Question on lighting and time - 400w vs 600w

Considering the move, and I am aware that a 600W will grow more than a 400W with the same lighting schedule.

What I am curious about is if I have an auto currently under a 400W on 18-6, if I update the light to a 600w when I switch to 12-12 to a 600w would that give me roughly the same yield as keeping a 400w 18-6 the entire grow?

The reason I ask, is if I calculate the watts per hour it comes out equal:

400W X 18 hours averages 300W/hr
600W X 12 hours averages 300W/hr

If I look at it from a lumens standpoint:
400W=54,000 averages 40,500 lumens/hr
600W=89,000 averages 44,500 lumens/hr

These numbers are taken from the same manufacturers spec to try to keep it fair. The 600W should also give additional penetration so that could mean even more growth, but was curious what other opinions are on this.

You aren't comparing apples to apples, since keeping the light on 18/6 will prevent flowering altogether- and will still affect autoflowering strains.

ttystikk said:

You aren't comparing apples to apples, since keeping the light on 18/6 will prevent flowering altogether- and will still affect autoflowering strains.

Click to expand...

I should have been more specific. I have an auto and photos in the same tent. Curious if the 600 at 12-12 would yield as much on the auto as if I kept it 18-6 with the 400.

If based on watts hours it would be equal, but the 600 generates more lumen hours. So.. Over a 24 hour period, the plant will get the same watts, and slightly more lumens than with the 400 in the same 24 hours, even though the 400 is running more hours within that 24 hour period.



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Try it, but my money says the autoflower from the 18/6 side won't be of the same quality as the 12/12 side.

The potential for the plant to produce larger buds must be present, but, yes, in general, the more light you give your plants the more weight and more compact the buds will be. Also, the light will be able to penetrate the canopy a bit better, which will give you lower running buds, which also increases your weigh.

More light = stronger light... not longer light times.

I don't know about autoflower, but once I moved up to a 600, then a 1kw, I call the 400w, my "candle", and I use it as a backup, or to flower males in an outbuilding.

The difference in the density, quality, and size of the buds from a 4 to a 600 is amazing.