Why are so many new growers choosing blurple/led over hps/mh??

LarsVegasNirvana

LarsVegasNirvana

Well-Known Member
.Smoke said:
I am running 2.6kW of HPS and at my current electric rate, that's about $115 a month. Way less than what I was paying for my weed.

So again I ask,
What made you all choose blurple/led over (what seems to be the easier way) of hps/mh?
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Where I live, electricity costs 4x as much as it does where you live. $400 a month in electricity bills is enough money to add a new 260W quantum board kit every month and still have money left over to power it.

Also, it's hot as balls where I live, and being able to run my tent 10 degrees warmer saves me even more on AC costs than I save on lighting costs.

Also, I yield more than you do both per watt and per square foot due to efficiency, optimal environment, and better spread.

Also I will never have a fire because one of my HPS bulbs just fucking exploded for no reason and rained down flaming hot death on everything in the growroom.
 
LarsVegasNirvana

LarsVegasNirvana

Well-Known Member
Even ignoring differences in electricity costs, if you cut your electricity usage in half, you'd save $57.50 per month by switching (actually more because of AC costs) which is $690 a year. Easily enough to cover quantum board upgrades for a 4x4 or 5x5.
 
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Old Newb

Active Member
LarsVegasNirvana said:
Also I will never have a fire because one of my HPS bulbs just fucking exploded for no reason and rained down flaming hot death on everything in the growroom.
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Jesus. I had the same thing happen to me with a halogen bulb about a month ago. Absolutely no reason whatsoever - *KABOOM* - sounded like someone got shot. Luckily no one was in the room when it happened.
 
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Old Newb

Active Member
sandman83 said:
I'll be honest, I have similar fears and wear disposable gloves whenever touching the bulbs to prevent any oils/residue from causing issues.
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Yes, makes a lot of sense. In my case the bulb was like 10 years old. It probably had enough of my old ass and decided to off itself.
 
LarsVegasNirvana

LarsVegasNirvana

Well-Known Member
sandman83 said:
I'll be honest, I have similar fears and wear disposable gloves whenever touching the bulbs to prevent any oils/residue from causing issues.
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They can still explode even if you use gloves. Just from manufacturing defects or whatever. Shit happens. A glass hood helps to catch the flaming hot death, but it increases heat and decreases light output.
 
sandman83

sandman83

Well-Known Member
LarsVegasNirvana said:
They can still explode even if you use gloves. Just from manufacturing defects or whatever. Shit happens. A glass hood helps to catch the flaming hot death, but it increases heat and decreases light output.
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yeah I know about the reduction in light output and UV, but I have to run air cooled hoods or I'd be cooking em. Nice to know I'm not the only paranoid one who thought of it though, I even stuck fire extinguishers and smoke detectors in the rooms.
 
LarsVegasNirvana

LarsVegasNirvana

Well-Known Member
sandman83 said:
yeah I know about the reduction in light output and UV, but I have to run air cooled hoods or I'd be cooking em. Nice to know I'm not the only paranoid one who thought of it though, I even stuck fire extinguishers and smoke detectors in the rooms.
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I have a magnetic induction bulb (from my profile pic) that I still use on an inkbird controller to heat my tent because the LEDs don't produce enough heat to hit the optimal 82F in the winter. The induction bulb puts out a ton of IR like an HPS does, so it can bring the room up to temp in a matter of seconds, then it flips off again. Doubles as an intermittent UV source.

Edit: I should mention that it could explode, but if it does it won't have any hot metal parts because it has no electrodes or filament or anything like that. The magnetic coils are only like 120F or so.
 
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.Smoke

.Smoke

Well-Known Member
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4 plant Hempy bucket.48sq.ft. Now 3kW HPS! 4/6/8wk Veg.

ALL COMMENTS ARE WELCOME!!! Strain https://shop.ilovegrowingmarijuana.com/products/skywalker-og-fem-seeds This will be my second grow. 1st grow got me 2lbs off 8 autos (Bubblegum/ Jack Herer/ OG Kush) in soil in a 4'x4' tent with a 600w HPS.(1200w last 4 weeks) I have changed damn near...
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Fevs.

