1000-watt double-ended HPS fixtures are the mainstay of commercial indoor
growing operations, so it's easy for smaller home growers to see this, and
think monkey-see monkey-do, right? Well, hold up, amigos, you could be about to
waste a lot of time, energy, and money. Sure, double-ended HPS lamps are very
efficient on paper, but the key issue is a practical one. Namely, commercial
growing warehouses typically have feelings of 15 feet high or more, and
chances are your home does not. The heat that these lamps produce can really work
against you and your plants unless you have sufficient vertical space available.
Remember: too much heat on your plant canopy shuts down photosynthesis, and
could dramatically diminish quality in heat sensitive crops. If you still need
convincing, try positioning the underside of your arm a foot, or even two feet,
beneath a 1000 watt DE lamp when it's been on for an hour so. The heat is
unmistakable. You need at least 3 feet between your plant canopy and a
regular, open DE HPS fixture with 4 or 5 feet being a safer bet in many
cases. And this leaves precious, little space for your plants to grow in a
domestic setting without investing in a specialty, air-cooled reflector, such as
the AC/DE. So, today I want to argue the case for choosing a lower-wattage,
single-ended grow lamp, over double-ended 1,000 watt lights, and look at some
reflector options to suit all budgets.
Now, in Europe, 600 watts is the norm, whereas if you ask any grower in North
America how many lights they're running, its assumed that each lamp is 1,000
watts because they're so common. However, I wish all growers on either side of the
Atlantic would start out with 600 watt lights, mainly because they're so much
kinder to plants. Bigger is not always better, amigos. 600 watt HPS lamps produce
less heat, so you can position them closer to your canopy without frying it,
and this means less light loss to walls and any surrounding floor. Crucially, the
decreased distance between your plant canopy and the lamp, typically around 18
to 24 inches for a 600 watt HPS in an open fixture, can still produce a
footprint of intense light that's ideal for some light-hungry species. And
remember: our goal is to create a uniform pattern of intense light, without hot
spots. Taking the single-ended lamp route means that you can potentially get
growing on a much smaller budget, and the simplest, and cheapest single-ended lamp
reflectors are known collectively as "Bat Wings." They're usually made from cheaper
materials with reflectivity around 80 to 85%, and may be prone to more
degradation over time. The common shape, actually more like a Dutch barn, relies
heavily on cross reflection to spread light, which can
lead to hot spots forming directly beneath the lamp. To keep prices low, a
minimum amount of material is used-- not much longer than the lamp itself, and
this can lead to additional light loss. Good, entry-level reflectors include the
Value Wing, the Econo Wing, and it's slightly bigger brother, the Econo Wing XL, which
is more suited for higher wattage lamps. Sticking with the old school, let's here
for the China man's hat reflector! Whoo-hoo! These are often sold as
parabolic reflectors, but their shape doesn't technically fit that description.
The lamp is vertically mounted, which means very little light reaches the
plants directly from the lamp; nearly all of it is reflected. Why do this? Well,
because the lamp is end-on you can bring the reflector down really low, even with
a 1000 watt lamp, with relatively little radiant heat. Instead, you get a hot spot-
free diffused, yet, intense light. Just be sure your chosen lamp is rated for a
vertical mounting. These reflectors can trap significant amounts of heat and
produce round footprints. It's a very kind diffused light for plants, but they
don't stitch together well to form a matrix. For a more rectangular footprint,
consider something with more angles like the Solartech Magnum reflector.
Next up, the tried and tested, double-parabolic reflector. These are synonymous
with one name: Adjust-A-Wing. Sold worldwide, these reflectors are highly versatile,
and produce a beautiful uniform light distribution
thanks to their highly reflective 95 to 98% finely-dimpled, German aluminum.
Now, as the name implies, you can adjust them on the fly for a deep, penetrating
beam of light. Ha-ha. Or, to wider angles for broader coverage. Further, they're
open-ended to facilitate air flow around the lamp so they naturally run cool. You
can get them in various sizes-- larger and long enough to minimize light leakage
out the open ends. Beyond that, if you're really looking for air-cooled hoods like
the Epic 8-inch, Evolution 8-inch, Magnum XXXL, or Dominator XXXL. Air-
cooled reflectors will work together with 600 or 1008 watt, single-ended HPS, or metal halide
lamps. They will work particularly well in grow tents, or confined spaces, and
just be careful to hang them securely, as air cooled hoods are much heavier, plus
you should clean the glass cover regularly. Final points: when choosing a
reflector for a single-ended lamp, be sure that it is designed so that the
lamp's arc tube is in the center of the reflector for the best possible spread. A
lamp cord of 15 feet or more is recommended, too. And if you're still
determined to go double-ended, don't forget that you can get 750 watt models, too. Oh!
Remember folks, it's not just about giving your plans enough light, but
always protecting them from excess radiant heat. You can thank me later. Okay,
I'll finish up there. If I miss your favorite reflector, or reflector type, or
if you have any questions, then let me know in the comments below. This is a big
subject, so no doubt we can investigate deeper in future videos. Peace, love, and
hotspot-free light to you all! This is Everest, out.