FAQs

We always recommend 45 – 65 cm distance. Use the dimmers to control intensity, rather than hanging height—this will save on energy costs and maximise system efficiency.

Yes, always wear UV-resistant sunglasses. We also recommend temporarily dimming the HELLION VS3 LEDs (especially the UV channel) when working in close proximity to the lights.

Start with the grow and UV-A channels on 30 – 50% with the bloom channel off completely. Keep the lights at 65 cm distance. Aim for an average PPFD of 150 – 300 μmol/m2/sec. Gradually increase the veg channel as plants develop.

High blue and UV ratio to red light will help to reduce stretch. Keep grow and UV channel at maximum during transition and bloom at a minimum / zero. Gradually increase bloom channel and dial back UV to 50% once flowers start to appear.

We recommend grow and bloom channels at, or near, maximum with UV at 50%.

We recommend maximum levels of UV and bloom with grow on 75 – 100% combined with reduced air temperatures (25 °C or less).

Regular “full spectrum” light refers to a broad and balanced mix of photons traveling at wavelengths between 400 and 700 nm (PAR). HELLION VS3 LEDs produce plenty of light in the PAR range using 3K and 5K full spectrum diodes as well as a 660 nm red diode. Extended / enhanced full spectrum refers to regular full spectrum supplemented with UV-A / extreme blue and far-red. While these types of radiation do not fall under the classic definition of PAR, recent scientific research has demonstrated that both UV-A and far-red can complement PAR and contribute to photosynthesis—as well as helping to enhance flower and essential oil production.

BPF stands for biologically-active photon flux—a measure of the total amount of photons created by the lighting fixture during one second. It’s similar to PPF (photosynthetic photon flux) but includes photons in the extended PAR range (380 nm to 760 nm). BPF is a more accurate count of photons as it includes UV-A and far-red, both of which are produced by the HELLION VS3 fixtures. BPE stands for Biologically-Active Photon Efficacy—a count of how many photons are produced per Joule of input electrical energy. It’s a quantification of efficiency—what you get out for what you put in! It’s similar to PPE (photosynthetic photon efficacy) but also includes photons in the extended PAR range (380 nm to 760 nm). BPE is a more accurate measure of efficiency than PPE as it includes UV-A and far-red, both of which are produced by the HELLION VS3 fixtures.

During vegetative, transition and early flowering phases, we generally recommend that growers run a slightly warmed grow room. Aim for 27 to 29 °C daytime air temperature, and 23 to 25 °C at night.

Ideal grow tent footprints: (using one or two fixtures in a grow tent) 250W: 75cm x 75 cm (2’6” x 2’6”) 510W: 100 x 100 cm (3’3” x 3’3”) 700W: 120 x 120 cm (4’ x 4’) 1000W: 150 x 150 cm (5’ x 5’) Single fixture row footprints: (combining multiple fixtures in a row) 250W: 75cm x 100 cm (2’6” x 3’3”) 510W: 100 x 120 cm (3’3” x 4’) 700W: 120 x 150 cm (4’ x 5’) 1000W: 150 x 180 cm (5’ x 6’) Matrix set-up footprints: (combining multiple fixtures to cover a whole room) 250W: 100cm x 100 cm (3’3” x 3’3”) 510W: 120 x 120 cm (4” x 4”) 700W: 150 x 150 cm (5’ x 5’) 1000W: 180 x 180 cm (6’ x 6’)

The HELLION Master Controller must be used with the HELLION VS3 LEDs in order to benefit from full three-channel spectral control. HELLION VS3 LEDs are not compatible with regular 0-10V lighting controllers.

Watch our DE Lamp Installation video here: https://tinyurl.com/yxjl54bk

EXT simply stands for External. Your HELLION ballast knob must be set to this position if you wish to use an external controller via the rear ports.

Any standard 0 to 10V protocol lighting controller can be used (0 to 11.5V for the 1000W HELLION ballast) via the RJ11 rear panel socket.

Theoretically, you could run as many ballasts as your lighting controller allows (typically 128 ballasts per channel), however, it is recommended that you only control up to 40 ballasts per channel for trouble-free operation.

Thanks to the cooler running temperatures and superior lamp and reflector design, our lamps last longer than competitors. If running at 12/12 every day, change your lamps no less frequently than every two years.

CMH and DE-CMH lamps should be changed every 12 – 18 months when run on 18 hours a day.

Not straight away. For long lamp life you should always run a new lamp at its full rated power for the first 24 hours of usage to ‘season’ the lamp.

To help ensure long life of the ballast and lamp, always wait at least 20 seconds between making each dimming adjustment.

