Best 315s Out....

[Funkadelic]

Was planning a room full of Boulder Lights. So many reasons.

BUT then heard SolisTek has theirs out finally, and their digital adjustable ballasts are proven to beat all others...

These are half the price ($300 to me VS $500 for Boulders), up to 8 daisy chain (also very important to me), completely slim and flat, company I completely trust and already use.... any reason they arent the best for my buck? Honestly?

 

[jumpincactus]

I just checked their site and they indicate they are currently out of stock. With that said I am not the one to answer your original question as I myself have been on the fence on upgrading my lighting system and with the dizzying array of tech and systems I am about to implode with overamped amounts of data and information.

I have been back and forth between Plasma tech and 315 cmh. I actually like the design of the E- Papillon cmh due to the reflector design that vents heat upwards and doesn't create a lot of radiant heat load at the canopy.

So as you can see I am a tad dazed n confused. I want to be sure whatever dinero I shell out will not be regretted later. Maybe I'll hitch along your thread and hopefully be able to learn some more.

 

[Funkadelic]

I just checked their site and they indicate they are currently out of stock. With that said I am not the one to answer your original question as I myself have been on the fence on upgrading my lighting system and with the dizzying array of tech and systems I am about to implode with overamped amounts of data and information.

I have been back and forth between Plasma tech and 315 cmh. I actually like the design of the E- Papillon cmh due to the reflector design that vents heat upwards and doesn't create a lot of radiant heat load at the canopy.

So as you can see I am a tad dazed n confused. I want to be sure whatever dinero I shell out will not be regretted later. Maybe I'll hitch along your thread and hopefully be able to learn some more.

1st, always been meaning to give props to your Floyd sig; WYWH is 2nd best album, after Animals imo. Fearless is my absolute favorite of thiers. Saw Yonder Mountain perform Animals, complete with awesome props and psychedelic visuals. They encored after Pigs on the Wing 2... I was like WTF?!? HOW do you follow that?!!?
They played Fearless. I nearly wept with joy. Floyd never played it nor Animals fully. Anyway, had to share.

RE: 315s ... SolisTek digital ballasts (adjustable, mh/hps, 400-1100w, can have remote controls, they do auto bulb testing so they never misfire, etc etc... oh and less expensive AND warrantied).... were proven by GrowerHouse to beat all other brands.

I love mine. I want daisy chain so I don't need a ton of new 220v outlets, nor a $1000 +/- power control box (like Titan or PowerBox, etc). 2 outlets = 16 lights! Easy!

$300 is kickass pricing. I dunno. Theyre the best brand for hps/halide, can't see them sucking at 315s. Low flat profile, love that too.

5" tall. Best I've seen.

" *Ignition Control™ staggeredstart based on load stability
* SenseSmart™ diagnostic safety checks
* Lowest Output Total Harmonic Distortion (reading up on these, the SenseSmart protects bulbs on other ballasts I have, good sh1t)

 

[Funkadelic]

Ignition Control™

Aside from industry's lowest output Total Harmonic Distortion (THD%), SolisTek ballasts also offer the industry's only true Ignition Control staggered ignition technology.

SolisTek's sequential lamp ignition technology will ignite your lamps one at a time based on load stability. This revolutionary technology (not a randomized startup) will actually detect the voltage and amperage frequencies of the electrical circuit and fire lamps when the load is most stable. Prevent surges and spikes in your electrical environment and stop overloading breakers. When you power multiple SolisTek ballasts, the electrical draw is controlled by our internal software, maximizing electrical efficiency. SolisTek digital ballasts are the only ballast capable of this technology.

 

[Funkadelic]

SenseSmart™

Pre-ignition self-diagnostic checks. SolisTek SenseSmart which will check for 8 different factors before attempting to power the lamp; this is intended for increased user safety.

