Dual Spectrum CMH Grow Lights
Dual Element LEC Crop Lighting, Bright Tech or Gimmick?
Dual spectrum CMH grow lights are here. Ceramic Metal Halide (CMH), or as it is sometimes called LEC (light emitting ceramic) grow lights are a well proven technology, and are here to stay. If you aren’t familiar with CMH Grow Lights, Click HERE for some background material, ie how only 315 watts can keep up with at least twice the wattage of a standard HPS grow lighting system. If you are familiar with CMH grow light basics, please read on to learn more about the new dual spectrum CMH grow lights now available.
[quote]The 320 watt dual element CMH grow lights combine two different salt packages (elements) in two separate arc tubes that are carefully engineered into one single lamp[/quote]
**Now Also Available from Amazon.com**
Blending Grow Lighting Spectra
It’s well understood by photobiologists that the “blue” portions of the spectrum that the sun delivers for plant growth (photosynthesis) contains more energy versus red or other spectra for growth. In basic terms light that has a higher proportion of blue in the overall bandwidth of light color being delivered can grow more crop, watt for watt. If you want to learn more about this in greater depth, Click HERE.
However, in practical terms many growers desire an increased balanced red end to the lighting spectrum they deliver to crops where fruits and flowers are harvested, ie why many growers use more blue light in vegetative growth and then increase the red portion of the spectrum once plants have started flowering and fruiting. As a result, many savvy growers have retrofitted existing HPS flowering rooms with supplemental CMH grow lights to get more light energy via “blue” lighting while keeping increased wattage minimal for the benefits they reap, ie higher yields of significantly better marketable qualities (firmness, color, essential oil contents, etc).
Above: Real World Sealed Grow Room Combines HPS & CMH Grow Lights
Eliminate Need for Two Different Fixtures
For growers building new grow rooms or adding supplemental lighting to greenhouses being able to use one lighting system that can allow for a tailored blend of tuneable spectrum high efficiency wattage saving grow lights is a highly worthwhile investment , ie no need to use a separate HPS light system and a separate CMH grow light system.
Enter dual spectrum CMH grow lights. The Juggernaut Series from Summit-Lighting offers growers a unique and practical solution for keeping the power bill low while reaping heavier and better quality harvests by allowing a more tuneable lighting spectrum from CMH grow lights. These lumieres (grow light fixtures) are able to operate a dual element CMH grow lamp. The 320 watt dual element CMH grow lights combine two different salt packages (elements) in two separate arc tubes that are carefully engineered into one single lamp. The significance here is that CMH grow lights can now be made to carry an enhanced full spectrum without needing to use any power hungry HPS grow lighting.
Heres’ some practical examples:
320 watt dual element cmh grow lamp #1, combines 4000 Kelvin arc tube & 6000 Kelvin arc tube
320 watt dual element cmh grow lamp #2, combines 3000 Kelvin arc tube & 10,000 Kelvin arc tube
The result is being able to deliver very well color balanced lighting for any growth phase, with example #1 (above) being a great “all round” CMH lamps with example #2 being ideal as a “finisher” spectrum for the final 10-14 days of flowering before harvest.
Proven Results
While dual spectrum CMH lighting is relatively new in popularity, the early results have been overwhelmingly positive. At Grozine, we have had some early testing with the 4K/6K lamp element combination in the Summit Lighting Juggernaut fixture and have been seriously impressed.
In the vegetative or leaf growth phase where we typically use a 3100K Philips Agro CMH lamp as a standard, the dual spectrum has delivered a clear advantage: growth is tight and prolific, both in the shoots and roots of young plants. With this, we were able to stretch the area covered by around +30%. The increase in grow light coverage is very significant. High end grow lights, while saving lots on power, aren’t inexpensive to purchase–so being able to require fewer fixtures in the same sized area for the same or better results shows us a strong advantage for dual spectrum CMH grow lights coming straight out of the gate.
Stay Tuned for More
The early results are promising and we are excited to share more as we put dual spectrum CMH grow lights through their paces in a variety of applications. Stay tuned for a detailed review, here at Grozine.
Dual Spectrum CMH Grow Lights Tech Overview (from Summit-Lighting.com):
Suitable for Greenhouse and wet locations – Perfect light for any situation
UL Listed USA / Canada
Plug and play – Thermal overload protection
Luminaire coverage starting at 16 square feet – 36 inches above the canopies.
Lamp Specifications:
Lamp Watts (Nominal) 320
Rated Initial Lumens 23,400
Lamp Lumens per watt 78
Correlated color temperature CRI 90
Hot start time 8-12 minutes
Lamp design T15
Max Lamp temperature 400 Degrees Celsius
Rated Average Life, Hours 30,000
THD <30%
Ballast Specification:
Input Voltage 1: 120 VAC – 240 VAC
Consumed Amps 1: 1.65 Amps – .83 Amps
Consumed Watts 1: 353 Watts – 348 Watts
Input Voltage 2: 208 VAC*
Consumed Amps 2: 0.89 Amps
Consumed Watts 2: 351 Watts – 347 Watts
Input Voltage 3: 277 VAC*
Consumed Amps 3: 0.70 Amps
Consumed Watts 3: 345W
Power Factor 98%
THD <10%
Input Frequency 50 -60 Hz
Input IEC C14
Hot lamp re-strike protection at 10 minutes cycles
End of lamp life protection circuit (IEC61167,IEC620035) **
4kv Pulsed start square wave
Certification: UL LISTED #E475228
Compliance with FDA radiation performance standard 21 CFR subchapter J.(USA: 21 CFR 1040.30 Canada: SOR/DORS/80-381)
Accessories Included:
Power cord, hanging hooks, lamp, and a ballasted luminaire system. Endomaxx gives a 5 year warranty on all electronics we use in our systems and 1 year on the lamp.
* We can build a UL listed 277 volts open rated greenhouse horticulture luminaire system.
**All CMH ballast must comply with IEC61167, IEC620035 overvoltage lamp protection circuit.