When growing in a hydroponic environment, it’s important to have plenty of light. In hydroponics the more light you have, the better your plants will grow. However, there is a tradeoff. More powerful HID lights will use more electricity and also give off more heat. Therefore, there is always a compromise between high power lights and heat management. The idea is that you want to use the strongest light you can, but not raise the temperature in your hydroponic system environment higher than the plants are comfortable with. Plants are generally comfortable in the same temperature range as humans. For this reason, you need to have smart ways to dissipate heat from your garden.
This article will discuss the most efficient ways to keep high intensity lights cool so plants can maintain a healthy growth rate.
Probably the most common and easiest way to keep your lights cool is to use an air-cooled light reflector. These types of air-cooled reflectors house the bulb inside a reflective casing and also have a piece of glass at the bottom that separates the bulb from the plants. Essentially, the glass at the bottom of the reflector retains all of the heat from the bulb and prevents it from reaching the plants. Therefore, any heat generated by the bulb will remain inside the reflector and will not be able to interact with your plants.
Often with this type of air-cooled reflector, you will have a fan that blows cool air over the bulb, as well as another fan that will often pull hot air out of the room and move it somewhere else. You generally want to get that heat as far away from your plants as possible, preferably in another room. That way, only fresh air from the room passes through the bulb. By trapping hot air inside the reflector, you can keep the light closer to your plants and therefore maximize light without burning them. Essentially, the closer the light is to your plants, the more efficient that light will be. By using an air-cooled reflector you can easily achieve this and get maximum performance.
A new invention has recently appeared on the market that will surround the lamp with water. Essentially, your bulb is encased inside two glass tubes. Cold water from a cooler is then passed over the bulb keeping it cool and dissipating heat. This will allow you to keep your light extremely close to your plants without any temperature issues. However, it is really dangerous to put so much water and weight on top of your garden. Hot lights and cold water and electricity do not mix, so this technique for dissipating heat is not recommended. However, if you want to take the risk, be prepared to have to suspend a lot of water weight. And also operate a large quarter horse water cooler to keep enough cold water around your lamp.
Instead of using HID lights, you can also opt for LED or fluorescent lights. However, no type of light will produce as many lumens as a metal halide or high pressure sodium lamp. Even though these lights will run much cooler and generate less heat, they won’t give you as great an output. It is much better to use HID lights with an air cooled reflector for maximum performance. Don’t believe the hype of LED and fluorescent lighting manufacturers. The pros do not outweigh the cons of lower performance.
You will get your best performances by using an air-cooled HID floodlight.