Mars Hydro - TS-1000

The TS-1000 is the best known lamp in the TS range: 150 watts, a reflector hood gathering light downwards, and a dimming knob on the supply unit. In flower it lights 60 by 60 centimetres.

One figure does not describe a light field

Light intensity at leaf height is called PPFD, measured in µmol per square metre per second. The trouble is that it changes from one measuring point to the next: directly under the centre of a hood the meter reads highest, and towards the edges it falls away. A PPFD value quoted for a lamp is one pick from that range, usually the highest.

What does tell you something is a PPFD map: a grid of readings across the whole area, at a stated hanging height and dimmer setting. Without those two details a loose value means nothing, because the same lamp reads considerably higher hung closer to the meter.

For you as a grower the consequence sits in the corners. Four plants spread evenly under this lamp do not all get the same: the middle one runs ahead, the edge one lags, and the difference only shows after a few weeks. It is rarely a reason to buy a bigger fixture. Swap the plants round every few days, light an area smaller than the maximum quoted, and use reflective walls so light past the edge comes back.

Hang it higher and the field evens out but weakens everywhere. That is the trade, and it becomes a deliberate one once you know the figure on the box describes a single point.

Technical Specifications:

• Model: TS-1000
• Power: 150 W ±5%
• Light output (PPF): 343 µmol/s
• Efficiency (PPE): 2.3 µmol/J
• Flowering area: 60 x 60 cm
• Light spectrum: 660 to 665 nm, 730 to 740 nm, 3000 to 3200 K, 6000 to 6500 K
• Dimmable: 0 to 100%, knob on the supply unit
• Cooling: passive, no fan
• Dimensions: 38.2 x 33.7 x 5.5 cm
• Weight: 1.76 kg
• Life expectancy: nominally 50,000 hours
• Warranty: 5 year manufacturer warranty

Frequently asked questions

Why is no PPFD value quoted?
Because one value says nothing without the hanging height and measuring point alongside it. The quoted PPF of 343 µmol/s covers the whole fixture and can be compared.

My corner plant lags, is the lamp too small?
Usually not. Under a hood fixture the middle is always stronger than the edge. Swap the plants around or light a slightly smaller area.

Which brand of diodes does it use?
We do not state one. The published answers disagree with each other, and a brand name has not proved a fixed property of this model.

Can I link two together?
Yes, several lamps can be dimmed and switched from one master unit.