gonna try 400 watt hps for the first time..

[ataxia]

so with my last ( second grow) i realize that growing with cfls is ok. But unless you have that bulb practically on each bud side, you're not getting much yeild.
I did ok however I yielded around an ounce a plant.
now i realize i HAVE to get an hps for flowering at least...
I plan on getting the HTG 400 watt hps system with the basic 4 sided hood. I also plan on getting one of their 8 inch duct fans rated 500 cfm, connecting it to a 8-6 inch adapter and exhausting it out.
The ambient temp of my room is about 69-75 degrees with the a/c running constantly
I'm growing in a 2x4x6 tent that i usually keep open due to the heat issues.
do ya think i'll be ok with the cooling?? Keep in mind it's only spring and i'm upstairs.
is 400 gonna be to hot? and the reason i'm not going for the 8 inch is because it's cheap and money is tight.
I dunno any opinions are appreciated and welcomed

 

[wiseguy316]

plenty of air momement and you should be fine, in a dirt setup

 

[Danielsgb]

A Cool Tube system might work for you. Get the heat away.
Daniels

 

[ataxia]

plenty of air momement and you should be fine, in a dirt setup

yep soil. not ready for hydro yet. not sure if i wanna go hydro.

 

[ataxia]

A Cool Tube system might work for you. Get the heat away.
Daniels

yes i considered the cool tube first. But i figure having approx 500 cfm sucking the air from the bulb would be suffice. the cool tube is about 70 bucks more. Like i said i'm going for the least expensive. But i can't rule out the cool tube

 

[Danielsgb]

I made a DIY Cool Tube for something like $25-30 and the fan to cool it was $10 for a 135 CFM 120mm comp fan. I'm all about doing shit cheap if possible.
Daniels

 

[ataxia]

I made a DIY Cool Tube for something like $25-30 and the fan to cool it was $10 for a 135 CFM 120mm comp fan. I'm all about doing shit cheap if possible.
Daniels

I hear ya man! .. i may have seen a post by you on making your own cooltube. as far as the cfm, i don't think it would keep it cool enough do you?
the thing is ... i'm not mechanically inclined in the least bit. When i say that i mean it. I have no knowledge of bulding my own shit really. Just kind of rigging things up, or having a friend explain or do it for me. Not that i'm lazy. I just don't get along with tools...lol

 

[Danielsgb]

I hear ya man! .. i may have seen a post by you on making your own cooltube. as far as the cfm, i don't think it would keep it cool enough do you?
the thing is ... i'm not mechanically inclined in the least bit. When i say that i mean it. I have no knowledge of bulding my own shit really. Just kind of rigging things up, or having a friend explain or do it for me. Not that i'm lazy. I just don't get along with tools...lol

Yea I know what you mean. I have many a fight trying to build my stuff. I have MS, and my hands tingle, and I drop shit constantly.
I can give you guidance if you want. If your run is less than 5'-8' I bet it would be cool enough to have your hand 2" away. As far as tools a jig-saw, drill, screwdrivers and a couple pairs of pliers would do it. Drop in my Medicinal Fridge journal if you want.
Daniels

 

[Dezracer]

I use the HTG 400 HPS light but I opted for the Supernova hood because it has the glass and you can get the flanges. I have 4" ducting connected to it with a 130CFM PC fan and my room is no hotter now than when I was using CFL in the same space. I only added the PC fan for exhausting the lights heat and it's all good, very happy with the 400w HPS.

 

[Dezracer]

And yeah you can get "Bake A Rounds" cheap on ebay to make yourself a cool tube. I don't know if that's what you used Daniels, haven't checked out your grow yet but will.

I'll be making one for a stealth cab I'm going to make for someone that's going to be using either a 250 HPS or two 150's, haven't decided yet but it either way the lighting will be using the cool tube design with a PC fan.

 

[ifuxwituz]

i dont understand why op is getting such a high CFM fan for a 400watt? i had a 120mm 120cfm PC fan cooling my 1000watt......which was like 1 maybe 2 feet over the tops...

i had to hot wire the fan to my old house phone DC adapter but it worked great.

