Is 1514 lumans LED light enough?

J

jeroly

Well-Known Member
You can't get around the fact that you need a significant amount of light to flower cannabis.
14 Watts isn't going to cut it, unless you are growing a bonsai (or are just using it to veg a couple of seedlings)..
Figure that you need between 20-50W per square foot of flowering space, depending on the efficiency of the lighting you use.

Now you can get that wattage from LED or from conventional lighting. The LED will be more expensive than using HPS bulbs in upfront cost, but if you plan for the long run (say over 3-5 years) the LED (if you get quality, COB-based fixture(s)) will probably be cheaper due to (a) not having the same heat issues, (b) not having to replace bulbs every 6 months or so, and (c) lower electricity costs.

I'd guess that to cover 8 sq ft. of flowering space would cost you around $500 for quality LED fixture(s). Figure about half that to DIY with top quality, high efficiency COBs (e.g. Cree CXB3590s), or a third or so of that if you DIY with lower efficiency COBs (e.g. Vero 29s).

If you can't afford the $500 and are reluctant to DIY, you should use HPS or similar.
 
kmog33

kmog33

Well-Known Member
jeroly said:
You can't get around the fact that you need a significant amount of light to flower cannabis.
14 Watts isn't going to cut it, unless you are growing a bonsai (or are just using it to veg a couple of seedlings)..
Figure that you need between 20-50W per square foot of flowering space, depending on the efficiency of the lighting you use.

Now you can get that wattage from LED or from conventional lighting. The LED will be more expensive than using HPS bulbs in upfront cost, but if you plan for the long run (say over 3-5 years) the LED (if you get quality, COB-based fixture(s)) will probably be cheaper due to (a) not having the same heat issues, (b) not having to replace bulbs every 6 months or so, and (c) lower electricity costs.

I'd guess that to cover 8 sq ft. of flowering space would cost you around $500 for quality LED fixture(s). Figure about half that to DIY with top quality, high efficiency COBs (e.g. Cree CXB3590s), or a third or so of that if you DIY with lower efficiency COBs (e.g. Vero 29s).

If you can't afford the $500 and are reluctant to DIY, you should use HPS or similar.
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I don't think, for personal home growers, cob electricity savings will pay off overhead for most of us. They will provide more/better yield per watt. So if you're making up the upfront costs it'll be in product, not energy savings. The upfront cost is too high right now to actually be worth it in that sense. The upfront cost would take a few years to pay off the difference using your electricity savings. And I will probably upgrade my lights every year or two as long as tech is progressing the way it is. So I think it's a bad perspective to give that the expensive cob lights will pay them selves off in energy savings. Because they can, but for most of us they won't.

And you could get 2 of the w90 units from a51 for $400 I think that would cover a 2x4 tent I think without too many problems. You'd be stretching its footprint, but it would cover that space I think. If it's a tent it wold be better as all the light would be sealed in furthering the footprint/penetration a bit. That's about the cheapest I can see going cob. And you're not that much more efficient Han hps with those.

I feel like a 40-600 watt hps is the cheapest route. I would craigslist it locally depending on where you're located because I know there are people like me with old magnetic/digital ballasts sitting around they'd sell for what the op is trying to pay lol. I probably have 4-6 X 600s sitting around in my garage I'd pass off for like $40-60 depending on the model lol.


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G

grouch

Well-Known Member
You could start with a couple house hold led bulbs and add more/better lights as you can afford them. Check out home depot or lowes for the cheapest 5000k led bulbs you can find to get vegging and add in the 150w hps when you start flowering. If you pop the plastic diffuser dome off the led they make great "grow lights"
 
werm11

werm11

Well-Known Member
Tylerhonky said:
http://m.ebay.com/itm/SunSpect-340W-LED-Grow-Light-Spectrum-For-Plant-True-Watt-154W-3-More-than-300W-/301875388539?nav=SEARCH

Would this be a better light? @kmog33 @werm11 @Rahz
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No brother don't get this. Try to stay away from ebay/amazon blurple colored leds until you get a better understanding of the technology. Here's a list of led companies that sell great lights. Keep in mind for 8 Sq ft you will want at least 200 watts but I strongly recommend 300 watts. If your tent isn't tall then you will probably get great use out of a dimmer as my young plants do not at all like the intensity of my cob fixtures on full blast.

www.a51led.com
www.pacificlightconcepts.com
www.tastyled.com (has great options for a 2x4 rectangular tent)

I know I'm forgetting a few. Someone chime in and list the good companies I'm forgetting.
 
kmog33

kmog33

Well-Known Member
Tylerhonky said:
This is the one I'm going to buy tomorrow is that good enough? @kmog33 @werm11 @jeroly and once again thank you all for your inputs on this its very much appreciated if I get your guys good graces on this light it will be the one I buy tomorrow
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Yes that one will be perfect. If you can manage the extra cash for the air cooled hood it would be better, but that will definitely work.


