Ceramic Metal-Halide (CMH) Lamps

CMH (LEC) - A new technology combining the advantages of HPS and LED lights. 

CMH (Ceramic Metal-Halide) is the top available HID lamp technology. Also known as LEC (Light Emitted Ceramic) lamps, CMH lamps have the best PAR spectrum among HID lamps - they are way more similar to natural sunlight and emit a lot of light suitable for photosynthesis. They are long-lasting and offer high performance. 

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Ceramic Metal Halide lamps have ceramic bulbs, which allow them to bear more pressure. They contain a different combination of gasses than other HID lamps, which makes them emit full-spectrum light, including red and infrared. 

CMH lamps come in two different colour temperatures: 3100 K (suitable for all plant growth stages) or 4200 K (better for the vegetative stage). As well as other HID lamps, they require a ballast. CMH lamps usually require a 315 W or a 630 W ballast. We offer complete fixture sets in 315 W or 630 W, including the lamp, ballast, and a reflector. 

Features of a CMH lamp:

• Balanced colour spectrum - they emit full-spectrum light.
• Effectiveness with minimal heat loss.
• They have a good CRI of 80 to 96. The CRI (Colour Rendering Index) measures a light source's ability to show colours realistically (naturally). Classic HPS lamps usually reach a CRI of about 30, with 100 CRI being natural sunlight. 
• CMH lamps create UV light, which is highly beneficial to the health of your plants.
• They last longer - common HID lamps are effective for about 10 000 hours, while CMH lamps can last twice as long. Surprisingly, even after shining for 20 000 hours, they keep their effectiveness around 80%.
• Versatility - if you want to use only one bulb for the entire growth process, a CMH lamp is the best option out of HID lamps.

Cons of a CMH lamp

• They give off more heat than LED lights but still less than HPS lamps.
• They are more expensive than HPS bulbs, though it is imperative to say that they usually last twice longer than HPS lamps. 

Buy CMH lamps

• Individually - you need to buy a ballast and a reflector separately. However, if you already have a reflector and don't want to change it, you can use a socket reducer for the lamp base. We highly recommend getting a dimmable digital ballast, which you can use for multiple bulbs. The best ones on the market are the ones by Lumatek.
• In a kit -  conveniently buy a lamp, ballast, and a reflector all at once. You can be sure that all the components match and work together perfectly. For this option, we recommend LUMii Solar kits.