Quote:
Originally Posted by DutchOverflow
I'm using a vivosun cheap 600w with digital dimmable ballast so I can click down to 400w and 250 which is nice for smaller plants. It does get hot as mentioned previously in this thread so I bought an 6" duct line that attachs to my light tube with an in line air mover fan for $30 bucks and it drops the temp of the bulb greatly which made me feel better but when I was in the local hydro shop talking about the bulbs the guy told me that having the fan pushing air into the tube is creating a pressure on the bulb and is not good for it. Also the box that the unit came in stated not to use a fan to blow or suck air throught that tube. I don't understand why it would be called a "cool" tube that perfectly fits to 6" fans and ducts yet not allow for cooling fans. Any ways I removed the fan and have been just running the light on 600w without the fan and the room temp stays about 78-81 althought it is fall here in Texas to daytime temps are 60-78. The guy at the shop also mentioned that the mh and hps bulbs work best with out cooling as they burn better at higher temps. Anyways the light works great it seems after a month will post an update in here down the road if its still going strong etc. I bought this kit off amazon for I around 120-130$
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I don't agree with a single thing that hydro store guy told you. Air-cooled hoods on hid lighting have been the norm for twenty-plus years.
And this statement:
mh and hps bulbs work best with out cooling as they burn better at higher temps.
is just dangerous. A 1K metal halide bulb has an internal temperature similar to the surface of the sun. Both HPS and MH bulbs will explode when they get too hot. HPS tends to rupture internally, but MHs will blow up like grenades, throwing out shards of glass that are thousands of degrees hot.
Sorry to lecture. I just don't want you to burn your house down.