VIVOSUN HPS MH GROW LIGHT AIR COOLED REFLECTOR KIT REVIEW

HPS Grow Light System for Plants – the basics

• A complete system is composed of 3 main elements:
• the ballast is a power supply unit, it regulates and shapes the electricity into a regulated flow in order for the bulbs to produce smooth constant light.
• the bulb: 2 main types of bulb can be found for these lamps: HPS (High Pressure Sodium), emitting in the yellow-red band, ideal for flowering stages and MH (Metal Halide), more fitted for vegetative periods, using cool to warm white and blue bands.
• the grow light reflector links the 2 previous items, it has a socket to fit the bulb and a cable to plug in the ballast, and is designed to reflect as much light as possible back down on the plants.

The Vivosun Hydroponic super high lumens grow light uses an HPS and MH bulb for different stages of growth. Easy to setup and is highly stable. HPS and MH are compatible with the ballast.

• Buyers must peel off the inner blue protective film before using; 6" Air Cooled Reflector: Over 90% high reflectivity aluminum ensures soonest flourish of your plants
• HPS & MH Grow Light Bulbs: High PAR value (Photosynthetically Active Radiation), Superior quality & optimized spectrum to promote growth
• 24-Hour Mechanical Timer: 15-minute On/Off, 24 hours settings; 125V, 15A, 60Hz, 1/2HP, 1875W Heavy duty construction; Timer mode can be turned off
• 1/8" Rope Hanger (1 Pair): 8-ft long & 150lbs/pair weight capacity, solid braided polypropylene rope & reinforced metal internal gears to ensure top-safety
• Dimmable Ballast: Runs on 120~240V power supply, comes with 8ft 120V power cord, 150w/250w/400w/super lumens opotional

This set might be the right choice for your grow room, if you are willing to pay the extra price. It has more to offer than the basic hood sets with digital dimmable ballasts like the iPower or the Apollo.

The main reason for that is because it comes with a great air cooled reflector which will definitely help you to maintain the ideal temperature in your growing space

Ballast

The unit will replace an old magnetic ballast with the best results. The VIVOSUN ballast is tinier and really quiet.

The heat output is greatly reduced and managed thanks to an internal premium quality fan, keeping all the electronics cool and ensuring a long life.

It has 4 adjustments, including the « super lumen feature » with supposedly delivers a more intense light, so you can choose between 600, 400 or 250 W, and give your plants the exact amount of light or adjust the temperature at any given time, from seedlings to budding.


However, you should keep in mind that most bulb manufacturers recommend to not dim your bulbs. For example using a 600 W HPS at 400 watts will decrease the bulb’s life expectancy and its light efficiency. You would have more lumens per watt using a 400 W bulb, so keep this in mind while you plan your next grow session.

Reflector

Here is the main difference with the cheaper sets. The air cooled-hood allows you to connect ventilation ducting on both sides, and thus to plug it to your exhaustion and/or intake, ensuring a continuous fresh air-flow will cool down the bulb and get rid of all the extra heat.

“…is well designed and made of highly reflective textured aluminium”

It has a sturdy feel, is well designed and made of highly reflective textured aluminium providing a smooth light dispersal throughout the grow room and helping to avoid so called « hot spots ».

Furthermore, the highly transparent glass will protect your plants from burns while letting the light pass through.

This hood’s quality matches the one of the ballast and it will be a great asset during the hot months.


Bulbs

The bulbs are standard HPS and MH, but not low end ones, and are reported to maintain over 90% of their lumen output after 5000 hours.

As most bulbs on the market these days they have an optimized PAR that promotes a healthy plant development.

In conclusion we can say it’s a functional product that provides all the essential elements for a successful grow at a decent price, giving every grower the ability to enjoy a complete set.

PROS

UL Listed 600 W dimmable ballast with builtin fan.
Runs on 120-240 volts power.
HPS and MH are high PAR value lamps with optimized spectrum for different plant growth stages.
HPS and MH are high PAR value lamps with optimized spectrum for different plant growth stages.
Includes a pair of 1/8 inch adjustable heavy duty rope hanger.


CONS

Needs an inline fan because of the heat it generates.
Use the ballast in the original bulb rating. Otherwise it might damage the bulb.