Cheapest starter LEDs?

[CobKits]

yeah i dunno. they def give uniform coverage and nice results but those bulbs brand new arent even 100 lm/W. and drop to about 90 after a few mos

a current gen cob run to the absolute limit is 120-140 lm/W at $0.10-$0.15/W.

fluorescent bulbs are $0.10-$0.15/W and thats per year

 

[sixstring2112]

No way it has 160k lumens but it should be fine.

It might be closer than you think if they drive it to 1200w.hell a traditional 1000w hps will hit 144,000 lumen new and the double ended lamps do put out more light.

 

[frica]

yeah i dunno. they def give uniform coverage and nice results but those bulbs brand new arent even 100 lm/W. and drop to about 90 after a few mos

a current gen cob run to the absolute limit is 120-140 lm/W at $0.10-$0.15/W.

fluorescent bulbs are $0.10-$0.15/W and thats per year

T5HO tubes from Osram drop to about 90 after 19k hours.

I completely understand you, but for people who can't spend much and want to test the waters of growing it's perfectly viable.
130 dollars for 320 watt, ready. Plug and play.

COBs are better, but do have a higher starting price.
And require assembling, if you go DIY.

It may not be interesting for 95% of the regulars here, but the average Joe who just wants to try out growing weed for the first time it's pretty nice.

But give it 1-2 generations max and those fixtures will be beaten by LEDs at that pricepoint, easily.

Maybe LED tubes are already superior enough for pricepoint and convenience.
An 18 watt T8 phillips Led Tub has 2300 lm (50% more efficient than 54watt Phillips T5HO)
Also has way less reflector losses because it's directional and you can probably easily remove the cover for more brightness.

But the same length T5HO 54 watt tube has 2000 lumen more and is 10 times cheaper.

But TL is only relevant for absolute newcomers who just want convenience.

COBs are superior.

 

[Giggsy70]

https://www.amazon.com/Spectrum-Lig...ana&refinements=p_n_condition-type:6358196011

Has anyone tried this light ? Am thinking of putting in my 4x8 on a moveable rail so it covers the whole tent.

 

[Olive Drab Green]

I'm sure everyone knew that I'd reiterate ViparSpectra's viability as an option for a starter light here.

450w: https://www.amazon.com/VIPARSPECTRA...d=1470859005&sr=8-1&keywords=viparspectra+led

(I use two of these.)

300w: https://www.amazon.com/VIPARSPECTRA...d=1470859005&sr=8-3&keywords=viparspectra+led

(For 50 bucks more, get the 450.)

600w: https://www.amazon.com/VIPARSPECTRA...d=1470859005&sr=8-2&keywords=viparspectra+led

900w: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00UORXSIU?psc=1

The Tasty T1-2100 or T2-2100 are both great lights with more power and better efficiency, as well. The T1 is $209. Buying from Tasty also supports this site. So either Tasty or VS.

 

[The Dawg]

Cheap You Say Well How About A Mars Led Their As About As Cheap As They Get. After It Fucks Up Then You Can Go Buy A Real One. Beside They Do Have Some Hot Chicks Working Their And They Throw A Rocking BBQ Party

 

[Olive Drab Green]

Cheap You Say Well How About A Mars Led Their As About As Cheap As They Get. After It Fucks Up Then You Can Go Buy A Real One. Beside They Do Have Some Hot Chicks Working Their And They Throw A Rocking BBQ Party

lul. Not that ViparSpectra is necessarily better, but I think I do trust them a bit more than Mars. I have seen some good grows from Mars users, though. Depends on who. Despite Mars having stronger reds than my ViparSpectra, I think my ViparSpectra flowers better, but this is just me talking out my ass, as I, personally, have never grown with Mars. I BELIEVE that the ViparSpectra puts out better PAR, though.

 

[JorgeGonzales]

Unless you think LEDs are just neato and that's your reason to grow with them, VIPAR/Mars whatever lights are running hotter and cost more per watt than an equivalent HPS light, so where is the advantage? I guess you could say spectrum, but that's speculation at best.

That goes for the OP as well. If you don't have an LED budget, just buy a nice HPS and move on. Stay away from any light that draws 200W and is labeled 450W.

And speaking of spectrums, what is up with this?


It's cool they provide this data, but that is like, a lot of blue.

 

[nevergoodenuf]

@Olive Drab Green The light might work, but that is as shady as it get when it come to advertising.
They call it a 450w, technical details say it's a 450w, then you find somewhere hide that it only draws about 200 watt. That make's it a 200 watt light nothing more.

