when to start using super lumen option on ballast ????

[d420dool]

so ive always wondered when one should start using the superlumens option, i have a humboldt county micromole 600, i just picked up a new hortilux bulb and was wonderin wether to start usin superlumens(660 supermole on ballast) right from the get go or to continue what ive been doing wich is goin bout 3-4 months at 600 and then usin 660 supermole for the rest of my bulbs life wich is usually bout 9 months. any info would be killa thanx farm fam

 

[paulycali]

Never lol! Use super lumens the cycle before your going to switch out to new bulbs. Super lumens with hurt the life of your bulb for sure so only use super lumens when your bulbs are on their way out

Using super lumens = 2 cycle bulb life
Not using super lumens = 4 cycle bulb life

 

[d420dool]

thanks dude much appreciated

 

[surrealife]

umm, by "super lumens", do you mean high setting.?
i have 2 1000 wt. i run them at all three settings.....more life like.

should i keep them at 500-750wt? growth is great.

tell me about bulbs gents!

 

[cctt]

I recommend running the bulb at its rated power level whenever possible. That's what it's designed for, and that's where it will perform the best, put out its optimal spectrum, and last the longest. I will 'dim' when I have absolutely no other way to reduce heat.

 

[ttystikk]

Super lumens generally over drive the bulb by 10-15%, which in better quality HPS bulbs results in the same or better lumens per watt ratio and give up very little bulb life. I've done quite a bit of digging on this; use the superlumens feature, but use a good quality bulb like Horti or Philips.

Run your fresh HPS bulb at 100% only for the first 100 hours of operation. Do not dim or run superlumen during this 'burn in' time, or diminished bulb life is more likely.

The extreme case is the Gavita digital 1kW ballast fixture running Philips' DE, or double ended bulb. They're actually designed to be run continuously at the super lumens setting- and Philips guarantees no more than 5% lumen loss over the entire THREE YEAR life span of the bulb!

 

[ttystikk]

I recommend running the bulb at its rated power level whenever possible. That's what it's designed for, and that's where it will perform the best, put out its optimal spectrum, and last the longest. I will 'dim' when I have absolutely no other way to reduce heat.

Dim only HPS, and only as a last resort, as this hurts both lumens per watt efficiency (you only get 45% of the light at the 60% power setting, but all 60% of the heat) and it hurts the quality of the spectrum output by the bulb. I rotate bulbs instead; shut off one of four for a couple hours each, or even two if it gets out of hand (had some practice recently).

 

[d420dool]

Hey thanx for the info ty im gonna start using the 660 setting tonight on my hortilux