Professional Marijuana Grower September-October 2018 Issue | Page 6

FEATUREARTICLE
by Eric Hopper
HID Lamp Comparison and How
Cannabis Growth is Affected
H
igh intensity discharge (HID) lamps are the
standard artifi cial lighting source for many
indoor cannabis gardeners. Although LEDs
and induction lighting technologies are also
being utilized by cannabis cultivators, HID lighting sys-
tems still reign supreme in terms of providing an intense
light source within an enclosed environment. Due to
the fact that state laws regulate both recreational and
medical marijuana grow operations by the number of
plants a gardener can possess, many cannabis garden-
ers choose to grow the largest plants possible. Simply
put, they do this to maximize the yield from their limited
plant numbers.
Growers who cultivate monster plants need an artifi cial
light source with an intensity strong enough to penetrate
the plant’s canopy and to deliver a spectrum suitable
for plant growth. This is why the lighting solution for so
many growers is HID lighting systems. HID lighting sys-
tems consist of two major components: the ballast and
the lamp. Most HID lighting systems also utilize a refl ec-
tor of some sort to direct the majority of the light energy
toward the plants. Metal halide (MH) and high pressure
sodium (HPS) lamps are the old standard in HID lighting,
while ceramic metal halide (CMH) and double-ended
high pressure sodium (DE-HPS) are the HID lighting
choices of today’s indoor cannabis growers.
The Ballast
Biological Control & Integrated Pest Management
www .BioBudz. com
805 . 384 . 0102
6 • Professional Marijuana Grower
All HID lighting systems require a ballast for operation.
The ballast is the component that connects directly to
the power source and acts as a regulator for the electric
current. Essentially, the ballast makes sure the lamp is
not overloaded or underpowered when it is illuminated.
HID lighting systems require an initial burst of current
to strike the lamp (light the bulb) and this is regulated
by the ballast. After a lamp is lit, the ballast continues
to regulate the current so that it does not overload the
lamp.
Lamps (Bulbs)
HID lamps most commonly found in horticulture consist
of metal halide, high pressure sodium, ceramic metal
September/October 2018