Mars LED lighting

[griggzzzy]

hi all when i switch to flower i will be using 2 x 600w HPS lights as this is what ive got for this grow but ive been liking the look of the LED lighting . i was going to buy 2 but was chatting to my guy in local grow shop and he said LED are a few years off being any good especially in the £100 - £200 Mark . he helped me no end to this point and have no reason not to belive him i was just interested in all of your views and pros and cons you have came across using them
i would be using 1 decent size LED per 4 plants in a 4ft x 8ft x 6.6ft tall tent with good airflow 4in intake and 6 inch exhaust growing master kush id only be using the LED for fliwer stage if i was to use one

 

[SouthCross]

You'd need twelve 300 watt box LEDs to replace the two 600 watt Hps. They actually run about 100 watts each. As for LEDs lagging on technology....Your guy at the shop has never seen COBs. 1200 watts of HPS can be replaced with 400- 600 watts in COBs.

I first started using LEDs with 2 Hydro galaxy 300 watts. MARS's direct competition. Spent three months growing fluff buds. No weight at all. They looked solid but turned out airy. Now both of those "300 watt" units are sitting on a shelf.

I'm currently growing using 4 COBs at around 200 watts. The performance makes the box LEDs look like junk.

 

[InTheValley]

Southcross, you could always change the diodes in those things, they dont have enough 4000k spectrum for penetrational purposes. Thats just my opinion on those blurple lights.

 

[NinjaShamen]

I agree with southcross, cobs are your best bet. I just came to this thread to see the mars picnic girls... they're not here yet though

 

[OrganicGorilla]

MARS is shit. Don't buy into that shit! Buy some COBs or QBs.

 

[InTheValley]

Oh, i agree 100%. I bought 2 of those 300w, and wish i didnt rush it, or wish i knew more now then 4 months ago. Im saving up for 2 HighBay shoplights LEDs, 4000k and will be making a Farred initiator. Right now, Im running a mars300, but i changed the diodes and its kickin ass now. I think anyways,lol.. So Im going to run this till i get my HighBays. But i cant complain with this modded Mars, at this point anyways. I flipped 2 days ago, so it will be interesting to see how it does from here on out. here is 29 days from seed. Going to start a journal today probably for this trip.

 

[Tim Fox]

i sold my mars 300 to a guy on craigslist,, never even used it,, before my plants ever started i build 2 cree cobs into a panel,, now i have 4 cree 3070 and 4 citi 1812's,, never going back to little diode china blurple lights,, yuck

 

[InTheValley]

My budget is tighter then an elephants a$$, I have to go the cheapest route possible.

 

[Tim Fox]

My budget is tighter then an elephants a$$, I have to go the cheapest route possible.

citi cobs are only 18 dollars each,,,, passive heat sinks 18 bucks,, singlle driver 16 bucks,, how cheap do you need it

and one of those will put out over 10,000 lumens for a single cobs,, blowing away any mars panel on the cheap

 

[InTheValley]

im in a 2x2, but going to build a 3x4. Going to be more then $52 to get great coverage on 12sqf?

 

[Tim Fox]

im in a 2x2, but going to build a 3x4. Going to be more then $52 to get great coverage on 12sqf?

so you somehow feel that mars is going to give you "great coverage" on the cheap,, if os you wil learn the lesson the hard way i guess, like m any others have

 

[InTheValley]

I need at least 84,000 lumens, ( i know i know LED and growing and Lumens means shit) but that is alot of light with a respectable spectrum.

 

[Tim Fox]

if you are going to run a 3x4, then get a timber cob set up,, and rock that space,,,

but if money is a problem,, then i suggest you get a bulb,, like a 600 watt set up from amzaon,, at least you wil lbe happy https://www.amazon.com/iPower-GLSETX600DHMAC6-600-Watt-Digital-Dimmable/dp/B005GYRZV2/ref=sr_1_6?s=lawn-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1500999840&sr=1-6&keywords=600+watt+grow+light

 

[InTheValley]

so you somehow feel that mars is going to give you "great coverage" on the cheap,, if os you wil learn the lesson the hard way i guess, like m any others have

Brother, I didnt say that man, Im here to agree Mars is SHIT, It just so happens, thats what I have to work with right now. But I also said, I changed the diodes and getting 700 par at 30 inches in my 2x2 with 125 watts, and its working for this small grow.

 

[InTheValley]

If i ask for 1 more thing for this shit, Im going to get a high heels to my teeth.

 

[InTheValley]

I put lenses on it too, forgot to mention. lol, they make a big difference. I think im actually still to close to the plants to be honest. I gave my other Mars300 away that had lenses, because it didnt really do shit for the plants. I did a timelapse on the grow to see response from the Mars300 with lenses and then my modded Mars with the 4000k diodes, and the difference was almost instant. I could of did the diodes in that one too, but it was a pain in the ass for 1, and then waiting for 3 weeks for the dam diodes made me say, Fk that. Plus, 2 mars300 in the 2x2 made a sht ton of heat.

 

[griggzzzy]

yeah i think as a beginner at all this il keep it simple and walk before i run il stick with the 600w hps bulbs lol seems like the mars units are a hands down no though atleast i got that lol

 

[InTheValley]

Check out Tim Fox post, maybe he can put some info on the set-up he mentioned above. 10,000 lumens is awesome. Mars300w $70 light only has 4,100 lumens, and i think that is a stretch.

and shit, your fine with 1200 REAL watts usage power wise, that might be up your alley.

I think i might even look into what he says.

I like these HighBay LEDs lights, they have 15,800 lumens for 110 watts each. they also have 165 watts units, for $140 i think it was for 23,000 lumens. meesure 2ft by 13inches.

just stay away from blurple, lol..

 

[InTheValley]

citi cobs are only 18 dollars each,,,, passive heat sinks 18 bucks,, singlle driver 16 bucks,, how cheap do you need it

and one of those will put out over 10,000 lumens for a single cobs,, blowing away any mars panel on the cheap

How many watts used for each unit?

Im putting plans together for a 5x3 and crunching numbers.

i can get 47,520 lumens for $300 and 330 watts. Power usage is important. 350watts is pretty max for me

Thanks Tim

 

[Yodaweed]

You'd need twelve 300 watt box LEDs to replace the two 600 watt Hps. They actually run about 100 watts each. As for LEDs lagging on technology....Your guy at the shop has never seen COBs. 1200 watts of HPS can be replaced with 400- 600 watts in COBs.

I first started using LEDs with 2 Hydro galaxy 300 watts. MARS's direct competition. Spent three months growing fluff buds. No weight at all. They looked solid but turned out airy. Now both of those "300 watt" units are sitting on a shelf.

I'm currently growing using 4 COBs at around 200 watts. The performance makes the box LEDs look like junk.

You got proof? Cause those numbers seem way off, that's less than half the wattage, you saying 200w of COB's replace a 600w hps right?

According to this LED manufacturer 200w of cob's only covers a 2x2 area with 96 PAR watts(48% efficient).

http://timbergrowlights.com/200-watt-citizen-clu048-square-framework/


Also according to their website it has 96 PAR watts, and a 400w hps has about 130 PAR watts(32% efficient)

A 400 watt HPS lamp has less PAR, typically 120 to 128 watts, but because the light is yellow it is rated at higher lumens (for the human eye). “Illumination” for plants can be measured in PAR watts per square meter.

https://sunmastergrowlamps.com/plant-science/


So 200w of the best COB's doesn't even replace the cheapest 400w setup, let alone come close to a quality 600w which is the most efficient of all SE HID lights, and we haven't even touched on DE lights and CMH lights.