Best light for my purpose?

[papa canna]

I have been using a 600w HID mh/hps to some pretty good success. Most notably my current crop looks pretty stellar. But summers in michigan can get quite hot and humid, and I'm not going to fork out the cash for a dedicated AC unit. And If my predictions are right, this summer is going to be rough on my crops.

I'm considering switching to LED. I have 9 plants in 7 gallon pots, spread out in roughly a 5x5 area (but i can take measurements for more exact numbers) I was wondering what might be a decent brand and where I might be able to shop around at a good price. How many watts would I need? I want to keep all 9 plants and I want as much light to grow impressive crop. I know nothing about LED, and information out there seems a bit sparse. Are most of these setups multiple lights? Is one large enough to cover my entire area? Any info is helpful.

 

[Cobnobuler]

9 plants in 7 gallon pots. Surly you have more than 1 600 dont ya ? I only have 5 plants in 5 gal pots and 2 lights is still a challenge.
Anyhow, sounds like the Cree Cobs on a DIY mount is the current in thing.

 

[papa canna]

Nope. Just the 1 600. I'm probably not maximizing yield with just the one light, but the spread on it is actually pretty impressive. My mentor actually suggested that I put in a couple of t5 florescents to compliment my HID and add a little variety in my spectrum. So I may just do that.

The reason I only have 1 is that I'm very limited on my cooling and I try to keep my costs down.

The reason I'm hesitant on led is because HID seems to pull great results, and it's also very simple. I'm not much of a diy Guy when it comes to electrical. And I looked at a few led diy cobs, and they still look very expensive

 

[Cobnobuler]

. I'm not much of a diy Guy when it comes to electrical. And I looked at a few led diy cobs, and they still look very expensive

Yeah me either. I wont be seeing them myself any time soon but they do seem to be the latest "thing"

 

[kiwipaulie]

Just upgrade your exhaust fan / filter. Probably alot cheaper than buying a decent led to cover that area.

What size fan you running now? I've run a 1000w in a 4x4 over our summer and its been great. I have a 6 inch fan. But going to upgrade in there near future to an 8inch.

 

[papa canna]

Just upgrade your exhaust fan / filter. Probably alot cheaper than buying a decent led to cover that area.

What size fan you running now? I've run a 1000w in a 4x4 over our summer and its been great. I have a 6 inch fan. But going to upgrade in there near future to an 8inch.

My fan is 8 inches 400 cfm. My issue being, that its just a fan out at the top of my room, its hanging out of the return air duct with a square duct to 8 inch circular adapter. My hood is open so theres nothing directing the hot air there, its just exhausting the hot air out of the top of the room.

 

[Redishx]

Vent it outside. An AC will cost less than all the LED your gonna need

 

[Mount]

Maybe just invest a 100 or 200 into a great air cooled hood and it will help... I run 1 600 in a 4x4 with a 6 inch 440cfm fan and the heat isnt an issue, plants are 10 inches from hood... I also have a 4x4 with 2 315's in it, and the same fan, they are open fixtures, no heat issue...

 

[papa canna]

Vent it outside. An AC will cost less than all the LED your gonna need

How do you go about venting outside so that the neighbors dont see?

Maybe just invest a 100 or 200 into a great air cooled hood and it will help... I run 1 600 in a 4x4 with a 6 inch 440cfm fan and the heat isnt an issue, plants are 10 inches from hood... I also have a 4x4 with 2 315's in it, and the same fan, they are open fixtures, no heat issue...

Actually i'm really considering an air cooled hood, but if I went air cooled im already pushing it at 9 plants with a 600w, so i'd probably go 1000w. Do you think an air cooled could handle 1000w in a bedroom without me having to worry about heat? I have a good place I could do intake from, but im not sure where I could put the exhaust. My only theory is to exhaust into the return air duct, but im not sure if thats a good idea.

 

[jeroly]

If an LED setup is too pricey, maybe just add some Cree LED bulbs and reflectors at about $1/watt. Relatively efficient and won't add much to the temps.

 

[Mount]

How do you go about venting outside so that the neighbors dont see?



Actually i'm really considering an air cooled hood, but if I went air cooled im already pushing it at 9 plants with a 600w, so i'd probably go 1000w. Do you think an air cooled could handle 1000w in a bedroom without me having to worry about heat? I have a good place I could do intake from, but im not sure where I could put the exhaust. My only theory is to exhaust into the return air duct, but im not sure if thats a good idea.

are you using a 5x5 space in a larger bedroom without a tent? If so you could run the 1000 but gotta get the heat out of the room..

 

[vostok]

I have been using a 600w HID mh/hps to some pretty good success. Most notably my current crop looks pretty stellar. But summers in michigan can get quite hot and humid, and I'm not going to fork out the cash for a dedicated AC unit. And If my predictions are right, this summer is going to be rough on my crops.

I'm considering switching to LED. I have 9 plants in 7 gallon pots, spread out in roughly a 5x5 area (but i can take measurements for more exact numbers) I was wondering what might be a decent brand and where I might be able to shop around at a good price. How many watts would I need? I want to keep all 9 plants and I want as much light to grow impressive crop. I know nothing about LED, and information out there seems a bit sparse. Are most of these setups multiple lights? Is one large enough to cover my entire area? Any info is helpful.

The 'real' issue here seems the plants ain't getting enough light

1x 600w does 9 plants in 15liter/3usgall pots with ease

having pots twice the size puts you out of the favored foot print 1 M2 or 1x square yard about

if this is a sequential grow I'd stick to the 3 usgallon pots for an average height of 1m /3ft tall

under the same light, maybe change your reflector

and work on turnover than volume, otherwize just double your current lighting to another 600w hps

or perhaps a 400w hps if cost is an issue ..lol

lots of options here


good luck

 

[papa canna]

are you using a 5x5 space in a larger bedroom without a tent? If so you could run the 1000 but gotta get the heat out of the room..

that Is correct. 5x5 is about(ish) the space I use at the time. I could take fresh intake from the room next to it, if I cut a hole and ran the flexible through that hole. But Im a little stuck on where to vent. I could run that flexible to to the return duct at the top of the room, but im not sure if those long runs are alright. Also im not sure if a return will take all that incoming cfm. Do you know where people usually exhaust?

 

[papa canna]

bump