Replacing 2000 watts of HPS with 1000 watts COB LEDs

ttystikk

ttystikk

Well-Known Member
Yodaweed said:
COB's lack in spectrum , why you think amare is adding single diodes to their cob fixtures AND a UV-B T5, COBs lack in those areas of the spectrum.

http://www.amaretechnologies.com/
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After the first several runs with mine, I can say they want for nothing in the spectrum department.

Can we split hairs and make some tweaks? Sure, but don't let those pushing said refinements fool you into thinking that top quality COB LED is anything less than the very finest in horticultural lighting today already.
 
Yodaweed

Yodaweed

Well-Known Member
ttystikk said:
After the first several runs with mine, I can say they want for nothing in the spectrum department.

Can we split hairs and make some tweaks? Sure, but don't let those pushing said refinements fool you into thinking that top quality COB LED is anything less than the very finest in horticultural lighting today already.
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What area do you run these COBs in and have you done a side by side using quality HID tech ?
 
Tstat

Tstat

Well-Known Member
So, I'm pretty surprised at how different this strain grows under cobs. It's Critical Kush and a huge yielder as well as one of the best growing kushs I've tried. The buds seem smaller and denser and maybe ripening up quicker, as well.

Now, I am reserving judgement until I harvest, but it looks like I will certainly see a decrease in yield from this strain. Although maybe the buds are denser and it yields similarly?

I still think I need more 3000k light in there and maybe just more light, period. Don't get me wrong, I am fully invested in this (just sold 2 HPS fixtures to buy more cobs!) but I want to make sure I am getting the right spectrum balance and intensity to yielded the same as before. I mean I'm pretty sure the quality will the same or maybe even better...
 
ttystikk

ttystikk

Well-Known Member
Tstat said:
So, I'm pretty surprised at how different this strain grows under cobs. It's Critical Kush and a huge yielder as well as one of the best growing kushs I've tried. The buds seem smaller and denser and maybe ripening up quicker, as well.

Now, I am reserving judgement until I harvest, but it looks like I will certainly see a decrease in yield from this strain. Although maybe the buds are denser and it yields similarly?

I still think I need more 3000k light in there and maybe just more light, period. Don't get me wrong, I am fully invested in this (just sold 2 HPS fixtures to buy more cobs!) but I want to make sure I am getting the right spectrum balance and intensity to yielded the same as before. I mean I'm pretty sure the quality will the same or maybe even better...
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Way too many variables to do anything more than his at yields, but I can tell you that you'll enjoy the improved quality.
 
Tstat

Tstat

Well-Known Member
Yea, I hear ya. I was never trying to get better yields, just stay the same I think. It may yield the same, I don't know yet. Just observationally, I can see these grow much differently than under HPS.
 
Tstat

Tstat

Well-Known Member
This might be a stupid question, but I was wondering if anyone has any input. Pretty soon I will have 800 watts of cobs over my 7x3 RDWC system. Since it seems like I may have a bit of a drop-off in production, I was wondering what I could do differently now that I am running cobs. Or, what practices can help me optimize my system?

Is 800 watts enough? Do certain strains perform better under cobs? What is the best distance to have the lights from the canopy? Is RDWC the best way to go with cobs? Best nutes or additives? Etc.

Thanks!
 
ttystikk

ttystikk

Well-Known Member
Tstat said:
This might be a stupid question, but I was wondering if anyone has any input. Pretty soon I will have 800 watts of cobs over my 7x3 RDWC system. Since it seems like I may have a bit of a drop-off in production, I was wondering what I could do differently now that I am running cobs. Or, what practices can help me optimize my system?

Is 800 watts enough? Do certain strains perform better under cobs? What is the best distance to have the lights from the canopy? Is RDWC the best way to go with cobs? Best nutes or additives? Etc.

Thanks!
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You should not see a decrease in yield, even if you were running as much as 2kW of SE HPS unless you're running your COB LED chips pretty hard. Between their improved efficiency and the fact that more light sources means better light distribution over the canopy, I believe you'll be pleasantly surprised.

What were you running before and what were you yielding?
 
Tstat

Tstat

Well-Known Member
I'm not sure because I stagger my harvests. So, I harvest a few ounces every other week or so. I have 16 plant sites and they usually yield at least an oz per plant. For much of the year I ran 2000 watts of HPS. I cut it down to 1600 in the warm months.

