# high pressure sodium lights?



## Jabrw0ke (Dec 31, 2009)

I have a very small area (it's a bedroom closet). The Lowes here has 400w bulbs for $20. How many should I get? And What kind of fixtures should I use?   How long do these lights normally last? and do they use a lot of electricity?

Thank you!

Cheryl


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## The Hemp Goddess (Dec 31, 2009)

Jabrw0ke said:
			
		

> I have a very small area (it's a bedroom closet). The Lowes here has 400w bulbs for $20. How many should I get? And What kind of fixtures should I use?   How long do these lights normally last? and do they use a lot of electricity?
> 
> Thank you!
> 
> Cheryl



High pressure sodium lights require a ballast to run.  Bulbs this size generally also need a mogul socket.  You also need a reflector and cords.  Unless you are handy and comfortable working with electricity, you will probably want to buy a complete unit.  HTG supply has some good prices.  The light you get should be determined by the size of your space.  You want 5000 lumens per sq ft for flowering.  You can determine how much electricity your light will use by multiplying the voltage and the amperage.  You can find your charge per kw from your electric bill.

Here is a link to HTG supply.  Change the XX to tt:  hXXp://www.htgsupply.com/growlightsubcategories.asp?categoryID=1


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## Jabrw0ke (Dec 31, 2009)

The Hemp Goddess said:
			
		

> High pressure sodium lights require a ballast to run. Bulbs this size generally also need a mogul socket. You also need a reflector and cords. Unless you are handy and comfortable working with electricity, you will probably want to buy a complete unit. HTG supply has some good prices. The light you get should be determined by the size of your space. You want 5000 lumens per sq ft for flowering. You can determine how much electricity your light will use by multiplying the voltage and the amperage. You can find your charge per kw from your electric bill.
> 
> Here is a link to HTG supply. Change the XX to tt: hXXp://www.htgsupply.com/growlightsubcategories.asp?categoryID=1


 
Thank you, those are really simmilar to what I was looking at, but a lot cheeper. 

Is there a cheeper or easyer lighting for flowering? Not that this doesn't look easy, but I am thinking about the electrical... and construction.  I don't want to compleatly reconstruct my closet.  Tho I'm realizing that I may have to.


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## DonJones (Jan 1, 2010)

You could use CFLs or T-5s as a lot of members do.   You could even use LEDs like some do.  What are the dimensions of the closet and how are you going to handle ventilation and heat issues?  Those are actually as big of an issue as what kind of light you are going to use.

The way your question is worded it indicates a lack of basic understand of growing techniques and especially of lighting.  I strongly urge you to spend a lot of time in the GROW ROOM AND DESIGN section as well as in the LIGHTING section.  Then you may be able to get a good enough idea to ask specific questions that will help you bring a basic idea of what you are trying to accomplish and how you intend to do it to a completed finished and successful grow room.  There are many closet growers and examples of what they have done --what worked and what didn't work.  *An excellent place to start on your LIGHTING education is to read and study the excellent stickys that Mutt has posted at the start of this section.  Those stickys are usually there because they have a wealth of basic or wide application information in them.*

I don't mean to talk down to you, but just to help you avoid getting elements from several opposing designs that will not work together. Myself, I am not and hope to never become a closet grower, but the time may come when I'm forced to become one.

HAPPY NEW YEAR! and great smoking.


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## The Hemp Goddess (Jan 2, 2010)

Jabrw0ke said:
			
		

> Thank you, those are really simmilar to what I was looking at, but a lot cheeper.
> 
> Is there a cheeper or easyer lighting for flowering? Not that this doesn't look easy, but I am thinking about the electrical... and construction.  I don't want to compleatly reconstruct my closet.  Tho I'm realizing that I may have to.



You cannot buy a larger wattage HPS or MH fixture (ballast, reflector, cords, bulbetc) from HD or Lowes, so don't really know what you were looking at  that is similar 

Something cheaper and easier?  IMO, not really.  There is a common misconception that HPS lights are more expensive and hotter than CFLs, but this is not true.  When you get enough CFLs in there to do the job correctly, you are going to spend more and have more heat.  *Lumen for lumen, CFLs cost more to purchase initially, cost more to operate every single month, put out more heat, and produce substantially less bud than an HPS*.

