Cool Tubes

[templedog]

just wondering if cool tubes can be retro-fitted to old gear or do you have to get new shade/fitting, ballast? and whats a rough $ guide for a 600w setup heard only good things so far thinking of getting one cheers to all at OS

[nitram]

just wondering if cool tubes can be retro-fitted to old gear or do you have to get new shade/fitting, ballast? and whats a rough $ guide for a 600w setup heard only good things so far thinking of getting one cheers to all at OS

 

 

Try HERE

Nitty.

[Pleb Scrubber]

I am also looking at getting a cool tube, hoping I can use it with my existing light and ballast?

 

I see they come in different lengths, 400mm, 500mm, 600mm... whats the advantage or disadvantage of the different sizes?

Do the longer tubes cool more effectivley?

[The Hash Nibbler]

Heya Pleb =),

I use the 125mm diameter, 390mm long jobby (400mm) for my 600w HPS, think it's the smallest one. It is better for a small tent, say 1m x1m as you need to fit the ducting in on both sides, this can be hard with the larger ones.

You can mount the larger tubes in small tents/areas but you just have to mount it corner to corner.

The 125mm diameter ones cost around $85 with mini shade.

I like the 150mm one better but can't fit two in tent if I want to add an extra 400w to finish flowering off.

Just have GOOD airflow through them, draw from a cool source of air and exhaust outside the grow area, or away from where you draw fresh air and you should be right.

IMO the larger the tube, the more air can flow past the bulb, faster, colling it quicker. But smaller ones have more velocity, drawing air faster, so I could be wrong.

But with a 125mm good quality computer style inline, the smaller tube will work well, I also have the exhaust of the tube hooked up to the 150mm exhaust fan which pulls half the air from the tube and half from the tent.

 

You can use your old globe and the ballast but the shade has to go, but for $80-$100 the cool tube is the best way to get temps around the globe down.

Cool Runnings man, Gh72

Edited December 17, 2010 by Grasshopper72

[Pleb Scrubber]

Thanks hopper

 

Im looking at a 150mm x 500mm cool tube.

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/COOL-TUBE-150MM-X-500MM-WHITE-SHADE-/200529574346?pt=AU_Seed_Starting_Hydroponics&hash=item2eb07e79ca

 

My tent is 1.4 x 1.4 so I should be right to mount it straight.

 

Only problem is Ill have to chop a new hole in to my expensive mylar tent roof

 

Hope it dosnt fray and start to fall apart

 

Good news is I happen to have a second 150 input duct already, and a spare 150 port on my extraction fan.

Cheers.

[The Hash Nibbler]

hey Pleb, don't need to chop a hole in ya nice tent mate. just run a Y adapter where it exits the tent, so you have 150mm x 150mm x 150mm Y piece, use 1 end to go out of tent and the other two-one is for drawing air outta the cooltube and the other is for drawing air out of the tent area. Easy Peesy. Check out my diary about 4 pages back, i put up some pic's of how I did it.

Here ya go, just found this..........

Gh72

 

p.s. Don't order from there if at all possible, try Glandore hydro, they have good prices and are a site sponsor. get the one with dimpled aluminium shade, they spread light better. Cheers.

Edited December 17, 2010 by Grasshopper72

[brick]

"IMO the larger the tube, the more air can flow past the bulb, faster, colling it quicker. But smaller ones have more velocity, drawing air faster, so I could be wrong. "

 

Spot on Gh. If your air is moving to fast over the lamp the less cooling you will get. Higher volume less speed is the best.

[Pleb Scrubber]

Hmmm...

 

Ive been reading thru your grow diary, very nice.

But I dont really want to use a Y duct piece at the output because I will dramatically reduce airflow leaving the tent...

 

I have 2 x 150 ducts as input, each with a 150 inline fan. One will feed the cool tube...

 

If I only have 1 x 150 output duct that both have to share, I might lose my negative pressure in the tent?

Id rather butcher a new hole in the tent roof, duct that to my big extraction fan, that happens to already have a 150 port spare.

 

Then Ill have 2x 150 input and 2x 150 output, and the cool tube will have a dedicated duct run.

[whazzup]

hmm.. I would not cool your lamps too much. They have a high optimal operating temperature, cooling them too much will have a negative influence on the output. In fact in some horticultural reflectors we reflect some light back to the lamp to keep it at the right temperature.

 

My main concern with cooltubes though is the bad reflectors and the (dirty, dusty) glass that interferes with your light output. We measured 10% less light easily compared to a normal reflector in normal operating conditions.

 

I have used cooltubes as problem solvers though, very handy in warm environments, but don't expect miracles and don't cool too much!

[Chato]

Hmm... i've cooled my lamps directly from an a/c unit many times, could kiss the glass and the plants grew right up against the vert cooltubes so i'd have to politely disagree whazzup

 

This old thread might give an example Old Thread

 

peace

c