Indoor and hydroponic grow lights
The most used indoor grow lamps are HPS (high sodium pressure) and MH (metal halide). They are also commonly used to illuminate our streets, stadiums, and wherever there is a need for intense and efficient light. This type of lamps, HPS and MH, require a specific ballast power supply for discharge lamps.
Below is the diagram of a complete ignition system for discharge lamps:
Hydroponic grow lamps
The new power supplies integrate all components into a single hermetically sealed case.
Depending on the power and type of bulb, you should always place the grow lamps at a predetermined distance to prevent the plant from being damaged by excessive light and / or heat. HPS and MH grow lamps require a special ignition system and cannot be connected directly to normal 220 / 230V sockets.
To purchase an appropriate ignition system see the section: Power supplies.
NOTES ON ENVIROLITE FLUORESCENT COMPACT LAMPS (edited by BuZ)
They are compact fluorescent lamps specially designed to offer an additional light contribution to indoor crops. Ideal for cuttings, maintenance of mother plants and as an aid in flowering. The ignition system is incorporated.
Advantages: Easy, it screws and is ready to use. Little heat
Disadvantages: At the end of its life it is not possible to change only the neon / lamp but it is necessary to buy back the whole product including the ignition system. Few lumens.
NOTES ON HPS DOUBLE ENDED LAMPS (DE)
Unlike standard HPS lamps, these bulbs connect to the power line via 2 connectors. The glass is quartz and they are 5cm smaller than single connector HPS (SE). The surprising thing about ED is that they are 25 to 30% more efficient than a normal single-ended HPS, data confirmed by Utah State University (UT, USA). Double Ended HPS lamps have a wide choice of voltages including 120, 208, 240, 277, 347 and 400 volts and are typically designed to work in 1000 watt pre-assembled systems.
All Double ended Lamps
NOTES ON LEC, CMH LAMPS
LEC lamps take current lighting standards to another level of efficiency. The LECs surpass all the lighting standards we have encountered so far. This type of systems use special bulbs called CMH (Ceramic Metal Halide), developed and tested by professionals in Colorato, USA. LEC lights are an evolution of the classic HID (high-intensity discharge). The upper ceramic tube allows the bulb to emit a higher color temperature creating a light similar to the sun (the sun has a CRI of 100, the LEC has a CRI between 80-96).
All CMH Lamps