LED Grow Light Very Weak All of a sudden

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guitarguy10

Well-Known Member
I woke up today to check on my plants and the LED grow light that I'm using is very weak, like the light coming from it is maybe 10% as bright as it should be.

I've had this light for only like 5-6 weeks, it was an expensive quality 240W light, does anyone know what could cause this?

I have it unplugged at the moment hoping that letting it cool down will do something (I doubt it it's been about half an hour and same thing).

Thankfully it didn't go *totally* out or else my plants would have received many more hours of dark today then they should have but the light is extremely weak. Does anyone know what could cause this, and possible solutions?

I never once had a problem with my MH or HPS grows, not happy cuz this light was several hundred dollars. This is the light that I am using: https://gn.uk/led-grow-lights/gn-telos-8
 
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guitarguy10

Well-Known Member
Update: It went on full intensity for a few seconds and then flickered back to the low intensity.

This is really pissing me off and I hope these dimmed lights havnt fucked up my plants, its been like this for possibly 12+ hours. Plants are still in veg (was about to flip the lights in the next 2-3 days in fact).
 
diggs99

diggs99

Well-Known Member
Plants should be fine, don't sound so optimistic about your lights tho. Sucks bud, not sure what to tell you other than call the company

For real tho, according to what I've seen and the reading I have done, this shouldn't have any ill affect on your plants at all.
 
rkymtnman

rkymtnman

Well-Known Member
guitarguy10 said:
Update: It went on full intensity for a few seconds and then flickered back to the low intensity.
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you don't happen to have a kill-a-watt ? (device that measures what a device draws in watts from the wall socket)

i'm hardly an expert but maybe your LED driver is faulty.
 
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guitarguy10

Well-Known Member
tstick said:
What brand of LED grow light is it?
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It is this light : https://gn.uk/led-grow-lights/gn-telos-8

Yes I also believe it is a driver issue, and I am in the process of contacting the manufacturer. Unfortunately I don't think my plants will be as patient as I need to be in waiting the days or possibly weeks for them to send me a replacement part :/

No I don't have a kill-a-watt but all my stuff is plugged into a UPS so there should be no issues with dirty power I wouldn't think.
 
PSUAGRO.

PSUAGRO.

Well-Known Member
Probably the driver, just a rough guess with the limited info.

Stupid" question= Have you plugged it in directly to the wall, bypassing the UPS? Also, wiggle the cord to the driver and unit see if it's loose/ light output changes.

yes, a kill-a-watt meter would help

shit happens, good luck grower
 
Randomblame

Randomblame

Well-Known Member
guitarguy10 said:
It is this light : https://gn.uk/led-grow-lights/gn-telos-8

Yes I also believe it is a driver issue, and I am in the process of contacting the manufacturer. Unfortunately I don't think my plants will be as patient as I need to be in waiting the days or possibly weeks for them to send me a replacement part :/

No I don't have a kill-a-watt but all my stuff is plugged into a UPS so there should be no issues with dirty power I wouldn't think.
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Sounds like a driver issue. Are there one or two rubber grommets? If yes, try to turn up the voltage regulator maybe there is something wrong with its settings. If not contact the seller maybe they will send you a replacement driver and you can fix it yourself. Better as sending it back, waiting for the new one and loosing the whole crop.
 
Rocket Soul

Rocket Soul

Well-Known Member
When you say low intensity: is all leds on, but with low intensity, or are only half (or similar) on?

In any case if youre only 5-6 weeks in i would raise it with the retailer as not fit for purpose under the sale of goods act (assuming you bought this in the UK). Its up to your retailer to prove it was sold in good condition.
 
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guitarguy10

Well-Known Member
I live in Canada and borrowed the light from a friend who I dunno why he bought it from the UK.

All of the LEDs were dim.

Shouldn't matter now though cuz I've got a 400W HPS in there now and will probably just finish out the grow with it. On that note though how do you think the LED I was using (https://gn.uk/led-grow-lights/gn-telos-8 ) would compare with using a 400W HPS? This was the first time I've grown with LED (was happy with the results in veg, dunno if HPS for flower is superior or not?
 