SenseSmart checks for:
1. Open output 2. High/low temps 3. Ignition failure 4. Thermal
5. End of lamp life 6. Overflow current 7. Over/low voltage 8. Short circuit

SolisTek digital ballasts complete a closed circuit between the lamp and power source. If any sort of break or inconsistency has been detected, it will not strike the lamp. The ballast will detect if the lamp is too hot to ignite, lamp compatibility issues, if there is no lamp plugged in, or if a lamp is defective or about to fail as it will detect that it is not receiving enough of a signal coming back. It can even detect if there's a short on your wiring, reflector, lighting controller, or a defective breaker on an electrical panel.

This is all apart of our exclusive SenseSmart safety mechanism that we introduced to this industry in 2010. If it detects any sort of anomalies or disturbances it will turn off the lamp and attempt to re-strike every 90 seconds until it deems that it is safe to ignite. 99% of the time an error code is displayed (Matrix) or if the green led (standard unit) stays on without the lamp igniting it is pointing to something on the users end to troubleshoot. In the rare instance that a component goes out the ballast will disable itself to prevent anything further from happening.

Ignition Control, SenseSmart & Soft-Start technology are standard in all SolisTek Digital Ballasts.

 

[Funkadelic]

Harmonics are long explanation, so link here...


FWIW Im only a customer of theirs, fan, and learner here. Just trying to choose 315 upgrades and builds. Was going Boulder Lights until I learned about these.

My shop can get them right now, SolisTek rep told my buddy who runs it they're ready. PM me if you want shop contact info; theyre well established and ship. I don't work for them either.

Considering emailing SolisTek and asking PAR readings on their units? Anything else I should ask?

 

[jumpincactus]

Harmonics are long explanation, so link here...


FWIW Im only a customer of theirs, fan, and learner here. Just trying to choose 315 upgrades and builds. Was going Boulder Lights until I learned about these.

My shop can get them right now, SolisTek rep told my buddy who runs it they're ready. PM me if you want shop contact info; theyre well established and ship. I don't work for them either.

Considering emailing SolisTek and asking PAR readings on their units? Anything else I should ask?

es indeed. Oh BTW thanks for the props on my PF sig one of my all time favs in that genre. They were masters at what they do.

A question I cant seem to get answered is we all know the heat load of say an HPS 1000w bulb can run around 3300 btu's, What is the heat load of a 315 cmh?? Some plasma makers are claiming 50% less with approx 1600 btu's. I have to date to find any spec data on the btu's generated by 315 cmh. Do you have any data on the heat load of cmh?

 

[Funkadelic]

Great questioned, and wondered that exact question myself in last 24hrs actually. Even if 3x 315s at same BTU, still less power and heat than a 1k (945 VS 1000, times as many 1ks you replace adds up).

ANY air cool reflectors for HPS lose 30% PAR immediately. Terrible. Air cooling hot-as-the-Devils-taint bulbs JUST to cut out 1/3rd right away?! WTF. And I know personally, because Ive run banks of air cooled 1k HPS in large hoods myself. When we took glass off for a few days, the crop got light burn. Not heat burn.

I run remote ballasts in totally separate area, but 1k open bulb HPS verts get hot as fck, and 3ton wide head strong digital professionally installed minisplit can control temps, but only to a certain point and summers are tougher. I spend a fortune on cooling, and that's not for 72F either.

With ballasts attached, not sure 315s BTU. I just emailed SolisTek for supplementary info, PAR and color data, etc.
Should have asked BTUs! Will wait til response, then ask for sure.

Ive heard everywhere that 315s are slightly warm to touch. My 1k HPS will melt fabric and give at least 1st if not 2nd degree burns if touched. Too damned hot. My VPD is horrible, my transpiration locked out a bunch of rounds til I just figured it out, mites love sex in the heat, etc. And Im not even on co2, yet.

Heat kills rooms. High power bills hurt.

 

[jumpincactus]

Great questioned, and wondered that exact question myself in last 24hrs actually. Even if 3x 315s at same BTU, still less power and heat than a 1k (945 VS 1000, times as many 1ks you replace adds up).

ANY air cool reflectors for HPS lose 30% PAR immediately. Terrible. Air cooling hot-as-the-Devils-taint bulbs JUST to cut out 1/3rd right away?! WTF. And I know personally, because Ive run banks of air cooled 1k HPS in large hoods myself. When we took glass off for a few days, the crop got light burn. Not heat burn.

