1000watt vs 600watt?? (HPS) *DETAILED*

budbro18 said:

I prefer 600w just for heat mainly. And i run in a 4x4 so it fits it perfectly. But even when i double up my set up im just going to get another 600w.

1000ws are nice but a bit too hot for my space. Dont like workin the AC that hard. I can get the light closer with less heat but you can bleach the plant with the light if you get it too close. Happens sometimes in winter when my temps are so cold branches can be touching the glass on the cooltube and be fine, besides the bleaching from being inches away.

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UOENO said:

Iwas comparing my electric bills, I installed an AC unit 15 BTUs and the bill just came around 45 bucks more lol...and thats 2 fans, one filter with its fan, the ac unit plus the two gavitas..I hope THE nEXT BILL comes similar lol that would be freaking awesome.. but i doubt it. It is colder now so the AC unit barely turns on but we will see. =)

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budbro18 said:

How are those gavitas working out?? What kind of heat do they throw off and what wattage do you have?

I wanted to get a new 600w light goin and theyre around the price range that i can afford and if they threw off as little heat as they say thatd be a for sure upgrade. Whats the bulbs CRI and what kind of bulbs are they putting out?

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UOENO said:

The ballast barelly get hot and the heat is not an issue at all. The gavitas are the only ones that come with a phillips bulb. And like I mentioned b4, I am blasting mines with 1150 watts which is the maximum on the gavitas pro 1000

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sirsmokesalot831 said:

So personally i have a magnetic, switchable 1000w ballast. Im using an UltraSun
1000w bulb, in a "Yield Master 2" 6inch reflector. My temps are always cool between
70-80 at its highest as i run the HPS at night with fans going slightly above the plants,
One clip-on fan blowing into the reflector and one Fan blowing fresh air in through an open
window (with a screen of course) I have 4 plants all about 3 weeks old just sending to flowering.

1. MarionBerry Kush
2. Ak-47
3. Sour Kush aka Headband
4. Girl Scout Cookies -- Authentic from the bay area where i live


Can someone PLEASE make it clear the distinct differneces in RESULTS from
a SINGLE 1000w vs 600w HPS. A lot of people say that a 600w is more efficient
and can get you about the same yield (temps NOT in mind, lets assume both will be in 70-80temp wise).
But is a 1000w HPS only better if growing MORE plants? I hear you can get Denser, chunkier nuggets
with a 1000w, but is it only really worth it if growing a lot of plants? I also hear
you can " bleach " your plants with a 1000w being too close, ive never heard of this
happening with a 600w? SO would it be better to get a 600w that can get closer to buds and
still get 1000w yield? or is a 1000w only comparable to itself in quality of buds.
EXPERIENCED GROWERS FEEL FREE TO ENLIGHTEN. Its not a matter of which is better for how many plants,
but which do YOU prefer and WHY through your own personal experience (including plant count) -- thanks

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Experienced Grower said:

Let me start by saying I have had many many years of experience growing cannabis and have thus far produced over 100 batches in several locations many at the same time, so believe me when I say there is very good reason not go for 600w sodium blubs you will get nowhere near the amount you can get if you use 1000 watt sodium bulbs and that is a fact.

In the old days you had to use 600 watt bulbs because of heat issues but this all changed when air cooled lighting became available. I personally started using air cooled lights before they were even available as I made my own version of an air cooled light long ago before the 1000 watt bulbs even gave out the kind of lumen output they give today.

Nowadays 600 watt bulbs put out an output of up to around 90,000 lumens, 1000 bulbs put out up to around 160,000 lumens. The question is how much difference do all these lumens make? The simple answer is A LOT in fact your yield could increase by as much as double due to not just the extra lumens but also the deeper penetration from the extra power meaning less under developed buds at the bottom of plants that often end up in the bin.

Now for all you eggheads let me explain the mathematics/science behind why more lumens results in far bigger yields.

First you must make sure the coverage of your plants is right. Ideally you should not be able to see the floor if looking down on your plants. Secondly you must use the correct food including EC levels and nutrients etc. then there is a formula you can use to work out the yield you can expect. You get 0.00001 gram per lumen per hour of light so to calculate the yield of a 600w or 1000w bulb you must do the following equation:

600 watt bulb
90,000 (Lumens) X 0.00001 (grams) X 12 (hours) X 60 (days) = 648 Grams per light

1000 Watt Bulb
160,000 (Lumens) X 0.00001 (grams) X 12 (hours) X 60 (days) = 1152 Grams per light

Results will vary from plant to plant and there are many factors other than just lights to take into consideration, but under optimum conditions the above amounts are what you can expect. Below I have made a graph to give an idea of the difference based on several different set up’s with optimum conditions. This graph does not reflect the extra you can also get from the 1000w bulbs from extra penetration so for the 1000w bulbs the results can be even higher.

