Lighting MARS TL1000W Question, Help!

[Brownthumbs]

Howdy. I converted 2x2x6 space in to a grow cabinet. 4" variable inline fan, carbon filter, humidifier(i live in the desert) and Aglex 600W amazon special.
With this set up, i successfully germinated 3 seed. This weekends 114 high pretty much killed them, as the cabinet is in my garage.
Yesterday, the temp dropped to 80 in my garage. The Aglex with just the cob for veg advertised at 50w, had the cabinet at 83*, 48%RH w/Humidifier on low. The In-line fan was not on, an not being utilized. I have a clip on to help circulate the air. I feel 83* is not bad.

Low and behold, yesterday afternoon, my OCD & Amazon delivered a Mars TL1000W. I quicker removed the aglex, and set up the mars. Measured 24" from seeds, cranked the dimmer to full blast, and walked away. 45m later, my remote said 97*F!!!! I ran into the garage, turned the light down to 65%, and turned on the in-line at a low setting. The cabinet dropped to 85*, but my RH went down to 15%!!! Not only did the in-line suck out the heat, it also sucked out the humidity.

At the full setting, you could not touch the top of the light or driver for more than a few seconds, it was that hot.

I guess my questions are:
-will removing the driver & dimmer to outside the tent reduce over all temp?
Or
-should i turn the dimmer even lower, say 25%, and simply move it closer to the plants?
or
Both?

I am hoping one of these methods will allow me to turn off the in-line, and allow the humidifier to do it's job and bring the rh back up.

Of course if these new seed actually do germinate and eventually make it bloom, I'll need to actually start using the in-line & filter for stink control. My RH problems will then return. I'll cross that bridge when i get there.

Have a feeling RH is going to be my nemesis in this project.

Thanks in advance!

 

[automan2]

Controlling heat is #1. RH can be raised with saturated towels. Relocate driver if you can. I attached a portable ac unit to my grow space that has helped my grows exponentially. My fans are thermostatically controlled by an inkbird ....I run a MH ts1000 alongside 2 autocobs but only during flower...never dim anything so no idea about seedling exposure.

 

[Mañ'O'Green]

Yes, move the driver out of the cabinet. It will help but will-not solve the heat problem entirely. We all battle the same issues since we have the responsibility of mother nature to our crops. You are in the garage - can you put a small portable swamp cooler in the garage and use it to both cool and raise the humidity?

 

[Brownthumbs]

Yes, move the driver out of the cabinet. It will help but will-not solve the heat problem entirely. We all battle the same issues since we have the responsibility of mother nature to our crops. You are in the garage - can you put a small portable swamp cooler in the garage and use it to both cool and raise the humidity?

Thank you, I might have to. Currently 88* & 12% w/the humidifier running at 3/4 speed. A whole 2% higher than the rest of garage. Once it gets cold here, the light heat will probably be a blessing. I'll still have RH issues though.

 

[Mañ'O'Green]

Thank you, I might have to. Currently 88* & 12% w/the humidifier running at 3/4 speed. A whole 2% higher than the rest of garage. Once it gets cold here, the light heat will probably be a blessing. I'll still have RH issues though.

@Brownthumbs I have been growing in my current set-up over three years and I still have times that I cannot keep the environment in the perfect zones. I have adapted to the plants as well. Meaning I try to grow strains that are better suited to the conditions I am going to have for them. I grow Photos in the summer because it is very hot here in central California, I use a swamp cooler so the humidity is high. Tropical sativas live like that.

Anyhow a wet towel hanging in there with one end in a bucket of water and the fan blowing past it will help. You have to get it up!

 

[Marshydro]

@Brownthumbs , follow ManOGreen advice, remove the driver out of the tent, and you should dim the light to 50% at seedling, and the hanging height is 18inches, 45cm. early veg at 75%, then turn it to 100%

 

[GeorgeCloney]

The TS1000 was designed to run at 150watts at the wall.
This will produce roughly 550 PAR at 24 inches.
The only way to properly tone down the ligjt is either A) move the light higher up.
But does not solve the heating issue.

Or B) turn down the voltage.
This will dim the light
In doing so, the plant gets less light with less heat (in a nutshell).
This why you need to lower the light.
This leaves us wondering how much is 50%.
And the best of eye-balling experts are WAy Way off.
So you can either use a PAR meter ($500).
Or something like this> Amazon product
It gives you the power drawn at the wall.
Power drawn and light output are not linear.
(50% power does not give 50% light with LED's.
But will be close enough and better than eye balling.
When turning the light back to 100%.
Just readjust to 150 watts at the wall.

 

[Brownthumbs]

I have moved the driver outside the cabinet, and local temps have been much lower. Under 100*, whew. Cabinet running much cooler. Girls appear to be doing well. Growing noticeably every day. I am happy with the light purchase. Thanks all.