How well does a 400W HPS perform?

So the scenario is I live with my parents, so if the power bill starts skyrocketing they are gonna know something fishy is up..currently I have a 130W CFL for veg and possibly use it for flower. HOWEVER, there is a sale going on for this HPS setup which I think is pretty good value and wont put up too much on the power bill, if I just use it for flowering. Here is the link, tell me what you guys think and if I would still get some juicy nugs from a 400W HPS. By the way, I'm only growing 1-2 plants max for personal use so I think maybe 600W or anything above maybe a bit of a waste.

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/HYDROPONICS-400W-LOWBAY-HPS-LIGHTING-KIT-/220950813401?pt=AU_Seed_Starting_Hydroponics&hash=item3371b1dad9

of course you'll get juicy nugs from a 400w if grown properly, but dude DON"T GROW IN YOUR PARENTS HOUSE! save that money for a down payment on your own place!!!!!!

well if your vegging your going to be using 7.2Kiliwatts a day atleast! which if your parents pay .12 a Kw then your looking at a 25.92 increase a month....

400w is doable with little to nothing new on their electric bill. Stick below 600 though. For heat and electricity. Jumping higher than 400 typically means a jump in other equipment too.

Well a 400w light requires a good fan, and some other something to keep it cooled and ventilated...so I don't see how this could work at all if they are checking the bill that closely...I have 2 400s and they really don't use all that much power...

to get good coverage with the cfl's your going to need to put in around 10 of them. by the time you do that your drawing about 300 watts of power so you may as well go with the 400w hps. you will def. get better nuggs than the cfl's.

i wish i had a 600w but i can deal with the 400's and am very happy. someday you will want to upgrade to a 600w.

your going to want to cool the fixture with an exhaust fan.

your fan and the ballast will make some noise if thats an issue. and a filter for smell.

You're gonna play hell trying to keep them from seeing that bright assed light seeping out of where ever you have your plants. A 400w HPS is one bright light. Don't do this at your parents house without thier knowledge or permission, they prolly won't lose thier house if you get caught, but the problems they'll face will be a bitch nontheless, and they could always be charged with negligence, as they should have known what was going on under thier roof. Worst case scenario is that thier friends will not ever treat them the same after that.

I have a 400 MH and thats bright.. a 400w HPS is REAL bright...but i dont reccomend droppin too much money into something that could be takin away as soon as your parents find it.

Guys I actually live out the back in a room separate from the house..they are pretty respectful of my privacy and have been in my room maybe once in 6 months. I'm not starting a forest in here just something that will give me a nice 1-2 plants for myself and a decent yield.

If your trying to do a stealth grow then I would go with a 150w in a cabinet grow or something, smell might be a bit of an issue. I have a 400w mh/hps, a 100w cfl for mothers and a 120w inline fan, brought the bill up about 40-50 bucks a month.

I have seen a 150w cabinet grow with 4-5 small LST'd plants (to make them short but bushy) in a 2'x2'x2' and he got about 2 1/2 - 3 ounces each harvest. It all depends on how much space you are growing with to see what kind of light to use. 1-2 plants would definitely do well under a 150w. I have a 400w and i have 4 plants about 1 1/2' in diameter and will be about 2 1/2' tall when done flowering, that's a 3'x3'x2 1/2' space. You will also want good ventilation so you prolly want a 4 inch inline fan if you were going to go will the 150w. Hope this helps you make up your mind.

Have you thought the potential fire hazard?

My bad, for some reason I thjought you were a kid trying to grow in his room. I see your position now. A 400 is gonna do frigging wonders for a 2 to 4 plant grow!! You'll have to consider ventilation, cooling and odor control, but it's doable. Temps will be a bit higher than optimum, but it didn't seem to adversely affect my first couple grows (I adversely affected them all by myself!!) If you can do a 400, I say go for it. But then you'll run into that question, "If I can do a 400, could I do a 1K?" LOL

Well i don't know what to say really... besides the fact that my parents used to always check my room once a while when i was young even though they would never bother knocking once while i'm in.

dont disrespect your parents bro. at least pay some of the power bill and thats if there ok with u doing it.

Hey I have a 600 watt Digital ballast and Me and my girl live in her rents house "for Now". Its not different than a mini fridge so if they ask about the spike tell them you got a mini fridge. try and find a old on and put it in there for looks incase they come up snoopin.

First do not grow in your parents house. If caught they could loose the house cars, bank accounts, jobs and everything. A 400 watt bulb is equal to running a new home computer so figure $20 a month

420aus said:

Guys I actually live out the back in a room separate from the house..they are pretty respectful of my privacy and have been in my room maybe once in 6 months. I'm not starting a forest in here just something that will give me a nice 1-2 plants for myself and a decent yield.

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They respect your privacy. You should respect their home. 1 plant or a dozen the consequences are the same.....

jerry bear said:

Hey I have a 600 watt Digital ballast and Me and my girl live in her rents house "for Now". Its not different than a mini fridge so if they ask about the spike tell them you got a mini fridge. try and find a old on and put it in there for looks incase they come up snoopin.

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A 600 watt light run 12 hours a day uses much more electricity than a mini fridge or full size fridge as for as that goes....

no ones getting into trouble or losing their home and bank accounts over 1-2 plants. lmao.

nuglets said:

no ones getting into trouble or losing their home and bank accounts over 1-2 plants. lmao.

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Don't be naive.
Some may be lucky, other may not.