Gavitas What I've Learned

[Twisted pleasure]

Sense allot of talk about Gavitas...

Here is a simple way to figure a rough Idea of Measure your space for Gavitas according to what I read going through a shit ton of WazUp's posts a couple of years ago. For the best GR efficacy.

Now of course you can do what you want and get away with less but if you do the Math they suggest 3 x 1k over #3 4'x8' ft. Tables which in retrospect saves you one 1k light according to our usual standards.

Ok here we go.

Space sqft. example 10x10=100 sqft.
x how many MicroMole (the most efficient and accurate way to measure light) Example Gavita 1k with the GreenPower DE says it puts out 2000 mm per light/Bulb in the proper area so after reading over and over Wazup's recommendations to people about how many lights in different sqft. rooms this is what I came up with and got all the same answers he gave without a crazy complicated equation. Or For US simple Folk or maybe just me ;)

So Example

100 sqft x 100 <limiting factor = 10,000 sqft divide that by 2000 mm per 1k light = 5 1k

100 sqft x 100 = 10,000 sqft divided by 1100 mm per 600 light = 9 600's

So everywhere in that 10x10 will be as efficient as possible. Ill be honest I forget the height suggestions by WazUp but I think we all know as close as you can without harming our plants. I would say Six is right about 30" would be good for 600's and 36"-40" for 1K...

Another thing is he always said you lose efficiency in two ways 10% from a NEW reflector. MORE for older ones. They suggest change once per year they make that simple a cheep and affordable change. Even if you clean just free radicals in the air cost you efficacy)(I know I have old ass reflectors and I wonder how much Ive lost over the years)

Also to the walls to use reflective everyone knows that. But I do use Orca love the stuff worth the money in my book.

Another thing I figured out not sure if anyone knows the controllers with the new E series Ballasts.
You have the EL1 and El2

Ok the El1 will control one room only at what ever hours you want Veg. or Bloom

EL2 will control two rooms but they have to be the same hours either Veg. or Bloom the EL2 WILL NOT
run two rooms at DIFFERENT times. For example one for Veg. and other Bloom will NOT work.

So keep that in mind when making your purchase. I have friend that found that out the hard way. The information sheet doesn't really express that.

The EL1 will control up to 40 lights which is more then enough for a Veg. unless your TK or Andy G lol...

The EL2 will control 40 lights in each room so 80 altogether.

So What I did is one EL1 for Veg. and a El2 to control 2 flowering rooms.

Im so thankful I didn't buy Gavita's early on so now I can run the E series they are simply the best.

Sorry so long Hope this helps someone.

You can read about all of this here.

 

[cannapits]

Im thinking it was a jedi mind trick brother. lol

 

[fishwhistle]

Twisted,how did you set up your power for the e-series lights?did you hardwire plugs for each ballast(and how?daisychain/pigtail/splitbolt?)or are you just using a second controller set to ON all the time plugged into 1 receptacle?Im remodding a room now and it sucks to need another controller/powerbox with the el1 but it seems to be the easy answer for me,im curious how you or your electrician chose to do it.

 

[Twisted pleasure]

Hey i don't run 40 lights!!! o_O lol, I think total lights I have including flowering and veg areas is 12! 8 x HPS, and 3 T-5's , and 1 induction!, of those I am only running 4 HPS currently and the veg lights.. I am small time brotha.. lol, would be different if the laws were different., but for me 40 lights is nothing but a dream! Curious as to why you thought different>!>???? :eek:

Ya man I was messing with ya....I had no idea really...lol its all good brother I enjoy your work.

Twisted,how did you set up your power for the e-series lights?did you hardwire plugs for each ballast(and how?daisychain/pigtail/splitbolt?)or are you just using a second controller set to ON all the time plugged into 1 receptacle?Im remodding a room now and it sucks to need another controller/powerbox with the el1 but it seems to be the easy answer for me,im curious how you or your electrician chose to do it.

Man I wish I could afford an electrician lol nah man self taught. Ya forget an extra controller. I have a few of those laying around now lol...

I Take a 60 amp 240 breaker coming off my box and daisy chain 4 receptacles and plug 2 ballasts into each one. Giving me a total of 8 ballasts. Draw 1200 watts each x 240 @ 5 amps so Im at total 40 amps give or take on a 60 amp breaker is perfect. I use 8 gauge braided wire from HD. Its expensive but it is worth it system doesn't even get warm. I like to be able to leave my stuff and not worry.

The Gavitas come with all the wire you need to connect them to the controller.

Hope this helps...

 

[fishwhistle]

Thanks TP,not sure im comfortable daisychaining 240 circuits but im no electrician.I need to power 8 too but they are the 750's.

 

[Twisted pleasure]

There is nothing to it and believe it or not it is a better situation then being 120. But do not do anything your not comfortable with.

Well there is always the controller route. I just dont know about having the relay's on 24-7
you can change them out with normally on relays.

Or you could do a dedicated breaker and wire for each receptacle and plug 2x750 in each. That is another easy way you could do it. If you have the room for it in your box.

 

[Frostynugman]

1 gavita will cover a 4x8 space or 3 over a 4x8 space?

 

[fishwhistle]

1 gavita will cover a 4x8 space or 3 over a 4x8 space?

