Looking for 250 watt HPS system - heat problems

I've been growing with T5 HO because of heat issues. it's a closet and I really wanted to avoid having to vent it mainly because there is no place very feasible to vent it to. But now I'm tired of stretched plants and airy buds and would like to try HPS. Do you think if closet doors were open during lights on, and there were fans blowing air out, and the room the closet was in was kept at 70 degrees, I could get by with that with a 250 watt system?

How about if I got a cool tube reflector and vented it just into the outer room itself? I just don't have another room to vent it to. Thanks for any ideas and I'm open to recommendations on specific systems.

Yeah you could get a 250w HPS to work in a closet without cutting any holes to vent. I have a 600w in my closet w/ an air cooled hood just venting into a small bedroom. Not ideal, but you could definitely get a 250w to work.

Yes you very well can. I have fans on the bottom to flow air in. Naturally it'll come out the top. I also have a gate and a vented hood with a small fan in it. works great if door is open. While I added a filter and blower (smell stealth), it's not really required for the room as far as grow goes. The only thing you may wish to add wouls be a scrubber for the smell if it's a issue.
we'll be having family in about an hour. But I bookmarked this thread and later when things calm down I'll take a couple pictures of the set-up to maybe help you with ideas.
But, Yes. Very doable.
I'll try and have the pics for you tonight. Think you'll like this setup but you may need to modify a few details to suit your needs. Best part is I can have all looking "straight" in about 20 minutes if needed (tax inspector, work crews, etc.).
Bookmarked and later.

Thanks! I don't have a problem with smell. I have an ozone unit in the bedroom the closet is in and it handles it well. So if I added some fan action on the floor blowing into the closet and some at the top blowing out, that might do it? Do you see any point in getting a cool tube reflector and running a six inch vent out of the closet into the room with a fan to suck it? Those cost more but I'd hate to buy one without and then realize I need it.

I've never paid attention to HPS systems before, so would like some suggestions on which. I see 250w systems ranging from $100 to over $300. What about ballasts? Do I want a remote ballast that would outside the closet? It can't be too noisy. What else are "things to look for or avoid?"

BGH has a big ass sale on lighting systems.Check em out.I have never been let down by these guys.

http://www.bghydro.com/BGH/customkititems.asp?kc=HLHPS02CLA&eq=

hydrotech364 said:

BGH has a big ass sale on lighting systems.Check em out.I have never been let down by these guys.

http://www.bghydro.com/BGH/customkititems.asp?kc=HLHPS02CLA&eq=

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That's very interesting, thanks. As I look at that, it seems the digital ballast would be worth the difference. And it is dimmable to 50%. Something else I notice is that for only a little more, I could go to a 400w digital ballast and run a 250w bulb. Then to control possible heat issues, I could dim that down to 200 or even 150. Maybe I would find that in winter I could go to 400w. It would create a lot more options, right?

Illegal Smile said:

That's very interesting, thanks. As I look at that, it seems the digital ballast would be worth the difference. And it is dimmable to 50%. Something else I notice is that for only a little more, I could go to a 400w digital ballast and run a 250w bulb. Then to control possible heat issues, I could dim that down to 200 or even 150. Maybe I would find that in winter I could go to 400w. It would create a lot more options, right?

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no, you cannot run a 250W bulb with a 400 ballast. You have to use a 400W bulb. You could then dim that though.

Kerovan said:

no, you cannot run a 250W bulb with a 400 ballast. You have to use a 400W bulb. You could then dim that though.

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The BGH website says that with their digital ballast you can run a smaller bulb, but of course not a larger one. The standard magnetic ballast won't do that as I understand it.

your better off buying a 400 watt bulb. and save any hassles.

Here is a 250w that uses both hps/mh...


http://www.htgsupply.com/Product-HTGSupply-Ultimate-250w-HPS-&-MH-Grow-Light.asp

Anyone bought anything from BGH lately? The website shows the shipping for this as $58. No way it should be more than 20.

As promised earlier, my closet pics for ideas.

The closet;


Door open / gate down;
Bottom view with fan (blows in)
Top (open exhaust, like a power vented stove pipe)

Bottom w/ gate up


Latch to hold gate up. Actually a double headed nail, with a compression spring counterbored for retraction and used a wine cork for a knob. A 2 X 3 ripped lengthwise makes for the inner rails of gate's slide. Held with 4 screws each side. Didn't want to paint door with reflective paint so inside slide is. Also with gate down and lower fans on it's like a power vent. Works good. (IMHO)


My 250 is vented. I simply used a cheap 4" fan with the bracket removed. Some extra foam from door seal made it fit perfectly.
However, it's noisier than I like. Not all that much is needed. Just want to keep the heat rising (another power vent thing). When this grow is done, there is a 120cm PC fan going in the hood with a speed controler. These cheap fans don't like a speed control (I know, I tried, they cook).