It's just an observation at this point that the buds seem smaller and tighter for sure. The plant (Critical Kush) just looks very different under the cobs. I don't neccesarily think its bad, but this whole cob thing is new and I'm just anxious to see how it pans out.
 
kfos

kfos

Active Member
i have a 6x6 running with a California light works 440 solar storm with uvb and a 600 hps hortilux. huge difference in power. the 600 cant compare
 
ttystikk

ttystikk

Well-Known Member
Tstat said:
I'm not sure because I stagger my harvests. So, I harvest a few ounces every other week or so. I have 16 plant sites and they usually yield at least an oz per plant. For much of the year I ran 2000 watts of HPS. I cut it down to 1600 in the warm months.

It's just an observation at this point that the buds seem smaller and tighter for sure. The plant (Critical Kush) just looks very different under the cobs. I don't neccesarily think its bad, but this whole cob thing is new and I'm just anxious to see how it pans out.
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My nugs dimensions are somewhat smaller but much denser. Definitely more weight.
 
Tstat

Tstat

Well-Known Member
Ok, cool. I like the sound of that. I know I'm jumping the gun and reacting to the switch to cobs. It's just such a difference in how the same strain looks and feels. I certainly see much more density of the buds...
 
Tstat

Tstat

Well-Known Member
So, I figured I should finally get around to some reflection. Cheap, easy way to improve I think. I picked up a roll of Reflectex at Home Depot:


This is what's going on directly under the cobs. Sorry for the yellow tinge to these, I didn't feel like shutting down the HPS.

Some closeups:


I even had enough to spruce up the veg area:
 
ttystikk

ttystikk

Well-Known Member
Tstat said:
So, I figured I should finally get around to some reflection. Cheap, easy way to improve I think. I picked up a roll of Reflectex at Home Depot:


This is what's going on directly under the cobs. Sorry for the yellow tinge to these, I didn't feel like shutting down the HPS.

Some closeups:


I even had enough to spruce up the veg area:
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I'm using panda for a similar effect.

The vertical racks I run are all trellis from floor to ceiling, but when I covered floor and ceiling with white plastic my performance improved noticeably.

It happened again when I wrapped a roll of Tyvek (Orca) all the way around the outside of the trellis panels. This reflected light back in that missed the buds the first time.

In the pics of my COB LED room, you'll see the white plastic everywhere, floor to ceiling as well as behind the plants.
 
nogod_

nogod_

Well-Known Member
You arent going to match yields going from 2000w of HID to 800w of LED. Not at this point in time anyway.

Throw some more photons in there. You arent anywhere near the density of when you were running those HIDs so naturally you arent going to get the same results.

I like the approach, pretty sweet to see how your room performs with half the wattage and go from there.

Tstat said:
I'm not sure because I stagger my harvests. So, I harvest a few ounces every other week or so. I have 16 plant sites and they usually yield at least an oz per plant. For much of the year I ran 2000 watts of HPS. I cut it down to 1600 in the warm months.

It's just an observation at this point that the buds seem smaller and tighter for sure. The plant (Critical Kush) just looks very different under the cobs. I don't neccesarily think its bad, but this whole cob thing is new and I'm just anxious to see how it pans out.
Click to expand...
 
Colo MMJ

Colo MMJ

Well-Known Member
Airwalker16 said:
AGAIN...

Buy M3x8mm SELF TAPPING Pan Head screws off of ebay. They're black. Then go to harbor freight and buy a 7 pack of Titanium Nitride bits 7/64". Drill your holes and use a screwdriver on the screws and you can make your own threads by hand. Tapping is not necessary. Hope this helps. I've done every hole this way. It's ALL less than $5.

Screws (take a while to ship so order like... NOW):
http://m.ebay.com/itm/M3-Black-Cross-pan-Head-Self-Tapping-Screws-Black-Oxide-Electronic-small-Screw-/172178450739?nav=SEARCH

Or without the tail/

http://m.ebay.com/itm/M3-Black-Oxide-Cross-Pan-Head-Cut-the-tail-Slotting-Self-Tapping-Screws-/172138405908?nav=SEARCH&varId=470976070116

Drill Bits :
http://m.harborfreight.com/7-64-inch-high-speed-steel-titanium-nitride-drill-bits-7-pack-93078.html?utm_referrer=direct/not provided
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Where can you get a good alum frame that is not too much? I see heavier metal at home depot for creating light tracks or something
 
MeGaKiLlErMaN

MeGaKiLlErMaN

Well-Known Member
Yodaweed said:
What area do you run these COBs in and have you done a side by side using quality HID tech ?
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There have been a few side by sides, Ill be running one myself just to have some more info, Ill be pushing a 100W DE HPS vs 800 W Cree 4000Ks, plus a normal HPS in a 4x4 (there others will be a 5x5 because of the spread.) But as a few people have shown its hard to call yourself good if you arent hitting around a 1.2-1.5 G/W on good quality cobs... It has everything to do with efficiency.
 
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