New Hps Light Temperature Fluctuations

[Onetwothree]

hey there hive mind. I have a question, or more like a situation that involves a question. Or something like that.

I'm on my first grow and recently switched to 12/12 (yay!) I figured I'd shell out for a nice bulb and I'm running this guy:

Ushio US5001669 Enhanced Performance HPS Lamp, 400-watt, Opti Red https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003U4Y09A/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awd_C4HzwbJ8482EM

So the first night I had this baby running, I had to have my air cooled hood intake fan running at around 75% just to keep the temps in the tent at 80F. Now, a week later, I have the fan running at 25% and the lights on temp barely gets up to 73F. The room the tent is in is temperature controlled, so it's not that...What gives, and does it matter? Is there a way I can test the effectiveness of the output of the light? I know it's probably not true but logic seems to dictate a temperature fluctuation that big means something is different with what's coming out of the bulb. I feel like it's either the ballast, the bulb, or nothing is wrong at all. Please tell me in worried about nothing, but I put 6 weeks into vegging and training these things to be bushy monsters, I'd hate to blow it now.

Thoughts??

 

[MidwestToker]

I read somewhere where they had trouble with Ushio opti reds in some electronic ballasts. Does it look dimmer than when you first started it ?

 

[Onetwothree]

I read somewhere where they had trouble with Ushio opti reds in some electronic ballasts. Does it look dimmer than when you first started it ?

It's really hard to say...I want to say it could be dimmer, but it might only be in my head because I know the temps have dropped so much.

 

[baba G]

Was the first night uvran the bulb a 18 hr day or more? When u switch a room to 12-12 it typically wont get as warm as a veg hour regiment does...

 

[Onetwothree]

Was the first night uvran the bulb a 18 hr day or more? When u switch a room to 12-12 it typically wont get as warm as a veg hour regiment does...

No, the first time I ran the bulb it was on a 12/12 cycle.

 

[MidwestToker]

What brand and type of ballast ?
Where did you purchase your bulb ?

 

[Onetwothree]

What brand and type of ballast ?
Where did you purchase your bulb ?

It's an Apollo 400w digital ballast, The bulb was bought on Amazon...

 

[fishwhistle]

Id Just watch it and see if it holds consistently now,since its a new bulb maybe it was just breaking in or it just changed your enviro up a bit and you werent used to it.If it doesnt keep fluctuating you should be good.

 

[Onetwothree]

Id Just watch it and see if it holds consistently now,since its a new bulb maybe it was just breaking in or it just changed your enviro up a bit and you werent used to it.If it doesnt keep fluctuating you should be good.

Right on. Thanks man.

 

[MidwestToker]

I believe that was the brand of ballast that was having trouble with the Ushio's. I run 2 Apollo's now but I run Hortilux bulbs in mine. Be carful buying bulbs off the net. There was a problem with growers using bulbs for one cycle and then selling their old bulbs as new.

 

[MidwestToker]

I buy all my bulbs local now , may cost a little more but if I have trouble they fix me up right a way.

 

[Onetwothree]

I believe that was the brand of ballast that was having trouble with the Ushio's. I run 2 Apollo's now but I run Hortilux bulbs in mine. Be carful buying bulbs off the net. There was a problem with growers using bulbs for one cycle and then selling their old bulbs as new.

Damn it! The reason I bought the Ushio was because I heard Hortilux bulbs were having trouble with digital ballasts. Go figure, right? I also read about the reselling issue with Hortilux bulbs and thought Ushio was a little more obscure and would have less of a chance to be a used bulb being sold as new.

I buy all my bulbs local now , may cost a little more but if I have trouble they fix me up right a way.

I'm going to send back the bulb to Amazon, luckily they have an awesome return policy and I won't be out any money. Yea, I do have a local grow shop, but they are pretty poorly run and have shitty stock. I buy nutes and soil there to support their local business, but I've kept my big purchases elsewhere unfortunately. Probably time to change that. There is one about 35 minutes away that is supposed to be awesome though, maybe I will head down there and check them out. I don't know much about Hortilux bulbs, is there a specific line/model I should look for?

 

[MidwestToker]

Hortilux Super HPS, But your running 400 watts. When I ran 400's I just ran the cheap Optilumes at 20 dollars. Did just as good as the 400 watt horti at 1/3 the price.

 

[Onetwothree]

Hortilux Super HPS, But your running 400 watts. When I ran 400's I just ran the cheap Optilumes at 20 dollars. Did just as good as the 400 watt horti at 1/3 the price.

Thanks man. Yea, I was thinking about ramping up to a 600watt ballast in the near future...would that make much of a difference, I'm only growing 4 plants at a time in a 4x5 tent...what do you think?

 

[MidwestToker]

I use a 600 in a 4x4, a 600 will give you twice as much light as a 400. When running 400s I had to keep my bulbs fairly close to the plants for good penetration.

 

[Onetwothree]

I use a 600 in a 4x4, a 600 will give you twice as much light as a 400. When running 400s I had to keep my bulbs fairly close to the plants for good penetration.View attachment 554068

Thanks for all the advice my friend! I really appreciate it.

Damn! How close do you keep the lights? I was told to not let them closer than 12"...should I get 'em closer?

 

[sixstring]

Maybe run fan runs more efficient at low speed then it does at high speed?its possible or the bulb wants to work harder when your over cooling it idk but i know in my setup if i turn all my fans on high i have temp problems because there's not enough air coming into the room and the fans all fight each other.

 

[MidwestToker]

Thanks for all the advice my friend! I really appreciate it.

Damn! How close do you keep the lights? I was told to not let them closer than 12"...should I get 'em closer?

Really depends on your reflector .You'll have to experiment to see how close you can run it. If you're going to upgrade let me suggest the Apollo Purple Reign ballast. Capable of running 400 - 1050 watts.

 

[DemonTrich]

count yourself lucky the Apollo ballast didn't fry and fry the ushio bulb. I tried the Apollo 600 ballast and ushio super red and with in 5 seconds of firing them up, I fried 3x ballasts and 3x bulbs.
if its a lower heat issue, (imo) the bulb is not performing optimal. light = heat. more light = more heat, and vice versa.



^^
purple reign Apollo ballast, it costs less than their 1k watt ballast. lol

 

[Onetwothree]

Really depends on your reflector .You'll have to experiment to see how close you can run it. If you're going to upgrade let me suggest the Apollo Purple Reign ballast. Capable of running 400 - 1050 watts.

That's the one I was thinking of getting!