Moving Up From CFLs To HPS!

so i mathed out my power useage the other day and have 257 watts of cfls only producing 13,300 lumens when i could be using the same 250 watts for like 55,00 lumens of light so decided to save up for a hps. but my biggest concern is if the heat will be more of an issue where i dont have a serious ventilation system the meathod i was using works perfectly at about 74-79 degrees but would a 250 watt hps be hotter that 250 watts of cfls? any input is much appreciated to newb to hps haha

HPS/MH give off a lot more heat than CFL's so make sure you can cool one before you buy one. I made that mistake on my first grow.

Don't buy hps until you can afford good ventilation. I mad this mistake early on. Wait until you can afford a proper air cooled hood and a 6 inch fan.

I use a 600w HPS without any heat issues and I just have a fan blowing at the light to dispurse the heat. A hood is not necessarily the be all and end all but they do help.

thanks guys i guess ill have to figure out some type of vent to the attic maybe. glad i didnt make the mistake

so not to bring back a dead thread or any thing but what if maybe i went with a 150 watt hps that was enclosed with a glass lens would still make more lumens then i have now and be less power

a 250 hps with a fan in the room wont be to hot mine puts out 50 c so if the rooms small just lave the door open and have a fan blowing in the room works fine

yeah you really fear the hps heat until you actually buy one, then its like wtf, i was expecting the sun. They really aren't that bad. My 400 is very easy to cool and i can drop it to almost squishing the plants. I can hold my hand on the glass and it will never burn me. Just get a somewhat cheap little inline fan (dont get the little ones that look like a jet, get ones that look like a turbo) and some simple ducting and your set.

I have done more heat related damage with CFLs than with my hps. all because i bought into the cfls are so cool, the internal ballasts actually add up some significant heat, talking 130+ easy

hmm but in a closet thats about a 4x4 you think it would be ok with just the door cracked and a fan blowing the air out that cracked door?

leeak47 said:

hmm but in a closet thats about a 4x4 you think it would be ok with just the door cracked and a fan blowing the air out that cracked door?

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First thing that comes to mind would be the issue with the odor, unless that's not a problem in your situation.

hahaha omg cmon ppl wtf growing with cfls get a grip already why waste time fckin around either your goin to grow or beat around the bush get with the program already

eh CFLs arent the devil or anything, sometimes its all that is available or in the budget. And for that they work.

Just make sure you use some sort of cooltube or air cooled reflector and run a little piping with a simple fan.

i use CFL's for vegging which they work quite well for.. using a HPS instead of CFLs during your flower period will produce a MUCH better yield : larger and danker and denser nugs.

karr said:

yeah you really fear the hps heat until you actually buy one, then its like wtf, i was expecting the sun. They really aren't that bad. My 400 is very easy to cool and i can drop it to almost squishing the plants. I can hold my hand on the glass and it will never burn me. Just get a somewhat cheap little inline fan (dont get the little ones that look like a jet, get ones that look like a turbo) and some simple ducting and your set.

I have done more heat related damage with CFLs than with my hps. all because i bought into the cfls are so cool, the internal ballasts actually add up some significant heat, talking 130+ easy

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you would need like 1,000 watts of CFLs in a 2x2x4 space to get it that hot... and your plants would be dead by the time it hit 100, so i really dk what you're talkin about...

but what I would suggest, leeak47, is to look for a cheap air conditioner on craigslist... i got one for $40, 6,000 btu and I don't have to "dump" my heat anywhere. i mean with an aircooled hood the heat has to go somewhere. air conditioners eliminate the problem, but can be expensive if bought new. which is why i suggest craigslist. i mean the inline fan, the ducting and the air cooled hood aren't gonna come cheap. if you live in a dry climate (i wish) you can use an evaporative cooler, too, which is a lot cheaper. but i've heard they don't do anything in humidity. hey, btw, what is the height of your 4x4 room? and why a 250w or 150w? you aren't gonna see much of a difference in yield from the CFLs, especially with the 150w. i use a 400w in a 6'x1.5'x6' (WxDxH) and i would recommend it. i mean your room is certainly big enough (as long as it's not 4' high or something)

odor is not a problem, no neighbors and i just love the smell haha

i might of slightly exxagerated the room i think i measured it and its more like a 3x3 with a little under 6 feet in height just a basic closet. the reason im considering is with the amount of power i use now and the lumens i put out it would be more energy effecient and still put out more lumens if i use 150 watt hps, the 250 watt hps would be ideal but with the heat its a problem.

leeak47 said:

so not to bring back a dead thread or any thing but what if maybe i went with a 150 watt hps that was enclosed with a glass lens would still make more lumens then i have now and be less power

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Dont make the mistake of powering down, you will regret it the same as not getting ventilation BUT having grown with CFL and then getting 2x 600W HPS dutch poots in as replacement you will not look back. This heat is manageable if you have a highish ceiling height for that hot air to drift up and away from the canopy or a sufficient venting. All in all the heat change was nothing for me. How big is your growing space?

Sorry did not see that sizing, I think 250 in there is no problem with a 4 inch fan, i think no need for a 6 inch.

about 3ft wide x 2ft deep x6ft high

so some ventilation would have to be installed then for the 250 to work?