That's basicly it and the way I run it in veg and early flower. When the smell starts I turn on the blower that is vented to the basement through a large scrubber. Also on a speed control. I went way overkill on the CFMs. I'm able to draw cool air from the basement or warmer air under the door. Both make for a negative presure and lets the adjusted blower maintain a degree of temperature control.
Light is a 250 w DIGITAL and will burn MH or HPS. I've the ballast in the cellar, but it runs plenty cool enough so you could put it in the closet (up high) with no ill effects.
I know my electrical plumbing looks like shit. This is a test grow and will be cleaned up after this grow.

Maybe something here will give you a useful idea?

PS; While this is a legal grow, I still try and maintain some stealth. Very few know I have a card and want to keep it that way. Just eliminates the hassels I hear others getting into like friends want some, people want to see (and talk), someone attempting to help themselves when nobody is home, etc. I like a low profile, and the state appreciates not having issues with MMP/Cs.

Illegal Smile said:

Thanks! I don't have a problem with smell. I have an ozone unit in the bedroom the closet is in and it handles it well. So if I added some fan action on the floor blowing into the closet and some at the top blowing out (my way it's not needed), that might do it? Do you see any point in getting a cool tube reflector and running a six inch vent out of the closet into the room with a fan to suck it? (not at all) Those cost more but I'd hate to buy one without and then realize I need it.
Save your money for beans.
I've never paid attention to HPS systems before, so would like some suggestions on which. I see 250w systems ranging from $100 to over $300 (The one I showed was $200 (Ebay) with the adjusters and a 5" vented hood & digital ballast) . What about ballasts? Do I want a remote ballast that would outside the closet? It can't be too noisy. (I went digital. Quiet, cool running and burns both MH & HPS) What else are "things to look for or avoid?"

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I consider a 250 as a good 2 ft light (2' X 2' X 2') for penetration. I can add CFLs down low to fill in on penetration on plants over 2 - 2 1/2 high. But I don't generally grow that tall inside. With FIM, Supercrop, LSTing and such it's not required for me and my style. My pic above has 5 plants growing in there with room to have FIMed or topped even more. But it gets buisy after a bit. this was fairly comfortable. But, I trim my foliage too. Something many don't believe in.
I'm not a commercial grower and my requirements are not volume dependant.

The only possible issue I see for you is opening and closing the door consistantly on 12/12. But if you're doing AFs it's not a prob anyways.

Canon, Thanks much, a lot of good ideas there! Great pics too. I was planning to put the ballast outside the closet in the bedroom. I'm not sure what you mean by constantly opening and closing the door. I would leave it open during lights on and close it when off. The only real security issue is cats getting into it. One of the reasons I am considering this is because plants keep getting too tall and the T5s aren't getting penetration. I never top after they go to 12/12 and that's after a few sets of leaves. But I still get plants stretching to 4 feet tall and growing into the lights overnight so the lights have to keep being raised. I may grow White Dwarf which I have grown before and was compact and a good producer.

Illegal Smile said:

Canon, Thanks much, a lot of good ideas there! Great pics too. I was planning to put the ballast outside the closet in the bedroom. I'm not sure what you mean by constantly opening and closing the door. I would leave it open during lights on and close it when off. The only real security issue is cats getting into it. One of the reasons I am considering this is because plants keep getting too tall and the T5s aren't getting penetration. I never top after they go to 12/12 and that's after a few sets of leaves. But I still get plants stretching to 4 feet tall and growing into the lights overnight so the lights have to keep being raised. I may grow White Dwarf which I have grown before and was compact and a good producer.

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Welcome. Glad you found some usefulness there.
Constantly open / close the main closet door. To maintain the 12/12 wouldbe a PIA to me when daylight exceeds the 12/12. Mostly a summertime issue though.

CATS! LOL I've 2 Labs that I need to watch when they have access. Tons of tales I could share on that - S Anyways, gate is always down except for servicing / feeding. Negates the critter jitters.

Not going to comment on the T5s, been there.
I think when / if you go with the HPS you're stretch issues would be much more controlable. In my prior post, those are photoperiod sativas. If I untied them and pulled them up I'm cetain they'd pass the 4' mark,,, and if let grow straight they'd definately would. Vegged for 2 1/2 mos and about 1 mo max. to finish maybe. Managed to keep them down to 2 ft or so.

Oh, I never top or FIM after flower starts to show either. But LSTing is definately full steam ahead.

i bend and tie down branches that get to be to long, i top when about 16-18 inches tall then let veg for another week or two then flower at 12/12.