PhytoMAX-4 General Information

This guide to PhytoMAX-4 LED grow lights is a brief overview, filled with links to a lot more in-depth information.

• Differences between SP, SC and SX models
• Safety
• Issues and questions
• Hanging the light
• Coverage Area & Hanging Height
• Growing tips / maximizing yield
• Cleaning and maintenance
• Specifications
• Transitioning plants from other lights

Differences between SP, SC and SX models

The only differences are in the power cords and what voltage the lights can handle:

• SP Models utilize a standard IEC power cord and are rated for 100-250VAC input.
• SC Models utilize a locking, water-tight power cord and are rated for 100-277VAC input.
• SX Models utilize a locking, water-tight power cord and are rated for 347VAC input.

Safety

• Inspect the light for shipping damage. Do not plug in a light that has suffered shipping damage without consulting us first.
• Remove the protective film covering from the glass before turning the light on.
• NEVER look directly at the LEDs while they are on; eye damage may result. They’re very bright!
• We recommend wearing any UV-blocking eye wear such as sunglasses when viewing or working with plants under our lights. PhytoMAX-4 contains UV LEDs, which just like natural sunlight can irritate and damage your eyes.
• Don’t over-load your electrical circuits- a PhytoMAX-4 24S light won’t run on a standard 15-amp, 110V household circuit! For more information and advice, consult your electrician.

Issues and Questions

Black Dog LED wants you to be satisfied with your PhytoMAX-4 light!

• Please note that our LED growing lights contain infrared and ultraviolet diodes that are outside of humans’ visual range, so it is normal for some of the LEDs to appear dim or unlit.
• Our lights have a soft-start feature that takes up to 1 minute to achieve full brightness. This is a safety feature to protect your eyes in case you’re looking at the LEDs when they first turn on.
• If you have any questions or issues with your lights’ function, please contact Black Dog LED, not the store it was purchased from

Hanging the Light

• We recommend tying a stopper knot at the lose end of the rope to prevent over-extension of each of the ratcheting rope hangers.
  
• Ensure that the structure you’ll be hanging the light from can support its weight plus some extra for cords, etc.
  

  Light	Weight
  PhytoMAX-4 2S	4.1 kg
  PhytoMAX-4 4S	10.9 kg
  PhytoMAX-4 8S	11.8 kg
  PhytoMAX-4 12S	12.7 kg
  PhytoMAX-4 16S	19.5 kg
  PhytoMAX-4 20S	20.4 kg
  PhytoMAX-4 24S	21.3 kg

• Insert a metal hanger clip into the hanging bracket either side of the back of the light. Ensure that both ends of each clip are secure.
• Clip one end of each of the ratcheting rope hangers to the hanging/anchor point on the ceiling, and the other end to the metal hanger clips attached to the light. The ropes should be hanging straight, not pulling the hanging brackets toward or away from the center of the light.
  
  
• Adjust the ratchet to hang the light at the recommended height.
• Ensure there is always a minimum of 15 cm / 6 inches of clearance on both sides of the light that have vents. Failure to provide adequate clearance can cause the light to overheat. The sides without vents and the top of the light do not require any clearance.

Coverage Area & Hanging Height

Growing tips / maximizing yield

There are two important differences when growing with PhytoMAX-4 LEDs:

• We recommend keeping your growing area 5 °C warmer than you would with other lights to maximize yield.
  • This is because our lights are designed for plants, not humans.
  • For more information, see our complete study on leaf surface temperature and grow lights.
• If not growing hydroponically, we recommend using fabric pots with our lights; they allow soil to dry out more quickly since our lights aren’t heating it as much. This allows faster nutrient cycling and encourages a better root system.
• If you are going to burn sulfur in your growing area, remove the lights from the area, or turn lights off and seal in plastic during the sulfur treatment. Failure to do so will void your warranty!

Cleaning and maintenance

If your light requires cleaning:

• Turn off the light and disconnect the power cord.
• Spray an ammonia-free glass cleaner onto a soft lint-free towel and gently clean the glass.
• Allow to air-dry, then plug your light back in and turn it on.
• NEVER spray any liquids directly onto or around the Light!

NEVER expose the light to caustic or corrosive chemicals, including sulfur sprays or fumes from burning sulfur; this will invalidate the warranty!

Specifications

Common to All PhytoMAX-4 Lights:

The Phyto-Genesis Spectrum®:

Model Specifics:

Total flux numbers from integration sphere tests of the entire fixture. Note that total photon flux is the entire photon output of the light (PF / PPF, in μmol/s), and not the measurement at a particular point under the light (PFD / PPFD, in μmol/m²/s). When measured at a particular point, the PFD / PPFD can be much higher or lower than the total photon flux.

Transitioning plants from other lights

When switching plants grown under other lights to PhytoMAX-4’s Phyto-Genesis Spectrum®, some shock and/or stalling can occur, as with moving plants between any other different lighting situations. Our LED grow lights are very intense and contain UV light (unlike many grow lights), either of which can shock plants not used to such lighting.

To adapt plants to our lights with as little shock as possible, hang the light at twice the recommended hanging height to start. Each day for about a week you can lower the light by 15-20 cm until it is at the recommended hanging height and your plants have adapted.

When starting seeds under our lights it is fine to use the normal footprint and hanging height; when seeds germinate they adjust to the lighting conditions they first experience. Raising the hanging height of the light higher than normal during germination can lead to leggy, weak seedlings.