Sun System® LEC™ 315 Light Emitting Ceramic Fixture

[Herb Forester]

Its my understanding the Hydrofarm hood is a Chinese import with at best 80% reflective material. My Sun System units have 95% and 98% inserts. I am sure Sun System is going to be doing light test with the hydrofarm unit vs theirs asap. I will post those findings.

That's a shame. Someone should make a better air cooled option, with a quality replaceable reflector lining like Gavita.

 

[hyzerflip]

Its my understanding the Hydrofarm hood is a Chinese import with at best 80% reflective material. My Sun System units have 95% and 98% inserts. I am sure Sun System is going to be doing light test with the hydrofarm unit vs theirs asap. I will post those findings.

Source? Seems like a weird, cheap thing to skimp on.

If you're that concerned about reflectors I'm pretty sure the GreenBeam hood is considered best in class. I like the Hydrofarm hoods simply because they're the only 315W LEC hood that can been air-cooled.

 

[Quantrill]

the phantom 315 reflector uses 95% European hammer tone aluminum, unlike the sunsystem that uses mostly smooth specular reflective surfaces with hammer tone only in the corners.

the hammer tone will give better diffuse reflection compared to the specular that will be more focused. In other words better light distribution uniformity with the hammer tone.

I myself prefer diffuse hammer tone, less chance of focused "hot spots" and less likely to reflect much light back onto the lamps arc tube.

but to each their own, its a big world out there.

I hope if Sunsystem does a light fixture comparison they use a third party lab, with proper testing equipment like a photogoniometer, and not some weak ass single plane test in a tent with a hand held light meter.

 

[Funkadelic]

What do you guys think of 315 BoulderLamps?

 

[Seed Buyer]

Quantrill....I stand corrected Hydrofarms site now says 95% insert on the webs site description. One thing I did notice is the image on Hydrofarms site, I do not see a "UL" on the CMH ballast. All the other Hydrofarm ballast have it on them. Another question I will ask the Hydrofarm rep is about the warranty. Since it does not have the Phillips driver will Phillips even warranty the lamp?

 

[Quantrill]

Since it does not have the Phillips driver will Phillips even warranty the lamp?

That is a great question. I hope you get an answer .

the attached pic of the back end of the Phantom 315 ballst shows the UL listed logo for the USA and Canada.

 

[hyzerflip]

Since it does not have the Phillips driver will Phillips even warranty the lamp?

Is there any reason to think they won't? Sounds to me like you're trying to sow FUD without evidence.

 

[Quantrill]

I know in years past that GE had to stop honoring their high wattage CMH lamp warranty if the lamp was operated on electronic high frequency sinusoidal ballasts. Such as most electronic hydro store ballasts. So I would think it is a legitimate concern.

However the Phantom 315 is designed to operate the CDM lamp on a low frequency square wave (110khz), just like the Philips driver.

I do agree that the Philips driver is the preferred control gear for the 315CDM lamp.

 

[Herb Forester]

Good info but from what I'm seeing Welthink is the preferred ballast over Philips for several reasons. And I'd venture a guess the Phantom ballast is probably also supplied by Welthink, or else their colleague who runs a related firm (there's a member here who can confirm or deny, but I doubt he will).

 

[fishwhistle]

Good info but from what I'm seeing Welthink is the preferred ballast over Philips for several reasons. And I'd venture a guess the Phantom ballast is probably also supplied by Welthink, or else their colleague who runs a related firm (there's a member here who can confirm or deny, but I doubt he will).

What are the reasons you beleive welthinks are better?,enlighten me.

 

[Seed Buyer]

Its like Hydrofarm is updating their website after every post I make. It used to not mention reflector reflectivity and the ballast only said "PRC" on them and no UL logo. I am starting to think Quantrill is a wizard.

 

[Quantrill]

I'd be more inclined to think the Phantom 315 ballasts are made by BERSN than Welthink or Sunplix, but that's a wild ass guess, as I am no wizard.

 

[Herb Forester]

I said preferred not better. @Quantrill will you be selling Sunplix?

 

[Rootbound]

I said preferred not better. @Quantrill will you be selling Sunplix?

What are the reasons you prefer welthink over Phillips ballast?

 

[Quantrill]

Quantrill will you be selling Sunplix?

No, I'm not impressed by their marketing.

 

[fishwhistle]

What are the reasons you prefer welthink over Phillips ballast?

Id still love to know as well?
Quantrill isnt Bersn licensed by philips in china and making basically the exact same philips ballast?

 

[Quantrill]

I assume they are making the ballasts, yes. But I am certain they use Philips approved circuit boards n their ballasts, whether they themselves actually make them or not.

 

[fishwhistle]

Gotcha,Id assume that since their licensed by philips they are basically the same.

 

[Herb Forester]

What are the reasons you prefer welthink over Phillips ballast?

I only have 3rd gen Welthink so far because they were the best option available both times I bought them. The circuitry is an advanced design over what Philips offers, which we already discussed earlier in this thread (or was that somewhere else?) I wouldn't mind trying some of the new brands, but only the sine wave designs and not the older square wave only type (I'm no expert, it's what my engineer consultant advised). The reason I asked about Sunplix is the dimming circuit would be handy for my veg rooms, something I previously dismissed until seeing the intensity when using a lot of them together. I think these Phantom units look decent for the price, and I'm sure we'll get more feedback from larger rooms as many convert. Welthink are out there in large numbers already, with solid performance history from the 3rd gen series. Although personally I'm not sold on CMH by itself, for what I do anyway.

Id still love to know as well?
Quantrill isnt Bersn licensed by philips in china and making basically the exact same philips ballast?

You're trolling me and you know it. The answer hasn't changed since the last time you got corrected by people who actually run these in numbers. Glad lighting theory and technical specs are your forte, but I'm more interested in growing plants and sharing a few things I've picked up in exchange for similar knowledge from others.

 

[Quantrill]

Herb, You should re-quiz your engineer friend if he recommended high frequency sine wave over low frequency square wave for CDM control gear. And actually I am not even aware of any ballasts that claim to be sine wave and control the 315 CDM. If there is and you decide to run with one, or more, please use an enclosed fixture.