"all In One" Light Temps?

[Kaskadian]

Hey everyone,

Let me first say, I didn't put this into the micro growing section because it's more related to the light rather than micro growing. Mods if you'd rather this be placed in micro feel free to move it.

Quick question; I was wanting to build a new micro grow box as a fun pet project. I've built cool tube setups in a micro setting with active exhaust, and I was able to keep temps to a reasonable 70-75F. I'm wanting to build a new micro setup with a 150w - 250w hps and I've seen these "all in one" setups where the ballast is attached directly to the reflector hood. Will having the ballast (even a small 150-250w) inside the grow area increase the temperatures significantly? I'm used to having a digital/magnetic ballast outside of the main grow area and I'm a bit concerned with the heat produced from the ballast.

Any thoughts?

Kas

 

[tobh]

Definitely, even more so in a confined space. I did a 150w HPS in a small box once, fought heat all throughout. AND that was with a remote ballast, couldn't image if the ballast had been in the cab. Stick with a remote ballast if at all possible. Hell, you can get a cheap 150w hps from econolight for like $70 USD and rewire it to be remote ballast.

One Love,
tobh

 

[Kaskadian]

Definitely, even more so in a confined space. I did a 150w HPS in a small box once, fought heat all throughout. AND that was with a remote ballast, couldn't image if the ballast had been in the cab. Stick with a remote ballast if at all possible. Hell, you can get a cheap 150w hps from econolight for like $70 USD and rewire it to be remote ballast.

One Love,
tobh

Whew! Glad I asked before buying one! Thanks a lot brother. I'll look into re-wiring my own setup. Either way I'll make sure to stick with a remote ballast.

Kas

 

[Kaskadian]

Hell, you can get a cheap 150w hps from econolight for like $70 USD and rewire it to be remote ballast.

I took your advice and was able to pick up a 150w setup for $40. It's basically just a ballast + capacitor + ignitor. I'll be wiring up the rig and doing a DIY cooltube most likely. Thanks again tobh!

Cheers

 

[tobh]

Excellent man! There's a write up on icmag about rewiring those kind of lights to be remote ballast, actually was the initial place I read about doing that many moons ago. Shit man, in fact it was like '07 when I learned about that. You should do a write up yourself here so that others may be able to easily find information on doing a similar set up. Good luck!

 

[Kaskadian]

Excellent man! There's a write up on icmag about rewiring those kind of lights to be remote ballast, actually was the initial place I read about doing that many moons ago. Shit man, in fact it was like '07 when I learned about that. You should do a write up yourself here so that others may be able to easily find information on doing a similar set up. Good luck!

I'll be sure to check out the write up at icmag! I've wired up a few ballasts in the past but it's been a loooooooong time. I learned a lot in the ol' days of OG & HG420 before they got shutdown. It's about time I jump back in the saddle.

I'm actually planning on doing a full build write up on this cab that I'll be building. I'm hoping to get going in the next couple of weeks. I'll be sure to do a separate thread showing others how to wire up their own ballast as well; thanks for the suggestion!

Kas

 

[atwofour]

...I was wanting to build a new micro grow box as a fun pet project....

Nice, I want to do the same one day when I have time...a nice cab is just so darn...Cute :D
(no disrespect to micro growers...they no doubt take a finer touch than the blunt-object-over-the-head that is multiple 1K's :p

 

[Kaskadian]

Nice, I want to do the same one day when I have time...a nice cab is just so darn...Cute :D
(no disrespect to micro growers...they no doubt take a finer touch than the blunt-object-over-the-head that is multiple 1K's :p

Definitely give it a go! Micro growing is a lot of fun. You're not going to pull the "big boy" yields, but under the right conditions you could get 3-4oz from a small scrog under a 150w HPS.

 

[tobh]

@Kaskadian have you seen the NGB style cabinets? I ran one for a long time, excellent concept. Fully self contained perpetual set up, providing a consistent supply of quality meds without, as @atwofour put it, the blunt object of multiple 1k's.

 

[Kaskadian]

@Kaskadian have you seen the NGB style cabinets? I ran one for a long time, excellent concept. Fully self contained perpetual set up, providing a consistent supply of quality meds without, as @atwofour put it, the blunt object of multiple 1k's.

@tobh

Yeah, they're incredible!

When I first got into micro growing my grow space was extremely limited (apartment); So much so that I was actually vegging my plants in plastic tupperware bins under CFLs. At that time I also had my 400w HPS cooltube flowering cab. After I got a little more space I started keeping moms and went ahead and built myself a large veg cabinet. If I could go back and redo things I would have built an NGB style from the beginning. Hell.. the only reason I haven't built one yet is because of my existing two cabinets; my timing was always a little bit off when it came to building these cabs. I have a good friend who is just getting ready to get started growing medically, and he's been eyeballing my cabs... maybe if he's interested I'll retire my existing cabs and build myself an NGB cab. :D

 

[atwofour]

Oh yeah...NGB Cabs sure take me back eh! (I haven't posted much online...but I have casually observed since right about the time OG went down)
Also that DrBudGreengenes with the CFL's...highly controversial...but interesting for sure