More like 4x5 or 4x6,what hes referring to i think is that you can cover a 4x16 space(2-4x8 tables end to end)with 3 gavitas instead of 4 conventional 1ks.

 

[Natural]

Thanks TP,not sure im comfortable daisychaining 240 circuits but im no electrician.I need to power 8 too but they are the 750's.

There is nothing to it and believe it or not it is a better situation then being 120. But do not do anything your not comfortable with.

Well there is always the controller route. I just dont know about having the relay's on 24-7
you can change them out with normally on relays.

Or you could do a dedicated breaker and wire for each receptacle and plug 2x750 in each. That is another easy way you could do it. If you have the room for it in your box.

As for daisy chaining the 220v..that's the way it's done in the UK by way of ring mains. In the US the 220v receptacles only have 2 sets of screws and not 4. This is done on purpose by the NEC. If you want to get away by doing this, you must use pigtails off the main line, using the deep boxes and wire nuts. I can't recommend it being done this way, but it does work. If a fault happens, I'd rather have the back up of home-runs from each receptacle with it's own circuit breaker..otherwise you're essentially putting the entire load onto the first receptacle. I mean Twisted has the sub-panel, he could just go a little further to make it really safe and add some circuit breakers.
Just another opinion, what works for you..works.
fishwhistle so what's up with those 750's man..been waiting a year to see somebody get some rubber to the road with those puppies! Hope they work out well man!

 

[Medusa]

Is there any difference in heat with the gravitas ? More light output sounds like? Are they dual ? Hps and mh? Thanks Tp room sounds incredible.

 

[deacon1503]

Thanks TP,not sure im comfortable daisychaining 240 circuits but im no electrician.I need to power 8 too but they are the 750's.

I've done this a few times recently.

The EL1/EL2 use Rj45 for communication so all u need is a live receptacle for the gavis themselves. They come with the cords and stuff. You could do 4, 15-amp home run 1 gang receptacles. Or 2, 30-amp 2-gang boxes. The gavis will always be on. Use a subpanel with dedicated breakers or even just a traditional lighting controller made to run 24 hours.

EL1 is a great tool. Especially the EL2 when used with the ECMs.

 

[fishwhistle]

Is there any difference in heat with the gravitas ? More light output sounds like? Are they dual ? Hps and mh? Thanks Tp room sounds incredible.

A little difference in heat M but not enough to worry about,ballasts are in the room with all in one units though.

I've done this a few times recently.

The EL1/EL2 use Rj45 for communication so all u need is a live receptacle for the gavis themselves. They come with the cords and stuff. You could do 4, 15-amp home run 1 gang receptacles. Or 2, 30-amp 2-gang boxes. The gavis will always be on. Use a subpanel with dedicated breakers or even just a traditional lighting controller made to run 24 hours.

EL1 is a great tool. Especially the EL2 when used with the ECMs.

Deacon,it sucks to have to use another lighting controller(all ON) along with the EL1 controller but for me i think this is the cheapest easiest solution other than adding a new subpanel and its plug and play with what is already existing powerwise,talked to powerbox this morning and they will make up a dpc 8000 with a breaker instead of a timer,apparently im not the first one to ask.In my case i have to use 2 EL1s vs an EL2 this time because its 1 veg/1 flower and el2s will only work on the same light cycle for both sides.

As for daisy chaining the 220v..that's the way it's done in the UK by way of ring mains. In the US the 220v receptacles only have 2 sets of screws and not 4. This is done on purpose by the NEC. If you want to get away by doing this, you must use pigtails off the main line, using the deep boxes and wire nuts. I can't recommend it being done this way, but it does work. If a fault happens, I'd rather have the back up of home-runs from each receptacle with it's own circuit breaker..otherwise you're essentially putting the entire load onto the first receptacle. I mean Twisted has the sub-panel, he could just go a little further to make it really safe and add some circuit breakers.
Just another opinion, what works for you..works.
fishwhistle so what's up with those 750's man..been waiting a year to see somebody get some rubber to the road with those puppies! Hope they work out well man!

Natural,ill let you know whats up with the 750s as soon as i know,not much info out there on them right now.I had standard gavita 1000s in there but with 8' ceilings no way i could run them unless turned way down so we moved them to a spot with higher(12') ceilings and now ill try the E-series 750s and el controller.I really like the idea of the same amount of light but from more points,I had 6 1ks now it will be 8 750s,Im hoping to be able to run these at 750 at least.Thanks for all your advice too bro,you were right on the money.

 

[Medusa]

Thanks @fishwhistle Ya just talked to grow shop. They said year and a half on bulb lasting. 480 for a 1000. Good deal. Comes hps only.

 

[fishwhistle]

Thanks @fishwhistle Ya just talked to grow shop. They said year and a half on bulb lasting. 480 for a 1000. Good deal. Comes hps only.

According to philips its 10,000 hours on the bulb M,at 12 hours on a day thats 2.25 years and they claim very little degradation.I was just at my boys trimming awhile back and those lamps still look exactly the same as when new and they are at least 1 1/2 years old,When i ran standard bulbs i changed them at least every other round,and bought them in bulk,now we just keep 1 extra bulb around in case.