Reflector ????

[Sker]

I currently have a Hamilton hood with 1- 175W Metal Halide and 2 - 55W actinic power compacts. My question is the interior of the hood is high gloss white paint finish, would I benefit by lining the interior with Spectral Aluminum?? Just trying to get the most bang for the buck!

[Sker]

Anyone???

[Ninong]

Originally posted by Sker
Would I benefit by lining the interior with Spectral Aluminum?? Just trying to get the most bang for the buck!

If you are asking whether spectral aluminum is a better reflector than white paint, the answer is yes. I have no opinion on whether you should try to do what you are proposing. A white painted reflector disperses the light but also softens it so you actually lose some of the light. Is that bad? Maybe, maybe not. The spectral aluminum reflector may concentrate the light too much so that you end up with hot spots... uneven lighting... especially if this is going to be a DIY modification of an existing fixture.

I don't know if you will be better off or not. But getting back to the question of which is the better reflector: IMO, something like the Spiderlite reflector is better than a plain white reflector.

Did that confuse the issue enough?

Ninong

P.S. -- I really think you should leave your fixture alone or buy a different fixture.

[Sker]

Thanks, I think?;; Well maybe I will just leave it be. The bad/good thing about this hobby is that you are always looking to tweak or change things to make them better.

[dattack]

If I were to use a canopy for T8 lighting or Halides, is it possible to just use no reflectors? If so, where do you place the ground for the lighting if you have no reflectors?

[Ninong]

Reflectors increase the effectiveness of the lighting substantially.

Ninong