2 X 600 Watt Bulbs = 1,296 Grams

2 X 1000 Watt Bulbs = 2,304 Grams

3 X 600 Watt Bulbs = 1,944 Grams

3 X 1000 Watt Bulbs = 3,456 Grams

4 X 600 Watt Bulbs = 2,592 Grams

4 X 1000 Watt Bulbs = 4,608 Grams

5 X 600 Watt Bulbs = 3,240Grams

5 X 1000 Watt Bulbs = 5,760 Grams

6 X 600 Watt Bulbs = 3,888 Grams

6 X 1000 Watt Bulbs = 6,912 Grams

7 X 600 Watt Bulbs = 4,536 Grams

7 X 1000 Watt Bulbs = 8,064 Grams

8 X 600 Watt Bulbs = 5,184 Grams

8 X 1000 Watt Bulbs = 9,216 Grams

9 X 600 Watt Bulbs = 5,832 Grams

9 X 1000 Watt Bulbs = 10,368 Grams

10 X 600 Watt Bulbs = 6,480 Grams

10 X 1000 Watt Bulbs = 11,520 Grams

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Experienced Grower said:

Let me start by saying I have had many many years of experience growing cannabis and have thus far produced over 100 batches in several locations many at the same time, so believe me when I say there is very good reason not go for 600w sodium blubs you will get nowhere near the amount you can get if you use 1000 watt sodium bulbs and that is a fact.

In the old days you had to use 600 watt bulbs because of heat issues but this all changed when air cooled lighting became available. I personally started using air cooled lights before they were even available as I made my own version of an air cooled light long ago before the 1000 watt bulbs even gave out the kind of lumen output they give today.

Nowadays 600 watt bulbs put out an output of up to around 90,000 lumens, 1000 bulbs put out up to around 160,000 lumens. The question is how much difference do all these lumens make? The simple answer is A LOT in fact your yield could increase by as much as double due to not just the extra lumens but also the deeper penetration from the extra power meaning less under developed buds at the bottom of plants that often end up in the bin.

Now for all you eggheads let me explain the mathematics/science behind why more lumens results in far bigger yields.

First you must make sure the coverage of your plants is right. Ideally you should not be able to see the floor if looking down on your plants. Secondly you must use the correct food including EC levels and nutrients etc. then there is a formula you can use to work out the yield you can expect. You get 0.00001 gram per lumen per hour of light so to calculate the yield of a 600w or 1000w bulb you must do the following equation:

600 watt bulb
90,000 (Lumens) X 0.00001 (grams) X 12 (hours) X 60 (days) = 648 Grams per light

1000 Watt Bulb
160,000 (Lumens) X 0.00001 (grams) X 12 (hours) X 60 (days) = 1152 Grams per light

Results will vary from plant to plant and there are many factors other than just lights to take into consideration, but under optimum conditions the above amounts are what you can expect. Below I have made a graph to give an idea of the difference based on several different set up’s with optimum conditions. This graph does not reflect the extra you can also get from the 1000w bulbs from extra penetration so for the 1000w bulbs the results can be even higher.

2 X 600 Watt Bulbs = 1,296 Grams

2 X 1000 Watt Bulbs = 2,304 Grams

3 X 600 Watt Bulbs = 1,944 Grams

3 X 1000 Watt Bulbs = 3,456 Grams

4 X 600 Watt Bulbs = 2,592 Grams

4 X 1000 Watt Bulbs = 4,608 Grams

5 X 600 Watt Bulbs = 3,240Grams

5 X 1000 Watt Bulbs = 5,760 Grams

6 X 600 Watt Bulbs = 3,888 Grams

6 X 1000 Watt Bulbs = 6,912 Grams

7 X 600 Watt Bulbs = 4,536 Grams

7 X 1000 Watt Bulbs = 8,064 Grams

8 X 600 Watt Bulbs = 5,184 Grams

8 X 1000 Watt Bulbs = 9,216 Grams

9 X 600 Watt Bulbs = 5,832 Grams

9 X 1000 Watt Bulbs = 10,368 Grams

10 X 600 Watt Bulbs = 6,480 Grams

10 X 1000 Watt Bulbs = 11,520 Grams

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fandango said:

I have both running at the moment...the 600 is better because it uses less juice and the make up is had from a lower setting over the plant.
1000w is not needed because you can check with a light meter and find you have to pull the 1000w up and away to keep the heat from burning the heads,as the 600 can be closer...and give the same lumens
so 1200w or 2000w...now the difference in hourly cost adds up
but..the light bill should be about 25% cost of the buds..so more light is better

confused yet...I still am

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