dimmable ballests

jackinthebox · Aug 11, 2012

has anyone tried dimming the power to emulate the fall of the year comeing on with lowering the wattage to the plants when they put they put them to flower.
something like running the 1K watt mh bulbs at 100% durring the veg time of 2 months at 18/6. then cutting down the time to 15/9 at 100% for 3 days then going to 12/12 for a week or so. then staying on the 12/12 running 100% for say 10hrs and dimming down to 75% for 2 hrs for several days. then runnign at 1K for 9hrs and dimming down to 75% for 2hrs and then dimming down to 50% for the last hr.
I thought this might get the flowering stage really movein along since it would help the plant to feel the fall of the year is comeing along ? just wondering if anyone has tried something like this or is it just blast em with the 1K the whole 12 hrs best?
just thinking of something else to use these dimmable ballests for ?

The Hemp Goddess · Aug 11, 2012

I really see no advantage to doing that. I am not sure what you mean by "getting the flowering stage really moving along", but giving the plant less light won't be advantageous. It is the lessening of the daylight hours that cause a plant to flower, not the lessening of the intensity of the light. The only reason that I dim my ballast is if I am in a small space or if the heat gets too bad.

pcduck · Aug 11, 2012

is it just blast em with the 1K the whole 12 hrs best?

Yep

Leonardo De Garden · Aug 12, 2012

It's pretty rare to find a scenerio where the dimmable function is useful.

juniorgrower · Aug 12, 2012

I have never even used my dimming function.

The Hemp Goddess · Aug 12, 2012

I moved my 600W to a 2 x 4 space and when the temps hit 100, I turn the ballast down to 400W. Other than that, I have not used the dim function. I also have not used the enhanced lumens feature either--how does that work anyway?

juniorgrower · Aug 12, 2012

I was wondering the same thing THG. Mine has a super lumens option also. Its been such a pain dealing with the heat this summer that I didn't dare to up the juice any.

The Hemp Goddess · Aug 12, 2012

juniorgrower said:
I was wondering the same thing THG. Mine has a super lumens option also. Its been such a pain dealing with the heat this summer that I didn't dare to up the juice any.

That is one of those situations where the ability to lower the lumens is helpful. It is awfully hard for me to keep temps in line with 600W in a 2 x 4 space when it gets over 100.

Wetdog · Aug 12, 2012

The Hemp Goddess said:
I moved my 600W to a 2 x 4 space and when the temps hit 100, I turn the ballast down to 400W. Other than that, I have not used the dim function. I also have not used the enhanced lumens feature either--how does that work anyway?

Pretty much by over amping the bulb and shortening its life.

600w in a 2 x 4 space? Surprised you could just keep it at 100.:holysheep:

Go granny, go granny, go granny go! *Little old lady from Pasadena*

Wet

Old_SSSC_Guy · Aug 12, 2012

Guess I'm alone on this one too, 'cause I use a dimmable Lumatek 1000s. All about flexibility. Run them in the veg room at 600 watts when plants are babies and 750 watt as teens. Just do it to save on electricity, but also use dimmable 1000s (never dimmed) in the flower room. To me its cheaper to use uniform dimmable 1000s in both rooms than to spend money on multiple 600 watt or 400 watt systems. Only use the overdrive 'Super Lumens' setting when I'm planning to change out the bulb in the next month so I can squeeze some extra lumens from an old lamp.

But I don't do it to emulate the sun or season. I think its the spectrum of light rather than its intensity/volume that plants react to.

juniorgrower · Aug 12, 2012

How much cooler does the light run at 600w compared to 1000w?

Old_SSSC_Guy · Aug 12, 2012

To be honest - I don't know. They are all run through 6" vent ducting so I've never measured the temp because I've not seen a shift big enough to get my attention. Logic says they are running cooler.

Stupid I know, but I still get a perverse kick out of turning the dimmable knob on an HID light. Kinda fun to see 600 watts bump to 1000 in a simple twist without having to shut them down or anything. I called Lumatek and made sure about that part. They said you can twist the switch with the system running or not, no impact. Add to the fact that they auto-sense 120 vs 240 volts and auto-sense halide vs sodium lamps is also a neato feature, whether they dim or not.

juniorgrower · Aug 13, 2012

So you can switch them when they are running. The shop owner that I bought mine from said I needed to turn it off before switching the watts. Thanks oldssscguy.

1lildog · Nov 25, 2012

It's hot where I live and I use the dimmable feature almost everyday. I love it.

TheStickyIcky · Dec 16, 2012

The thing that came to mind to me with my HPS was putting it down to 50% if I were going to put some clones under it to start them out. Never used it. But thought it might come in handy if I rooted some clones under CFL'S and I wanted to slowly switch them over to the HPS. But I'd imagine by that time, they'd be strong enough to handle it.

WeedHopper · Dec 16, 2012

I would rather use better exhuast then less light.

jmansweed · Dec 16, 2012

To truly "emulate" the seasonal light change, you first would have to emulate the intensity at any given season. With indoor lights, (including dimmable), our lumens never reach the Sun's output.

IMO if you were to dim, to replicate the seasonal Sun, your simply applying less light when needed. At full application, our lights are weaker than a Spring or Autumn Sun.

Dimmable lights certainly have application. Many younger plants need less light intensity - I just don't see replicating seasons as one of them

1lildog · Dec 17, 2012

It's the middle of december and i still have to run ac. if i were not south unlike most of ya, i probably wouldn't want dimable either. i would rather use better exhuast than less light if that was my problem.

pcduck · Dec 17, 2012

To truly "emulate" the seasonal light change, you first would have to emulate the intensity at any given season. With indoor lights, (including dimmable), our lumens never reach the Sun's output.

IMO if you were to dim, to replicate the seasonal Sun, your simply applying less light when needed. At full application, our lights are weaker than a Spring or Autumn Sun.

The sun's intensity never changes, just the angle and what may get in the way(clouds). Clouds makes the lumen per sqft less and the angle makes more of the red light spectrum.

The sun has an approximately 10,000 lumen per sqft output.
Inside my tent I have 11,875 lumens per sqft.

1lildog · Dec 22, 2012

Old_SSSC_Guy said:
I called Lumatek and made sure about that part. They said you can twist the switch with the system running or not, no impact.

I really like this feature. :hubba:

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