Is it worth buying an expensive light bulb??

[WolfScott]

Hello,
I am using a 400 watt HPS grow light set up that I bought at HTG about a year ago, and it is almost time to replace my bulb. I was wondering if I should buy the same bulb for $24 at HTG, or is it worth paying more for something like the 400W EYE Hortilux Super HPS 400 Watt Bulb?? According to the packages both bulbs give the same 55,000 lumens. What do you all think?? Thanks in advance for your input.

 

[researchkitty]

When I use bulbs from eBay for $25-$30 each and get 4 ounces a plant for 2 lbs total per 1000w lamp, I cant really see pulling MORE weight with a "better" bulb........... The Hydro store sold me some lights once as a ballast/reflector/bulb kit that were "better" bulbs, about $85 sticker price on them, and the yields are identical for the same clones from the same mothers from the same systems in the same pots...........

More lumens would be a reason to pay more but past that I dont know..........

 

[THCBD]

if you're on a magnetic ballast, get whichever convenient. on a digital ballast, digital bulbs are formulated to put out more light for less power used... so they save you money.

 

[WolfScott]

When I use bulbs from eBay for $25-$30 each and get 4 ounces a plant for 2 lbs total per 1000w lamp, I cant really see pulling MORE weight with a "better" bulb........... The Hydro store sold me some lights once as a ballast/reflector/bulb kit that were "better" bulbs, about $85 sticker price on them, and the yields are identical for the same clones from the same mothers from the same systems in the same pots...........

More lumens would be a reason to pay more but past that I dont know..........

Thanks for your input, I am very happy with my yields so far using my HTG light bulbs. The Hortilux is more than 2X the price, and I'm low on funds so I think I might stick with the cheaper bulb.

 

[WolfScott]

if you're on a magnetic ballast, get whichever convenient. on a digital ballast, digital bulbs are formulated to put out more light for less power used... so they save you money.

Yes I have a magnetic ballast, When I up grade I plan on getting a digital ballast. I love and need to save money!! Thanks

 

[researchkitty]

Does the price difference of a digital ballast versus a magnetic ballast even save that much electric over 5 years to make it worth the extra 30% price increase?

 

[the real mccoy]

I'm a big fan of Ushio!! Nice German made bulbs!

 

[THCBD]

Does the price difference of a digital ballast versus a magnetic ballast even save that much electric over 5 years to make it worth the extra 30% price increase?

haven't done the math... but we got ours on clearance so it was as much as magnetic top end. def worth it

 

[farmboss]

Does the price difference of a digital ballast versus a magnetic ballast even save that much electric over 5 years to make it worth the extra 30% price increase?

i paid less for digital...

digital ballasts, use a cheap bulb. the hortilux gets burned out by the pulse rate of digital.

digital burns brighter, barely enough to say. but, there is a difference. and the ballasts used a more FIXED current, and overall, less of it.

 

[WolfScott]

i paid less for digital...

digital ballasts, use a cheap bulb. the hortilux gets burned out by the pulse rate of digital.

digital burns brighter, barely enough to say. but, there is a difference. and the ballasts used a more FIXED current, and overall, less of it.

Thanks for that info, When i do up grade I want a 600 watt HPS with digital ballast. With a 6" cool tube reflector or a medium Adjust A Wing reflector ,with a light spreader.

For now I will just stick with the $25 400 HPS bulb from HTG. Like I said It has the same 55,000 Lumens as the hortilux and it is only 1/3 the price.

 

[Rando]

In side by side tests, I got 25% more weight from a Sunmaster 1000 watt bulb as compared to a GE 1000 watt bulb. Sunmaster says its the better color spectrum that makes the difference.

 

[phxfire]

It all comes down to the quality in which the bulb was made... The more expense ones seem to last longer I noticed..

 

[woodsmaneh!]

The bottom line is grow with what you can afford now and down the road save for something better.

Electronic is the way to go, a traditional core ballast uses 30% of it's energy just to fire the light, electronic does not so it produces a brighter light by 25%. Electronic produce about 20 to 40% less heat, this is important if you have your ballist in the grow room, more heat is bad. The only down sides I have found to the electronic is they don't like cheap bulbs and power out or brown outs. Don't buy cheap electronics.

A better bulb like the eye will produce a higher yield than a cheaper bulb, end of story. Why, up to 25% more blue, and your plants need that blue. It also produces more energy over the life of the bulb. I have used cheap bulbs but once I purchased a light meter and started comparing them over a year, it's all I buy now. Yes they cost more but the increase in yield more than pays for it. Most growers are cheap by nature, there's no tomorrow for them so they go cheap.

