digital ballasts, aircooled hoods vs what I've got?

james42 · Oct 1, 2016

researching said:
Digital are nice because they can dim if you need them to be, more efficient, no buzzing sound, etc...

Air cooling does more than just cool the bulbs, it helps evacuate hot air from the room, plus in the case of a bulb explosion, your plants are protected.

Save up and switch to COB led!

Evil-Mobo said:
Your situation as you have explained if correct is good to go. There would be other places spending cash would give you more yield. So what do YOU want. Is the rest of the grow perfect and you have nothing else to upgrade? Upgrading ballast won't double your yields or anything so I'd just upgrade to digital when the magnetic give out.....if at all........

My two cents as a newb

That's basically what I was asking. How significant the difference is. I have a good set up right now, but I'm building on a budget.
I built my own water chiller for my 40 gallon Reservoir. I built a huge blower carbon filter myself. I don't spend money on anything unless I can't build it and it guarantees a worthwhile return.
I'll just put the digital ballasts on the "maybe someday " list
Thanks for the reply

TacoMac · Oct 1, 2016

james42 said:
I see everyone talking about much better digital ballasts are compared to my old stuff. I put my grow room together in a hurry and on a budget. I'm not apposed to upgrading in the future, but I really don't understand how there superior.
I picked my stuff up used on Craigslist. I have 3, 1000 watt switchable ballasts with normal reflector hoods. I actually have one air cooled hood, but no inline fan or anything to make use of it.
I havea huge room with tall ceilings and lots of open space around the grow. I have really good ventilation and temp control.
Would air cooled hoods be any benefit to my grow, other than cooling the bulbs and prolonging there life?
Same question for the digital ballasts. Am I really loosing out on anything significant by using my old school setup?

You're fine. If it isn't broke, don't fix it.

The only reason people yammer on about ventilation is because they're growing in tents in their closet to hide it all. For you and me, it's completely unnecessary.

I will give you one piece of advice: Invest in cheap, home-made reflectors. Get yourself some 3 panel display boards at Walmart for $1.99 each, order a pack of space blankets from Amazon or Ebay for 5 bucks, and make yourself some high end reflector panels. You would not BELIEVE the amount of side lighting you get from them. I'm not shitting you, brother...it's like you bought more HPS's and laid them on their sides around your plants.

Just set them up like kids gates around your grow and leave a few gaps for your fan or fans to move some air and you're good to go.

james42 · Oct 1, 2016

researching said:
OP, sorry your thread got sidelined for a bit with stupid chit.

I was getting a good laugh watching it all unfold.
Strong opinions here

I have actually considered trying led in the not too distant future, and I have no doubt that I could build one if others are doing it.
It's one of those things that I'd have to experiment with on a small scale for awhile gain confidence in.

james42 · Oct 1, 2016

TacoMac said:
You're fine. If it isn't broke, don't fix it.

The only reason people yammer on about ventilation is because they're growing in tents in their closet to hide it all. For you and me, it's completely unnecessary.

I will give you one piece of advice: Invest in cheap, home-made reflectors. Get yourself some 3 panel display boards at Walmart for $1.99 each, order a pack of space blankets from Amazon or Ebay for 5 bucks, and make yourself some high end reflector panels. You would not BELIEVE the amount of side lighting you get from them. I'm not shitting you, brother...it's like you bought more HPS's and laid them on their sides around your plants.

Just set them up like kids gates around your grow and leave a few gaps for your fan or fans to move some air and you're good to go.

Man I'm way ahead of you. Just this morning I was in there holding up just a white painted board I had laying around on the edges of the grow. I could believe how much the outer edge of the plants brightened and dimmed as I moved the board around. I'm loosing tons of light.
I'm planning on making some real light weight movable wall partitions and lining them with that poly reflective stuff.
I might even paint the floor with reflective paint.

I'm not really sure what the display boards your talking about.
Do you have a picture, link or just give me a better idea what they are? might be a little less work than my plan

researching · Oct 1, 2016

james42 said:
I was getting a good laugh watching it all unfold.
Strong opinions here
I have actually considered trying led in the not too distant future, and I have no doubt that I could build one if others are doing it.
It's one of those things that I'd have to experiment with on a small scale for awhile gain confidence in.

Since you like to make your own stuff you could easily build it. NOW I am officially recommending saving and building your own. No need to buy one when you can take the money you save and re invest that in the light.

But as was said, if it aint broke don't fix it. There are advantages and disadvantages to everything. If it works for you then it works!

Nice avatar btw. Do you tie your own flies?

james42 · Oct 1, 2016

researching said:
Since you like to make your own stuff you could easily build it. NOW I am officially recommending saving and building your own. No need to buy one when you can take the money you save and re invest that in the light.

But as was said, if it aint broke don't fix it. There are advantages and disadvantages to everything. If it works for you then it works!

Nice avatar btw. Do you tie your own flies?

I used to before I bought a boat and got lazy. Now I just drag spoons around lake huron and work on my tan

TacoMac · Oct 1, 2016

james42 said:
Man I'm way ahead of you. Just this morning I was in there holding up just a white painted board I had laying around on the edges of the grow. I could believe how much the outer edge of the plants brightened and dimmed as I moved the board around. I'm loosing tons of light.
I'm planning on making some real light weight movable wall partitions and lining them with that poly reflective stuff.
I might even paint the floor with reflective paint.

