V8d8Child

I have similar problems. It helps to keep the fan on the light since the light is the source of the heat. It doesn't matter whether the light is HID or CFL or simple fluorescent. If they are heating up a room, then a fan needs to be directed on them. Just blowing on the plants or around the room isn't going to help as much as directing it right on the light. Keeping the light cool also makes it run a little more efficiently. I found a decrease in load with my Kill-a-Watt load meter when I use a fan on the light.

But really, I think the most important change I will make is that I will quit growing in the summer, even inside. From now on my grows will be timed so that vegetation occurs in the coolest part of the year. So I will start a grow in early October and another in Febuary. At least those two points. And maybe another overlapping the grow starting in October. I figure it is always easy to add heat in the winter by adding lights. But keeping things cooler in the summer requires air conditioning which means another electrical appliance and more energy to spend.

Another thing ... always check the temperature at the highest point of the plant. This is where the plant is most likely to get the worse temperature. The soil is the last place to get extreme temperatures unless you have some extreme temperatures right below the pot. An ice cold basement floor, for example. I always keep a thermometer at the base of the plant at least.