150w HPS Grow

This is my first grow and I am currently a month into the grow. I vegged with fluoros and CFL's and have made the move to an HPS. I just got this light in today and wired it up.
I was hoping to get some input on my wire setup. Is it a fire hazard at all? I cut the wires and tied them together as nicely as possible, then I put electrical tape around everything.
This is only a preliminary setup and I was hoping to hear your guys thoughts on how I could improve light position and such. This is all I could think of at the time, but I know there has to be something better.
I am not trying to spend any more money, so cheap solutions are best. Are the plants where they should be? Close enough? Light seating in the correct position? Any ideas at all would be appreciated.

Thanks
Keep it Real

You should try to rig a reflector for your light

white to white, black to black, green to green or bare...I hope theres a ballast in there
Ya... get rid of that fixture

Reefer Rick said:

white to white, black to black, green to green or bare...I hope theres a ballast in there
Ya... get rid of that fixture

Click to expand...

It's self ballasted

I've been thinking about ordering one of those econo-lights...Does it come with ballast, and if it doesnt does anyone know how to rig one up?

SmokeyMcSmokester said:

I've been thinking about ordering one of those econo-lights...Does it come with ballast, and if it doesnt does anyone know how to rig one up?

Click to expand...

It's self ballasted. lol

icurbyou said:

It's self ballasted

Click to expand...

Ya ....jk

Well I want to take the glass and bars off of it, but obviously I have it sitting on its side. I am not trying to melt through the rack haha. That is why I need to figure out something better. I cant exactly sit it upright with all those wires hanging around down there. Ideas?
These things are $20 + shipping with everything you'll need.

Get a box.. It looks like you just have stuff on the edge of a wall in a bedroom. Get a specific area for your grow.. to block out light etc. You're very far from having a "grow"... for flowering you wont be able to let 1 drop of light sneak in anyways.

Then cooltube that badboy up...

Like so: http://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=62161

Well actually it is in a un-used rooms closet. The room itself has 1 window which has two shades over it. The door stays closed most of the time. As far as I know they are in complete darkness for at least 12 hours.
I am using a box on the next grow, but for reasons I cant be seen with an unusual box in there.
I have done research on cooltubing them and the whole remote ballast thing but those seem like great ideas for a box. As I am just working out of a closet I don't feel the need to have this thing all taken apart.

MJ Crescendo said:

Well actually it is in a un-used rooms closet. The room itself has 1 window which has two shades over it. The door stays closed most of the time. As far as I know they are in complete darkness for at least 12 hours.
I am using a box on the next grow, but for reasons I cant be seen with an unusual box in there.
I have done research on cooltubing them and the whole remote ballast thing but those seem like great ideas for a box. As I am just working out of a closet I don't feel the need to have this thing all taken apart.

Click to expand...

Oh.. a closet is fine.. Dont have to havea box. I imagined this looking different. I thought it was on one wall of your wreckroom or something.

Having said that though, you will need to exhaust out of the closet in some way. Which means you'll need a hole somewhere..... So...? i dont know man.

No box, no holes, no disassembling.. That's a tough one.

Hmm.. I see what you are talking about. All I have is a fan running on the light to keep it cool. This seems to be doing the job since it is only 150w of power. I could disassemble it and make it into a remote mount and possibly hang the bulb closer to the plants.

I am out of solutions as well, but I just set this up today. Hopefully something will dawn upon me for the best final setup, for this closet. Or maybe some help from y'all.

I'm going to think it over

hey bud

you may want to run up to home depot and get you a 4" round steel box that has a 1/2" threaded hole in back of it, a 1/2" close nipple and a 1/2" cord relief fitting to go in one of the side holes in the box.


screw the nipple in the fixture, screw the box on the nipple, screw the cord relief fitting in a side hole, run power cord through fitting, wire nut wires together, put cover plate on.





EDIT....................................................................................................................................................................

i just found a link to that fixture on another post, all you need is a 1/2" cord relief fitting

you should be able to open the top part of that fixture to get to the ballast, you need to get to the 1/2" hole from the inside,
the screws may be where the socket is. anyway bust that thing apart, screw the cord relief fitting in the hole, run power cord through it, make wires up inside fixture w/ wire nuts, put everything back together.


either way will work #2 will save a few bucks and you can hang the light from the cord, #1 you could set light on the ground shooting up.


any ?'s just ask



r

I took the light apart the other day and I have a good idea of what I am working with. I realize that you can take the lighting fixture off the ballast, but the wire is too short. I am thinking about extending the light fixture away from the ballast so I can put it where I want to. I am still only using electrical tape to hold all wires together so I need to get some wire nuts soon. I am pretty sure that with the ballast separated from the light I will be able to make my setup like I want to.

I have had them in flowering for a week and half now. I am starting to see signs of pistils popping up. I believe they are both females so I am really excited about that.

I got some wire nuts and decided to fix up the bottom of my wiring a little bit. I just wire nutted, electrical taped, and put them inside the fixture. I still haven't seperated out everything yet, but it's getting the job done as of now.

As of now I have 2 plants. I see pistils on both, but scared that the healthier one is a hermie (possible sacs forming, only time will tell). I'll know soon at least. The growth is really taking off.

Here is just an update of my setup. Any advise is always appreciated.

Thanks
Keep it Real

If you still have either of those plants in a tiny cup like in the picture it's well beyond time to transplant it. That should have been transplanted to a gallon or larger container as soon as the roots took hold in that cup and the longer you wait the more you'll hold off getting the most growth you should from the new light.

I know, stupid beginners mistake. It's a learning experience so far and my goal is not to yield a ton, but learn. I know it is beyond transplanting it, but I have also seen a successful grow in a small cup. I don't have the link, but this reassured me that it could be done. Hopefully, with the new light, I can get an eight dry out of the small cup plant.

Here is a successful dixie cup grow. I don't expect anything like this, but it can be done.

Here is my 150w HPS econolight set up. It's nothing fancy but it's practical and maybe it will give you an idea. As for a cool tube, you dont need one with the small 150w. Mine is in a small closet and heat has not been an issue.

Buy some drywall and mylar sheeting and build a grow box to contain all of that light.
Also, transplant into bigger pots.

It shouldn't run more than $50 for both
After that you should be golden.