Thinking of running a 5x10. I could go with 2 LEDs to cover the whole area or 1 led and a light mover (light rail 4.0). The light mover is appealing because it saves on upfront cost, electric bill and heat. Would the yield be close to our slightly less a 2 light setup because the light is moving on top of each plant simulating 2 lights?
2 Led lights or 1 led light and a light mover?
- Thread starter RCJR
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- 4.0 light movers light rail
Billy the Mountain
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A light mover is no substitute for raw output; it would be nice if it was!
Canadain Closet Gardener
Well-Known Member
If light movers worked as well as advertised, you would see them more in commercial setups.
thumper60
Well-Known Member
Depending on where one lives an cost of power. Iam at 33 cents per KW movers are looking better all the time.
Billy the Mountain
Well-Known Member
Light movers also require power.
The overall power consumption (and cost) would be higher for the same light output
thumper60
Well-Known Member
? a 4 ft light mover uses 100 watts look it up.
Billy the Mountain
Well-Known Member
Which is exactly 100 watts more consumption than the same light output without a mover.
thumper60
Well-Known Member
LOL your kidding right! let me explain that 100 watt mover will allow a 600 watt led light cover a 5x7 easy try doing that by hanging 1 700 watt light?
Billy the Mountain
Well-Known Member
Not at all.
It's 100w consumed that's not producing any light; a waste of energy.
Two 300w lights would be a much better option than a light mover.
Light rail 4.0 only uses 9 watts
Billy the Mountain
Well-Known Member
That seems much more plausible.
Show us that grow that uses 600 W lighting for 5x7. I guess it will yield low because of lack of light.
Coverage is not a problem with LEDs. HIDs had that problem.
go go kid
Well-Known Member
it will probably do for your needs, we used to use light rails with 10 plants under them, that was a 1000watt sodium light. worked wonders, i dont see you would loose that much in weight at harvest, but ive never weighed my bud after havesting/drying/cureing.
you do still see them in comercial grows in amsterdam, but most have many many lights instead
you do still see them in comercial grows in amsterdam, but most have many many lights instead
thumper60
Well-Known Member
I used led as a example I take it you have never used a mover? I used them for yrs way back before you started growing a 600 watt led on a mover will out preform 1000 watts of hps w/o a mover matter of fact it would take 2 600 hps to match a 600 led in a 5x7 thats twice the power. Going back to my first post when KWHs cost 33 cents per thats a huge difference
Kola_Kreator
Well-Known Member
One of my mates is using a light mover. From what I know it causes a lot of problems and send some cultivars into reveg/ super long flowering times.
thumper60
Well-Known Member
There 100% no way a light mover causes reveg or messed up flower times. Bad timers, light leaks do what your talking about.
Sure a plant with low light will have better g/W than a plant with high light. But im not sure if that is still marktable quality. Others here will know.
LEDs are roughly twice as efficient as HIDs and have better coverage so I agree that you need twice the HID power to get equal yields.
If you only look at energy prices that's a fallacy. You have to also consider productivity in terms of space (heating, rent), labor and risk (if you live in such a place). Paying twice the electricity for 50 % more yield might still be profitable.
thumper60
Well-Known Member
Hey lou I have grown with MH,HPS since early 80s Iam old! What iam trying to say is light movers have their place in small 1-2 opps I have used them in the past. I swiched out to led couple yrs ago Iam never looking back. I run 1400 watts of led on a 5x10 instead of 2000 watts of HPS thats A 30% saving on ELC at 33 cents a KWH plus iam pulling 20% more weight.
Rocket Soul
Well-Known Member
Photosynthesis is a by the numbers thing: it takes 8-9 photons to synthesize one sugar molecule. Moving the light around is not going to change the amount of photons in your growspace. Its a tool to use if your light is too hot and intense to be in one spot all the time; basicly for high watt hps. Led lights dont need movers as they are generally easier to design with a good spread.