Well-Known Member
In a 3ft x 3ft tent / 36'' x 36'' how much led light would you use? Interesting to know any opinions from experienced growers. I'm running out of height in a tent and have decided to buy an led. For a 3ft tent I can have 180w, 240w or 300w.
 
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ChrispyCritter

Well-Known Member
If you can dim it definitely go for 300. All will be ok but more is better in general with lights. I know that's over simplifying it but I had a 2 x3 i first had a 180 then 2 180s then a 300 then a roughly 300 cob. Getting a bigger light wil also be better in case you get a bigger tent or grow space in the future. Id strongly consider a qb if I was still in my 2x3 cab.
 
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Fevs.

Well-Known Member
I am going to buy the leds from my local hydro shop. Either getting a gn telos 10 or the sanlight 6. Looked at them the other day was not impressed with the sanlight 6 as it just looks like I'll need 2. That would cost a lot, but would also still be using the same as the current 400w ballast draws which is 440w ish. So the would there be no point other than the convenience of growing under led. I'm going to start growing 1 plant in each tent. The gn telos 10 covers that area with 300w actual draw. I've used quantem boards before, sold it to a mate after a month. I just never got on with them. Every time I knocked it the power supply on the back started buzzing. It just seemed home made and cheap. I don't doubt that they work, I know leds work well too. I like a good old heavy sealed solid unit. Don't mind paying the extra for pre made either. Not the diy type. I have 7 3ft tents and my electric is £1500 every 3 months. If I cut it by 1/3, but spend £2000 on leds I would break even in just a year. That's my thinking. My place sounds like a factory too, which has to stop.
 
Mustangmike

Mustangmike

Well-Known Member
I love led lights. I have some of the clw cobs I like em a little less than I like my solar system light I like being able to manipulate the plants responses with the control of the spectrum. All in all I love them more than my hps lights (my hooded one and my gavita). They also do not heat up my room nearly as much as that gavita did holy sheet. To each their own is really the way to go on this everyone has their shtick.
 
Jelimafish

Jelimafish

Well-Known Member
New grower here, went with Mars Hydro TS1000 because growing is not allowed in my state and my tent is 20"x20"x48". HPS would be way too hot for such a small space and the TS1000 seemed better then a bunch of CFLs. Being able to easily remove the driver to the outside of the tent is another huge plus. I can veg at 75w with super tight node spacing, probably because the light is almost the same size as the tent itself. For me I went with a cheaper led because it works for what I need it for. Since getting the light my first two plants were Male so I have no clue how it flowers but it can veg the hell out of plants, that's for sure. I currently have a 4 week old bison breath plant which I am fairly sure is female and a 2 week old Gorilla Punch from a fem seed so in a few months I will know how it works for flower. All in all I would say people buy lights based on their environment, up front cost, and cost of operation but really can only speak for myself.
 
bdt1981

bdt1981

Well-Known Member
OldMedUser said:
Millennials love new tech says the Boomer! lol View attachment 4443042

You must get cheap power where you're at @.Smoke. 2.6K x 12h/day x 30d/mth x 25¢/kwh = $234/mth for me but I rarely have more than 1K going. Just scored 3 used sets of 600W digi ballasts, Hortilux SHPS bulbs and reflectors for $60 each. Try to find the equivalent in LED for that price. Decent LED ain't cheap and I wouldn't live long enough to recoup the initial price thru power savings I bet.

Were I much younger and planned on long term growing I'd get into DIYing my own custom COBs tho.

:peace:
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Dam my electric is like .06 per kwh
 
jdog127

jdog127

Well-Known Member
Different strokes for different folks. A lot of new guys choose led's because they see other people on here using led's with extreme success with fat colorful pretty stinky sticky top shelf bud. That could be one reason but what do I know I'm just a noob with an LED.
 
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