HELLION refers to our new range of Close Proximity lighting fixtures. We offer four different fixtures as complete plug n' play illumination kits: HELLION 600/750W and 1000/1100W DE-HPS, HELLION 315W CMH and HELLION 630W DE-CMH. Each HELLION kit includes an Adjust-A-Wings Defender reflector, Adjust-A-Wings lamp, electronic ballast and cords, etc. The HELLION DE-HPS and DE-CMH kits include a Super Spreader. Developing the HELLION range has been a long term project that began nearly a decade ago. At that time DE-HPS lamps were new to the market with sleek looks and tantalisingly high power and efficiency ratings. However, the fixtures surrounding the lamps fell a long way short of optimal. The lamp clamps were oversized, awkward and surrounded by boxy (heat trap style) reflectors with onboard ballasts to amplify plant burn potential. The HELLION range was designed to maximize the potential promised by DE-HPS and CMH lamps and liberating them from their “prisons” in greenhouse-style deep dish reflectors. HELLION is all about harnessing the raw power of DE lamps so that plants (and growers) can truly benefit from the increased output and efficiency.

It’s been specifically tuned and built for purpose. Growers needed a lamp that was capable of running seamlessly at either 750W or 600W mode with no degradation in spectral quality, output, efficiency or lumen maintenance. Other lamps (e.g. 600W DE-HPS lamps touted as “boostable” to 750W) can suffer significant spectral degradation and drops in efficiency and working lifespan when run at higher wattages. In other words, we went the extra mile to create a true 750W DE-HPS lamp that work perfectly at lower wattages.

You can use any compatible electronic ballast with HELLION DE-HPS lamps but, for optimal performance, they should be coupled with the HELLION UHF electronic ballast. Quite simply, the HELLION lamp was designed specifically to run perfectly in harmony with the HELLION e-ballast—a match made in heaven!

Adjust-A-Wings digital UHF ballasts are factory run-in for 168hrs and thoroughly fault checked prior to sale. This process weeds out 99% of all component related faults and we provide them with a three-year unconditional warranty. Hence, we expect our ballasts to perform faultlessly for three to five years minimum also.

Adjust-A-Wings digital UHF lamps are leak tested/factory run in for eight hours and thoroughly fault checked prior to sale. Again this process weeds out 99% of all component related faults and we provide them with a 12 month unconditional warranty. That means they are “good to go” straight out of the box, no 100hrs burn in prior to dimming etc. Simply plug in & play. Further, the arc tubes are rated for 20,000 hrs or four years x 12 hours a day and we suggest replacement after 18 months – 2 years for best and consistent results. Other manufacturers suggest lamp replacement every 12 months however our reflectors do not trap heat and they do not reflect significant amounts of light back into the lamp and as a result we experience extended lamp life!

Materials: We use only the highest quality, most reflective materials for our reflectors. Typically 95-97% reflective German aluminum, finely dimpled for even fine light distribution with minimal surface degradation. Quite simply, our reflectors not only perform outstandingly in the market but are built to last. That’s why we’ve been manufacturing and selling reflectors for over 20 years.

Shape: The unique, double-parabolic shape of our reflectors spreads the light from the lamp uniformly over the canopy, both in terms of intensity and incident angle—providing unparalleled penetration deep into the plant canopy.

Adjustability: As our name implies, Adjust-A-Wings reflectors are highly customizable so that they not only fit perfectly into your grow space, but can also be adapted to alter the characteristics of the light output for different stages of growth.

The “wings” of the reflector can be adjusted so they are super narrow (for a deep, penetrating beam of light) or super wide (for a broad, dissipated spread of light) with three additional settings in between. It’s also possible to adjust the lamp height relative to the reflector which can have a dramatic effect on the footprint shape generated.

For a practical example, when plants are young and growing vigorously (e.g. Springtime) you can position the reflectors high above the plants (with no super spreader fitted) with a narrow reflector setting for a bright, uniform and even light pattern. When plants are in full flower and need serious intensity you can widen the Adjust-A-Wings and bring the reflector closer to the canopy for deep canopy penetration and maximum intensity. The addition of a Super Spreader means you can achieve the necessary light intensity to drive maximum production without the hot spots that are normally associated with such close placement.

Heat Dissipation: Adjust-A-Wings reflectors run much cooler (< 90⁰C) than deep dish-shaped greenhouse style reflectors (> 200⁰C). So unlike greenhouse style reflectors which degrade by 3-5% in reflectance each year, ours carry on working perfectly for many years (3 to 5 years at least) without significant degradation. Also, because they run much cooler, lamps last longer with higher lumen maintenance (we recommend lamp replacements every 18 months whereas other manufacturers recommend 12 months) and there is massively reduced infrared re-emittance which can potentially cause issues for heat sensitive crops.

