In fact, after 20,000 hours of use, an MH bulb will have depreciated twice as much as an HPS bulb. Alternatively you could upgrade your ballast and bulbs to CMH and you will get payback within a few years compared to running MH and HPS. 10, the ground must be reliably connected to earth. It is a type of Metal Halide bulb that is constructed with ceramic like an HPS. When the pistils first show or when you actually start to see budlets? Retail Some retail stores, like Forever 21 and H&M, use ceramic metal halide HID lamps to create a well-lit atmosphere to … You can hardly tell a green car from a black car in HPS. Quite clear in quality MH. Also keep it on veg nutes, then once vertical growth stops switch to the HPS light and to bloom nutes at the same time. The orange/red spectrum of HPS and other flowering-specific lamps encourages stretching. Benefits of Metal Halide. I have read that Metal Halide is better to Veg with than a HPS and I just wanted to put my feelers out there and see what you guys think. If your HPS bulb has an expanded blue spectrum it can be used start to finish and will provide good results. Lowman. But since you already have the MH bulb I would suggest you use it till vertical growth stops, usually around week 6. The most efficient type of HID light is the 600-watt HPS that often produces about 90,000 initial lumens upon startup. The MH spectrum contains plenty of blue light, which is critical for avoiding extension growth and increasing leafing; the HPS spectrum is red-dominant, making it perfect for flowering. HPS Grow Lights for Flowering Stage Simlar to Metal Halide, HPS grow lights must be used with reflector hoods and ventilation. Use a ratio of 2 Metal Halide lights to 1 HPS light for maximum yield. Metal Halide bulbs produce light by passing electrical currents through a mixture of mercury and metal halide gas to make a white light. It allows for shorter internodal spacing (distance between branches) which is desirable. Ironically, most HID grow light enthusiasts recommend using both MH and HPS grow lights. 141 107 28. Which grow light is best – HPS grow lights or MH grow lights – is perhaps the most common questions among those new to indoor gardening or HID grow lights. Metal Halide produces a bluish spectrum which is ideal for the vegetative stage. PowerVEG Family; Veg Formula; Flower Formula; Start-to-Finish Formula; Metal Halide. On Metal Halide though the manufacturers could not agree,some used the old Mercury ballasts & fitted an electronic ignitor where as others developed their tubes to run on the newer HPS ballast which already had the electronic ignitor....And here is our problem!!! A 250 watt high pressure sodium lamp can last from 12,000 to 24,000 hours. The two best HID lights for indoor gardening are high pressure sodium (HPS) and metal halide (MH). The standard protocol has been to switch from a cool-colored metal-halide (MH) spectrum for vegetative growth to a warm-colored HPS spectrum for flowering. From the instant you first flip the switch, the bulb becomes less and less bright. HPS (High-Pressure Sodium) produces a red-orange spectrum of light which simulates the autumn harvest. A typical high pressure sodium lamp will last longer than a metal halide lamp of similar wattage. They also produce relatively high levels of UV rays , which may contribute to increased trichome development on cannabis buds, and can potentially make buds more potent. As plants reach the flowering/fruiting stage the HPS spectrum enhances the quality of fruit and a larger harvest. ! 16 weeks . 1.) Due to the specific metals and components within an MH bulb, the rate of depreciation is faster than that of a high pressure sodium (HPS) bulb. It is a better light than high pressure sodium. Light is produced by the same electrical arc through a gaseous mix, but in the case of MH the gas also contains metal halides which are compounds of metals with bromine or iodine. Use a m etal halide lamp (MH) for the first two to three weeks of flower, then switch to HPS. MH (Metal Halide) produces a blue-green spectrum of light which is suited for vegging plants. Metal halide offers CRI from 60-90 depending on the type with med 60s to low 70s common for parking lot type. However, the orange HPS (identical to street light) HPS spectrum is defective so that it produces unnatural lanky growth. This changes the output spectrum. Today, mercury vapor has been all but totally phased out in the U.S. and has been largely replaced by metal halide and high pressure sodium (HPS) lamps. BLUE Metal Halide; E-Start Metal Halide; Standard Metal Halide; Dual Arc; Systems. Manufacturers make most metal halide lamps in two color temperatures, 3000K which appears slightly yellowish, and 4000k which appears brighter white. How it Works: The lamp uses mercury vapor to create the powerful light (like the high pressure mercury vapor) but includes other metals (halide salts) to improve the color.. A Halide is a chemical compound of a halogen combined with an electropositive element, or in the case of lamps: a metal. Mercury vapor is basically obsolute, except in cheap residential fixtures and it has the worst efficiency of HIDs and second worst color rendition. This latter point is important because so many in the marijuana industry buy metal halides for early stage “veg” growth, and switch to HPS for bud. Conversely, the blue spectrum of MH tends to inhibit stem stretch. Mar 4, 2010 #2 As a general rule of thumb, HID grow lights like Metal Halide (MH) and High Pressure Sodium (HPS) are most suitable for relatively larger grows where there is at least 5 feet (1.5 meters) of height in the grow space, though it’s recommended to use a taller space for the best results.This is because MH/HPS