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Aqua Man

Well-Known Member
PSUAGRO. said:
Probably the driver, just a rough guess with the limited info.

Stupid" question= Have you plugged it in directly to the wall, bypassing the UPS? Also, wiggle the cord to the driver and unit see if it's loose/ light output changes.

yes, a kill-a-watt meter would help

shit happens, good luck grower
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I have personally seen UPS units fuck shit up (well fail).... short of that it's likely the driver
 
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Rocket Soul

Rocket Soul

Well-Known Member
guitarguy10 said:
I live in Canada and borrowed the light from a friend who I dunno why he bought it from the UK.

All of the LEDs were dim.

Shouldn't matter now though cuz I've got a 400W HPS in there now and will probably just finish out the grow with it. On that note though how do you think the LED I was using (https://gn.uk/led-grow-lights/gn-telos-8 ) would compare with using a 400W HPS? This was the first time I've grown with LED (was happy with the results in veg, dunno if HPS for flower is superior or not?
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Hard to say. Counting photon per photon, yes they would have a similar output, although the led will only do 240w at the plug. Is it running warm? Especially around the power supply?

Id say powersupply if all the leds are weak.

If under warranty service isnt feasible due to shipping etc id id h a go at opening up the light, unpowered obviously, and trying to checknout what driver is in there. More than likely its a meanwell driver that can be replaced for about 50$. Try to get some photos of the driver/power supply especially the model nr etc on the sticker

For now go for your hps 400
 
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guitarguy10

Well-Known Member
Rocket Soul said:
Hard to say. Counting photon per photon, yes they would have a similar output, although the led will only do 240w at the plug. Is it running warm? Especially around the power supply?

Id say powersupply if all the leds are weak.

If under warranty service isnt feasible due to shipping etc id id h a go at opening up the light, unpowered obviously, and trying to checknout what driver is in there. More than likely its a meanwell driver that can be replaced for about 50$. Try to get some photos of the driver/power supply especially the model nr etc on the sticker

For now go for your hps 400
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He says the light works fine now that there was just a 'loose wire'. I have the choice now of using that full spectrum 240W LED or this 400W HPS now and not sure which is better, they are under HPS now, just dunno if a lesser wattage LED that covers more spectrum is better. I've always been an HID grower, this is my first forey into LED and only because my friend has one.

On a different note, it's this guys very first grow and he's bought 3 lights, 2 tents, 2 different expensive cloners and 8 (yes EIGHT) different lines of nutrients. I keep telling him to just stick to one damned method/line and he'll be good but here we are I'm 5 week into veg and he doesn't even have a seedling. Feel bad for him except he is a great resource for borrowing expensive equipment lol.

Anyways, if you had the choice which would you prefer to flower under, this 240W LED or a 400W HPS light?
 
crimsonecho

crimsonecho

Well-Known Member
guitarguy10 said:
He says the light works fine now that there was just a 'loose wire'. I have the choice now of using that full spectrum 240W LED or this 400W HPS now and not sure which is better, they are under HPS now, just dunno if a lesser wattage LED that covers more spectrum is better. I've always been an HID grower, this is my first forey into LED and only because my friend has one.

On a different note, it's this guys very first grow and he's bought 3 lights, 2 tents, 2 different expensive cloners and 8 (yes EIGHT) different lines of nutrients. I keep telling him to just stick to one damned method/line and he'll be good but here we are I'm 5 week into veg and he doesn't even have a seedling. Feel bad for him except he is a great resource for borrowing expensive equipment lol.

Anyways, if you had the choice which would you prefer to flower under, this 240W LED or a 400W HPS light?
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I’d go with the led. You know what hps can do. Why not try the leds?
 
Rocket Soul

Rocket Soul

Well-Known Member
Id try the new light, you already seem clued up to how to use it (bit more heat than a hps grow).

Edit: wow, we literally posted the same answer at the same time
 
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