600w in a homebox L?

I am finishing up my first grow, was thinking of making a modification for my second grow, and am looking for some advice.

I am currently using a pretty simple setup:

Homebox L (40"x40")
For exhaust/cooling I have a carbon filter attached to a 400w HPS cooltube attached to a Fantech FR150 243cfm inline fan, exhausting out the top into another room.

I am halfway done with flowering (week 5) and so far everything is going great (largely thanks to threads I've read on this site ). I have no issues with heat, I have one of those digital thermometers that saves the high/low every day. The homebox never gets above 77 degrees, and usually hovers around 74 or so. The fan is providing great airflow, powerful enough to pull the sides of the box in like an hourglass.

I am thinking about upgrading to a 600w digi cooltube for my next grow. Is there a big difference between a 400w and a 600w in terms of cooling/temps?

Thanks in advance.

Hey I'm looking into putting a 600w or 1000w in one of these. I know 1000w would be harder to maintain temps, so I'll probably go with 600w. I don't think you should have any problems with 600...but i'm not speaking from experience.

i have a home box l w 6 t5 lights and one osilating fan temps get up to like 88 so becareful

LinearChaos said:

I am finishing up my first grow, was thinking of making a modification for my second grow, and am looking for some advice.

I am currently using a pretty simple setup:

Homebox L (40"x40")
For exhaust/cooling I have a carbon filter attached to a 400w HPS cooltube attached to a Fantech FR150 243cfm inline fan, exhausting out the top into another room.

I am halfway done with flowering (week 5) and so far everything is going great (largely thanks to threads I've read on this site ). I have no issues with heat, I have one of those digital thermometers that saves the high/low every day. The homebox never gets above 77 degrees, and usually hovers around 74 or so. The fan is providing great airflow, powerful enough to pull the sides of the box in like an hourglass.

I am thinking about upgrading to a 600w digi cooltube for my next grow. Is there a big difference between a 400w and a 600w in terms of cooling/temps?

Thanks in advance.

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I think it will be hard to keep control of the temps with a 600w in a box that size, check out my suparoom grow journal, i have only just controled the heat in the that room with a 600w

Good luck tho

If your getting 77 max with a 400 i dont see why it would go higher than low 80's.....I had a 600 w in a closet with just a little fan and i never really past 88-89 in the summer....

ceerock said:

If your getting 77 max with a 400 i dont see why it would go higher than low 80's.....I had a 600 w in a closet with just a little fan and i never really past 88-89 in the summer....

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88 to 89 is not a good thing bro

Thanks for the replies.

Baz, thanks for the link. I checked out your journal and will probably stick with a 400w. The Homebox website also recommends a 400w for the L. Everything seems to be going well so I'd probably be much better off keeping it that way. "If it ain't broke, don't fix it" as they say.

LinearChaos said:

Thanks for the replies.

Baz, thanks for the link. I checked out your journal and will probably stick with a 400w. The Homebox website also recommends a 400w for the L. Everything seems to be going well so I'd probably be much better off keeping it that way. "If it ain't broke, don't fix it" as they say.

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Yup exactly, good luck with it

Baz said:

88 to 89 is not a good thing bro

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sorry , but i meant 88-89 in summer with the door closed and NO cool fan....

Dude I have a HB S 31.5 x 31.5 x 63 and I have a 400 in there and I know it could easily handle a 600. My temps dont ever go above 74 and I only have one exhaust fan sucking the air through the light and out the top an dthen through a carbon filter. I have a high powered fan but dont even use it cuz it was too much. Im just using one of those HTG 6 inch duct fans for 25 bucks and that keeps my whole set up perfect. I know I could easily get away with a 600 and I know that will be happening in the near future. So, thats my expierience. I also haave a Homebox XS with a 250 in it and no air cooled hood and one 6inch fan going through a carbon filter and that one doesnt get above 75... so, I wish I had bought a 600 for my HB S.... peace

There is definitely a big difference in heat between the 400 and 600. Not just heating the air, but also radiant heat. It will heat up surfaces around it quickly. That said, there is also a HUGE difference in output. A good 400w HPS will kick about 45000 lumens, a good 600, about 90000 lumens, almost double.