I run remote ballasts in totally separate area, but 1k open bulb HPS verts get hot as fck, and 3ton wide head strong digital professionally installed minisplit can control temps, but only to a certain point and summers are tougher. I spend a fortune on cooling, and that's not for 72F either.

With ballasts attached, not sure 315s BTU. I just emailed SolisTek for supplementary info, PAR and color data, etc.
Should have asked BTUs! Will wait til response, then ask for sure.

Ive heard everywhere that 315s are slightly warm to touch. My 1k HPS will melt fabric and give at least 1st if not 2nd degree burns if touched. Too damned hot. My VPD is horrible, my transpiration locked out a bunch of rounds til I just figured it out, mites love sex in the heat, etc. And Im not even on co2, yet.

Heat kills rooms. High power bills hurt.

I agree, heat and hvac bills are my main concern. It get so frikkn hot in this desert I typically dont grow inside during the summer. I'm not large scale and cannot afford the cooling and power bills. Seems counter productive to have huge ass HID lights to create loads of heat to only then have to shell out more $$$ to cool it all down. Be sure to post any other info you get concerning the heat load. peace

 

[Funkadelic]

I agree, heat and hvac bills are my main concern. It get so frikkn hot in this desert I typically dont grow inside during the summer. I'm not large scale and cannot afford the cooling and power bills. Seems counter productive to have huge ass HID lights to create loads of heat to only then have to shell out more $$$ to cool it all down. Be sure to post any other info you get concerning the heat load. peace

For sure. Totally hear you.

Buddy who started telling me about 315s was too cheap to get ac much less run in it summer. Cheap bastard. Pennywise, pound foolish.

When he started all the 315 talk, I called BS. Saw it as more LED nonsense. Im now preaching the gospel a year later. Will keep posting here, JC. Yeah, fck heat and huge power bills.

 

[jumpincactus]

For sure. Totally hear you.

Buddy who started telling me about 315s was too cheap to get ac much less run in it summer. Cheap bastard. Pennywise, pound foolish.

When he started all the 315 talk, I called BS. Saw it as more LED nonsense. Im now preaching the gospel a year later. Will keep posting here, JC. Yeah, fck heat and huge power bills.

Thank you brother :D

 

[We Solidarity]

I agree, heat and hvac bills are my main concern. It get so frikkn hot in this desert I typically dont grow inside during the summer. I'm not large scale and cannot afford the cooling and power bills. Seems counter productive to have huge ass HID lights to create loads of heat to only then have to shell out more $$$ to cool it all down. Be sure to post any other info you get concerning the heat load. peace

315s draw a little over 1,000 BTU/hr. i run numbers @ 1200 BTU. in a 4x8 tent I'm running two hoods with ballets outside the rooms and a 4" exhaust - temps in the low-mid 70s (the room the tent in does have a/c) and I'm going to put a third in since temps are so moderate.

In larger setups I've had homies run 5 tons for 30 lights and been happy with it- the ballasts definitely don't get super hot (if you've got kitchen hands you can hold them when they're running and they can touch fabric without burning anything)

I wish I could speak from my experience cooling these lights but we have a chiller system that is hardcore overkill so I can't accurately say what the minimum cooling requirement is.

 

[jumpincactus]

315s draw a little over 1,000 BTU/hr. i run numbers @ 1200 BTU. in a 4x8 tent I'm running two hoods with ballets outside the rooms and a 4" exhaust - temps in the low-mid 70s (the room the tent in does have a/c) and I'm going to put a third in since temps are so moderate.

In larger setups I've had homies run 5 tons for 30 lights and been happy with it- the ballasts definitely don't get super hot (if you've got kitchen hands you can hold them when they're running and they can touch fabric without burning anything)

I wish I could speak from my experience cooling these lights but we have a chiller system that is hardcore overkill so I can't accurately say what the minimum cooling requirement is.

Man thank you so much. That is what I needed to know.

