Water-Cooled Lamp Fixtures

Marijuana Horticulture

by Jorge Cervantes

Water-cooled and air-cooled lamp fixtures are somewhat popular in hot climates. These lamps run cooler and can be moved closer to plants. Water-cooled bulbs are difficult for thermal imaging equipment to detect. Air-cooled fixtures are inexpensive to operate and easy to setup. Keep outer jacket clean and avoid scratching.

Growers decrease bulb heat by 80 percent with a properly setup water cooled bulb. The water and outer jacket account for a ten percent lumen loss. Growers make up for this loss by moving bulbs closer to plants. On an average day, a 1000-watt bulb uses about 100 gallons of water to keep cool, if the water runs to waste. To recirculate, the water requires a big, big reservoir. The water in the reservoir that serves a recirculating cooling system must also be cooled. Reservoir coolers can easily cost $1000.