specialkayme
Well-Known Member
I don't mean to revisit a sore topic, but I think it is possible to 'waste' light, if you have too much. I'm not saying it is possible in this particular situation, but that it is possible for you to have more light than the plant can consume. This, in an essence, is wasting electricity and light.
To say that you can't match the intensity of the sun is just straight out wrong though. The Sun produces approx. 10,000 lumens per square foot on a warm, bright sunny day. The average HPS light produces approx. 107 lumens per watt used. So, if you were to have a 400 watt HPS bulb, it would produce 42,800 lumens. If you wanted to match the intensity of the sun, then you would need to put the light in a 4.25 square foot box, or a box that is approx 2'x2'. Placing the light in a box smaller than that will be giving the plant more light than is needed. It can't use all of it and some of it will go to waste.
And yes, I am aware that light loses it's intensity when traveled over a distance, but for arguments sake we will assume that anyone that uses one of these HID lights will be smart enough to put it on a light mover and get it as close to the plants as possible.
This 10,000 lumens per square foot is not necisarrily a standard, however. Usually it's considered a minimum amount of lumens of 3,000 per square foot to grow anything worth while. I have seen people on here that grow with over 20,000 lumens per square foot, so it is possible, just not really necisary.
If, for instance, you were to take that same 2'x2' grow area, and place a 1000 watt HPS in there, that would be producing 107,000 lumens, or 26,000 lumens per square foot. Clearly a waste of energy, light, and watts.
More light is certainly better, but within reason. Not that it really matters in this case.
To say that you can't match the intensity of the sun is just straight out wrong though. The Sun produces approx. 10,000 lumens per square foot on a warm, bright sunny day. The average HPS light produces approx. 107 lumens per watt used. So, if you were to have a 400 watt HPS bulb, it would produce 42,800 lumens. If you wanted to match the intensity of the sun, then you would need to put the light in a 4.25 square foot box, or a box that is approx 2'x2'. Placing the light in a box smaller than that will be giving the plant more light than is needed. It can't use all of it and some of it will go to waste.
And yes, I am aware that light loses it's intensity when traveled over a distance, but for arguments sake we will assume that anyone that uses one of these HID lights will be smart enough to put it on a light mover and get it as close to the plants as possible.
This 10,000 lumens per square foot is not necisarrily a standard, however. Usually it's considered a minimum amount of lumens of 3,000 per square foot to grow anything worth while. I have seen people on here that grow with over 20,000 lumens per square foot, so it is possible, just not really necisary.
If, for instance, you were to take that same 2'x2' grow area, and place a 1000 watt HPS in there, that would be producing 107,000 lumens, or 26,000 lumens per square foot. Clearly a waste of energy, light, and watts.
More light is certainly better, but within reason. Not that it really matters in this case.
