2.7 grams per watt Leds, truth or hype?

[evergreengardener]

I do understand that the boards definitely aren't the best, but for those of you that are running "the best" my question is are you really getting 2.5gpw in your hands @ harvest, or is that just the "theoretical number" you calculated?

I've seen a lot of posts over the years with people who run "the best", and from the looks of the plants they're nowhere near 2.5gpw. More like .5-.75 if they're lucky...

Im just getting into led so i dont run top of the line either but ive personally seen 600w from the wall pull 2 pounds in a (4x4 space table not tent). which is pretty good imo but still only like 1.5 a watt. I dont see 2.5 a watt as a thing unless growing boof like big bud

 

[Johnny Lawrence]

I've been running 2 of them for about a week and ordered the other 4 today.
I was impressed enough for the price to shelve over $3k worth of HID equipment...

How does $1000 worth of LEDs replace $3000 worth of HID? Gold plated ballasts???

 

[Johnny Lawrence]

2.5g/watt is fantasy land. Believe not sir I've done 2 flower cycles with a 660w qb and a 450w qb. There is no increase in yield versus HID. You're saving electricity

If you're saving in electricity, then that means you're running less power. If you had replaced your HID setup watt for watt, then your yields would have increased

 

[cobshopgrow]

I do understand that the boards definitely aren't the best, but for those of you that are running "the best" my question is are you really getting 2.5gpw in your hands @ harvest, or is that just the "theoretical number" you calculated?

I've seen a lot of posts over the years with people who run "the best", and from the looks of the plants they're nowhere near 2.5gpw. More like .5-.75 if they're lucky...

myself is getting a good 2g a watt, while there is room for improvement in many regards, am for sure not the best grower out there or producing much more then usual on a given area.

i probably take a bit more efforts in my light distribution then most, therefore i dont need that many watts to get the needed photons to the plant.
below is a 3x3 tent used at 180w average, wouldnt wonder if 160w wont saturate them allready as i am not using extra co2 and been in to the bleaching teritory this grow allready.

its dry since longer trimmed and in bags atm, still need to remove some stems and jar, closest bet so far is 360-380g buds, fine for me.

as i say, it prob dont produce you more on a area, but you can save a ton of elcectricity if done right.

 

[FastFreddi]

myself is getting a good 2g a watt, while there is room for improvement in many regards, am for sure not the best grower out there or producing much more then usual on a given area.

i probably take a bit more efforts in my light distribution then most, therefore i dont need that many watts to get the needed photons to the plant.
below is a 3x3 tent used at 180w average, wouldnt wonder if 160w wont saturate them allready as i am not using extra co2 and been in to the bleaching teritory this grow allready.
View attachment 4868366
its dry since longer trimmed and in bags atm, still need to remove some stems and jar, closest bet so far is 360-380g buds, fine for me.

as i say, it prob dont produce you more on a area, but you can save a ton of elcectricity if done right.

That's pretty incredible.
FF

 

[jonnynobody]

If you're saving in electricity, then that means you're running less power. If you had replaced your HID setup watt for watt, then your yields would have increased

There is a max output before you're just frying foliage. 660w in LED is equivalent to 1000w HID in my experience. I could not run more than 1000w without frying foliage given my headspace. I could also not run more than 660w in LED as replacement for those 1000w lights = same output. Just saving in electricity. Sure GPW goes up, but nothing looney tunes like 2.5gpw. Those assholes are just trying to sell lights homie

I hear you'll also run faster and be a better soccer player if you drink gatorade Marketing hype is as old as time.

 

[MidnightSun72]

not really...?
i run 1,330w in a 5x5....
2x 315 cmh
2x 240 dual cob led combo
2x 110w cob led combo
temps 77-80

This is beautiful combo!

 

[Jjgrow420]

This is beautiful combo!

thanks man
the one in the backs been changed with a double as well. just some older models i bought on whims or possibly while high and never used or used em once and boxed em. even tho they all were great lmao. so fuck it. pop em in there and pump that par up

 

[jonnynobody]

thanks man
the one in the backs been changed with a double as well. just some older models i bought on whims or possibly while high and never used or used em once and boxed em. even tho they all were great lmao. so fuck it. pop em in there and pump that par upView attachment 4868389

Fucking love it! That's actually pretty dope dude. No shit. That's 1330w of total output. You're looking at 1.5-2# per run. That'll keep you and your buddies smoking until your next harvest

 

[Jjgrow420]

Fucking love it! That's actually pretty dope dude. No shit. That's 1330w of total output. You're looking at 1.5-2# per run. That'll keep you and your buddies smoking until your next harvest

ya im looking for around 2.5lbs this run but thats just countin chickens. wont know till the end. im doing mostley new to me strains so we shall see. i threw in a few producers i knew would bump my total up in case a few strains didnt produce.
with the way me and the wife smoke ill be lucky if ill make it halfway to next harvest lmfao

 

[cobshopgrow]

There is a max output before you're just frying foliage. 660w in LED is equivalent to 1000w HID in my experience. I could not run more than 1000w without frying foliage given my headspace. I could also not run more than 660w in LED as replacement for those 1000w lights = same output. Just saving in electricity. Sure GPW goes up, but nothing looney tunes like 2.5gpw. Those assholes are just trying to sell lights homie

I hear you'll also run faster and be a better soccer player if you drink gatorade Marketing hype is as old as time.

there is further saving possible, you can not only replace the 1000W with a 660W led (just taking your example).
you can also distrubute the 660w led better and bring it closer to the canopy.
less losses in reflections, more light brought to the plants.
reflective tentwalls closeby do play a good role too, a half feet is a lot there.

