Club 315w lec

Bad Karma

Well-Known Member
Hey, how often do you all replace your bulbs? I know these last a lot longer than HPS or regular MH bulbs, but I think the info I had was not quite right. I had read that they maintained 85% PPF at 20,000 hours. I just replaced mine (for the first time) at about 9,200 hours, and it was a HUGE difference.

I use a cheap light meter to give me an idea of light intensities, then use conversion values I found on the web to convert that into PPFD values. I know it's not very accurate, but it gives me a ballpark figure I can work with.

When I replaced my bulb at 9,200 hours my measurement under the light went from 600 PPFD to 1000 PPFD. That is a HUGE jump.

Any input?
I replace my CMH bulbs every 18 months and don't notice much difference when I do. I wouldn't put much faith into "conversion values found on the web" as a way of calculating PPFD. There's a reason why PAR Meters are different than Light Meters.
 
I replace my CMH bulbs every 18 months and don't notice much difference when I do. I wouldn't put much faith into "conversion values found on the web" as a way of calculating PPFD. There's a reason why PAR Meters are different than Light Meters.
The conversion values I am not worried about. They came from Apogee and were specific to various light sources including my exact bulb. Any significant error is more likely to come from my shitty light meter measuring lux.

But even so, I don't expect this to provide more than a VERY rough approximation for PPFD. Which is fine. The significance here is that when I took the measurements the same way under the new and old bulbs, I got vastly different values. To me that suggests either a change in intensity or a color shift - neither of which are likely to be good for plants.
 

ColoradoHighGrower

Well-Known Member
So, i just received one of the Grower's Choice 10k CMH finishing bulbs this morning, packaging was undamaged, but upon opening, it appears as though the base of the inner glass tube may be broken or chipped. See attached photos showing concoidal fractures at base of glass (where metal wire leads penetrate the glass tubes and attach to ceramic bulb base). There is also glass dust and several larger glass shards loose and sliding around inside the inner tube.

First of all, does anyone think/know if this is normal?? Should i fight to return this bulb??? I haven't plugged it in yet to see if it works, but really don't want to either, as it would ROYALLY SUCK to have a cmh bulb exploding in my grow room...

I ordered from HydroBuilder.com, who state in their return policy that they won't accept bulb/lamp returns, but this seems like an obviously defective product that was DOA, and should be fully replaced at no extra cost to me, right?? I sent a ~ verbatim email to them, so I'll keep ya'll posted on how this goes down....

20171229_113814.jpg 20171229_113754.jpg 20171229_113738.jpg 20171229_113633.jpg
 

genuity

Well-Known Member
I'm going for frost not weight, so mostly hoping the 10000k will help make these babies even frostier.... not lookin too shabby already at day35 though:View attachment 4065066
Please don't take my post in a bad way...

It was just a high ass post,I was just high... the joke sounded funniest the first time I ran it in my head...

Don't think I'm not waiting to see how that 1000 watt lec runs.. I like lec plant growth.
 

MichiganMedGrower

Well-Known Member
I'm going for frost not weight, so mostly hoping the 10000k will help make these babies even frostier.... not lookin too shabby already at day35 though:View attachment 4065066

The added UVB for the last 2 weeks of ripening has been proven to give the same thc gain as running uv full cycle.

Up to a 4% gain over no finishing lamp has been recorded.

I am sorry I don’t have the links from last year when I researched and bought my LEC.

There may be more benefit to uva and uvb full cycle in terpenes and flavonoids but this is still not proven for our plant that I have seen.
 

MichiganMedGrower

Well-Known Member
Hey folks,
I have 2x 600W hps 2000k and a 315W cmh in my flower room.
I just started flower and still have the 4200k bulb in the cmh.
Should I change to the 3000k cmh bulb I have?

I just put my Phillips 3100k 315 back with my 2 Hortilux 600 Super hps’.

I really like this set up. When I had a Hortilux Blue in place of one of the hps things got to leafy and yield went down.

But 2 hps to one cmh vegging bulb should be great! If I had one I would have already tried it. More Uv in the 4200k Phillips.

I just don’t like too much blue light in flower after trying quite a few variations. Better calyx/leaf ratio and yield and potency with more red than blue in my opinion.

But 2 hps to one mh has been proven for quality and yield for years.

Please post some results when you can. :-)

Here is a link to all the stats of different types of bulbs from the University of Utah.

https://www.cycloptics.com/sites/default/files/GB USU Spectral Characterization link.pdf
 

gr865

Well-Known Member
The added UVB for the last 2 weeks of ripening has been proven to give the same thc gain as running uv full cycle.

Up to a 4% gain over no finishing lamp has been recorded.

I am sorry I don’t have the links from last year when I researched and bought my LEC.

There may be more benefit to uva and uvb full cycle in terpenes and flavonoids but this is still not proven for our plant that I have seen.
What uv lights and how do you run them, would like to figure out how to hang a few vertical, maybe 24 or 36 inch T5's. Not sure, any thoughts?
 
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MichiganMedGrower

Well-Known Member
What uv lights and how do you run them, would like to figure out how to hang a few vertical, maybe 24 or 36 inch T5's. Not sure, any thoughts?

The only uv I am getting really is coming from the 315 cmh.

I may try a 4200k bulb next as they have more uva and b than the 3100k.

But you can just get fluorescent uv and combo bulbs for t-5 fixtures now.

Some use aquarium or reptile lighting but I have only read about it. I never added specific uv. Just read a lot about it.
 
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