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kmog33

kmog33

Well-Known Member
Like this.
https://www.google.com/aclk?sa=l&ai=ChKEb7A3iVr-2MY-F-gOXoZaIAvq1iLEI8tfpsdMBop_bo-YCCAkQECCTsvocKBRgyd7ohsijkBmgAfakw-EDyAEHqgQmT9DcTJrCqmfhacmtoD3Rub2d0Rz6CrXSGjVPnPWxPN5sw56LM_nABQWgBibYBgKAB_LavB6QBwGoB6a-G9gHAeASs6fqtLXN3_fpAQ&sig=AOD64_2aNKGybzjzETpiEmhCQ-jJnUtB7A&ctype=5&clui=35&q=&ved=0ahUKEwiRhemHrbfLAhURymMKHeBcB8kQ2CkIqAQwDw&adurl=http://www.zenhydro.com/ipower-grow-light-400w-hps-mh-dimmable-air-cool-hood-set.html?utm_source=Google&ne_ppc_id=2037&ne_key_id=31816786&utm_medium=CPC

Here's a cheaper version like the one you've found.

https://www.google.com/aclk?sa=L&ai=COw037A3iVr-2MY-F-gOXoZaIAon1u7AH2bbRvMcB6dCoysAECAkQASCTsvocKBRgyd7ohsijkBnIAQeqBCdP0Nw_lsKqZ-Fpya2gPcrUl5TRHPoKtdIaNU-c9bEmRY4laoNDEwXABQWgBibYBgKAB9uAjhWQBwGoB6a-G9gHAeAS5ajlzZWfk-OnAQ&sig=AOD64_2cjFWJ3052QuSyUhwU-U1nj__Ylg&ctype=5&clui=3&q=&ved=0ahUKEwiRhemHrbfLAhURymMKHeBcB8kQ2CkIuQMwAA&adurl=http://rover.ebay.com/rover/1/711-117182-37290-0/2?mtid=1588&kwid=1&crlp=53601919689_324272&itemid=291016967393&targetid=154774677609&rpc=0.21&rpc_upld_id=64995&device=m&mpre=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.com%2Fulk%2Fitm%2Flike%2F291016967393%3Flpid%3D82%26chn%3Dps&adtype=pla&googleloc=9060325&poi=&campaignid=239125209&adgroupid=14978428809&rlsatarget=pla-154774677609


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Tylerhonky

Tylerhonky

Member
kmog33 said:
Yes that one will be perfect. If you can manage the extra cash for the air cooled hood it would be better, but that will definitely work.


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Click to expand...
If I don't get one with a cooler with that affect the bulb life? Or will it just be a more pain in the ass to keep the temp down in my tent? And also how much do the cooling fans run for if I were to get one with a 6" cool vent for the light. Because I can always buy a new hood over time.
 
kmog33

kmog33

Well-Known Member
Tylerhonky said:
If I don't get one with a cooler with that affect the bulb life? Or will it just be a more pain in the ass to keep the temp down in my tent? And also how much do the cooling fans run for if I were to get one with a 6" cool vent for the light. Because I can always buy a new hood over time.
Click to expand...
Will make it a ton easier to deal with the heat.


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Yodaweed

Yodaweed

Well-Known Member
I'd suggest air cooled reflectors if going in a grow tent, an open air reflector will require air conditioning and I doubt you have that in your tent.
 
kmog33

kmog33

Well-Known Member
Yodaweed said:
I'd suggest air cooled reflectors if going in a grow tent, an open air reflector will require air conditioning and I doubt you have that in your tent.
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Or very cold intake air lol, but yeah I agree with you. If he grabs that $114 light setup and $22 fan along with $20 for ducting he'd have a whole setup with ventilation for around $150. Which is cheaper than my radiant reflector was when I bought it lol.


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