Lights vs/ Electrical draw

[Blackguard]

I have a 1,000 watt HPS light that I bought for a few crops. But I am considering a down grade for a variety of reasons. Conventional wisdom has told me that marijuana requires as much light (lumens) as possible for the best yield on the bud produced. But I have been encountering problems with this theory.

First off (and foremost) is the draw on the electrical usage. I have been hit with crazy electrical bills and have considered a variety of ways to offset the expense of using that much electricity. Everything to bypassing the meter to installing a solar panel array and even considered LEDs for a while.

Second, is the heat radiation. I had to put in a air conditioner in the 10x10 room I used, which only drove up the cost of my electricity even more.

I have come to the conclusion that it may be better to downgrade to a 600 watt HPS or even a very more efficient fluorescent system of lighting.

Anybody else have problems like this, I would like to hear anybodies thoughts on how they dealt with these issues.

Thanks,

[slunt]

There are lots of easy ways to help you conserve electricity. Change 100 w bulbs to 60's, lower the temp setting on your hot water heater.Use the dryer with full loads only. Don't leave the t.v. or computer running unattended. etc, etc. One light should not heat up a room enough to warrant an airconditioner unless in deepest summer. Try just a fan with an intake down low(Cool) and the out take up high(Hot).Run the light in the evening when ambient temps are cooler.

[Blackguard]

Originally Posted by slunt

There are lots of easy ways to help you conserve electricity. Change 100 w bulbs to 60's, lower the temp setting on your hot water heater.Use the dryer with full loads only. Don't leave the t.v. or computer running unattended. etc, etc. One light should not heat up a room enough to warrant an airconditioner unless in deepest summer. Try just a fan with an intake down low(Cool) and the out take up high(Hot).Run the light in the evening when ambient temps are cooler.

Thanks slunt, believe me this operation eliminates just about every unnecessary electrical device not related to the grow-op as non-operational. The crux of my message is more along the lines of the lights and if a 1,000 Watt HPS is really the best solution for flowering the best possible buds.

I have a mate that is working with specialized florescent lights and I have been reading about LED lights that focus on the red spectrum exclusively and consume considerably less electrical power (and give off almost no heat).

I am going to do more research on LEDs, a recent High Times article in this months issue had a blurb about research in China testing the blue spectrum LEDs that consume a mere 90 Watts of electrical power but produce 200,000 lumens of radiant light in the blue spectrum.

For me the jury is still out, but I am really considering a LED set up to fly under the 1,000 Watt radar, to widen my margins.

[slunt]

it's really all about the Lumens. More power= more bud. there are many ways of achieving Lumen Penetration. start with floro's til 6" high. switch to a 400w til 18-24" high, then to a 600w til 3' high and a 1000w for anything over. If you train, bend or prune your plant to stay short you can get away with 4 and 600's.Fertilizer, temps, CO2, watering all have something to add to the end result.