I will use 1 in a 5 x 5 x 6.5H tent for veg and will use 2 in my flower room which is 10 x 12 x 10'H However with the flower room I typically run 2 -1000w hps. So running only 2 cmh will be a setback on yield. So I may have to go with 3 and overlap. My issue is with 6600 btu between the 2 hps and even with central hvac in the home with the desert summers my cooling bill is thru the roof and my killowatt cost is only .14 So with 3 cmh I will still be under the heat laod of 2 1000w hps. I'm now curious how much my yields will suffer. But with that said with being able to grow year round I would realize more yeild thru more runs per year.

Damn so much to think about for a simple weed LOL I miss my outdoors days. :sweating: thanks again for your input bro :D

 

[Funkadelic]

315s draw a little over 1,000 BTU/hr. i run numbers @ 1200 BTU. in a 4x8 tent I'm running two hoods with ballets outside the rooms and a 4" exhaust - temps in the low-mid 70s (the room the tent in does have a/c) and I'm going to put a third in since temps are so moderate.

In larger setups I've had homies run 5 tons for 30 lights and been happy with it- the ballasts definitely don't get super hot (if you've got kitchen hands you can hold them when they're running and they can touch fabric without burning anything)

I wish I could speak from my experience cooling these lights but we have a chiller system that is hardcore overkill so I can't accurately say what the minimum cooling requirement is.

Thanks @We Solidarity ~! So... equivalent BTUs per watt, approx is sounds.

5 ton ac for 9450watts / 30 x 315s. I run a 3 ton for 8000w (8800 when I used to foolishly run my 8 at 1100w 'Boost' mode), and I can cap at 82F or so, but pay a fortune to do so and with dehueys running too (1k watts total),especially in summer, its hard to even maintain that.

In contrast, your buddies use half again stronger cooling, but have 30 fixtures vs 8 open bulb hps vert. Nearly same wattage.

No way they dont outproduce me, by a very very large margin.

What do you make of SolisTek units?

 

[Funkadelic]

Man thank you so much. That is what I needed to know.

I will use 1 in a 5 x 5 x 6.5H tent for veg and will use 2 in my flower room which is 10 x 12 x 10'H However with the flower room I typically run 2 -1000w hps. So running only 2 cmh will be a setback on yield. So I may have to go with 3 and overlap. My issue is with 6600 btu between the 2 hps and even with central hvac in the home with the desert summers my cooling bill is thru the roof and my killowatt cost is only .14 So with 3 cmh I will still be under the heat laod of 2 1000w hps. I'm now curious how much my yields will suffer. But with that said with being able to grow year round I would realize more yeild thru more runs per year.

Damn so much to think about for a simple weed LOL I miss my outdoors days. :sweating: thanks again for your input bro :D

WAY less heat, less power, way less ac (and also then even less power), higher PAR by a lot, lux, better color, never need new bulbs. Better VPD.
I cant see it as a lose.

Also, 315 veg to 315 flower = no shock. Again, better, yeah?

 

[jumpincactus]

Sure sounds good on paper man. Yea I gave up on maintaining VPD a long time ago. I also know that with my current setup and enviro's my genetics aren't getting to fully express their true genetic potential and it just kills me.

If I can stack colas with cmh like the august POTM pic using hps I have, I would be happy and so would my wallet.

 

[jumpincactus]

Then comes the next head banger question,,,,,,, I'm damn near ready to pull the trigger but bang for buck and all things considered how the sam hell am I gonna figure out who's tech to go with. It like going into a penny candy store for chrissakes. E paps, gavita, boulder, solis tek, on and on and on LOL

Have you had a chance to look into the e paps and the configuration of their units.? If you get a chance scope em and tell me your thoughts. I like the way the heat stove pies up and out of the top of the reflector and the way the reflector diffuses and directs the light energy.

 

[Funkadelic]

Forgot to share, have buddy running 630s on Mills, in Sunshine Mix and his structure is as good or better than anything Ive ever seen. And Mills sucks, he hates it. Great bouquet, flavor doesnt match perfect bag appeal though.

