LED or not

[Marlo95]

So I've been reading a lot about led lights lately and I'm not sure if I'm convicted. I watched tons of videos comparing led and hid but there doesn't seem to be much benefit of an hid. Led lights seem to use a little less energy but I don't know if it'd be worth the steep price of a led light, and I'm not sure if having multiple light sources from the diodes on a led are as good as having one light source that a hid light emits. I'm kind of stuck, I like to try new things but this would be an expensive experiment that I don't have time to waste on. If I get a led I won't get that 3w bullshit, each one will be 5w. And I also wanna know if led will increase or decrease yields. Let me know what you think and what your experience with led is and what you've heard.

 

[nevergoodenuf]

more info on your growing would really help answer that. If you are replacing less than a 1000w, yes. If you are trying to replace a few thousand watts, maybe not. If heat is a problem, then yes.

 

[makomachine]

Not informed enough to answer definitively. For me personally, the heat reduction and energy savings alone is worth it - but I've yet to grow under it at this point. Lots of documented grows on a personal level tells me this is true - but would be very spendy in a 'production' sized operation. Watching....

 

[Marlo95]

Well to give you more info. I run 2 400w in veg and 2 600w in flower and I run a DWC system

 

[theexpress]

stick with hid

 

[az2000]

The only reason I invested in LED is heat reduction. If I were in a cooler climate I'd probably try CMH (ceramic metal halide, Sun System LEC 315). It's supposed to have the highest PAR-to-watt ratio, runs cooler than HID. If it had a housing that attached to the extraction fan, I'm pretty sure I would have done that. Now that I'm running LED, I'd say they put out about as much heat. I might try a CMH this winter.

I guess that's the other fact. If you enjoy this as a hobby, it's not all about bottom-line numbers. It's just fun to tinker with new things.

 

[PetFlora]

That's like asking which is better internal combustion engine or electric

Not all combustion engines are great. Ditto LEDs

CMH is great but still hard to find in 120v

Lots of vg LED threads to study up on

Don't waste time with RB only offerings/threads

Mixing white with red spectrums is the hot led ticket

 

[Grandmah]

If you want to be convicted then go stick up an online movie rental store. Just do it

 

[Marlo95]

stick with hid

Why do you say that?

 

[Marlo95]

The only reason I invested in LED is heat reduction. If I were in a cooler climate I'd probably try CMH (ceramic metal halide, Sun System LEC 315). It's supposed to have the highest PAR-to-watt ratio, runs cooler than HID. If it had a housing that attached to the extraction fan, I'm pretty sure I would have done that. Now that I'm running LED, I'd say they put out about as much heat. I might try a CMH this winter.

I guess that's the other fact. If you enjoy this as a hobby, it's not all about bottom-line numbers. It's just fun to tinker with new things.

Well it's a hobby that I really love but in a way it is about numbers because my money isn't infinite

 

[churchhaze]

I've been following these LED grows since the red traffic light grow lamps and it seems like led growers are finally pulling in consistently awesome results.

If you already have HPS, you should probably start thinking of converting to LEDs slowly. If you don't have HPS yet, start researching leds and go that route instead.

Unless you can get a complete refund on all your HPS setups, it's probably not worth the start up cost replacing all your HPS yet.

 

[churchhaze]

Keep in mind that vero 29 just went from about ~36 dollars to ~31 this week. There's a huge amount of competition in the led industry. I've been very tempted to try these Chinese arrays flooding the market. These models have have questionable or unknown efficiency and specs, but compete for price and have more selection. (When will cree make 660nm cobs, or half white, half monochrome cobs to compete back?)

 

[churchhaze]

China is winning at business even if they aren't winning at efficiency. It's like they know exactly what us DIYers want, patented it, and started selling it, just like that.

Prices are going to be half what they are in 2 years.

 

[Marlo95]

Keep in mind that vero 29 just went from about ~36 dollars to ~31 this week. There's a huge amount of competition in the led industry. I've been very tempted to try these Chinese arrays flooding the market. These models have have questionable or unknown efficiency and specs, but compete for price and have more selection. (When will cree make 660nm cobs, or half white, half monochrome cobs to compete back?)

But see if I get a led I'd get a blackdog grow light

 

[Positivity]

China is winning at business even if they aren't winning at efficiency. It's like they know exactly what us DIYers want, patented it, and started selling it, just like that.

Prices are going to be half what they are in 2 years.

Omg...that's classic!

Good! They are paying attention now!

Just anything IS NOT good enough.

Marketplace is going to be funny with everyone running the same leds. Secret sauces lost their value

Prices should fall rapidly now and quality should go way up

 

[AirAnt]

it's worth it, but since mj has two phases, you need two LED configurations to make optimal use of them. Most LEDs are configured to be all-in-one growing lights or balanced towards the red spectrums, and that is not how LEDs excel. You either need two lamps, bluish for veg and reddish for flower, or some kind of toggle to turn from veg to flower mode.
I was supposed to be flowering by now and I have flowering LEDs but some of my plants aren't the healthiest so I'm still at 14/10 day/night cycle. Going pretty slowly and making me want veg specific LEDs, but I usually use a couple cool white fluoros I have.

 

[Positivity]

Warm white light is all that is needed

If you don't want to DIY a light together I recommend waiting a few months for the first commercial cob lights to come out. Maybe a year from now there should be enough different models out to bring the prices back down to earth.

I'd stay away from anything other than cobs from a major led manufacturer.

Anything else will be a relic shortly.

Sorry...was just polishing my crystal ball.

 

[AirAnt]

the first commercial light COBs are already out. There's the Bysen model, the apollo Purple Sun, some other generic brands on Ebay, the point is they're already being made.

And you do know COBs are basically just a cluster of tiny 1w LEDs\, right? and the manufacturers aren't using all-white COBs in grow lamps because while all white is 'all that is needed' it isn't 'what is the best'.

 

[Abiqua]

the first commercial light COBs are already out. There's the Bysen model, the apollo Purple Sun, some other generic brands on Ebay, the point is they're already being made.

And you do know COBs are basically just a cluster of tiny 1w LEDs\, right? and the manufacturers aren't using all-white COBs in grow lamps because while all white is 'all that is needed' it isn't 'what is the best'.

Most of what you listed are 2nd gen cobs. Third generation like the Cree's CXA line aren't in a production light that I am aware of. When I first got on RIU, I remember advanced trying to do a Group Fund for a 2 and 4 cob light [3rd gen] but I guess they fell short....?

 

[AirAnt]

Most of what you listed are 2nd gen cobs. Third generation like the Cree's CXA line aren't in a production light that I am aware of. When I first got on RIU, I remember advanced trying to do a Group Fund for a 2 and 4 cob light [3rd gen] but I guess they fell short....?

idk, I was looking at purchasing one but read that if one component fails the entire light is kaput whereas with multiple single-LED fixtures only part might fail while the majority still works.

that's way too small for me to read. what's the difference between 2nd and 3rd gen? are they specifically manufacturing white LEDs to have improved blue and red spectrum light or something?