Replacing 600w HPS with LED

D

Dodgey99

Well-Known Member
Could do with a pointer to the tech I should be looking at, Things keep changing with LEDs, COBs etc.

Currently I use a 400w MH to veg in a 4x4, and a 600w hps, OR, 2 x 275w (at the wall) Mars Hydro Blurples (the long ones, 1 x 3 "grid" of LEDs - old school).

School's out on the flowering HPS vs 2 x Mars. I get around the same weight, just different type of buds.
School's NOT out on VEG, the Mars (2 of) are trounced by a 400w MH. The LEDs are fine until the pants start getting bigger and then they just can't keep up.

Sometimes....as my tent is actually 4x8, I run the 600w in the 4x4 section, and one of the mars lengthways at the end, to effectively run a 4x6 tent. But best ignore this as it complicates things unless you know something I don't. Lets just stick to 4x4 for now. (unless I can make something that has switchable rows, so I can swicth parts of the light off)

I've had yet another digital balast give up- this time in a acid kind of way - something leaked inside that has eaten at the aluminium casing. I'm getting tired of the fire risk of MH lamps, as much as they perform well.

What I'm looking for is the current tech I should buy in terms of LED/COB?Quantum etc that consumes around 600W or less, is good for a 4x4, and will deliver BETTER than an HPS 600w in terms of yield.

In other words, I don't want to spend any more on electricity, and if I am to spend on a decent 4x4 light, it has to deliver in terms of a decent gain in performance.

I know there are many threads,but the DIY Quantum one is 989 pages alone! It's too overwhealming.

I'm happy for specific products recommendations, and, I'm also very DIY and electrically capable if making one is the best option. I just need a pointer in the right direction.
 
D

Dodgey99

Well-Known Member
Rocket Soul said:
Whats your budget and environment like?
Click to expand...
Budget - I'm easy (don't mind spending within reason)
Environment - 4x8 indoors, UK temps. RDWC

Have to say, I've looked at the Mars FC-E6500 and it's ticking the boxes well.

PJ - sorry your attention span can't last a short, well paragraphed, detailed question. The details are important. My blurples consume close to that but are not as good as a 600W HPS. Hence the details.
 
Last edited:
D

Dodgey99

Well-Known Member
Oh I don't use all of teh 4x8. I use it more like a 4x4, and sometimes a 4x6. I use an RWDC system that 4 pots fills the 4x4 perfectly and there are 2 more pots that sit just inside the other half of the tent, with the res, further in again. Means I have good space in the "mostly unused" 4x4 half for the res, bottles etc etc. Often I'll run the 5 & 6 pots with no plants in them .

I'm tempted to get the light you recommended , but the newerversion, the FC-E6500 and then when I want to run 6 pots, just extend thebars out a little to cover them. I'm reading a fair few people sayign they don't run the 6500 at 100% on a 4x4 as it's too much.

A rough pic but you get the idea. The pots on the right always get used. 5&6, when I feel like a bigger crop.

1649265551297.png
 
MisterKister

MisterKister

Well-Known Member
I run a 5 x 10 with an 8 pot diy rdwc I have my reservoir outside of the tent to keep the temperature down
 
D

Dodgey99

Well-Known Member
I've got a chiller which sits outside the tent and has to do very littel work to keep it at 20c. It's a RWDC kit and I cna't be arsed to extend the pipes, and , lose space in the rest of the room! :-)
 
D

Dodgey99

Well-Known Member
I'd love to but it would seriously impede into the room the tent is in. I'll live with it with a chiller for now. What you say makes perfect sense of course.

Now just hovering over teh buy button on the Mars FC-E6500 at £595........
 
Rufus T. Firefly

Rufus T. Firefly

Well-Known Member
Dodgey99 said:
I'd love to but it would seriously impede into the room the tent is in. I'll live with it with a chiller for now. What you say makes perfect sense of course.

Now just hovering over teh buy button on the Mars FC-E6500 at £595........
Click to expand...
I'm setting up a new 4x4 and I'm also looking hard at that light.
 
Rufus T. Firefly

Rufus T. Firefly

Well-Known Member
I have some due diligence to do still but unless something problematic comes up I'm a buyer.

$750 is gonna be pretty hard to beat.
 
MisterKister

MisterKister

Well-Known Member
Dodgey99 said:
I'd love to but it would seriously impede into the room the tent is in. I'll live with it with a chiller for now. What you say makes perfect sense of course.

Now just hovering over teh buy button on the Mars FC-E6500 at £595........
Click to expand...
Do it!
 
Rahz

Rahz

Well-Known Member
Dodgey99 said:
Could do with a pointer to the tech I should be looking at, Things keep changing with LEDs, COBs etc.

Currently I use a 400w MH to veg in a 4x4, and a 600w hps, OR, 2 x 275w (at the wall) Mars Hydro Blurples (the long ones, 1 x 3 "grid" of LEDs - old school).

School's out on the flowering HPS vs 2 x Mars. I get around the same weight, just different type of buds.
School's NOT out on VEG, the Mars (2 of) are trounced by a 400w MH. The LEDs are fine until the pants start getting bigger and then they just can't keep up.

Sometimes....as my tent is actually 4x8, I run the 600w in the 4x4 section, and one of the mars lengthways at the end, to effectively run a 4x6 tent. But best ignore this as it complicates things unless you know something I don't. Lets just stick to 4x4 for now. (unless I can make something that has switchable rows, so I can swicth parts of the light off)

I've had yet another digital balast give up- this time in a acid kind of way - something leaked inside that has eaten at the aluminium casing. I'm getting tired of the fire risk of MH lamps, as much as they perform well.

What I'm looking for is the current tech I should buy in terms of LED/COB?Quantum etc that consumes around 600W or less, is good for a 4x4, and will deliver BETTER than an HPS 600w in terms of yield.

In other words, I don't want to spend any more on electricity, and if I am to spend on a decent 4x4 light, it has to deliver in terms of a decent gain in performance.

I know there are many threads,but the DIY Quantum one is 989 pages alone! It's too overwhealming.

I'm happy for specific products recommendations, and, I'm also very DIY and electrically capable if making one is the best option. I just need a pointer in the right direction.
Click to expand...
With mid yield in hydro you can expect around 1.15-1.2 gpw using a LED setup with decent efficiency. Strains that produce more, your yield can be 1.25-1.4 gpw (wattage calculated as output watts). These numbers can be used to determine what it will take to replace your 600w setup with LED.

You can get into what is decent efficiency and the price/performance ratio for particular components, but that is probably a good general guide. Anyone who's been here for a bit should know what the good stuff is.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top