For Newbies.

[Guest weekprik]

Beating the Summer Heat

 

By Erik Biksa

 

 

 

During the heat of the summer many gardeners growing under lights shut down and wait for cooler days. Typically H.I.D (high intensity discharge) lights produce nearly as much heat as they do light, with the exception of some of the newer electronic HID lighting systems. Because they are usually operating in a closed environment, the heat radiated quickly builds up the growing area. If temperatures exceed 85° F in the plant canopy, results are usually diminished.

 

Most grow rooms have an exhaust system to evacuate hot air from the growing environment. The system usually uses a larger CFM fan to pull air out of the growing environment, while a smaller CFM exhaust fan draws fresh outside air into the room to replace the air being evacuated. If the outside air being drawn in is not considerably cooler than the air it is replacing (at least 30°F) the grow room quickly heats up. If the crop is grown in prolonged hot conditions results are often poor.

 

The following are a few tricks and tools you can employ to make a serious go of summer production under artificial lights.

 

One of the easiest and least expensive ways to reduce heat in the grow room is to remove it before it starts. Magnetic coil HID ballasts dissipate a considerable amount of heat. Keeping the ballasts in the growing area in the summer time is like sitting in a hot room and plugging in a space heater (or several in the case of multi-ballast lighting). By placing the ballasts outside of the room, and running lamps cords through dividing walls, you can significantly reduce heat. Take note that there are limitations to the distance at which a lamp may strike from the ballast. This distance can vary from wattage to wattage and from manufacturer to manufacturer (sometimes even ballast to ballast). If you keep a distance of less than 16’ you should be okay but longer distances are achievable. Using thicker gauge lamp cords will help to minimize power lost between the ballast and the lamp. Newer technologies such as some electronic HID ballasts allow the lamp to operate up to 100’ away from the ballast.

 

Operate your HID lamps in air-cooled lamp shades/reflectors. These types of reflectors enclose the bulb within the reflector using a sheet of safety glass with an intake and outtake collar being mounted on either side of the shade. Mechanical exhaust and intake fans draw cooler air through the shade and past the bulb, removing the heat before it is able to enter the growing space. Larger diameter collars (six inches or greater) allow several units to be used in line. Smaller diameter collars do not allow multiple units to be used inline as airflow is greatly restricted. Ducting requirements become more laborious and costly if working with the smaller diameter collars on air-cooled shades,

[SoDrysBro]

anyone know how far summer is away in sydney ? ? ? when does summer actually start ? peace SDB...

[Paranoid]

anyone know how far summer is away in sydney ? ? ? when does summer actually start ? peace SDB...

First day off spring is the 1st of september, So the 1st of December would be the begining of summer.

[SoDrysBro]

k cool, thx for the info paranoid, peace SDB...