I try to put everything into a price justification model to make my decisions after making an informed decision. Even with a double cost say 50$ vs 25$ all you need to do is grow 1/8 more once and the light is paid for. That leaves you 5 more cycles before you change the light. = $$$$ in your pocket minum 250$ plus the light.

Now when Kitty is faced with replacing 10 or 20 bulbs that's a lot of money up front for real good bulbs so I can understand her point of view by going with a lessor bulb.

I buy by the case so I get a great price on the Eye.

 

[Brick Top]

With the delayed lamp ignition time and re-strike times of magnetic ballasts the degradation of the light quality from your bulb can be as much as 20% to 30% in only the first 6 months of operation.

So when you consider cost savings of a digital ballast over a magnetic ballast you need to factor in the cost of not needing to replace bulbs as often, or if someone sticks with magnetic ballasts just accepting the additional bulb costs or growing with highly degraded lighting resulting in poorer growth and lesser yields.

 

[WolfScott]

In side by side tests, I got 25% more weight from a Sunmaster 1000 watt bulb as compared to a GE 1000 watt bulb. Sunmaster says its the better color spectrum that makes the difference.

That is where spending the extra money would be worth it. Thanks

 

[The Knuck]

by cheap bulbs and change them more often.

a cheap bulb and change every 6 months

 

[woodsmaneh!]

Does the price difference of a digital ballast versus a magnetic ballast even save that much electric over 5 years to make it worth the extra 30% price increase?

It's more than saving some money, it's about higher light output, less heat. They claim 50% less hydro but my meter says 19%, so if you save 20% on your hydro is it worth it, for 1 or 2 lights don't think so but 10 to 20 lights do the math, after all it is about maximizing yield at the lowest cost. Now factor in the increase yield and lower cost of cooling and I think you know the answer. The bigger you are the more you grow and save$$$ IMHO

BTW Canada's government passed the new amendments to the criminal code and 100 plants = min 6 months, 200 plants = min 1 year in jail, and 500+ by, by. So much for paradise...

 

[WolfScott]

The bottom line is grow with what you can afford now and down the road save for something better.

Electronic is the way to go, a traditional core ballast uses 30% of it's energy just to fire the light, electronic does not so it produces a brighter light by 25%. Electronic produce about 20 to 40% less heat, this is important if you have your ballist in the grow room, more heat is bad. The only down sides I have found to the electronic is they don't like cheap bulbs and power out or brown outs. Don't buy cheap electronics.

A better bulb like the eye will produce a higher yield than a cheaper bulb, end of story. Why, up to 25% more blue, and your plants need that blue. It also produces more energy over the life of the bulb. I have used cheap bulbs but once I purchased a light meter and started comparing them over a year, it's all I buy now. Yes they cost more but the increase in yield more than pays for it. Most growers are cheap by nature, there's no tomorrow for them so they go cheap.

I try to put everything into a price justification model to make my decisions after making an informed decision. Even with a double cost say 50$ vs 25$ all you need to do is grow 1/8 more once and the light is paid for. That leaves you 5 more cycles before you change the light. = $$$$ in your pocket minum 250$ plus the light.

Now when Kitty is faced with replacing 10 or 20 bulbs that's a lot of money up front for real good bulbs so I can understand her point of view by going with a lessor bulb.

I buy by the case so I get a great price on the Eye.

Very informative Thank you!

 

[researchkitty]

With the delayed lamp ignition time and re-strike times of magnetic ballasts the degradation of the light quality from your bulb can be as much as 20% to 30% in only the first 6 months of operation.

So when you consider cost savings of a digital ballast over a magnetic ballast you need to factor in the cost of not needing to replace bulbs as often, or if someone sticks with magnetic ballasts just accepting the additional bulb costs or growing with highly degraded lighting resulting in poorer growth and lesser yields.

The bulbs have a one year warranty that I buy, if they degrade in lumens I'll bring it have it replaced under warranty. Every 6 months every bulb gets replaced no matter what, though, and usually I offload em on Craigslist or eBay. People still pay 80% of what I paid for the bulb new for a used one.

I keep hearing all these side by side studies and tests. Does anyone actually have a link to one to SEE one of these studies?

I'm thinkin they dont exist.....

 

[Brick Top]

Many growers only pay attention to Kelvin temperatures of bulbs and lumen output of bulbs, but not the CRI. Normally, not always, but almost always you find a better CRI with the higher dollar bulbs.