My $20 150w HPS Econolight DIY reflector/remote ballast

[bxke1414]

Ok so I have been working on my plants for a little less than a month now and it has all been CFL's, well I couldn't pass up the $32 Econolight shipped, and I spent less than $30 on the materials to make a remote ballast and reflector. Here it is:

 

[Keenly]

nice i have a similar setup but i need to make a reflector, how did you do it?

 

[bxke1414]

I went to the ventilation dept of the depot and bought a sheet of thin steel/aluminum I believe (24inw/36inL), then I bought an L bracket/bolts/nuts, I bent the sheet to my measurements and bolted the L bracket with light to the reflector and painted in white with high temp paint. I drilled holes in the top to make attach hooks.

 

[bxke1414]

Here's some pics of the new econolight HPS system with the light turned off.

 

[dirtbagg]

I couldnt pass up that e-conolight either bro!

i cool tubed the one I got...

 

[apocalyptic]

To the guy above me, looking healthy =] So is the OP's plants.

 

[towlee]

I think Im gonna buy a few myself for extra lighting during flowering

 

[bxke1414]

Awesome cooltubes setup, my closet vents directly to the attic so I never needed a cooltube.

 

[towlee]

bx so u used sheet metal to make the reflector and white paint? I quess I could put mylar on the sheet metal instead right or something else reflective

 

[bxke1414]

I don't see why not. I got my piece of metal from the heating and cooling dept and home depot for $9, and I have enough to make another reflector at some point.

 

[dirtbagg]

Awesome cooltubes setup, my closet vents directly to the attic so I never needed a cooltube.

thanks!.....Im not so lucky Im growing in a tiny cabinet 32 in H x24 in Wx 11 in D

 

[towlee]

yea nice cool tube whats the tube from and where u get it? does the tube cut down lumens at all?

 

[towlee]

Now that people can get these light so cheap they can grow more..I currently have a 1000 watter and 400 watter...but if i setup 3 of those 150 watters i can grow probably 15 more plants or just use the lights for side lighting during flowering...might actually be able to go from 30 plants to 50

 

[ThatGuyOverThere]

Nice setup. Love the window fan whats with the lines on the pics tho?

Have you ever heard of lapping? Im making myself two cool tubes (just scored 2 bake-a-rounds for 30 bux off ebay) however im going to lap & polish the metal reflector to a mirror finish. A well lapped/polished peice of metal will reflect more so then just white paint.

Anyways if you need a guide check this out: How to Lap a Heatsink Guide - Overclockers Club

It's a fairly simple process, just requires some time. I do recommend giving it a practise run on a spare peice of (any) metal just to get the hang of it.

GL /w the grow!

 

[dirtbagg]

yea nice cool tube whats the tube from and where u get it? does the tube cut down lumens at all?

its a bake-a-round i got off ebay for $15 im sure it does cut some lumens but I can drop this bitch 1 inch away from my plants with out burning so imho I think its works it self out

 

[Randall "Pink" Floyd]

Hey. I just got my e-conolight in the mail. So I can just strip the black and white wires where you screw in the bulb and then use a couple of wire nuts to put on another one of the screw in bulb holder things so I dont have to have the ballast in my growbox?

 

[Keenly]

make sure you connect the green wire to the copper wire thats in there

ground that shit

yeah just turn it on

 

[DFCsmoker]

Hey dude.....question: Do you have a ballast for that 150 watt hps?? Where do you get this and what type etc? i need a step by step kinda thing to hook this light up. PLease help!

 

[bxke1414]

Order the light from econolight and I'll walk you through it.

 

[beginningbotanist420]

Nice setup! very well done!