250w or 400w??? need help please

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dankman02

Member
I am currently only growing 1 plant at the moment and using CFLs but im about to start flowering. I originally was going to get a 400w HPS with switchable ballast for about 240.00, but i think it might be overkill and might just get a 150w HPS for 85.00! I can't make up my mind and i know that i will be growing no more than 4 plants at a time! My grow room is a closet about 5x3x8 and the room is air conditioned. Im using a hydroponic ebb and flow system with GH nutes. any feed back would help thanks

STeve
 
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sogbunn

Well-Known Member
dankman02 said:
I am currently only growing 1 plant at the moment and using CFLs but im about to start flowering. I originally was going to get a 400w HPS with switchable ballast for about 240.00, but i think it might be overkill and might just get a 150w HPS for 85.00! I can't make up my mind and i know that i will be growing no more than 4 plants at a time! My grow room is a closet about 5x3x8 and the room is air conditioned. Im using a hydroponic ebb and flow system with GH nutes. any feed back would help thanks

STeve
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how bigs the room???? ahhaah my bad... ide go with the 400... is not over kill... is that 8ft high??? anyways.. the 400 is perferfect for a 3X3 - a 4X4 room and ur buds will be way bigger and better.... ull be happier with the 400 trust me.... ur only isusse on ur decision is the venting aspect.. can it handle the 400??? even if ur only growing 4 plants, u can super crop or tie them down to fill the area... buy the 400 otherwise ur gonna wish u did
 
stupid

stupid

Well-Known Member
600watt cool tube.
Twice as many leumins as the 400.
You will want it later. Tight buds
 
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dankman02

Member
ok sounds good so im going to get the 400w HPS with switchable ballast so i can use a MH bulb for vegging! THanks alot for the help everyone!!! And yes the room is about 8 feet tall!


Steve
 
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Astaldoath

Well-Known Member
dankman02 said:
ok sounds good so im going to get the 400w HPS with switchable ballast so i can use a MH bulb for vegging! THanks alot for the help everyone!!! And yes the room is about 8 feet tall!


Steve
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Thats what I will be going with also XD im hoping its good enough for my 3x5 grow room. Will be venting with 2 240 cfm duct fans.
 
laserbrn

laserbrn

Well-Known Member
Now when you say this room is Air Conditioned. Is this grow room airconditioned or is this like in a closet in an air conditioned room?

If you are going to use all of the power to run the A/C you don't want to run a 400w. You could run a 1000w in an a/ced room no problem. You definitely don't want to run a 400w.

If it's a portable A/C (and a smaller one at that) it will run about 800w.

400w = ~50,000 lumens = 1200w with A/C
600w = ~96,000 lumens = 1400w with A/C
1000w = 150,000 lumens - 1800w with A/C

Maybe you don't know the difference, but I have found that average yeild to break down like:

400w = 4-5 oz's
600w = 8 - 10 oz's
1000w = 14 - 16 oz's.

Now those are rough estimates it's easy to underperform and very possible to overperform those numbers, but those would be good average ranges.

You can grow almost TWICE as much bud in the same space for 200 more watts. The difference between 1200w and 1400w.

It doesn't make any practical sense in that scenario to run the 400w.

The 600w is the most efficient and the best bang for the buck I'd say and the 1000 would be maximizing your yeild in your space.

You're going to need to ventilate the room the same either way and all else equal, you will get a LOT more going to 600w.

I'm running a 400w right now while it's summer time and I'll run 600w or 1000w in the winter because the difference right now for me is 400w without an A/C or 600w with an A/C. That makes it really a 1400w or a 400w and I'd rather just take the lower yeilds in the summer and larger in the winter. Thereby maximizing my energy efficiency.
 
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Astaldoath

Well-Known Member
laserbrn said:
Now when you say this room is Air Conditioned. Is this grow room airconditioned or is this like in a closet in an air conditioned room?

If you are going to use all of the power to run the A/C you don't want to run a 400w. You could run a 1000w in an a/ced room no problem. You definitely don't want to run a 400w.

If it's a portable A/C (and a smaller one at that) it will run about 800w.

400w = ~50,000 lumens = 1200w with A/C
600w = ~96,000 lumens = 1400w with A/C
1000w = 150,000 lumens - 1800w with A/C

Maybe you don't know the difference, but I have found that average yeild to break down like:

400w = 4-5 oz's
600w = 8 - 10 oz's
1000w = 14 - 16 oz's.

Now those are rough estimates it's easy to underperform and very possible to overperform those numbers, but those would be good average ranges.

You can grow almost TWICE as much bud in the same space for 200 more watts. The difference between 1200w and 1400w.

It doesn't make any practical sense in that scenario to run the 400w.

The 600w is the most efficient and the best bang for the buck I'd say and the 1000 would be maximizing your yeild in your space.

You're going to need to ventilate the room the same either way and all else equal, you will get a LOT more going to 600w.

I'm running a 400w right now while it's summer time and I'll run 600w or 1000w in the winter because the difference right now for me is 400w without an A/C or 600w with an A/C. That makes it really a 1400w or a 400w and I'd rather just take the lower yeilds in the summer and larger in the winter. Thereby maximizing my energy efficiency.
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How much hotter will a 600 watt run?

Would it do fine cooled by 2 240 CFM 6 inch fans?

BTW are those ounces per plant?
 
laserbrn

laserbrn

Well-Known Member
Astaldoath said:
How much hotter will a 600 watt run?

Would it do fine cooled by 2 240 CFM 6 inch fans?

BTW are those ounces per plant?
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No not per plant, per light. Like I said that's an average and a very reasonable expectation I think. Whether you do lots of plants lollipopped (probably do better than these averages) or grow ono or two plants (probably get less) and everything in between.

If you used one 240cfm to vent to space and one to vent the light you would definitely be in business. They run quite a bit hotter. That's why I was asking if you meant that that room in specific had an A/C or just the central A/C from your home?

If it's got it's own A/C it won't be a problem at all, but if it doesn't it might be trickier.
 
BooleanCisco

BooleanCisco

Active Member
I'm probably off but make sure those 6" fans aren't 250cfm as booster fans (used in tandem with another inline fan) otherwise it may not vent as well. My buddy has 2 6" inline fans that are 250cfm in a booster configuration and about 150cfm (I think) by themselves.

Anyway, they're about $30-$40 so they aren't *too* bad.

Also, forgot to say, get the 400w (or more)! You won't be sorry.
 
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Astaldoath

Well-Known Member
laserbrn said:
No not per plant, per light. Like I said that's an average and a very reasonable expectation I think. Whether you do lots of plants lollipopped (probably do better than these averages) or grow ono or two plants (probably get less) and everything in between.

If you used one 240cfm to vent to space and one to vent the light you would definitely be in business. They run quite a bit hotter. That's why I was asking if you meant that that room in specific had an A/C or just the central A/C from your home?

If it's got it's own A/C it won't be a problem at all, but if it doesn't it might be trickier.
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Id only need on charcol canister correct? For the airspace venting, not the light
 
laserbrn

laserbrn

Well-Known Member
Astaldoath said:
Id only need on charcol canister correct? For the airspace venting, not the light
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You will need something for the oder regardless of what light you run. I'm still a huge fan of carbon filters. I know some people like ozone generators now, but the Can filters have always done the job and done it really well for me.
 
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