I have read some people by the HPS at Home Depot and wire it for growing plants indoors. I am planning on doing this given the difference in price ($80) vs online sellers (>$150). My question is does the housing make much of a difference in how the light is distributed? From the looks of it, the real HPS grow lights seem to direct more light in a concentrated fashion while the HD lights are for lighting a parking lot or something.
Reflectors behind the lights will definately provide more lumens. Heat can be an issue/hazard with sodium or incandescent lights, less so with flourescent. The length of the life of the bulb can greatly impact the cost.
I haven't seen the lights you mean here but for the shop light type I have been advised I need the type with wide reflecting "wings". Reflectors are a must.
Do you have a url to the ones you are talking about here?
No, there is no link to the HD kind. However, this link will give you a general Idea of what they look like.
I expect some people do buy High Pressure Sodium lights at Home Depot and use them for growing plants indoors. They are brighter than High Density sodium lights for the same amount of electricity. The design of the reflector around the light is not particularly important, as long as it is safe, but there are differences in results between the various styles. There are alternative sources for HDS lamps besides Home Depot and online sellers. In my city several hydroponic shops offer a selection of lamps together with ADVICE.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ List Manager: Puregold Goldfish List
Thanks for the comments on the reflector.
I take anyone giving me "advice" that is making money off of that "advice" with a grain on salt. That is why I am in these forums. People on here have nothing to gain/lose from the advice unlike salespeople or business owners trying to sell you something.
Also, Home Depot has buying power 1000X greater than the local grow and brew and can sell HPS at a substantial discount even compared to internet retailers.
For a reflector you can use aluminum flashing in either bare or white. Anybody doing a siding job will have coil stock and a bending brake and can whip up a reflector in less time than it takes to smoke a cigarette. Bring the appropriate barter. coffee beer etc
Good suggestion. I build one out of some left over flashing from a roofing job. It is a good idea to paint the flashing with white paint (be sure that you clean it first and that you use paint that is recommended for aluminum). I found that if you paint it, the light is more evenly distributed.
"Andrew Ostrander" writes in article dated Fri, 14 Nov 2003 16:12:22 -0600:
That type of light is expensive on the internet because they contain heavy electrical ballast units, and therefore cost a lot to ship.
Whether you really need a big reflector depends on how many plants you want to grow and how you want them shaped. A compact light source will favor the plant/branches at the center, which will grow faster than the others and eventually take over. You'll end up with one tall, skinny but healthy plant. Moving the pots around regularly might help, but a wide reflector with the proper curve is best.
About chlorophyll: Chlorophyll absorbs red light best, but blue light is best for chlorophyll production. So if the HPS output spectrum peaks in yellow, that's a near-perfect compromise.
-- spud_demon -at- thundermaker.net The above may not (yet) represent the opinions of my employer.
HomeOwnersHub website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.