Air Cooled HID: How Much Cooler?

DaddyKush

Well-Known Member
How much of a temperature reduction can a grower expect with an air-cooled HID vs an HID that isn't air cooled? My old 600w HPS is a terrific light but it produces quite a bit of heat. If I switch to an air cooled HPS light will it make a real difference? Before anyone goes there, I don't need any LED recommendations. Cheers! :peace::)
 
In my sealed setup, the air cooled hood alone drops temps from 90 to 80 (72 outside the tent).
That's a pretty good temp reduction. I'm torn between CMH and air cooled HID.
 
Go CMH....never look back....
I grew with Hps for over 10 years.
CMH is sooo much better quality.
Replace that one 600hps with one 630w cmh and it will smash it with less heat. One 315w cmh keep up with the 600w hps no probs and 1/2 the power and less heat.



 
CMH have their advantages, mainly being that they are better as a single bulb for the entire grow, they produce a better PAR and they have a much more natural color rendering index so you see your plants as they actually look, not yellow or purple.
That being said HPS is still king in flowering. I use an MH for veg and an HPS for flower. I think this gives me the best of both worlds. CMHs also put out 90-95% the heat of an HPS so it's pretty comparable.
 
What's really helped me keep the heat down is pumping my exhaust from my tent out a window jig I just bought. Sort of like a dryer exhaust. That way all the mold causing moisture and heat is pumped outside. Even if the door to the room is closed it pulls fresh air in from under the door, from the rest of the house.

I use the CMH in a 3' by 3' in the winter. I'm now using a 4 cob system and it's still 89 degrees in the tent. But with cobs it can get hotter without hurting the plants because they don't give off infrared heat nearly as much.
 
Go CMH....never look back....
I grew with Hps for over 10 years.
CMH is sooo much better quality.
Replace that one 600hps with one 630w cmh and it will smash it with less heat. One 315w cmh keep up with the 600w hps no probs and 1/2 the power and less heat.



what brand cmh bulb and hood did you go with?
 
Hey Waldrop,
I went an expensive one on ballasts but I see most shores have decent ballasts.
Just got to be 315w cmh ballast.
Globe to go for is Philips 930. Its in the 3000K range but is full spectrum.
92%cri ....means its 8% off being perfect sunlight.
Reflectors, after using I would say focal in winter, its not too hot. Have the best punch into canopy as well.
Summer, the broad reflectors like mine can be lowered a lot more with less heat.
They are vented in shade to let heat escape.
I use Lucius Recom gear but its not cheap. Hi par is sister company to them, and have great kits.
 
Hey Waldrop,
I went an expensive one on ballasts but I see most shores have decent ballasts.
Just got to be 315w cmh ballast.
Globe to go for is Philips 930. Its in the 3000K range but is full spectrum.
92%cri ....means its 8% off being perfect sunlight.
Reflectors, after using I would say focal in winter, its not too hot. Have the best punch into canopy as well.
Summer, the broad reflectors like mine can be lowered a lot more with less heat.
They are vented in shade to let heat escape.
I use Lucius Recom gear but its not cheap. Hi par is sister company to them, and have great kits.
Thanks a lot. Looking into those now.
 
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