Baz said:

I think it will be hard to keep control of the temps with a 600w in a box that size, check out my suparoom grow journal, i have only just controled the heat in the that room with a 600w

Good luck tho

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I think with cool tubes, you'll have much more success keeping temps down. I was looking at grow tech's thread, and he's running 1000 watts in a grow tent. He started with a small a/c unit for cooling and had trouble, then added a cool tube and now it's fine. I really think the cool tubes will help.

WoldofWeedcraft said:

I think with cool tubes, you'll have much more success keeping temps down. I was looking at grow tech's thread, and he's running 1000 watts in a grow tent. He started with a small a/c unit for cooling and had trouble, then added a cool tube and now it's fine. I really think the cool tubes will help.

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Yea you could be right as my set up has a home made cooling system and hood, a cool tube would prob work alot better

Hey guys, i didnt mention the factI have my tents in a constant 60 degree basement. i think thats the reason i have never had temp issues so i shouldnt be giving cooling advice on this

For reference, here is what I have:

400w Cool Tube

And here is what I was thinking of getting:

Digital 600w Cool Tube

The 400w is 55k lumen and the 600w is 95k. I attached a pic that has the setup I am using.

I like the Cool Tube because it is closed, hooks right up to 6" ducting, and has an external ballast.

I still might try it down the road.

how many plants do u have in there? and how much do you think u will get from them with this setup?

LinearChaos said:

For reference, here is what I have:

400w Cool Tube

And here is what I was thinking of getting:

Digital 600w Cool Tube

The 400w is 55k lumen and the 600w is 95k. I attached a pic that has the setup I am using.

I like the Cool Tube because it is closed, hooks right up to 6" ducting, and has an external ballast.

I still might try it down the road.

Click to expand...

Nice Linear, I'm looking at that same 600w deal from HTG. Are they a good dealer? I've heard mixed reviews from them. But the prices are unbeatable for those digital ballast kits. I plan to use the 600 inside a tent also. Debating which one to get. Gonna either be a Secret Jardin Dark Room 120 or maybe the Sun Hut LG.

WoldofWeedcraft said:

Nice Linear, I'm looking at that same 600w deal from HTG. Are they a good dealer? I've heard mixed reviews from them. But the prices are unbeatable for those digital ballast kits. I plan to use the 600 inside a tent also. Debating which one to get. Gonna either be a Secret Jardin Dark Room 120 or maybe the Sun Hut LG.

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I ordered a 600w from htg supply. bulb went on its second day??!!? it was on a friday so they werent in till monday. (used my old 400w mh while the hps was out) said he would ship one out asap overnight. called back on friday cause it never showed? They forgot to ship it. took 12 days to get a bulb shipped 60 miles. i would have driven myself if i would have know all that crap

Hey just wanted to add I got a 400 digi ballast from HTG and it buzzed from day 1. Loudly. They sent a replacement and that one buzzed louder. It has been on for months so it works great, but that buzz bothers me. Just an fyi

ARTFART said:

how many plants do u have in there? and how much do you think u will get from them with this setup?

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I have 8 atm. 3 G-Bomb and 5 Blue Cheese. I am using a 70/30 mix of Foxfarm Ocean Forrest/Light Warrior soil atm in 3 gallon Pots. I am using Foxfarm nutes every other watering (Big Bloon and Tiger Bloom atm), I started at 25% of reccomend in first week of flowering and am up to 75% strength with no burn signs. Can easily fit 9 three gallon pots in the L. I got the seeds from Seedbay, had no issues with them. I had a seedbay freebie in the tent too but I axed it because it was male. I have nl#5 feminized seeds for my next grow. I did a couple mediocre grows some years back so had a little experience, but I did a lot of homework on here before I started this grow.

I ordered my hps cooltube from HTG and didn't have any problems, and have had no problems with the light. The box was plain, great stealth.

I am going to buy a digital camera today and post some pictures later. I'd like to start a journal even though they will be at 5 weeks flowering on Sunday.