lights have to be kept fairly far from the plants. When you buy this, you get one metal halide grow light, one HPS grow light, hanging kits to ensure that you are able to hang your grow lights properly, one reflector hood to enhance the efficiency of your light and to increase the coverage area, a ballast in which these bulbs can fit in – and lastly a programmable timer. China manufacturer of magnetic ballasts for metal halide flood lights & hps flood lights. Apart from metal halide HID’s, this is another variety of HID’s called High-Pressure Sodium (HPS).). The initial higher investment in the LED light pays off very quickly. ... Hi @indoorontario! These lighting systems and bulbs supply a totally different light spectrum for your cannabis plants.. This is a common compliant for businesses replacing a small portion of metal halide lamps, and mostly is the complaint we receive when the customer or electrician replaced a burnt out lamp. A good tennis court lighting system should provide a good amount of lighting for both the players and spectators. Metal Halide are a good source of high CRI white light. When you switch off a metal halide lamp after it has been burning for a while, it may need to cool down before it will go on again. English. Cfls for a week or two As plants get to the flowering/fruiting phase the HPS spectrum enriches the quality of fruit plus a bigger crop. If the wire connecting the lamp to the house circuitry is too thin, the ballast may not be able to develop sufficient power to start the lamp. Pro Tip 3 In the vegetive stage switch from T5 fluorescents to HIDs. Nice plant. Around its half-life point, you can expect a metal halide bulb to be at 50% capacity. Jump up to 150 watt if you want a 400 watt metal halide replacement. These lamp improvements required introduction of an ignitor which typically range from 50-400 Watt Metal Halide Ignitor to 1000 Watt High Pressure Sodium or Metal Halide Ignitor or starter to provide a high voltage starting pulse, eliminating the internal starting probe and its bi-metallic switch. The HPS spectrum mimics the outside autumn light increasing the plants demand for light. Normally Metal Halide bulbs normally last for 1.5-2 decades of 18/hours each day. ... the midline allowed mounted switch and fuse, and the greater intensity of neutral wire should be used to prevent its disconnected. LED 700-ES; LED 450-EVS; LED 240-R; HID. Thanks for any input! Color Rendering. With autoflowers, at what point do you switch from metal halide to high pressure sodium lights? :happy . Keep the night (lights-off) temperature cooler but within about 9°F (5°C) of the day temperature. On the other hand, natural white light metal halides produce lush compact growth with lots of leaves. If you use MH bulbs, plan to replace them after 6-10 months of continuous use. A halogen is a monovalent element which readily forms negative ions. CRI for LED is dependent on the particular light in question. The bulbs in this family produce a large amount of lumens, which is … Metal Halide (MH) Grow Lights As a High Intensity Discharge lamp, a Metal Halide grow light operates in a very similar way to an HPS. On average Metal Halide bulbs typically last for 1.5-2 years of 18/hours a day. Each type of light has strengths and weaknesses. MH grow lights (metal halide) are suited best for vegetative growth and HPS grow lights are superior for flowering. Metal halide bulbs, sometimes shortened to just “MH” and high pressure sodium bulbs, sometimes shortened to simply “HPS”, are in a family called High Intensity Discharge bulbs, or “HID” for short. You can easily replace a 250 watt metal halide with a 60 watt or 80 watt corn bulb and save over 70% off your energy bill. Re: Metal Halide vs. HPS i never thought about cost. Is it really worth it to switch from MH to HPS or should I just stick with HPS? ... and every time you switch on your HPS light the metal at both ends of the arc tube gets a considerable amount of shock by heating up from room temperature to the operational heat. but the pamphlet that came with the HPS grow light estmates about a $25 cost to run the light 12 hours per day,which doesnt sound too expensive and worth it if the plants grow like mad!! As a result, LEC grow lights last longer and are 10-20% more electrically efficient than MH lights. Whether you’re interested in replacing or retrofitting your current tennis court light fixtures, there are many benefits to switching from metal halide and HPS to LED tennis lights. LED. That said, a very broad spectrum of CRI values is available ranging generally from 65-95. Metal halide lamps generate a white light between 3000K and 5000K. ! Each type of light has strengths and weaknesses. The HPS spectrum mimics the exterior autumn light raising the crops need for light. So a good strategy is to start under metal halide until the plant is nearly fully grown. Here we can examine why a metal halide or high pressure sodium light bulb is best choice for you. Ceramic Metal Halide; Ceramic HPS; Double Ended Ceramic HPS; Ceramic HPS™ Lamp Ballast Kit; T5 Fluorescent. However, unlike LEDs, metal halide bulbs suffer from fast and immediate lumen degradation. I have heard a few different things on this subject some people have told me wait till all vertical growth has stopped to switch others say it will grow more under hps while flowering. Our 120 watt is an ideal replacement for 400 watt metal halide. Hey Joe, lots of folks switch around day 10, now would be fine, some even switch back to metal halide the last 10 days or so before harvest. It is an easy switch to ceramic HPS if you have a digital ballast, just replace your MH and HPS bulbs with a ceramic HPS one. Metal Halide ~70-150; Where HPS is better?