light mover distance

nick88

Well-Known Member
Trying to get some input on the length of rail you can run and light still be effective.
Just curious as too some opinions on this. It's pretty much the standard to get lights as close to plants without issues.. So, say a 1 k bulb on rail how long of run before you lose the benefits of the higher watt bulb? Would say a 1k on 8ft run = out to the sames as say 2 stationary 6oo's?
 

b0rdgrower

Active Member
If you want to be growing effectively, then I would stay away from light movers completely, unless you're just using them to veg plants before flowering.
 

dbkick

Well-Known Member
two 600s on a rail, that's the shit. I got a 1kw on a rail now and can say movers def aren't useless, one advantage is if the hood were stationary I'd be getting burn/bleaching (let my shit get too tall again) . my 1kw only moves like a foot and a half in each direction, I've ordered a trolley( I'll do the add a lamp option myself since i work at a sheet metal shop) and I'm setting it up with two 600 watt cool tubes instead of the 1kw ac hood. This is my first experience with movers but so far so good.
 

nick88

Well-Known Member
If you want to be growing effectively, then I would stay away from light movers completely, unless you're just using them to veg plants before flowering.
No offense, but i have no trouble growing .. Check out my journal..
 

nick88

Well-Known Member
two 600s on a rail, that's the shit. I got a 1kw on a rail now and can say movers def aren't useless, one advantage is if the hood were stationary I'd be getting burn/bleaching (let my shit get too tall again) . my 1kw only moves like a foot and a half in each direction, I've ordered a trolley( I'll do the add a lamp option myself since i work at a sheet metal shop) and I'm setting it up with two 600 watt cool tubes instead of the 1kw ac hood. This is my first experience with movers but so far so good.
Ive run a 1k on an 8ft rail with stationary side lighting before.. Was just wondering when does the lack of actual over plant time become so low that the effectiveness of higher watt bulb deteriorates to the point of being the same as stationary lower..
Like you said about the spacing, with a mover you can really hammer them without heat issues.
 

dbkick

Well-Known Member
that question (and this dab ) just blew my fucking mind! but recently I was told by a scientist that 1kw is too much for plants if we get them close anyway I assume, this was a guy at sunpulse lamps, he was pushing 600 all the way. I intend to run a hortilux blue mh in one tube and a hortilux super hps in the other, will be next cycle by the time I can get it put together since my room looks like this now (again due to improper scheduling).
 

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cannabineer

Ursus marijanus
A fascinating question. Does a plant's photosystem work well when pulsed? If so, you can overdrive ... relax ... overdrive ... relax the plant and get good results.

I would think however that overall area can't be increased by much. A 1000 is considered "just right" for a 5x5 space. A mover would allow it to efficiently illuminate a rectangle, say 3x8 or 2.5x10. Jmo. cn
 

dbkick

Well-Known Member
of course I've done some cropping (seems almost hourly :/) and it looks a little different in there now, not much, still struggling for 6 inches between hood and canopy.
 

nick88

Well-Known Member
of course I've done some cropping (seems almost hourly :/) and it looks a little different in there now, not much, still struggling for 6 inches between hood and canopy.
Yea, but that's a good problem to have. lol
 

nick88

Well-Known Member
A fascinating question. Does a plant's photosystem work well when pulsed? If so, you can overdrive ... relax ... overdrive ... relax the plant and get good results.

I would think however that overall area can't be increased by much. A 1000 is considered "just right" for a 5x5 space. A mover would allow it to efficiently illuminate a rectangle, say 3x8 or 2.5x10. Jmo. cn
That's kind of what i was thinking about the distance as most light movers ive had came with 4 or 5ft rails.. Guess that was their hint.. lol
Thanx for the reply
edit; I was just looking at the light effectiveness in general.. Never thought about the effect of the pulsing and over driving them.
Now you've really got me curious,, lol
 

joe macclennan

Well-Known Member
Trying to get some input on the length of rail you can run and light still be effective.
Just curious as too some opinions on this. It's pretty much the standard to get lights as close to plants without issues.. So, say a 1 k bulb on rail how long of run before you lose the benefits of the higher watt bulb? Would say a 1k on 8ft run = out to the sames as say 2 stationary 6oo's?
I've used the 3.5 rails for years. I am absolutely convinced in their benefits. I like to leave around 15 inches tween tops and glass on my xxxls. Often there is less than 10 inches for my tallest gurls/ I only move mine around 30 inches back and forth. I am using two rails two air cooled xxxls- 1 mh, 1hps over 8x8 sog. I have my movers pause for about 45 seconds at the end of each run.
 

Kite High

Well-Known Member
a common misconception about movers is it increases grow footprint...


but its use is to move the light in the SAME footprint so that all areas get well lit eliminate hot spots and obtain more growth from the different angles of light the plants receive.... and that more of the plants parts receive adequate lighting...I will never grow without one again and have been using them for years...for just 6 watts movers perform 75% better than stationary...almost like adding another light!!!
 

nick88

Well-Known Member
a common misconception about movers is it increases grow footprint...


but its use is to move the light in the SAME footprint so that all areas get well lit eliminate hot spots and obtain more growth from the different angles of light the plants receive.... and that more of the plants parts receive adequate lighting...I will never grow without one again and have been using them for years...for just 6 watts movers perform 75% better than stationary...almost like adding another light!!!
Good point, and I admit I'm one of the ones who use mover to increase foot print and not for the purpose of even light distribution over said ft print.
 

nick88

Well-Known Member
a common misconception about movers is it increases grow footprint...


but its use is to move the light in the SAME footprint so that all areas get well lit eliminate hot spots and obtain more growth from the different angles of light the plants receive.... and that more of the plants parts receive adequate lighting...I will never grow without one again and have been using them for years...for just 6 watts movers perform 75% better than stationary...almost like adding another light!!!
So you're saying that distance should be no more than the area of lights ft print.. 3x3, 4x4, depending on wattage of bulb in use?
 
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