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is some good read.

but well, you guys are right that 2.5g a watt isnt a given for sure, its really a sales argument, also taken for lights which clearly can not do this.

while i still would say its doable and in the future it will become easier and easier as the leds improve on a regular base, 660nm reds are hitting real high numbers above 4 qmol a watt, f.e.

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white leds are 230 lumen per watt +, first going over 3 qmol a watt.
a ten percent here a ten percent there and its very reachable, watt saving wise, not yield per area.
i never could work with a elite cut, really can imagine there is another 10-20% hidden.
while 2.7, prob only a few strains can produce, critical, big bud, me guess.

 

[.Smoke]

How does $1000 worth of LEDs replace $3000 worth of HID? Gold plated ballasts???

I wasn't running it all at the same time and may have overpriced a bit, but 3- 600w, 3- 1000w hps, and a 315 cmh ballasts, 3 sun system yield masters and a magnum low profile hood + 2 years worth of bulbs is a decent chunk of change that's now going into storage replaced by 150w led for veg and 1320w for flower.

Im just getting into led so i dont run top of the line either but ive personally seen 600w from the wall pull 2 pounds in a (4x4 space table not tent). which is pretty good imo but still only like 1.5 a watt. I dont see 2.5 a watt as a thing unless growing boof like big bud

If I can manage 4 with the 1320 watts, I'll be extremely happy.
Much better than 1700-2k+ of HPS and associated fans...

ya im looking for over 2.5 this run but thats just countin chickens. wont know till the end. im doing mostley new to me strains so we shall see. i threw in a few producers i knew would bump my total up in case a few strains didnt produce.
with the way me and the wife smoke ill be lucky if ill make it halfway to next harvest lmfao
View attachment 4868425

Nicely done!
If I can hit 2.5gpw, I might just have to consider moving to a legal state and changing careers.

 

[Jjgrow420]

Okay, I wasn't running it all at the same time and may have overpriced a bit, but 3- 600w, 3- 1000w hps, and a 315 cmh ballasts, 3 sun system yield masters and a magnum low profile hood + 2 years worth of bulbs is a decent chunk of change that's now going into storage replaced by 150w led for veg and 1320w for flower.

If I can manage 4 with the 1320 watts, I'll be extremely happy.
Much better than 1700-2k+ of HPS and associated fans...

Nicely done!
If I can hit 2.5gpw, I might just have to consider moving to a legal state and changing careers.

haha ya im all legal here
move to Canada we have it good here.

 

[bk78]

First things first is you need to work on your canopy management if you want to get anywhere near what you think you’ll get. Nice, even flat canopy will bring you the highest yields with LED.

I’ve seen your barn light grows and the canopy was all over the place.

 

[.Smoke]

First things first is you need to work on your canopy management if you want to get anywhere near what you think you’ll get. Nice, even flat canopy will bring you the highest yields with LED.

I’ve seen your barn light grows and the canopy was all over the place.

I plan to do more managing than I did in the past. With 2kw hps it was easy to get lazy. It will prove a bit tricky at times though. An even canopy is a lot easier to obtain on a full run single strain. It gets a bit harder when running multiple strain perpetual.

 

[bk78]

I plan to do more managing than I did in the past. With 2kw hps it was easy to get lazy. It will prove a bit tricky at times though. An even canopy is a lot easier to obtain on a full run single strain. It gets a bit harder when running multiple strain perpetual.

Oh 100%. Mono crops are where it’s at for yields.

 

[bk78]

I plan to do more managing than I did in the past. With 2kw hps it was easy to get lazy. It will prove a bit tricky at times though. An even canopy is a lot easier to obtain on a full run single strain. It gets a bit harder when running multiple strain perpetual.

My last run I got 1.6g/w. Absolute stuffed canopy without a inch to spare. Not much more I could’ve done to increase my yields.

 

[.Smoke]

My last run I got 1.6g/w. Absolute stuffed canopy without a inch to spare. Not much more I could’ve done to increase my yields.

Thanks for the honest answer.
It seems harder and harder to come across those nowadays.

I've grown a few big plants in the past, but have never come close to producing a consistent number on anything.
I think I've finally settled on which media and nutrients I like, and now I'm ready to start focusing on getting "everything" else dialed in. Switching to the led I think will make a huge difference with having 6 points of light instead of 2 and the ability to dim them independently. I'm hoping it may turn out to be a benefit for someone growing perpetually and can't keep the canopy level exactly even.

 

[Scuzzman]

average 120-150 grams per plant dry- 5x5 under led GLA boards ( grow 9 autos )

 

[MidnightSun72]

Kind of funny that the whole g/w thing became a standard when really we should be comparing gram/ KWhr. You can veg 1 plant for 6 months or 6 plants for 1 month. There are 7-8 week strains and 10-12week strains. Huge differences in KWHr spent. Even if the g/w yield would be identical.