HPS light superior vs current led tech?

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MidwestToker

MidwestToker

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Harpua88 said:
I don't know how much HIDs cost these days, but the best/strongest LED quantum boards can be had for about $800 each, discounts/sale, coupon codes. All savings from that point on. Some companies will have refurbished ones available for less.

I wouldn't mind adding a Halide with a HPS conversion bulb, but it might be overkill based on the output I've already got for the space.
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those 2 lights cost me $600 to build
 
MidwestToker

MidwestToker

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Harpua88 said:
I'd love to use my old Metal Halide, but it's from 1988, and has a big clunky ballast box. Maybe I could get a new one for the bulb, it's still in good shape......
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You have to change HID bulbs at least once a year, if you are running it for a year
 
Harpua88

Harpua88

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MidwestToker said:
You have to change HID bulbs at least once a year, if you are running it for a year
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Really? It worked great for me for about 6 years, no different on the last day from the first...

Aren't street lights Halides and Sodiums? I don't think they run around changing them every year.....

Not that I need to use the bulb ever again. I'm pretty sure the bulb technology hasn't changed much, the ballasts certainly have gotten smaller. But how much is a bulb? I have no problem using a new one......if I'm even going to add it. Fact is, I won't need it.
 
Harpua88

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Building your own boards sounds interesting......I'm only catching up with LEDS and for now I'll stick with the ones I bought, I had to do 5 yrs of catch-up just to learn enough about them to know which ones to buy. Maybe for the next ones I'll build....

What are the general specs and for what space?
 
Harpua88

Harpua88

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And I should qualify the 6 years thing. 6 years of only 8 months a year (shut down for the summers), so 4 months a year of 20/4, 4 months of 12/12, and maybe a total of 1 of the 6 years shut down for travel.....

So the bulb was probably on for what may have amounted to 3 years?

What I don't like about HIDs is pretty common. Too hot, not enough canopy, needs extra distance, and while I know it's rare, one false move with water, an accident, whatever, and I really, really don't want the thing exploding on me. I don't want it exploding when I'm not there, but I really don't want it exploding while I'm there.......
 
GreenGalaxyFarm

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Harpua88 said:
And I should qualify the 6 years thing. 6 years of only 8 months a year (shut down for the summers), so 4 months a year of 20/4, 4 months of 12/12, and maybe a total of 1 of the 6 years shut down for travel.....

So the bulb was probably on for what may have amounted to 3 years?

What I don't like about HIDs is pretty common. Too hot, not enough canopy, needs extra distance, and while I know it's rare, one false move with water, an accident, whatever, and I really, really don't want the thing exploding on me. I don't want it exploding when I'm not there, but I really don't want it exploding while I'm there.......
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3 years isnt bad probably lost 5% output so how cares. why are you so concerned with the hid exploding its china?
 
GreenGalaxyFarm

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Madmax said:
My mate was running same hps bulbs for 3 yrs.he couldn’t figure out why his plants weren’t growing or yielding well till he changed the bulbs.his quality of buds and plant growth has now returned.😁👍
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mh is the one to deteriorate quickly hps not so much but both still lose output at some rate
also using magnetic ballast kills them faster
 
Harpua88

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GreenGalaxyFarm said:
3 years isnt bad probably lost 5% output so how cares. why are you so concerned with the hid exploding its china?
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Hot molten glass and stuff splattering on me?

I think I read somewhere that they will start to flicker when turning on/off........and maybe start firing up more slowly, and that's when they should be replaced. I never noticed any change in performance or I definitely would have addressed it. There might be other factors......how hot the environment is? How well/poorly they're made. I wonder if 400 watt bulbs could last longer than 1000 watts, I don't know. Mine had a long cord (6-8 ft?) between the ballast box and the lamp. Then there's probably luck. We've all had various kinds of bulbs where some last longer than others.
 
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PipeCarver

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Harpua88 said:
Hot molten glass and stuff splattering on me?

