Variable light output ballasts - your experiences?

After pretty active discussion about Non-standard light cycles I’ve like to follow up with another highly debatable topic: Ballasts with variable light output.

Are you changing and adjusting light output indoors during the grow? What worked for you best?

Personally I’m too lazy probably to change smaller light source to bigger during the grow so I mostly do use same wattage for veg and through out the bloom. I also don’t use “added output boost” (eg. running 600w bulb on 640 watts) because I believe that it cuts the lifetime of the bulb.

But I do veg small clones under CFL before moving them to main cabinet under HPS.

I know there are people that like to adjust light output and modern HPS ballasts and LED drivers do allow it pretty easily. One of the schedule I’ve seen on the boards:

Veg
1 week 110w turbo neon
2 week 220w turbo neon


Bloom
1 week 300w Kind LED
2 week 350w Kind LED
3 week 430w Kind LED
4 week 430w Kind LED
5 week 600w Gavita 750 DE
6 week 750w Gavita 750 DE
7 week 750w Gavita 750 DE

So what is your schedule and what works for you?

2 Likes

Bump, no replies but interesting subject

2 Likes

Asumming week 1 of flower is at flip 12/12
Then week 8 500/600w hps
Week 9 315w cmh
Week 10 315w cmh
Finish
On a 10 weeker
Maybe : )

2 Likes