Ive long long researched and considered ePaps, Gavitas, etc. Old partner runs Gavitas in a warehouse with Nectar for the Gods and he crushes it. Gorgeous super happy monsters. BUT hes in a very tall space, has massive ac, is on 3-phase industrial power, etc.

Side by side, what Ive read is Gavitas beat others, though ePaps probably close. Phantoms can have problems evidently and dont hit the PAR.

But PAR at 6 feet (at 2' its 800, at 6 feet gotta be way less) VS PAR at 8 inches (Boulders 700 PAR at 2ft VS Gavitas 800), I just cant see ePaps - similar to Gavita - getting close to that par per watt, especially at distance. Not to mention heat. Everyone has told me, universally, DE bulbs are little furnaces, and cant do remote ballasts.

If you ran 315s with Nectar for the Gods? Dude. You could ask top dollar donation from patients (my old partner gets 30% above standard for his quality), and probably have best product anywhere near you. Just speculating but what Ive seen has convinced me.

GrowerHouse compared 315s vs other 400w equivalent lights of all kinds on YouTube and PAR per watt was vastly superior. And I bet SolisTek PAR is even better, honestly. Plus better spectrums for better structure. Ive tried to disbelieve for a year... really...

Theres a bunch of DE and 315 makers now. True. Endless choices. I just know SolisTek won with PAR on my HPS/MH digital adjustables, and 315s outperfom equivalent HPS in every single comparison Ive found anywhere.

 

[jumpincactus]

I'm with you on the gavita's not typically a home grower light unless you have 12' clgs. I worked for s short time in a dispensary based grow here in AZ and they had shipping containers in a whse and used the 1000 w e series gavies with 8' clgs and every crop cycle had bleached buds. Not to knock gavita but they are definitely like you said a more commercial whse grow setup with lots of head space and massive hvac to deal with the heat.

I have a question do the solisteks run off hi or low frequency, and is there any issue with cable companies or FAA due to fugitive rf stray signals? As I know this was a problem for the early models of digital ballasts due to lack of shielding.

 

[Funkadelic]

I'm with you on the gavita's not typically a home grower light unless you have 12' clgs. I worked for s short time in a dispensary based grow here in AZ and they had shipping containers in a whse and used the 1000 w e series gavies with 8' clgs and every crop cycle had bleached buds. Not to knock gavita but they are definitely like you said a more commercial whse grow setup with lots of head space and massive hvac to deal with the heat.

I have a question do the solisteks run off hi or low frequency, and is there any issue with cable companies or FAA due to fugitive rf stray signals? As I know this was a problem for the early models of digital ballasts due to lack of shielding.

Great question, and back a sec to your earlier point. Ignoring VPD.
In my 8x 1000w HPS open bulb vertical area (legal limit trees), with wide head 3ton minisplit installed by HVAC pro (also a grower), when I dialed up to 'SolisTek Boost mode' (1100w overdrive, basically), with lots of fans to battle PM, very low humidity (a/c, 1000w of dehueys, bright hot room) and heat up to 84F, my plants suffered terribly, PM didnt go away no matter what I tried. JUST HATEFUL. VPD was way way way off. Transpiration skyrocketed and I didn't realize I kept locking out a lot.

Bad run after bad run.

I still battle spots of PM, but vegging with higher rH or earlier low temps and low rH. I'll never ignore VPD nor transpiration again. Now running beast HEPA with UVC always except during sulfur burn. PM down to 1 plant, and I just pruned it thoroughly.

315s... not only low low heat per PAR, probably best there is, but close proximity to plant tops + really good UVA/UVB means (I think?) great lighting to kill PM, in addition to other benefits.

RE SolisTek frequency, great question. Im terrible with electrical knowledge, but GrowersHouse says "Solis Tek ballasts are tuned to have a high frequency with low total harmonic distortion."

I use 1000w EYE Hortilux HPS, but plan to do 400w instead, and add 1 315 on each tree, close to tops. Will drop power (evidently BTUs also) from 8000w to under 6400, and bet my VPD is at least remotely manageable.

Unless SolisTek responds with low PAR for their 315s, I probably will ditch plans for Boulder Lights. They're great, but too much more to justify I suspect.