I think I read somewhere that they will start to flicker when turning on/off........and maybe start firing up more slowly, and that's when they should be replaced. I never noticed any change in performance or I definitely would have addressed it. There might be other factors......how hot the environment is? How well/poorly they're made. I wonder if 400 watt bulbs could last longer than 1000 watts, I don't know. Mine had a long cord (6-8 ft?) between the ballast box and the lamp. Then there's probably luck. We've all had various kinds of bulbs where some last longer than others.
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If you run the lamp too long it can burn out the components in your ballast trying to fire up a spent lamp. I can get a new 1000w hps mechanical ballast for $113Canadian delivered taxes in. The lamp I use the Eye Hort I just saw last night for $65....1/2 price of what I usually pay they're coming down in price I think because of the popularity of led's now........

I've burned out 2 digital ballasts in 3 years so I'm back on a mechanical, I like the heat they put out in my basement grow without it I need to add a heater. I can keep my plants within 18" of the lamp without issues with good airflow even closer. Old lamps lose their intensity, turn color and get dimmer as they age.....lighter fluffier buds are a result. I was in the electrical trade for over 40 years I've used hps lamps for 25 +years, I've never had one blow up or know anyone that's had that happen with the HID lamps.
 
GreenGalaxyFarm

GreenGalaxyFarm

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PipeCarver said:
If you run the lamp too long it can burn out the components in your ballast trying to fire up a spent lamp. I can get a new 1000w hps mechanical ballast for $113Canadian delivered taxes in. The lamp I use the Eye Hort I just saw last night for $65....1/2 price of what I usually pay they're coming down in price I think because of the popularity of led's now........

I've burned out 2 digital ballasts in 3 years so I'm back on a mechanical, I like the heat they put out in my basement grow without it I need to add a heater. I can keep my plants within 18" of the lamp without issues with good airflow even closer. Old lamps lose their intensity, turn color and get dimmer as they age.....lighter fluffier buds are a result. I was in the electrical trade for over 40 years I've used hps lamps for 25 +years, I've never had one blow up or know anyone that's had that happen with the HID lamps.
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apparently they explode when you touch them with oily hands and run then without cleaning
i never tried this for fun but have heard
 
mysticepipedon

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PipeCarver said:
I just meant for you personally, 78f @ 60% you have 1 large plant 1 - 4x4 space 2 lights...one 600watt hps.....& ....one 600watt led . ...........You have to choose only 1 light......what is your choice?........Me its hps..because I'm more familiar...for now....I'm not good enough yet with led's to be able to compare properly so if anyone with equal knowlege could compare & choose what is the choice?
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After 2 grows under LEDs, I was ready to run back to HIDs, but I wouldn't switch back now.

As others have said, light bars are superior to boards for an even spread of light, but the way the "quantum boards" are set up in the HLG Diablo and similar designs, may also be good. The biggest adjustment for me was not having the heat from the HID lamps during winter months. In a grow I had in another house I lived in, I depended on that heat and I would never have been able to use LEDs there.
 
GreenGalaxyFarm

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led with hid ballast, i have these ballasts already would be easy to upgrade and replace ballast/driver in future
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GreenGalaxyFarm

GreenGalaxyFarm

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mysticepipedon said:
After 2 grows under LEDs, I was ready to run back to HIDs, but I wouldn't switch back now.

As others have said, light bars are superior to boards for an even spread of light, but the way the "quantum boards" are set up in the HLG Diablo and similar designs, may also be good. The biggest adjustment for me was not having the heat from the HID lamps during winter months. In a grow I had in another house I lived in, I depended on that heat and I would never have been able to use LEDs there.
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would be cool if you can share why you ended up staying with led after having thoughts
also can you give some insight on how its effected your grow changing from one to the other
 
H

hydrodreams

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Og_punkgenetics said:
I agree with HPS for 20 years, i've been using the new white spec leds for a little over a year now, I think they're way better., Yields are about the same, but I get better terps and trich production, My humidity doesn't spike as much, and my air conditioners run less.
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Strange.....Everybody I talk to who switched from hps to led has the opposite problem: They're sruggling with serious spikes of humidity.
 
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