Looking for Info From Users with 1000W Raptor Reflectors Please.

I was talking with the guy at the hydro store today and he was telling me most people are buying 1000W systems. I was surprised because of the efficiency of 600W bulbs regarding lumens to the top of the plant and less heat production.

He told me he can place a Raptor equipped with a 1000W HPS 4-6" from his plant tops without any problems. If this is true I am going to take a look at one of these for a little extra coverage and some deeper penetration.

Personally, I am more than skeptical and didn't feel like he was well versed in lumen intensity in relationship to distance. When I questioned why he put more people into 1000W lights he tried to rationalize and stated this. It seems to me that more people would be geared towards 600w than anything else.

He did however offer some more believable information with data and said a 1000W HPS light would operate on half of the power on 220 compared to 110 and threw the number of amps they draw at me. The amps he threw at me suggested that a 1000W HPS wired with 220 would pull only slightly more amps than a 600W hooked up 110. He may have been speaking about a particular digital ballast, I don't know. I was in somewhat of a hurry.

I am not well versed or very experienced in these matters so I'm looking for anyone that has experience and knowledge pertaining to it. Thanks for posting!

any ballast ran 220 will draw less amps.
volts x amps = watts
1000/110 = 9.1
1000/220 = 4.55
kwhour is still the same

Sure you can put a lamp a few inches from the tops. but your best results are from about 24-36".

AdamBlack760 said:

any ballast ran 220 will draw less amps.
volts x amps = watts
1000/110 = 9.1
1000/220 = 4.55
kwhour is still the same

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Nice thanks for the math rep'd.

budleydoright said:

Sure you can put a lamp a few inches from the tops. but your best results are from about 24-36".

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The closer the better but how close is too close? I'm wondering how close these Raptors can be placed without overheating at the tops and also curious how the lower fruits turn out.

Thanks for the replies!

I love my 1000w now that we understand eachother!

Shwagbag said:

Nice thanks for the math rep'd.



The closer the better but how close is too close? I'm wondering how close these Raptors can be placed without overheating at the tops and also curious how the lower fruits turn out.

Thanks for the replies!

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Too close is when you start burning leaves. Unless you have a light mover you really shouldn't get closer than 20" probably 24"+ with a 1000w bulb

I run watercooled and can get as close as I want. I too subscribed to the theory that more light is better until I started noticing that the plants that were 24-30 inches away produced higher quality product and more weight than the ones that were 10-12" away. All this light produces stress, which in my experience results in smaller buds.

I think the idea behind these big reflectors is to spread the light out more evenly over their recommended space, at the ideal 24-30 distance. Not just to reduce the distance between lamp and tops.

budleydoright said:

I run watercooled and can get as close as I want. I too subscribed to the theory that more light is better until I started noticing that the plants that were 24-30 inches away produced higher quality product and more weight than the ones that were 10-12" away. All this light produces stress, which in my experience results in smaller buds.

I think the idea behind these big reflectors is to spread the light out more evenly over their recommended space, at the ideal 24-30 distance. Not just to reduce the distance between lamp and tops.

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Just like everything in the world of growing, the key to everything is balance. Too much or too little of any one component is detrimental, if not deadly to the plants.

budleydoright said:

I run watercooled and can get as close as I want. I too subscribed to the theory that more light is better until I started noticing that the plants that were 24-30 inches away produced higher quality product and more weight than the ones that were 10-12" away. All this light produces stress, which in my experience results in smaller buds.

I think the idea behind these big reflectors is to spread the light out more evenly over their recommended space, at the ideal 24-30 distance. Not just to reduce the distance between lamp and tops.

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I assumed the idea would be to do both, while reducing the amount of heat dispensed. In other words, allow optimal (closer) distance from plant tops doubling for deeper penetration to lower canopy while spreading the light throughout the entire surface area of your grow space.

Questions:

1. By water cooled do you mean something like an ice box?
2. Do you think you had a higher quality product because the light was further from your tips? Do you think it was due to lower light levels or lower heat levels?
3. Do you think you had a greater yield because the greater distance allowed for a larger spread of the light or simply prevention of overheating at your tops?

I am lead to believe that it is not the light that produces the stress you speak of, it is still the heat that is produced by the lighting source even though you are "water cooled", hence a greater distance and cooler temperatures on your canopy produces better product.

Just curious, I don't know what you mean by "water cooled" but I am familiar with the Ice Box as I use one in the summer months for my 600w hps.

Thanks for your comments everyone.

Still curious to see if anyone has personal experience with this hood as was told by this "professional" that the heat efficiency is almost unbelievable.

I run 1ks in Fresca Sol water cooled fixtures. The only point that I am trying to make is in my experience, having the lamps closer than 24" to the tops has negative effects. I'm 100% sealed 1500ppm co2, 80-85f, 50-60rh. I was originally running 70 watts per foot and hanging the lamps as close as I could while acheiving the spread I needed. the plants that were 24" away were consistantly healthier, produced bigger denser buds than the plants that were 6-16" away. I only have 5' of height to work with.