 

[Olive Drab Green]

Unless you think LEDs are just neato and that's your reason to grow with them, VIPAR/Mars whatever lights are running hotter and cost more per watt than an equivalent HPS light, so where is the advantage? I guess you could say spectrum, but that's speculation at best.

That goes for the OP as well. If you don't have an LED budget, just buy a nice HPS and move on. Stay away from any light that draws 200W and is labeled 450W.

And speaking of spectrums, what is up with this?
View attachment 3754373

It's cool they provide this data, but that is like, a lot of blue.

My lights don't run hot. And they run at 50% efficiency. And, yeah, spectrum was what I was getting at.

I dunno what you guys don't get about "It draws 206w, but puts out 450w worth of photons." A TastyLED T1-2100 is a 78w COB and puts out 60-80 more micromols than my 450w. But how can this be, according to your bullshit theory that draw watts are equal to what's put out? That's because your logic is heavily flawed.

 

[Olive Drab Green]

A ViparSpectra V450 puts out about 420 micromols at 24". The TastyLED, running at only 78w, puts out 480. This is why you guys seriously need to get off the idea that what it draws is its actual output power. It doesn't work like HIDs, CFLs, or incandescents. The light is all PAR-specific, and LEDs are just naturally more efficient. If you want to talk about running hot, go ahead and get that 600w HPS with ballast, hood, and extra shit to clutter up your grow room that you'll have to concern yourself with, displacing air and increasing heat via that displacement on top of the heat HIDs give off normally. Go ahead and worry about your electricity bill, as well. I run two 450s with no concern for the temperature, because it doesn't fluctuate more than a few degrees, if it all.

 

[The Dawg]

Really Come On Fellas Their Some Really Hot Chinese Chicks In The Video. Hell Do What I Do Once A Week And That Is I Masturbate To It.

 

[PCXV]

A ViparSpectra V450 puts out about 420 micromols at 24". The TastyLED, running at only 78w, puts out 480. This is why you guys seriously need to get off the idea that what it draws is its actual output power. It doesn't work like HIDs, CFLs, or incandescents. The light is all PAR-specific, and LEDs are just naturally more efficient. If you want to talk about running hot, go ahead and get that 600w HPS with ballast, hood, and extra shit to clutter up your grow room that you'll have to concern yourself with, displacing air and increasing heat via that displacement on top of the heat HIDs give off normally. Go ahead and worry about your electricity bill, as well. I run two 450s with no concern for the temperature, because it doesn't fluctuate more than a few degrees, if it all.

So the TastyLED T1-2100 will grow similarly to your ViparSpectra V450 but at about half the wattage? What exactly is the advantage of COB over normal LED like the ViparSpectra?

 

[Olive Drab Green]

So the TastyLED T1-2100 will grow similarly to your ViparSpectra V450 but at about half the wattage? What exactly is the advantage of COB over normal LED like the ViparSpectra?

Efficiency, mostly. It has an intelligent driver. They are also usually full spectrum, whereas some regular LEDs are mostly in bands, but some such as the Vipar are still full spectrum. COBs typically have really good penetration power, as well.

 

[CobKits]

T5HO tubes from Osram drop to about 90 after 19k hours.

I completely understand you, but for people who can't spend much and want to test the waters of growing it's perfectly viable.
130 dollars for 320 watt, ready. Plug and play.

COBs are better, but do have a higher starting price.
And require assembling, if you go DIY.

It may not be interesting for 95% of the regulars here, but the average Joe who just wants to try out growing weed for the first time it's pretty nice.

But give it 1-2 generations max and those fixtures will be beaten by LEDs at that pricepoint, easily.

Maybe LED tubes are already superior enough for pricepoint and convenience.
An 18 watt T8 phillips Led Tub has 2300 lm (50% more efficient than 54watt Phillips T5HO)
Also has way less reflector losses because it's directional and you can probably easily remove the cover for more brightness.

But the same length T5HO 54 watt tube has 2000 lumen more and is 10 times cheaper.

But TL is only relevant for absolute newcomers who just want convenience.

COBs are superior.

the 2100 17W philips led t8 replacements are $10 at home depot, and they are $5-$8 for similar on ebay. so unless your T5HOs are under a buck the 10x cost example is off.

 

[The Dawg]

 

[Airwalker16]

Getian. HANDS down.

 

[frica]

the 2100 17W philips led t8 replacements are $10 at home depot, and they are $5-$8 for similar on ebay. so unless your T5HOs are under a buck the 10x cost example is off.

I was only looking quickly at a webshop in my country for the price tbh.

 

[The Dawg]

Getian. HANDS down.

 

[Madagascar]

What do u guys use to measure the amount of light the plant is getting w LED?