There is nothing wrong with being a closet grower--many of us here are.  How large is your closet?  You are probably going to have to do some construction as flowering plants require 100% darkness during their dark period and you need ventilation regardless of what type of lighting you are using.  Ventilation does more than cool your space.  Your plants need a continual supply of fresh air all the time the lights are on for proper photosynthesis.


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## leafminer (Jan 7, 2010)

Please correct me if I am wrong, THG, but as far as I know, CFLs produce about 70 lumens/watt, T5's about 80, and HPS from 100 upwards depending on the lamp size.


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## FA$TCA$H (Jan 7, 2010)

DonJones said:
			
		

> The way your question is worded it indicates a lack of basic understand of growing techniques and especially of lighting.
> 
> I don't mean to talk down to you, but just to help you avoid getting elements from several opposing designs that will not work together. Myself, I am not and hope to never become a closet grower, but the time may come when I'm forced to become one.
> 
> HAPPY NEW YEAR! and great smoking.


(condesending)

HTG supply: simple and easy.


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## LEFTHAND (Jan 7, 2010)

*even if your a closet grower you can still get an HPS up to 50w... i would choose that over a CFL any day..
if we had dimentions of your plants or thoughts we could asses the situation a lil better hook you up with some awsome ideas..
leading away from  the play lights and into growing.. "properly" 
are you a handy man??
if so this should be a breeze.. but lest start of with this..
1:dimentions of grow area..
2:# of plants wanting to grow?
3: plan to veg in the same place as you flower?
4:how are you growing?
5:what are you growing (strain)
6:money wanting to spend..
this should help me and everyone else to get you started and understanding the basics...
take care and have fun
LH*


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## nouvellechef (Jan 7, 2010)

You got some homework to do girl. Read up on the stickys in a few of the categories. IMO, it is not cheap to grow great bud.


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## The Hemp Goddess (Jan 7, 2010)

42W CFL=2800 lumens=66.66 lumens/watt
54W T5=5000 lumens=92.60 lumens/watt
150W HPS=15000 lumens=100 lumens/watt  

In general, the higher the HPS wattage, the better lumen/watt ratio

MH lights are actually a little less efficient (lumens/watt) than T5s, although they penetrate better.  I prefer T5s for vegging over a MH.    

A 400W MH=36000 (or less) lumens=90 lumens/watt


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## Rusty Gribble (Jan 15, 2010)

i would check out htgsupply........i ordered their 400w hps system and got a free digital greenhouse ballast upgrade, got a note saying they were out of the ballast i ordered so i got a free $65 upgrade :woohoo: ...great service


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## Todway (Jan 25, 2010)

two reliable vendors are:  high pressure sodium, and garden.com.  One is  in PA, one in VA.  the switchable MH - HPS electronic ballast from garden.com is best, and reflector, which includes mogul socket and long cords on both ballast and reflector.  Ballasts have a 3 yr. warranty.  You can get bulbs elsewhere online, also, and Home Depot carries some too. if you can, buy a digital NIST-cert. light meter online for $50 - 75.00.  Professional Equipment in WI is a good site. Let your tap water sit overnight in an open contanier to neutralize the PH level, no PH meter is needed.


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## The Hemp Goddess (Jan 25, 2010)

Todway said:
			
		

> ...Let your tap water sit overnight in an open contanier to neutralize the PH level, no PH meter is needed...



Letting water sit out all night will not neutralize the pH level.  Leaving the water out overnight will only allow the chlorine to evaporate.  The pH will only change to the extent that lower levels of chlorine would change it.  IMO, you should always have a pH meter.  PH changes with the addition of nutrients.  Many problems can be traced to incorrect pH, especially nutrient lockout.


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## dragracer (Jan 25, 2010)

From my research I would not buy the MH or HPS bulbs at home depot. They do not have the protective UV coating to prevent plant burn, thus why they are cheaper. I would spend the money on a good bulb .....Good luck!!