I have not used a raptor but have seen many of these new larger reflectors in use and think they're great. I believe the design criteria is more even coverage over the recommended space, not simply cooler and lower placement. Look in the photo gallery at the big rooms. they are all using the suggested 24-36" distance.

this is assuming 1000w hps.

budleydoright said:

I run 1ks in Fresca Sol water cooled fixtures. The only point that I am trying to make is in my experience, having the lamps closer than 24" to the tops has negative effects. I'm 100% sealed 1500ppm co2, 80-85f, 50-60rh. I was originally running 70 watts per foot and hanging the lamps as close as I could while acheiving the spread I needed. the plants that were 24" away were consistantly healthier, produced bigger denser buds than the plants that were 6-16" away. I only have 5' of height to work with.

I have not used a raptor but have seen many of these new larger reflectors in use and think they're great. I believe the design criteria is more even coverage over the recommended space, not simply cooler and lower placement. Look in the photo gallery at the big rooms. they are all using the suggested 24-36" distance.

this is assuming 1000w hps.

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Well I can't really say what I've learned so far from this thread so far.... I should clarify that this would be for a single light system for a 4 x 4 space.

If you know from your experience that you get better/more buds with a greater distance from your plants with a 1000w light please state why you think this is so. I can't assume for a minute that its because the plants are receiving too many lumens. I have always assumed that it was due to overheating at the tops. I also assumed that this loss of lumens due to distance was compensated by overlapping of the surface area resulting in significantly increased lumens from "double coverage".

Based on what I've read so far and the data I've gathered, I plan to stick with my 600W to cover a 4 x 4 area and get nearly 3 x the lumens psf at 12" compared to a 1000w light at 24". A 1000w light would only improve my 4 x 4 setup if I were able to drop the light extremely close to the plant tops and increase the amount of lumens delivered to the tops while still covering the surface area. So far, my presumption is confirmed that a 600w light is still the most efficient and produces the most light at a safe distance and that a 600w outperforms 1000w for single bulb grows in confined spaces such as mine. I'm still looking to hear from someone with a Raptor.

Thanks for the comments everyone, keep them coming.

Hey budly are you commenting from your experience with the vertical bulb in you signature?

Yes, these are first hand accounts. when I run too close the plants just can't hande the intensity. The hairs aren't as long, leaves are pale in color. Tried it every which way. Off the chart feeding, high temps with co2 and just simply do better with a 1k at least 24" away. Vertical or overhead. although vertical is less intense as their is no reflector focusing the light. That vert grow was a few cycles back. Went back to flat as my space just doesn't lend itself well to vertical. A friend of mine just purchased one of the sun systems XXL reflectors today. this is the same basic thing as the raptor isn't it. One of the BIG flat ones?

That is why I brought it up, I too assumed that if 50,000 is good the 150,000 is 3 times as good! That heat was always the issue. Well I pretty much removed the heat. and while I can easily get them within inches without burning them or drying them, I do believe the light intensity is too much and has adverse effects. What is the intesity of the sun, isn't it around 10,000 lumens per sq ft.

The rapter is the dankest reflector my hydro shop has. if you can ventilate the 1,000 then get the raptor, its a freakin beast with the surface area it has

I wouldn't drop it 6''. For a 1,000 I would keep it 12 inches away.

Raptors hung 16 to 24 inches above the screen.

Movers on the left. Raptors on the right.

Ventilated with outside air or inside air.

I've had many hoods and these Raptors are the only ones I'll buy
for stationary scrog.

Gonna hang a third in the middle of the other two.

600 all the way man like you said they are the most efficiant most lumen per watt grow light. i will never use a 1k id rather 2 600s only 200 more watts and way way more lumens.

budleydoright said:

Yes, these are first hand accounts. when I run too close the plants just can't hande the intensity. The hairs aren't as long, leaves are pale in color. Tried it every which way. Off the chart feeding, high temps with co2 and just simply do better with a 1k at least 24" away. Vertical or overhead. although vertical is less intense as their is no reflector focusing the light. That vert grow was a few cycles back. Went back to flat as my space just doesn't lend itself well to vertical. A friend of mine just purchased one of the sun systems XXL reflectors today. this is the same basic thing as the raptor isn't it. One of the BIG flat ones?

That is why I brought it up, I too assumed that if 50,000 is good the 150,000 is 3 times as good! That heat was always the issue. Well I pretty much removed the heat. and while I can easily get them within inches without burning them or drying them, I do believe the light intensity is too much and has adverse effects. What is the intesity of the sun, isn't it around 10,000 lumens per sq ft.

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I think you figured it right, the heat is the issue for you but I can't believe it was due to excess light intensity. I've read that the sun is 10,000 lumens psf but it can't be simulated in a 16 square foot grow space. An HPS bulb loses intensity the further it emits light from the canopy. Obviously the sun displays the same properties, as displayed by the cooler temps further from the equator. I am talking with a member now that is moving his air so well and just right to where he can run a 1000w lamp around 11". This would be a significant increase in lumes and would get me about 3,300 lumens per square foot.

Boomer that is an awesome setup man. Question, do you run those at that height for heat control or to keep the spread where you want it for the scrog? Have you tried more intense lighting? If so, how much closer and what were the results. Sweet feedback everyone thank you for your help.

Smokebros - Do you run a 1000w at 12"?

SB

My plants become yellow and pale when the light is too intense. Plants that are green and healthy produce better. this is just my experience. I think the fresca sol like most tube type fixtures have a couple of really intense hot sopts. So i can easily run my 1k at 6" with out burning the plant, but the plant isn't as healthy as plants that are 24" away.

I know this thread is older but I need to know can i cover a 4x6 space with a 1000w raptor reflector? At 24-36 inches