It was in my boys basement had 15 compound buckets in there, we actually used the heat from the light to warm up his living room and it did a darn well job of doing it.

this is the fan i used and no joke this fan MOVES air i had it on my PC water cooling kit.....

http://www.scythe-usa.com/product/acc/022/dfs1238_detail.html

 

[Dezracer]

i dont understand why op is getting such a high CFM fan for a 400watt? i had a 120mm 120cfm PC fan cooling my 1000watt......which was like 1 maybe 2 feet over the tops...

i had to hot wire the fan to my old house phone DC adapter but it worked great.

It was in my boys basement had 15 compound buckets in there, we actually used the heat from the light to warm up his living room and it did a darn well job of doing it.

this is the fan i used and no joke this fan MOVES air i had it on my PC water cooling kit.....

http://www.scythe-usa.com/product/acc/022/dfs1238_detail.html

Exactly, more than 100CFM is rarely needed if you are pulling air from outside your room, through your light and back out of the room. 500CFM is a TON of air movement. Mine is 130CFM but it's just one I had sitting around.

 

[Danielsgb]

That's the 120mm fans I use. 2 for my fridge, and I ordered 2 more for my main room. They are the shit.
Daniels

 

[Gr0wUP]

yeah those pc fans are very good....i was wondering why do you guys use "cool tubes" instead of the "hood"?

 

[ataxia]

i dont understand why op is getting such a high CFM fan for a 400watt? i had a 120mm 120cfm PC fan cooling my 1000watt......which was like 1 maybe 2 feet over the tops...

i had to hot wire the fan to my old house phone DC adapter but it worked great.

It was in my boys basement had 15 compound buckets in there, we actually used the heat from the light to warm up his living room and it did a darn well job of doing it.

this is the fan i used and no joke this fan MOVES air i had it on my PC water cooling kit.....

http://www.scythe-usa.com/product/acc/022/dfs1238_detail.html

Remember the thread .. this is my first try with a 400. i'm worried about temps .. the two cheapest duct fans on HTG are a 4 inch rated at 90 cfm for 20 bucks .. or a 8 inch rated at 500 for 30. I know it seems like overkill.. But would that much exhaust be a bad thing.
also if i upgrade at least i wouldn't have to add fans.
hell .. maybe with that much air movement maybe i can keep the tent closed.
but my main concern is temps... remember .. im in an upstairs apt .. that gets crazy hot. If i can keep that bulb cool enough to i'll be gravy.
I don't want to fuck around with pc fans. I realize they're inexpensive but .. like i posted before. I'm not ready to start wiring shit up myself. plus how can you beat 500 cfms for 30 bucks.

 

[Dezracer]

The PC fan I use is from Radio Shack and it runs on 120v power. All you would need to do is cut an extension cord, twist the wires together with some wire nuts and tape it up real good. Not exactly building code compliant but what is when you're growing MJ in an apt, right? Nobody will be f'ing with it but you most likely so it would be fine. I soldered miine to an extension cord but I have kids running around out in the garage and you never know what they'll get into. The doors stay locked, everything outside is safe and everything inside is compliant except for what it's used for, lol.

The only actual drawback to using the 8" fan will be noise, it will be kinda loud without a muffler. As long as you're good with that, go for it.

 

[ultimate buds]

you should be fine with a 400w thats wot im usin in a small cupboard an as long as you have a couple of fans youll be sorted

 

[Dezracer]

yeah those pc fans are very good....i was wondering why do you guys use "cool tubes" instead of the "hood"?

It would be cost and space available. Air cooled hoods run from $50 on up and are big whereas a cooltube can be made from the Bake A Rounds for less than $20 and don't take up much space. You can customize your reflector using the cooltubes in ways you can't with hoods too. I use a hood but I have the room and it was an upgrade on the package I purchased.

 

[sixstring2112]

get the big fan if it is that cheap. like you said you will have enough fan for another 400 . when you see the difference from cfl to 400 you will want another one soon.

 

[ataxia]

get the big fan if it is that cheap. like you said you will have enough fan for another 400 . when you see the difference from cfl to 400 you will want another one soon.

exactly ... i've already considered getting a 600 watt since i'll be exhausting so much air .. but do you think that's way too much light for a space that's only a 2x4x5 tent??? also...
forgot to multi-quote
but a cooltube is attractive to me for space reasons since i'm not dealing with alot of height. But i figure with all that air being sucked from the bulb .. height shouldn't be an issue... besides my plants growing out of control. am i correct here??