Advice needed from small HPS users?

Hey guys,

Just a quick bit of advice please. I am considering getting a 150 or 250w HPS.

Question 1: What is better magnetic or electric ballast and why?

Question 2: This is a cupboard grow how much heat are they going to give off? I have a 150w CFL and stays in the 70's now. I don't want it to be a major issue to try and control the heat.

I think the heat is the only reason I have not bought one yet. Any comments be appreciated.

how big is your cupcabenit? i use a 250 and it does put out a decent amount of heat in small areas..

It is... 68cm x 110cm x 170cm (wxlxh)
But it has my clothes in etc and junk im only using a small section with 2 plants which is 1ft x 2 ft x 6ft

BUMP anyone?

If you are not planning on expanding, the 150 will be fine for a 2x1 area, and the heat should be no greater than the 150 CFL you are using, especially if you keep the ballast outside the grow area.

Thanks dude. I may do this then. Enough for 2 plants?

Anyone know where to get a cheap 150w/200w/250w HPS set up?

I use a 150 hps and do 6 plants at a time. the heat is less than the setup i was running prior. I only get about 2 oz. every 60 days or so, but the 150 definetly does the job. you can find the hps I'm using at auction sites or gardening sites, I paid $90.00 for mine and it included a built in ballast, and bulb. Sunsystem 150 HPS.

Is that 2oz a plant or between all 6 plants? I only want to do 2-4 plants and very worried abouts temps in a wardrobe grow. Its not perticularly vented as such. You got any pics of your setup?

I really like my digital ballast's. They run quite & cool. Cheaper to run than the old magnetic ones also. You may consider a dimmable ballast(when it starts getting too hot you can turn it down). Best of both worlds.

wiseguy316 said:

I really like my digital ballast's. They run quite & cool. Cheaper to run than the old magnetic ones also. You may consider a dimmable ballast(when it starts getting too hot you can turn it down). Best of both worlds.

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how many watts you running and how hot it get? Im looking for somewere to get one in the UK.

djlifeline said:

Is that 2oz a plant or between all 6 plants? I only want to do 2-4 plants and very worried abouts temps in a wardrobe grow. Its not perticularly vented as such. You got any pics of your setup?

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2 oz. total between all six every 60 days or so, thats more than i need for my medication so this setup works well for me. I am a medical patient and I was spending about $200 a month on meds, now i spend about $30 a month for electricity and get more meds for the money. the temps have actually evened out for me, it was getting very hot with my cfl setup.... thats why i switched to this hps. Mine is a perpetual grow thats how I do the harvest every 60 days.
Hope this helps.

Hey pic didnt show! trying again.

Here is the pic.

looks good dude

i would recommend the 150 for the small space, i started with a 150 in a small cab, the temps were real close vs the cfls

Kingb420 said:

i would recommend the 150 for the small space, i started with a 150 in a small cab, the temps were real close vs the cfls

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Sweet dude. Any ideas where I can get one in the UK?

I recently bought a 250w HPS. Im using it in a small cabinet, It does heat it up if you dont have ventilation. My temps between 82 and 86 degrees. This pic is just a shot from outside the cabinet plants are about 1 1/2 weeks old in this pic.

echonc said:

I recently bought a 250w HPS. Im using it in a small cabinet, It does heat it up if you dont have ventilation. My temps between 82 and 86 degrees. This pic is just a shot from outside the cabinet plants are about 1 1/2 weeks old in this pic.

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Nice dude where you get yours from? do you have your ballast outside the grow cab yeah?

Yeah my ballast is outside the cab on a shelf. The electrical cord was like 10 feet long could have put it anywhere