DE-HPS and DE-CMH lamps are very efficient. That means they emit lots of plant-usable light for every watt of power they consume. However, many growers have overlooked the issue of the excess heat generated from these lamps. (They run very hot!)

Commercial indoor growers seeking to benefit from the superior output of DE-HPS and DE-CMH have often been forced to compromise due to their choice of reflector. Small, deep-dish “greenhouse-style” reflectors accumulate heat and spread light out very widely. As such, commercial growers usually position their fixtures five, six or even eight feet above their plants in an effort to protect their plants from the excess heat. This “brute force” approach to indoor gardening works, to a point, but only by sacrificing efficiency. There can be huge light losses to walls and walkways meaning more watts need to be used to illuminate a given area. This, in turn, means more energy needs to be spent on cooling the climate room. By the time photons reach the plant canopy they have spread out and reduced massively in intensity. That’s why commercial growers are forced to use cross reflection and overlapping footprints in order to generate their required intensities.

Adjust-A-Wings takes a totally different approach. The unique shape of our reflectors means that heat is dissipated and can escape the reflector, instead of it turning into an oven. Light is uniformly reflected but remains intense as our 600/750W DE-HPS and 630W DE-CMH lamps can be positioned up to 45 cm (around 18”) from the plant canopy without heat issues. If you tried doing that in less forgiving reflectors (e.g. deep-dish greenhouse style) you would literally cook your plants, cause stomatal closure and photosynthetic shut-down.

Adjust-A-Wings makes DE-HPS and DE-CMH technology accessible to all growers, whether they have 15 ft high ceilings or not—making them ideal for indoor growers in a regular, domestic setting. Up until now, 1000W or 750W DE-HPS have been out of bounds to growers with 8’ or 9’ ceilings as plants quickly grow too tall and growers run out of vertical space.

Both are incredibly productive options to power your flowering room. The 1000/1100W DE-HPS covers a larger footprint than the 600/750W DE-HPS. If you have a large space to cover, you can do so with fewer fixtures by going with our 1000/1100W DE-HPS option. However, you will need around 22 – 24 inches (55 – 60 cm) minimum between the top of your plants and the lamp. Generally speaking, for growers working with a total vertical height (floor to ceiling / top of tent) of 2 meters or less, choose the HELLION 600/750W DE-HPS as it will give you a little more vertical wiggle room (it needs 15- 18” (40 – 45 cm) minimum distance between top of plants and canopy). In any case, be sure to train your plants so that they form a low, wide canopy.

Super Spreaders have been around for many years now and are, perhaps, one of the best kept secrets within the indoor gardening community!

In a nutshell: it doesn’t matter if you are supplying light at the perfect spectrum and ideal intensity if your plants are too hot! Grow lamps produce lots of light but also lots of heat—especially radiant heat, so this needs to be properly considered when building a professional and productive indoor garden lighting solution.

Indoor growers understand how precious light is to their plants and are constantly striving for techniques and technology to enable them to deliver more light to their canopy. However, artificial light comes with an “evil twin” called excess heat. If your plants receive too much heat they start to lose too much water out of tiny pores in their leaves called stomata. Plants will automatically close their stomata in an effort to conserve water when this moisture loss is too great—and when stomata are closed plants can no longer photosynthesize (they can’t use the light) so it’s all a big waste.

So the trick with indoor growing (especially when cultivating heat sensitive species) is to provide all the light your plants need without generating heat issues as a result. Super Spreaders are an invaluable tool for indoor growers who understand the devilish nature of light and heat on their plants.

Super Spreaders spread light: Excess light is reflected away from the hot spot directly beneath the lamp and redirected towards areas where the additional intensity is required. (The periphery of the lighting footprint—corners and edges.)

Super Spreaders spread heat: Radiant heat (infrared) is reflected away from the hotspot beneath the lamp and direct it towards areas that are naturally cooler, turning destructive heat into nurturing warmth. This facilitates a much closer lamp placement over all meaning significantly increased intensity and canopy penetration.

Super Spreaders spread plants: Plants no longer lean towards the lamp but grow straight up wards or slightly outwards instead. This allows light to penetrate deeper into the foliage and air to circulate more effectively.

Super Spreaders increase angular light: When light travels at various angles they are very effective at penetrating thick foliage compared with light beaming straight down from above.

Yes, the incorporation of Super Spreaders generally facilitates closer placement of lamps without sacrificing light spread or coverage / footprint size.

Super Spreaders also provide growers with a much larger margin for error between the zone of maximum light delivery and the onset of overheating and burning.

Lamp Canopy Distance Guide (without Super Spreaders)

600W: Veg = 70cm, Early Flower = 55cm, Mid flower = 40cm, Maturation = 55cm.

