What size table under a 600w on a rail???

Dirtfree

Well-Known Member
Just as the title says...What size table would work best under a 600w on a light rail? I was thinking a 600 in a cool tube on a 3 foot or 6 foot light rail. I will be building the table by hand with plywood and fiberglassing it all. I was thinking 4x6. So what do you guys think? I have a 10x12 room with a big closet.
 

grapeape

New Member
I just bought a 600 with a 6' rail,but its going over a 2x8 area replacing my t5 setup,my best guess would be 4x8 thats what im changing mine to
 

joshkrauss

Active Member
I have a room that is 6x4 and i use a 600watt in it seems to work ok if i were you i would do like a 5x5 table. i actually wish i had a little more light than i do now.
 

Dirtfree

Well-Known Member
Grape ape....Have you set it up yet? What mover did you get? How do ya like it?

Im thinking of two 4x6 tables, with a 600w in a cool tube over each. I think if i get the 3.5 light rails it should cover it well. Im just trying to hear from people that have experiance with them so I can learn from their mistakes. I have a 13x10 room to work with and a large closet im using for vegg.

Josh....A 600 will cover a 6x6 area but not great. If you want more light.....add a light mover. It saves you from buying another light. And you can get it closer to your tops without burning them. So ive heard...

Thanks for feed back!!
 

sparat1k

Well-Known Member
I think you're right dirtfree, i'm no pro, but i think 4x7' would be good. A member named Repvip, mentioned that the cooltube constrained some of the light (as you can see in the attached image, most of the light is directly shot down and not spread around enough). The light tracker should help in that department.

I first thought I would go cooltube, but now I'm leaning towards vented hoods.
 

Xan2

Well-Known Member
I would say 9x3 at the maximum. Considering 600w cover well a 3x3 area and your light mover is 6' long, you have a total of 9x3 of good coverage. That is my point of view, correct me if i am wrong.
 

Dirtfree

Well-Known Member
Flojo... so you think 4x6 would be pushing it then? Im just trying to get the most out of my lights/power. I would love to build something like you have!!

Xan2... I believe you are right but after talking to my hydro shop, I think the 6' rails are to long. It would be best to have both lights on one rail on that set up. I would like to have two tables so that i could harvest a table a month.

sparat1k...... Is that your set up in the pic? If so how wide of a spread does the cooltube project at about 12" up? Im still trying to figure out which way i should run the tubes?

Once again thanks alot guys!!
 

FLoJo

Well-Known Member
Flojo... so you think 4x6 would be pushing it then? Im just trying to get the most out of my lights/power.

it would be slightly pushing it, however it really depends on the reflector you have and how it is positioned. lights have a larger, stronger, more uniform running perpendicular to the bulbs, and a weaker smaller one running parallel.

this is because most of the light is radiated out from the sides, and not from the bottom (where it screws in) and the top of the bulb (the tip).

while a reflector does help strengthen these points, it still has the strongest footprint on the sides. this means that you want a reflector with a wide footprint and run have it running with the tip of the bulb parallel to the light rail, and not crossing it..

hope this make sense, if not ill draw up a picture

FLo
 

Brick Top

New Member
Just as the title says...What size table would work best under a 600w on a light rail? I was thinking a 600 in a cool tube on a 3 foot or 6 foot light rail. I will be building the table by hand with plywood and fiberglassing it all. I was thinking 4x6. So what do you guys think? I have a 10x12 room with a big closet.

Depending on your reflector, like if it is a mini-reflector or a cheap one or a dimpled one or whatever the general area of coverage can vary somewhat but the info below should give you a general idea.

  • 100 watt lights: 1.5FT x 1.5FT growing area
  • 150/175 watt lights: 2FT x 2FT growing area
  • 250 watt lights: 3FT x 3FT growing area
  • 400 watt lights: 5FT x 5FT growing area
  • 600 watt lights: 6FT x 6FT growing area
  • 1000 watt lights: 8FT x 8FT growing area
 

Dirtfree

Well-Known Member
Thank you Flojo that makes perfect sense! So just to recap...I should have my intake and exaust on the four foots sides and with the bulb perpendicular to the rail. Thank you very much!
Flojo how many plants do you run in your set up at one time? Just curious :)


Brick top, I will be using a cool tube.
 

grapeape

New Member
dirtfree i bought the light mover 3.5 on ebay 189 free shipping,also got it in today let you know how it goes when i get my cool tube hooked up
 

FLoJo

Well-Known Member
brick top, you obviously have no idea what you are talking about, please dont give bad advice... so you are telling me that a 1000w light should cover 64 feet giving a whopping 15.625 watts per square foot? not to mention you would have to have that thing about 4 feet above the canopy to have a footprint that large.. if i am wrong please explain...

and dirtfree this is what i was talking about

light rail.jpg

you will see how you can have a much larger area that is lacking in light strictly by which way your light is positioned.. some reflectors do a good job of spreading the light, but if you use a light meter the spots are there for sure.. go with 3x6 if you can, it is optimal.. this is why if you look at the size of ebb and flow tables, they are geared towards each light size..
2x2 400w 100 w/sf
3x3 600w 66.6 w/sf
4x4 1000w 62.5 w/sf

and why they make tables for 2 lights..

2x4
3x6
4x8

FLo
 

amsterdamned

Well-Known Member
I would say 9x3 at the maximum. Considering 600w cover well a 3x3 area and your light mover is 6' long, you have a total of 9x3 of good coverage. That is my point of view, correct me if i am wrong.

have used a light rail and a 600 for a few crops now in a 4 by 8 area at say 30 ft squared is ok as a guide .

i.e 3 by 9 or 4 by 8 tc
 

Dirtfree

Well-Known Member
Grape ape..... Definatly take some pics for me. Id love to see it set up. So how big are you going to have your table? Are you going to keep the 2x8 or go to the 4x8 like you said?

Flojo......Thank you for the picture! By looking at it i see what you mean. I think i will do the 4x6 but leave the four coners empty. Since the table is so big im prob going to use two sets of fill and drain fittings, so i will put them in the empty coners. Do you think i will have any problems if i do it that way?

Amsterdammed......What size rail do you use? Do you have any problems with light on the far ends of the tables? Do you have any pics of your set up?


TRonica.....once again i will be using a cooltube.
 
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