser thermometer so I could get em as close as possible).

I think A-wings are best utilized if you have multiple lights so that things overlap a little. If I were doing a single light operation I think I would run a Gavita.

 

[opt1c]

another thing is that they throw so wide the narrowest setting on the large ones is fine for a 4x4 tray

 

[liketosmoke]

you can try to lower the light on the slide down to the half way point, it looks like you have it all the way to the top.

 

[dorjewright]

Yes that allows me to open the wings out quite a bit. Moving up towards the top moves the hot spot toward the edge; down toward the center. Bending out the triangle at the top reduced the hot spot at the edges somewhat.

 

[rick ratlin]

I'm glad I found this thread. I run large aaw's modified with a sun tube with a 600 Watt bulb with a socket extender. I found that on both sides 6 inches from the middle of the bulb registered almost 2 to 3 times the foot candles. at 8 inches, that spot registers 12- 15K foot candles, and this always causes bleaching . I've been running experiments with the height and bend of the wings, still haven't figured out the perfect height and bend. seems the more bend the more light that registers under the lamp. trying to upload a pic but keeps failing

 

[rick ratlin]

this is the cool tube aaw combo, looks weird in this shot , but it is straight on. here we go, thanks to tank!

 

[rick ratlin]

here's an old pic of that light burn/bleaching I was referring to. on this run everything finished perfect except that line 6 inches away from the bulb. Now I keep it at at least 12" and don't get the bleaching, but it still remains that that area under the aaw gets the most lumens