250 watt metal halides

ARE 250 WATT METAL HALIDES WORTH THE TROUBLE I WANT TO USE A PAIR ( 2 ) , TO LIGHT UP A 4 X 4 AREA , I PLAN ON LEAVING THE LIGHTS ON 20 HOURS A DAY ( VEGETATING ) , HORTILUX BLUE .
IS THIS A BAD OR GOOD IDEA ?

If you can vent all that heat, probably gonna have to use cooltube and good air circulation for a 4x4 area.

I would just get 1 400w over 2 250's if you can vent properly. much less hastle.

Better bang for the buck is the 600hps

I wouldn't put a 600 in a 4x4 unless you really have a good way to keep heat down. How tall is this 4x4 room, we really need to know to give the best option.

You should look at lumen more than watts, because the more lumen, the better.

regrets said:

I wouldn't put a 600 in a 4x4 unless you really have a good way to keep heat down. How tall is this 4x4 room, we really need to know to give the best option.

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You gotta do what you gotta do! Dealing with the heat is a given, but the OP is talking about an area of 16 sq. ft. 600 watts of HID light would only give 37.5 watts/sq. ft., that's more than "just a little" on the skimpy side (but better than the OP's original idea of 500 watts - or 31.5 watts/sq. ft.).

I think your suggestion of a single 400 watter (25 watts/sq. ft.) is really on the skinny side of anorexic, since the single point light source would have to travel so far.

On the other hand, the OP could probably get away with 600 watts, if he used 4 converted 150 watt, Metal Halide, security lights. Because: 1. The smaller (much cooler) bulbs can sit way closer to the canapy. 2. With four light sources, the photons only have to travel 1/2 as far (retaining four times as much light energy). 3. Four light sources give much better coverage than a single source.