Cooking My Plants!

Hello people,

I need some advice on a lighting issue. I have a couple of XLarge reflectors, each with twin lamp sockets.

The lamps are at each end of the reflector facing towards each other and are just off centred, leaving a 1/2 inch gap between the ends of the lamps.

If I'm using 2 x 600w HPS lamps in the above mentioned reflector, will it produce more lumens per watt... as 600's do?
OR.....
Will it produce more heat per watt... as 1000's do? (Considering it's 1200w)

Will the 2 x 600w HPS lamps get too hot, being so close to each other? What if I run a fan on the twin lamps to try and keep them cool?

Would my babies prefer a couple of 600w single light sources above them?
OR.....
1 x twin 600w single light source above them?

ie.
Would it be more benefitial to space the 600w HPS lamps in single medium sized reflectors. ie. 1-2 metres apart?
OR.....
Use the XLarge reflector with twin 600w HPS lamps?

If the later..... how high should I have the twin 600's reflector above the plants? I have 2 x XLarge twin lamp reflectors that I can use (4 x 600w HPS lamps).......if it will help!

Also, what I used different lamps in the same reflector? ie. 1x HPS & 1x MH for Gro-spectrum and run 2x HPS for flower power?
(I use Digital 600w Ballast's allowing me to use both HPS & MH lamps) *Not conversion lamps.

They also run 20% - 30% cheaper and NO cold starts.
Digital HID Ballast's can also triple the life of your lamps.*

So....... single 600's or twin 600's????
Thankyou!
Tits x

 

I think having 2 seperate lights would give you better coverage than the light coming from a central unit.
p.s. what's a "cold start"?

 

"Cold Start" - Power generated (needed) to start a cold magnetic ballast. (Lots!)

(Not a problem if only running 1 or 2 x Ballasts).....but if running say 8 or more Ballasts, a "Cold Start" is a HUGE draw on the power and could trip your fuses, or worse still, burn the house to the ground.

But more so..... the amount of wasted power you're paying for, just to "cold start" your lamps from one day to the next.......for how ever long??? $$$$$$$$$$

Think of it as turning a house water tap (HARD ON) and suddenly (HARD OFF). The shudder in the pipes is from the excessive water pressure being stopped dead in it's tracks with nowhere to go. KLUNK..........Not good for the plumbing!

Unlike water though, power is not under pressure and therefore needs to be drawn.... And magnetic Ballasts DRAW a nasty amount of power to "cold start" costing you bucks. The more Ballasts, the more $$$ on wasted power.

Digital Ballasts DON'T suck heaps of juice to "cold start".
NO (HARD ON) and NO (HARD OFF) (Power Surges).

If you are running numerous HID Ballasts with all your other bits & pieces on a 24hr - continuous, perpetual cycle and your power bill is FREAKIN' YOU OUT...........

.......INVEST in Digital Ballasts......... And they will pay for themselves before you can 'wrench down a couple of hot-ones'.

Why do I get the feeling you knew that all along?
Tits x

 

Doesn't sound like your ? was answered, to me 2-600's doesn't equal 1200w. I run 1kw @240v to lite 5'x5' space. 1-600w will cover 4'x4' (from what I've "read") as 1-1kw will cover up to 8'x8'. Running 2 lites to do the job 1 can do seems wasteful, but thats me.