DOUBLE-ENDED LIGHTING
HPS in the past. This is cost effective
for your wallet, with less replacement
purchases, and, more importantly for
the environment, it means less globes
thrown out. Regardless of the size or
scale of your garden, correctly disposing
of HID globes is essential. These globes
contain lead, mercury and a range of
other hazardous substances that are
safe when the globe is sealed, but if it is
smashed (in a garbage truck, for example), these toxic substances are released
into the environment.
Final Notes
So now we know that using DE globes
means you will require less fixtures, your
plants will grow faster and yield more
delicious fruits and veggies, plus your
luminaires will last longer! It seems like
an easy decision to upgrade, but there
are a few tricks of the trade when using
these light sources for the good of the
plants and for your own health.
When installing the globe, always
be gentle and use gloves or paper
towels. You do not want to leave any
fingerprints or oily residues on the
glass, as this can reduce light quality and potentially
cause weak spots after prolonged use. Always follow the
manufacturer’s recommendations for the ideal height
above the plant canopy for different reflectors, especially
“DE LAMPS GENERALLY HAVE A 10-30%
INCREASE IN LIGHT INTENSITY AND PAR
OUTPUT OVER TRADITIONAL SE BULBS.”
with 1,000-W DE globes, as they can seriously damage
plants if the luminaire is not far enough away from the
crop and appropriate ventilation or light movers are not
used. I recommend running 600- or 750-W DE globes in a
taller tent or growroom if possible (more than 7 ft.) and
to take advantage of the digital ballast dimming options
with younger plants.
One frequent concern we receive is that the DE
globes cannot be vertically bare-hung or used in a
tube-style reflector. This is easy to counter, as it’s been
proven multiple times that horizontally mounted globes
are much more efficient for horticultural reflectors.
Growroom temperatures will be generally lower with
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Maximum Yield USA | November 2015