Light Spreader, Are they good or bad??

Currently am wondering about light spreaders. I know that they work in the fact that they eliminate hot spots and allow the light to be closer to your plants.

But I also read that they shorten the life of your bulb.

So I am wondering from the folks that use them, do they really increase your yields? And do they really cause your bulb to wear out because of the spreader reflecting heat back to the bulb?

Thanks in advance for your time and information!

Peace!

They work well with my 400w HPS. Eliminates hot spots, diffuses the light and lowers temps.

So I guess they increase yield by providing a better grow environment.

I would like to see some actual data on their use.With light meters and such.

I stopped using mine, yea it lowered the temps and took away the hot spot but it also took away half the light they were getting too; then it sandwiches the bulb between two reflectors I'm thinking that can't be good for the bulb. Just my .02.

symbiote420 said:

I stopped using mine, yea it lowered the temps and took away the hot spot but it also took away half the light they were getting too; then it sandwiches the bulb between two reflectors I'm thinking that can't be good for the bulb. Just my .02.

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This kinda stuff is the reason i'd like to find some good accurate data.I'm sure there advantages and disadvantages.Be nice to know EXACTLY which one weighs out the other.

I never used mine in the end, it seemed to create a shadow under the bulb and I dont have any heat problem so thought it would do more harm than good.

I feel the best way to control temps if possible is to have high cfm 2 fan extraction with the carbon filter mounted above the reflector and a temp controller with the temp probe in the canopy. This way you get excellent temp control, I don't think that I would consider an aircooled hood now because my whole tent is aircooled anyway. Scroggsy.

Thanks for the replies and information. I also took mine off after reading that they were killing the bulb......but then again if it increases yield by 30% or more then it might be worth buying new bulbs sooner than normal......I was also hoping for someone that did some official type testing with them that could tell us if they really improve yield or not........

According to the website they are suppose to not only get rid of the hot spots which I can confirm that they do that much, but also because of the pattern and design it really is suppose to spread the light even across the canopy. If you notice and look close you can see how the light patterns always seems to be focused more in a certain area than others. And if you adjust to fix one area, you just create a different area and do not really ever fix the problem.The spreader is suppose to eliminate this issue by distributing the light even.

I am using two sun spreaders on two movers I am also using two of the same reflectors that they're meant to be used with without them I will track my distance and temp info as well as my yields per section since they are both equal areas. If anyone has any suggestions on other data I should track and ways they feel are benificial to do so please say so.... I'm interested to seediest his pans out.. I'll post pictures soon too.

but I'm suspicious and have low hopes for the sun spreaders to be honest....it just doesn't make sense to block light or redirect light since light distance and effectiveness are such huge factors on why we're trying to get the light as close as possible haha oh well you don't have to understand something for it to be true... I guess I'll see haha

Hows this coming along Vito? Ya got me curious... I'm amateur as all hell, but I'm thinking w/ a light mover running, a spreader/diffuser makes as much sense to you as a cube shaped wheel.... I'm lookin for the best way to provide lots of light, low to moderate heat, but not burn any plants, in my auto-flower closet grow... (And can't convince myself no matter how hard I try that CFL's will give me satisfactory buds)

Man... I'd club a baby seal for a light mover in my main flower room, lol.



Any how... anyone run a light meter n temp probe on this yet to see what the differences are?

the only time a light spreader is worth using. is when your using a 1000w bulb on a light mover extremely close to the canopy. thats the only time ive ever needed one.. my first room was only 5 feet tall.. and started with a 400w. that worked fine.. but wen i added the 1000w it was bleaching plants.. and i couldnt back it off at all.. so the light spreader was my only option besides downgrading back to a 400.. but with a 400 on a light mover u need to run a SOG and run your bulb really close. n only allow the light to move about 2 feet max.. or it diminishes your yield alot.. with the 400 and bigger plants the smaller side branches dont get bigg buds at all.. so the 1000w with the spreader was allowing my side branches to be nice an fat.. since the 1000w can penetrate alot further into the canopy..

thats the only time i would even bother is if ur room is too short and ur bulb is to strong and to close.. the light spreader will help with that.. but other then that.. ur better off not using a spreader.. a good hood does wonders.. but vert is great too.. first real run vert on my smaller room. im really hoping to see the results others are getting.

Ok so first off I think there's definitely "Pros & Cons"
Idk know if I'm taking everything into consideration but this is what I've noticed... These are only pros and cons as I see them and aren't meant to be fact but only give my perspective from my experience

First my setup, I have to circle movers each with two 1,000 watt hortilux hps bulbs that are in the adjust-A-wings they are meant to be used in. I also have two of the same bulb, reflector combinations on my two linear movers. I put light spreaders on half of my lights and have been observing ever since and trying to adjust my technic in using them.

-Pros-
1- you can get the lights super close even with 1k lights.
2- definitely helps keep the plants cooler.
3- no hot spot.
4- better coverage laterally. (It has a parabolic type of effect....kinda lol.)
5- helps with head room in shorter grow rooms.
6- great for scroggs or people able to maintain a nice even horizontal canopy.

-Cons-
1- shadow underneath light spreader. (Idk but I feel unless it's actually on a mover this is a pretty bad drawback.)
2- worse penetration straight down into the canopy. (I noticed better growth further down my plants with the lights that didn't have the spreaders on them. Although I adjusted my technic for the spreaders and scrogged and they were great....just sayin)


Idk May conclusion:

"There great if they fit your growing style or if you have height restrictions, especially if you're Scrogging."