Jimster
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I tried the PlantMax and it was almost identical to the Ultra Sun 10K, while the Hortilux Eye Blue was about 75% of the brightness of the other two. Is this normal for Hortilux?
This was measured using a photometer, which shouldn't be influenced by the spectra (hopefully!) I initially thought it wasn't as bright as it should be, after living with these lights for decades. I finally had to break out a cheap photometer to quantify it. Then, when I looked at the website, I saw that it was only 4/5 the initial lumens than most MH bulbs. The Hortilux site mentions UV, but that would need to be using a special non UV blocking glass. I'd love to have a discriminating photometer, but they are pretty pricey for my needs.Dont think you can compare visual brightness because the 10k bulbs are mostly blue and the hortilux has a full balanced spectrum with equal red to blue and some far red.
The color temp is. 5500k. They are very different spectrums.
This was measured using a photometer, which shouldn't be influenced by the spectra (hopefully!) I initially thought it wasn't as bright as it should be, after living with these lights for decades. I finally had to break out a cheap photometer to quantify it. Then, when I looked at the website, I saw that it was only 4/5 the initial lumens than most MH bulbs. The Hortilux site mentions UV, but that would need to be using a special non UV blocking glass. I'd love to have a discriminating photometer, but they are pretty pricey for my needs.
Sorry...I couldn't think of the PAR photometer's name...which is why I mentioned a discriminating photometer, which measures the levels of different light frequencies. Blame it on old age and a brain fart! It was noticibly dimmer than the other bulbs. Brightness is relative to the eye's sensitivity to it, but the difference between a 7500 and 10K bulb aren't too much different and you could really tell the difference. I replaced it with a similar temp bulb (7500k) and you could really see a difference...I just thought my eyes were getting used to them. I love their spectrums (Blue Hortilux), but at 20% or less of output (as stated on their site) I don't know if it is the way to go or not. I had good results using it last operation, but looking back, the plants getting most of their light from this bulb, had a lower yield than similar clones grown under a brighter bulb. It's hard to tell for certain as a HPS was partially used for finishing.Unless you checked the reading when new and compare it to now you dont really have any accurate measure between bulbs.
Sorry...I couldn't think of the PAR photometer's name...which is why I mentioned a discriminating photometer, which measures the levels of different light frequencies. Blame it on old age and a brain fart! It was noticibly dimmer than the other bulbs. Brightness is relative to the eye's sensitivity to it, but the difference between a 7500 and 10K bulb aren't too much different and you could really tell the difference. I replaced it with a similar temp bulb (7500k) and you could really see a difference...I just thought my eyes were getting used to them. I love their spectrums (Blue Hortilux), but at 20% or less of output (as stated on their site) I don't know if it is the way to go or not. I had good results using it last operation, but looking back, the plants getting most of their light from this bulb, had a lower yield than similar clones grown under a brighter bulb. It's hard to tell for certain as a HPS was partially used for finishing.
The bluer 10k bulb has 115000 initial lumens VS the Hortilux 7500k's 80000 initial lumens, when it should be the opposite of the hortilux, since it has more blue in it's spectrum. The 35000 lumen difference is pretty significant, even though the hortilux has maybe 8 weeks tops of use on it. The Hortilux has better CRI, but I don't know if it really makes much difference in the PAR values for the plants. I use a 5500k or higher bulb(s) for veg, usually a MS1000 and a 7500 or 10K mh for the 8-10 week flowering period
For finishing, my best results, by far, came from a combination of a MS1000 (with extra reds) combined with a 1000w HPS. I guess the Hortilux isn't as efficient as the others, although the arc length is shorter than the other bulbs I have tried. I have had a lot of success with using the MS1000 for the entire grow, from start to finish but using a HPS in place of a MH helped considerably in terms of yield.
With a magnetic ballast, which is what I use, it limits the current that the bulb can get, and the arc is a short as far as the electricity sees it... and once the bulb is struck, it would quickly runaway and taking as much current as possible before something fails or a breaker trips...this is basically what a ballast prevents/does. I never realized it limited the current...I just thought it jacked up the voltage (which it also does). The only reasons that I can really come up with for the lower output are the shorter arc tube, since the amount of energy is the same, then maybe the smaller area of light emission explains the lower output of the bulb OR the mix inside the tube runs less efficiently to maintain their nearly flat color output. Or maybe it's a little of both. I'm going to see if I notice a difference in the plants after a few days using the 110k initial lumen bulbI agree. I like to run 2 hps to 1 full spectrum style mh or conversion bulb for best results.
I dont know why hortilux has low lumen numbers. But i have watched videos they have that talk about it.
The spectra of the Hortilux is quite flat compared to most, which is no doubt more useful than just a few specific peaks. When I mentioned inefficiency, I was meaning to say that the mix inside the tube necessitates a less efficient conversion to light output, not a purposely engineered bulb to be less efficient. I think we both agree but by different languages!No matter the brand ,they’re all working with the same 1000w input. Hortilux is a leader in horticultural lighting, I doubt their bulb just wastes a bunch of energy. My guess would be the energy isn’t wasted it’s just distributed differently since it’s a very FULL spectrum as opposed to the 10ks blue PEAK in the spectrum. The kelvin rating comes from what our eyes perceive on average, in the case of the 10k- blue , while the Hort blue has a very full spectrum nearly matching the suns (high cri ). Different gasses in the arc tube result in different colors displayed, it’s likely certain gases require more electricity than others to ignite. So if you want that full spectrum in a STANDARD mh you have to give up some overall lumens? Guessing
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