I'm not really sure what the display boards your talking about.
Do you have a picture, link or just give me a better idea what they are? might be a little less work than my plan

They're the cardboard display backs you use for kids projects like at the science fair. They're in the school supplies section of Walmart. The space blankets are just very thin layers of pure mylar film that reflect 99% of all light that hits it. They're VERY thin, and can only be cut by a razor blade. (Scissors simply mangle it.) Just use some cheap spray adhesive and mount them to the panels and you're in like Flint.

Screw 40 dollars for panda film. You can do this for 10 bucks.

Here you go - Note all the shadows on the floor and leaves when the panel is away from the plant and then how the leaves and floor are completely lit up when it's back in place. The pictures really don't do it justice. It's a hell of a difference.

researching · Oct 1, 2016

james42 said:
I used to before I bought a boat and got lazy. Now I just drag spoons around lake huron and work on my tan

I love trolling. When I had my boat it was the best. Cruise around, drink beer, and catch fish! Between my lake map, gps, and "trolling bible" it was a sure way to get hookups frequently. I was just talking about fishing right?

james42 · Oct 1, 2016

researching said:
I love trolling. When I had my boat it was the best. Cruise around, drink beer, and catch fish! Between my lake map, gps, and "trolling bible" it was a sure way to get hookups frequently. I was just talking about fishing right?

Haha. Yea, it's turned into the only way I do it anymore. It's a expensive hobby, but it makes getting up and going to work everyday actually feel like it's for something.
Tomorrow's a sad day though. I'm breaking out the heat gun and shrink wrap to put her to bed for the winter. Time to go freeze my ass off in my treestand

researching · Oct 1, 2016

james42 said:
Haha. Yea, it's turned into the only way I do it anymore. It's a expensive hobby, but it makes getting up and going to work everyday actually feel like it's for something.
Tomorrow's a sad day though. I'm breaking out the heat gun and shrink wrap to put her to bed for the winter. Time to go freeze my ass off in my treestand

I much prefer fishing to hunting. I haven't hunted in a few years, and now mostly fly fish. I do miss the rut and all that wonderful jerky. I would process everything myself.

I remember one time fishing I was in this man made lake and was trying to troll just over these points with my planers as the wallys would hang out there. Anyway it was a stupid move on my part because my speed was a little too fast so my cranks were running too deep and it became an expensive day real quick. Plus, I should have never been trolling like I was in that lake. I left some nice rapalas in that lake! About $60 worth.

james42 · Oct 1, 2016

TacoMac said:
They're the cardboard display backs you use for kids projects like at the science fair. They're in the school supplies section of Walmart. The space blankets are just very thin layers of pure mylar film that reflect 99% of all light that hits it. They're VERY thin, and can only be cut by a razor blade. (Scissors simply mangle it.) Just use some cheap spray adhesive and mount them to the panels and you're in like Flint.

Screw 40 dollars for panda film. You can do this for 10 bucks.

Here you go - Note all the shadows on the floor and leaves when the panel is away from the plant and then how the leaves and floor are completely lit up when it's back in place. The pictures really don't do it justice. It's a hell of a difference.

Hell yea. Thanks.
That will be a lot less bulky than what I had planned. A hell of alot cheaper too.
I'm all about diy and saving cash. There isn't a whole lot going on in my grow journal yet but u should check it out. I'm particularly proud of my home made water chiller. a store-bought one as powerful as mine would have cost thousands. mine cost literally nothing. Except I owe my buddy a new dehumidifier to replace the one he let me borrow.

https://www.rollitup.org/t/outdoor-guy-moving-indoors-and-not-f-around.922343/

james42 · Oct 1, 2016

researching said:
I much prefer fishing to hunting. I haven't hunted in a few years, and now mostly fly fish. I do miss the rut and all that wonderful jerky. I would process everything myself.

I remember one time fishing I was in this man made lake and was trying to troll just over these points with my planers as the wallys would hang out there. Anyway it was a stupid move on my part because my speed was a little too fast so my cranks were running too deep and it became an expensive day real quick. Plus, I should have never been trolling like I was in that lake. I left some nice rapalas in that lake! About $60 worth.

I got into a tribal fishing net earlier this year 10 miles off shore with my 3 and 7 year old boys. I lost 4 cannon balls and all the gear that was out. After I cut everything loose, I went to start the motor and realized my prop was all wrapped up. Thankfully I had my ship to shore radio. The coast found us at three in the morning and towed us in.
I couldn't risk jumping in to cut the net out with my boys on board.
I like fishing for trout and salmon on the big lake because it's deep and lots of room, but when you get into trouble, it can get real dangerous real fast.
I actually traded my walleye boat for the down payment on the salmon boat. Sometimes I regret it

researching · Oct 1, 2016

Yeah where I am originally from we had nothing as big as the great lakes. Now where I am at we have all reservoirs and all are cold. I have only had a few scary scenarios, but big water gets dangerous real quick. At least where I am from originally you could pretty much swim to shore if need be as long as there was no bad chop or hypothermic conditions. My buddy had a POS trihull that we actually pulled to shore via swimming.

All my issues were all due to choppy water and capsizing scares. That'll make your jewels shrivel a bit!

digital ballasts, aircooled hoods vs what I've got?

james42

Well-Known Member

TacoMac

Well-Known Member

james42

Well-Known Member

james42

Well-Known Member

researching

Well-Known Member

james42

Well-Known Member

TacoMac

Well-Known Member

Attachments

researching

Well-Known Member

james42

Well-Known Member

researching

Well-Known Member

james42

Well-Known Member

james42

Well-Known Member

researching

Well-Known Member