Table of Contents
Can you dim CMH lights?
These days, there are many brands and models of HID (HPS and CDM / CMH) grow lights that have the facility to be dimmed. It tends to be only the cheap ones (with magnetic ballasts) that do not. Nearly all digital ballasts have a control for dimming, and many also have a “boost” function too.
How long do ceramic metal halide bulbs last?
CMH bulbs last much longer than other HID or fluorescent lights. The standard rule of thumb for HPS or MH bulbs is to replace them after 10,000 hours of use. Good ceramic MH bulbs last over 20,000 hours. Moreover, they still retain 80% or more of their initial light output after 20,000 hours.
Is CMH better for veg or flower?
A recent addition to the market is Ceramic Metal Halide (CMH) bulbs. This makes them ideal for growing from seed to flower with the one bulb. You will get more growth during the veg stage due to the higher efficiency and less stretching in the flower stage due to the high percentage of blue in the spectrum.
Is CMH better than HPS?
By comparison, HPS and MH lights waste a lot of energy producing light at ranges that are not efficiently used by plants. This means that CMH are more PAR efficient than either HPS or MH, making them a better single light solution. They also have a more natural CRI (Color Rendering Index).
Should grow lights be dimmable?
It is vital that you can control your grow light to help your plant grow healthy. Dimming the lights is necessary when your plants are stressed or during application of foliar and pesticides.
Can I dim my ballast while it’s on?
As already mentioned, new lamps need to stabilize chemically before it is safe to dim them, so give them at least 100 hours of 100% power, before you run them at lower power settings. For MH lamps, you want to make sure to always start them at 100% and them dial down the ballast. Do not start them in a dimmed setting.
How long does a CMH bulb last?
Another benefit of CMH light bulbs is the longer life span. While MH and HPS bulbs start to lose efficiency and brightness after 10,000 hours, CMH bulbs can last up to 24,000 hours! If you are considering the higher price of CMH lighting, factor in this incredible advance in life span!.
What’s better led or CMH?
LED bulbs last 50,000 hours compared to 20,000 for CMH. If you are planning for obsolescence and want the greatest yield ROI within 1-2-year time frame, choose CMH. And even if you keep your grow space past 5 years, don’t worry, CMH’s provide a greater gram per watt due to their higher PPF and canopy penetration.
Are CMH lights bad for your eyes?
CMH emits large amounts of ultraviolet (UV) light. This stresses plants, making them heartier and triggering production of turpines and THC. However, the effects of UV exposure on humans include cataracts, macular degeneration, pingueculae, pterygia—and skin cancer.
Are CMH good for veg?
GROWERS CHOICE 315W CMH FIXTURE Grower’s Choice fixture provide full spectrum of lighting. It’s the Grow lights for seed starting, veg, flowering. It is a commercial grow light, customer can use it for greenhouse, but also can use in a grow tent.
What is CMH lights used for?
In general, MH and CMH lamps, because their more balanced spectrum and higher emittance of blue wavelengths, have been traditionally used in vegetative growth cycles. Plants that benefit most from metal halide lamps are vegetables like leafy greens and herbs, and cannabis during its vegetative and mother growth stages.
How far should CMH lights be from plants?
Fluorescent lighting isn’t known for kicking off lots of heat, but they will generate some heat while they run so you’ll need to watch your plants carefully for signs of burning or bleaching. In general, you’ll want to hang your light no more than 12″ away from your plants.
Can you touch a CMH bulb?
You cannot touch these bulbs. They even come with a cotton glove. These bulbs, though not used now, used to be one of the many options of aquarium lights.
Can you veg under HPS?
In response to the general question, can you use an HPS bulb for veg, the answer is yes. Basically you can use just about any light out there for any stage of growth, the real question is how well do each bulb work for veg.
What is better for growing LED or HPS?
First of all, it is no question that LEDs are more efficient at creating light than an HPS lamp. LEDs will always beat HPS on a light meter… But what we haven’t seen is the definitively better growth performance from LED grow lights, even at wattages that are nearly the same.
Can you put a dimmer on an LED grow light?
Well, the answer depends: Yes, LED lights work on a dimmer when: You have “dimmable” LED light bulbs. You use an LED compatible dimmer.
Can you add a dimmer to an LED grow light?
Yes, many LED companies are offering grow light dimmers and the ability to switch off sections of your light to change how it is supposed to work. We have tried many different spectrums and actively changing these spectrums throughout the growing cycle.
What Brightness should grow lights be?
Vegetable seedlings and other “full sun” plants require about 2000 to 3000 lumens (at minimum) per square foot of growing space. So, if you’re growing just a single standard tray of seedlings, using a grow light that emits 3000 lumens is sufficient.
How does a dimming ballast work?
For less than full light output, the control device reduces the voltage across the control wires, causing the ballast to dim the lamps. As the control voltage approaches 0 Vdc, the ballast dims the lamps to the lowest light output possible for that system.
