cfl heat vs HID

**philmarlowe** · 11-13-2009, 08:15 PM

im running about 300 wats of cfls in my cab im wondering would a 250 or 200w hps be that much of a difference in heat, i just putia new set of fans and the temp stays around 75 with the cfl's im guessing HID would generate much more heat but would something like this be doable for about a 1.5'x2' by 3' area or is it overkill

**RanTyr** · 11-14-2009, 12:08 PM

If you are going to invest in HID technology do not go with old shit. CMH, of LEP to a lesser degree imo, is the new cool kid on the block.

**cameron666** · 11-14-2009, 06:30 PM

if i had the choice i would go with HPS, ive done a bit of reading,and after i harvest my 1st plant im either going to move to a 70w hps or 150w if i can get one.
the more i think about adding a HPS to my small case the better it seems, cos it wont take up as much room and would be easier to cool cos they are smaller...(easy to make a cooltube) but with CFL lights they take up lots of room....
i dont think there has been enough LED grows to interest me yet

**luckydog82** · 11-14-2009, 06:42 PM

I was thinking the same myself

at the moment i have a 200w and two 85w CFL bulbs which is 370w for 3 plants and i was asking on my thread if 250w of CFL use the same electricity as 250w of HPS (does the ballast use extra watts or what

)
If it does use the same i might invest in a 400w HPS,only 30w more then what i use now,only thing is the heat but as cameron666 said a cooltube or a fan intergrated into the hood could be used

but can i grow more bud as opposed to CFL

**pokesalotasmot** · 11-14-2009, 10:12 PM

400 watts of cfls or 400 watts of HPS is still 400 watts being used. The big difference you will see is in the lumen out put. The hps lights will get you much more light for the same amount of electricity used. More light means more/bigger/denser buds.

As far as heat generated? I've so far only used cfls. Right now I have almost 450 watts of cfls, and if I'm not careful, my temps could be through the roof. Now that summer is over, the worst is over, but I'd like to soon get an hps so I can see firsthand the temperature differences.

And if I do get an hps, it'll be a 400 watter. Mainly for the available grow space I have, but also because it's close to the wattage I currently use with cfls.

Illegal Smile · 11-15-2009, 05:16 AM

The hps will produce significantly more heat, that's why people use cfls to begin with. The best tradeoff between heat and light intensity is T5 Ho, cooler than cfls and midway between cfls and hps in intensity.