Indoor Prism Lighting Science CMH Test grow - 2018

[Clix]

hey has everyone made there pick of what light package they chose out of the 4 choices available?

I know we were still working out who picked what since I am one of the double testers I chose 2 light different packages with the same bulb so I could compare the styles of reflectors

I'm actually pumped to see how that works for you.

 

[Clix]

I went with 2 [HASHTAG]#4s[/HASHTAG] with the 3100K bulbs. I really needed the larger coverage.

 

[Unique]

I went with 2 [HASHTAG]#4s[/HASHTAG] with the 3100K bulbs. I really needed the larger coverage.

yeah same here...

 

[db003]

it seams we have quite a few picks for the [HASHTAG]#4[/HASHTAG] package because of the reflector it comes with since that is about the only difference from the other packages

I hope no one minds I got some pics and specs of the most popular reflector so far to post as reference material for this thread

so this is the style of reflector that a few of us have picked for are 315w cmh its a vertical bulb position style of reflector and is perfectly square so it would pair well with a square style tent like a 3x3 or 4x4 or something along those lines like a room with square dimensions

I assume it would be good with the hot spot directly under the light which most horizontal reflectors have

p.s. the name of this reflector is "Sun System LEC Brand 315 RA Reflector"

 

[db003]

here is the second most popular reflector of the bunch it is the [HASHTAG]#2[/HASHTAG] package reflector

what makes this reflector a good pick is its size it is the smallest of all the reflectors we had to chose from and has a horizontal bulb position to save even more space which would make it a great choice for growers in a small space or that might have height issues

this reflector has more of a rectangle style and might work well with rectangle shape tents like 2x4 4x6 or grow spaces with height issues were every inch counts as for coverage it has similar specs 3x3 or 4x4

p.s. the name of this reflector is "Sun System LEC brand 315 Neutron Reflector"

these are just my thoughts on these reflectors and styles and should be taken with a grain of salt

 

[db003]

now I will move on to another main component that all are 315w cmh kits will come with which is the ballast

the ballast that will be coming with these kits are from Prism Lighting Science and they are the sponsor of this 315w cmh test so thank you for sponsoring us

once again these are just for reference

here are some spec and info I got from growers house on the Prism Lighting Science 315w cmh ballast


Prism Lighting Science Ceramic Metal Halid Ballasts are designed to run 315W CMH lamps safely and effectively. UL listing and multiple ballast protections such as ignition failure protection offer safe usage for your indoor environment as well maximizing the PAR output of your Ceramic Metal Halide lamps. Compare to Philips CMH/CDM ballast, with all the same functionality and 3 year warranty, at a fraction of the price.

The Prism Lighting Science CMH Ballast was made to have all the features and technology needed for optimal performance with none of the expensive frills in order to keep it priced as competitively as possible. Comes with a 120v power cord.

Ballast Specifications:
Wattage: 315W
Input Volt: 120V/240V
Input Current: 2.89A / 1.42A
Input Power: 343W
Min Power Factor: .95
THD: <15%
Crest Factor: <1.7

Ballast Physical
Length 215mm / 8.46 in
Width 178mm / 7.01 in
Height 92.5mm / 3.64 in
Weight 3.0kg / 6.62lb lb

Ballast Protections
1. End of Life (EOL) Protection
2. Short circuit protection
3. Open circuit protection
4. Ignition failure protection
5. Thermal protection

Ballast Installation & Application Notes
1. Max allowable case temperature: 75 Degrees C / 167 Degrees F
2. Ambient Temperature: -20, +55 Deg. C / -4, +131 Deg. F
3. Max. Humidity: 95%
4. Ignition voltage is 5kV

Ballast Performance Requirements:

• Rated mains voltage: 120-240V

• Voltage range: (+/-10%): 108-264V

• Mains frequency: 50/60 hz

• Operation Frequency: 140-220kHz

• Wave Type: Square

 

[db003]

there are 2 more choices of packages that we had to chose from one had no reflector and came with a cmh adapter for the bulb to be used in a mogul base reflector and the other came with a air cooled mogul base reflector and adapter but as far as I know no one has chose either of those packages as there choice

 

[db003]

one very important fact that I have read so far about 315w cmh bulbs is that if your light turns off for what ever reason is to wait a full 15 minutes before turning it back on again to prevent a failed bulb since they run very high temps in the bulb to achieve the spectrum they produce

most HPS and MH bulbs suggest the same thing so its good advice to keep in mind since these bulbs can cost up to $100 dollars a piece

once again these are just my thoughts since I have yet to use cmh but have experience with bulb failure with HPS from tuning a light back on to quick without proper time to cool before I turned it back on

 

[db003]

well that's about all I got for right now

sorry if I spammed the page a bit with info I am just very excited about these lights if you cant tell

I hope to here everyone's thoughts about 315w cmh and what good info they can find until we all get some first hand experience

 

[Vapo]

one very important fact that I have read so far about 315w cmh bulbs is that if your light turns off for what ever reason is to wait a full 15 minutes before turning it back on again to prevent a failed bulb since they run very high temps in the bulb to achieve the spectrum they produce

most HPS and MH bulbs suggest the same thing so its good advice to keep in mind since these bulbs can cost up to $100 dollars a piece

once again these are just my thoughts since I have yet to use cmh but have experience with bulb failure with HPS from tuning a light back on to quick without proper time to cool before I turned it back on

Hello @db003 ......good point about the light cooling down....I have been using a CMH light for about a year now and I couldn't be happier with it......the first time my light went out unexpectedly I Shit myself....a short power cut of 5 mins and when the power came back on, I waited a further 15 mins and switched it back on......nothing!!......furious I would have to spend £100 on a new bulb....a short wait later and it lit again.lol........most CMH ballast have a 30min safety reset...I later found out lol.....I hope you all enjoy these lights as much as I doi will be looking in for tipshappy growing