750W: Veg = 90cm, Early Flower = 75cm, Mid flower = 60cm, Maturation = 75cm.

1000W: Veg = 110cm, Early Flower = 95cm, Mid flower = 80cm, Maturation = 95cm.

Lamp Canopy Distance Guide (with Super Spreaders)

600W: Veg = 60cm, Early Flower = 45cm, Mid flower = 30cm, Maturation = 45cm.

750W: Veg = 75cm, Early Flower = 60cm, Mid flower = 45cm, Maturation = 60cm.

1000W: Veg = 90cm, Early Flower = 75cm, Mid flower = 60cm, Maturation = 75cm.

Technically, if you measure with a PAR / Quantum meter, the light loss from a Super Spreader is around 5% if you take measurements over a given footprint with a Super Spreader on and off at the same distance. But this doesn’t even get close to telling the whole story!

The Super Spreader affords growers the opportunity of a much closer placement between the lamp and the plants. This closer placement means more of your canopy can safely receive a much higher intensity without plants directly beneath the lamp suffering from being in a hot spot.

No Super Spreader forces growers to adopt a much higher placement meaning decreased intensity and more light losses to walls, floors and walkways—as well as less canopy penetration.

Which is better—yin or yang? Of course, the short answer is—BOTH! Sure, you can use our HELLION 630W DE-CMH for veg, flowering or full lifecycle and you will achieve amazing results—super high quality, terpene-rich produce all the way! But the real magic happens when you combine the spectra of our DE-HPS and DE-CMH in the same room. By adopting a ‘chequerboard’ pattern of equal numbers of each type of fixture, plants benefit from both the blue-rich spectrum of the DE-CMH and the yellow/orange/red-rich spectrum of the DE-HPS, stimulating both photosystems. The intensity of these fixtures is comparable, making them far better choices for mixed spectrum applications than, say, a 315W CMH and 1000W DE-HPS. Also, both the HELLION 600/750W DE-HPS and HELLION 630W DE-CMH are based on the same medium Defender wings and have the same hanging distance recommendations from the canopy—so they won’t get in each other’s way!

All plants have evolved to rely on seasonal climate changes to guide them through their life cycles. Indoor gardeners who rely on artificial light, commonly grow plants classed as “fast growing, light-loving annuals”. Such plants often rely heavily on seasonal changes/triggers to complete their lifecycle.

Germination and vegetation typically spans the period from spring to mid-summer and flowering and fruiting/maturation tends to span the period from late summer to mid-autumn with senescence and harvest becoming immanent prior to the onset of winter. So, seasons and the related variations in light intensity and temperature are built into your plants’ DNA and, as such, are “expected” and necessary to trigger the hormonal changes which govern their vitality and progress through the course of their life.

Accordingly, an indoor gardener who understands the importance of mimicking the seasons and is able to provide some well-timed and directed seasonal variation to his plants will reap benefits far beyond those who choose to ignore them.

As with all the lighting fixtures in the HELLION range, we designed everything from the ground up. That means lamp, reflector and ballast all engineered to work together. To put it another way, we created our very own custom 315W CMH lamps (3K and 4K spectra) and optimized them to work with our HELLION 315W e-ballast. They are the “perfect pair”. Generic, off-the-shelf 315W CMH lamps are designed to work with as many different ballasts as possible—and as such, the performance will always be compromised. By conceiving the HELLION 315W CMH as a complete lighting system, we were able to achieve new heights in efficiency, performance, spectral integrity and lamp life. The spectral distribution of our 315W CMH lamps have a more continuous curve with fewer peaks and troughs, far closer to the incident solar radiation we receive outdoors. Our CMH lamps output more UV and deep red (7.5% more than comparable Phillips CDM) The XOS Borosilicate lamp jacket allows more UV to escape the lamp while the titanium oxide coated Small Adjust-A-Wings Defender wings reflect more of this UV down to your plants instead of absorbing it (as is the case with PVD). Many growers use our 315W CMH lamps for vegetative development, although more and more are using our 315W CMH lamps for full lifecycle—especially using the 3K lamp option. More UV hitting your plants in the vegetative stage helps to stimulate the UVR8 gene in some plant species. Basically, letting your plants know that there’s a significant amount of UV in the light diet tells your plants to “get their ducks in a row” and prepare metabolites for the all-important flowering stage. The small Defender wings spread the radiant emissions from the CMH lamp evenly, affording a much closer placement to the canopy overall. Don’t forget that only Adjust-A-Wings can be width-adjusted so that the light characteristics mimic the season. This can make a massive difference to the morphology and overall development of your plants.