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Grow lighting Lumatek CMH 315 Watt
The Lumatek CMH 315 Watt kit pairs a dimmable electronic ballast with a ceramic Agro 3100 K pulse-start lamp and a compact hammertone reflector on a PGZX18 base. The lamp produces 32,500 lm and 575 µmol/s of PAR from 334 W of input power. With a colour rendering index above 90%, one source covers both the vegetative and flowering stages. The ballast dims across six steps from 50 to 100% and runs on square-wave technology: silent, flicker-free and with full circuit protection. It connects to the Lumatek Digital Control Panel for scheduling and automatic step-down in heat. Rated lamp life is 12,000 hours and ballast efficiency sits at 92%.
Lumatek CMH 315 Watt – ceramic lighting kit for veg and bloom
The Lumatek CMH 315 Watt kit pairs a dimmable electronic ballast with a ceramic Agro 3100 K lamp and a hammertone reflector. The lamp produces 32,500 lm and 575 µmol/s of PAR from 334 W of input power. Spectral coverage is wide enough to run the same source through vegetative growth and flowering.
Technical specifications
| Lamp power | 315 W |
|---|---|
| Ballast input power | 334 W |
| Supply | 240 V, 50/60 Hz |
| Ballast efficiency | 92%, power factor above 0.97 |
| Luminous flux | 32,500 lm |
| Efficacy | 104 lm/W |
| PAR output | 575 µmol/s |
| Colour temperature | 3100 K (Agro), CRI above 90% |
| Lamp rated life | 12,000 hours |
| Base and dimming | PGZX18 (T38), 50 to 100% in six steps |
315 W at the lamp, 334 W at the meter
Two wattages describe this kit and both appear in the specifications. 315 W is the power the ballast delivers to the lamp, the figure carried in the product name and the one that determines which bulb fits. 334 W is what the kit draws from the mains, ballast losses included. Circuit sizing and running-cost calculations therefore work from 334 W. The gap reflects a ballast efficiency of 92% at a power factor above 0.97 — high for this class, and the reason there is no audible hum and no flicker.
What ceramic changes against HPS
Ceramic metal halide, also sold as CDM or LEC, uses a PCA ceramic arc tube in place of quartz. The material tolerates a higher internal temperature, which improves colour rendering and holds spectral output steadier across the lamp's life. The result is a CRI above 90%: the spectrum carries no large gaps in blue and green, where an HPS lamp concentrates its energy in the red-orange band instead. The 3100 K Agro version is therefore usable across the whole cycle rather than swapped per stage. Pulse-start ignition also shortens warm-up and restrike times. At a rated 12,000 hours and 104 lm/W, output holds up reasonably over that period. The intended application is a space of up to roughly 100 x 100 cm.
Dimming, control and protection
- Six dimming steps from 50 to 100%, matching output to growth stage or to ambient temperature
- Compatible with the Lumatek Digital Control Panel for scheduling and automatic step-down in heat
- Full circuit protection covering open and short circuit, over-temperature, over and under voltage, and end-of-lamp-life detection
- Certified EMI suppression with square-wave operation and no audible noise
The lamp is a consumable: the 315 W CMH lamp on its own is ordered separately once the first reaches the end of its hours. To weigh it against the conventional route, see the Lumatek 600 W digital ballast paired with a Lumatek HPS lamp. The following generation sits in the Lumatek LED range.
Shipped from Belgium throughout the Benelux. Reflectors, suspension gear and replacement lamps sit in the same catalogue category at plantandflower.be.
Why is this kit listed as both 315 W and 334 W?
315 W is the power the ballast delivers to the lamp, which is what determines the compatible bulb. 334 W is what the Lumatek CMH 315 Watt kit draws from the wall once ballast losses are counted. For sizing a circuit or estimating electricity cost, 334 W is the figure to use.
CMH or HPS — when does each make sense?
CMH suits growers who want one source for the whole cycle and who value spectral quality: CRI above 90% and less heat to manage. HPS still makes sense where raw output per pound spent is the only criterion at higher wattages. At 315 W, CMH is the more versatile option; above 400 W, HPS keeps the edge on sheer output.
Can a standard MH or HPS bulb be fitted?
No. This ballast is built for CMH lamps driven by square wave on a PGZX18 base. An MH or HPS bulb with an E40 screw base does not fit and will not run on this ignition method. Running HPS calls for a ballast designed around it, such as the conventional digital units in the same range.
When should the lamp be replaced?
Rated life is 12,000 hours, which covers several full cycles at twelve hours a day. The ceramic arc tube holds its PAR level better than quartz, but output still declines gradually. Growers working to a yield target generally replace the lamp before the rated figure is reached rather than after it.