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## dragracer (Jan 25, 2010)

Also, From my personal experience, PH is very important and a meter is imperative. Once I had that under control, It is like night and day.


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## cmd420 (Jan 25, 2010)

Todway said:
			
		

> two reliable vendors are: high pressure sodium, and garden.com. One is in PA, one in VA. the switchable MH - HPS electronic ballast from garden.com is best, and reflector, which includes mogul socket and long cords on both ballast and reflector. Ballasts have a 3 yr. warranty. You can get bulbs elsewhere online, also, and Home Depot carries some too. if you can, buy a digital NIST-cert. light meter online for $50 - 75.00. Professional Equipment in WI is a good site. *Let your tap water sit overnight in an open contanier to neutralize the PH level, no PH meter is needed*.


 
Totally sounds like something Jorge Cervantes would write..

(not calling anybody a plagiarist..just at how silly some advice is)


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## Todway (Jan 25, 2010)

dragracer said:
			
		

> From my research I would not buy the MH or HPS bulbs at home depot. They do not have the protective UV coating to prevent plant burn, thus why they are cheaper. I would spend the money on a good bulb .....Good luck!!


 
-- they are bulbs from leading manufacturers. they are not cheaper than online -- SORRY! - it's a convenience issue. And the lumens are easily tracked with a light meter. if you are not happy with them, simply return them. it sure beats paying shipping fees and breakage.

i returned my PH meter to Prof. Equipment in WI, it was not needed at all.  our water is only a point or two above neutral.  let it sit 24 hrs and it becomes totally neutral.


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## Todway (Jan 25, 2010)

The Hemp Goddess said:
			
		

> Letting water sit out all night will not neutralize the pH level. Leaving the water out overnight will only allow the chlorine to evaporate. The pH will only change to the extent that lower levels of chlorine would change it. IMO, you should always have a pH meter. PH changes with the addition of nutrients. Many problems can be traced to incorrect pH, especially nutrient lockout.


 

--- before I returned my very nice digital Ph meter to Prof Equipment in Janesville, WI, I tested our water for severl days running.  after sitting overnight, as recommended on several websites, indeed the water was right at the neutral level. BTW, we proved that our Brita filter water jug reduced the impurities in the water markedly too, via a "water pen" from the same vendor.  Experience is the best teacher.


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## Hick (Jan 26, 2010)

Todway said:
			
		

> --- before I returned my very nice digital Ph meter to Prof Equipment in Janesville, WI, I tested our water for severl days running.  after sitting overnight, as recommended on several websites, indeed the water was right at the neutral level. BTW, we proved that our Brita filter water jug reduced the impurities in the water markedly too, via a "water pen" from the same vendor.  Experience is the best teacher.



You're _"lucky"_ to be blessed with decent water straight from the tap. Unfortunately, most folks aren't, and ph is not effected by allowing the water to set. Ph has to do with acidity and alkalinity, neither of which are altered without _chemical_ alteration. 
"Experience is the best teacher.".. yes!... but interpreting what you experience correctly is imperative...
A good ph testing device is a "must" in every grow.


> -- they are bulbs from leading manufacturers. they are not cheaper than online -- SORRY! - it's a convenience issue. And the lumens are easily tracked with a light meter. if you are not happy with them, simply return them. it sure beats paying shipping fees and breakage.


I purchase my bulbs directly from an electrical supply store, same bulbs, but 'usually' at wholesale prices..


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## The Hemp Goddess (Jan 26, 2010)

My water is also "neutral" in pH (7.0).  But that is not what I and most growers need.  In hydro, you want your pH from about 5.5 to 5.8 and in soil around 6.5.  You need a meter to get your water where you need it to be.Neutral pH is not ideal to grow with.


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## dragracer (Jan 26, 2010)

My water also comes out of my well at around neutral, but with 260 ppm, not good. As THG said, most systems require less than neutral water and it flucuates immensly if your ppm's are wack. I use distilled for now that is about .9 ppm and very easy to control PH level's. But it sounds like you have it all figured out, good luck!!


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