Looking Into LED - No Clue Where To Start

thisusernameisnottaken

thisusernameisnottaken

Well-Known Member
Rocket Soul said:
This is true (hps to led switch) but its equally true if you were to switch from hps to leds without adapting environment.
HPS is great if you run a vented grow in cold environment with minimal climate control. But if you have any problems with either heat or getting close to your max amps then go for leds.
If you want an all around growlight: CMH.
A bit more efficient than hps (ppf/w) and less infrared; your plants will both transpire well and generally cmh plants are a little more resistant to heat stress than under hps.
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My first light was a 250w hps and I had no knowledge about npk, deficiency, toxicity, vpd, tds, ppm, temp, and cal/mag, but I still had great success. But as soon as I used led it was problems after problems. If it was not for the heat I would use hps.
 
Rocket Soul

Rocket Soul

Well-Known Member
thisusernameisnottaken said:
My first light was a 250w hps and I had no knowledge about npk, deficiency, toxicity, vpd, tds, ppm, temp, and cal/mag, but I still had great success. But as soon as I used led it was problems after problems. If it was not for the heat I would use hps.
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Youre kinda explaining what im talking about: in order to use leds successfully you had to learn more about growing. But the argument you make kinda sounds like HPS is the preferable light if you dont want to care so much about your grow, as in making efforts. Did you get things dialed in with leds eventually?
If not happy with leds try CMH; it allows you to run a slightly hotter environment (less infra red) which may solve your heat problems. If you get the right formfactor for the leds, strips or cobs, you can make a setup which includes both.
 
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noxiously

noxiously

Well-Known Member
Rocket Soul said:
This may be a good alternative but a little over your budget for a 1k replacement (its a 1k DE replacement)
horticulturelightinggroup.com

Refurbished HLG 750 Diablo

HLG 750R commercial lamps are designed for growers who want to maximize crop yields with a grow light that offers both high intensity and high efficiency. 2000 PPF output with photon efficacy of 2.88 µmol/J
horticulturelightinggroup.com horticulturelightinggroup.com

Why this: HLG have great aftersales and pretty much the best diodes, they cooperate close with samsung. The new Diablo boards (make sure you get the new ones or consider or items) have a nice mix of diodes for their blue spectrum: 2 different photon pumps, 437 and 450nm which seems to work better at activating the flowers two photosystems. Just make sure you have enough height for them, at full power this is going to need about 2 feet. Its probably even a bit more power than you need even.

For your 600w hps: try to replace them with something with a 480w driver.

If you like a bit less watts and yield then go for a 480w light for your 4x4 , and a couple of 320 watts lights for your 600w hps.
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The local shop has these, new, for $1,000. They also have a photobio mx 680w for about $680; has anyone heard of this brand before? Since I've never used LED I don't know about many brands, other than the big brands like Spiderfarmer, HLG, and Mars Hydro. I've heard of LED's catching fire, probably an off brand chinese produced LED, so it makes me nervous to go that route to save money.
 
thisusernameisnottaken

thisusernameisnottaken

Well-Known Member
Rocket Soul said:
Youre kinda explaining what im talking about: in order to use leds successfully you had to learn more about growing. But the argument you make kinda sounds like HPS is the preferable light if you dont want to care so much about your grow, as in making efforts. Did you get things dialed in with leds eventually?
If not happy with leds try CMH; it allows you to run a slightly hotter environment (less infra red) which may solve your heat problems. If you get the right formfactor for the leds, strips or cobs, you can make a setup which includes both.
Click to expand...
Remember back in the days when they said growing pot is easy this was before led? Also simple is the best, why do I need to know all the tech/geek stuff.
 
O

oztoka

Well-Known Member
I've noticed a lot of people here recommend checking out Shane from Migro's reviews.
Apologies if I offend anyone with the following comments but am I the only one that thinks this guys is a bit of an idiot?
I mean, check out his latest 2023 Best light for a 4 x 4 area. He has a Mars Hydro FCE 1000 comparing to a Medic grow 320w?
WTF, Of all the great lights currently available in 2023 for a 4 x 4 area he comes up with this shit list??
I dont even think a Mars Hydro 1000 would even fit in a 4 x 4 tent..

Also checking out his other reviews eg lumatek Zeus 600.. he reckons its way too good... wtf looks at the corners at their par maps, they are crap and cost a fortune??
 
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noxiously

noxiously

Well-Known Member
coreywebster said:
So going off what you said with regards to canopy.. lighting a 3x6 with a 600 and 1000 seems a bit of a waste.. specifically the 1000w.

If I were going to light up 3x6s I'd be looking at two 350w LEDs .. going on what's necessary to light that area well.

But I'm wondering what weight your pulling as you are on just that 3x6 portion??
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I agree that it's a waste with the 1000 and 600 over that canopy. I started with the 600, wanted to see if having a 1000 would increase yield and how much it would do so by. Since they are in an air cooled fixture I figured I would just put them in the same area and tie them together to get complete heavy lighting all across the area. It does produce well though, 2 plants, scrogged, gets some lbs out of it. I have to have the 1000w set at a height of around 6.5+ ft to not get bleaching.

As you mentioned, I was looking into getting two 350w LEDs to put over that canopy but wasn't sure if they would be strong enough to produce close to what I'm getting now. I also though about getting rid of the nft and flood table and going with 5 gallon flood and drain buckets. The one's I looked at take up about 1 sq. ft of area, spaced out about 1 ft. apart I could probably fit around 24 buckets in the room, with the res being on the other side of the wall. If I go that route, the usable area would probably be 6 x 8 or even the full 6 x 9, I'll have to retake measurements.

If I went with the flood buckets, what route for lighting would you go? Four 750w led's, with the room being sectioned into 4 areas, or could I get away with 2 750w to cover that whole area and still get good production?


I can upload a very rough MS Paint drawing of the setup to get a better visualizationi of how it's set up now.
 
noxiously

noxiously

Well-Known Member
Billy the Mountain said:
There's no distinction in complexity of use between an LED and HPS lights.

Most people want the most efficient light to maximize their results and minimize their electrical bill.
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This is true in my case. I guess I want my cake and eat it too. I'm a bit of a nerd when it comes to the things that I enjoy so I research and try to learn as much as possible. So I've been trying to learn as much as I can before buying into LED. I just don't want to spend $600-$1000 on LED/s, not get anywhere close to what I get now and end up buying more. It may be a bit of a stretch in what I'm asking, decently priced lighting that produces similar to HPS that cuts down on the electrical usage and heat. Heat isn't too much of a problem since I have the move n cool in the room, but if I can replace the three HPS lights with LED, I figured I could lower the electric usage, then it might be possible I wouldn't have to run the move n cool at all cutting down on electrical usage there as well.
 
ProPheT 216

ProPheT 216

Well-Known Member
thisusernameisnottaken said:
Remember back in the days when they said growing pot is easy this was before led? Also simple is the best, why do I need to know all the tech/geek stuff.
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I got u bro.

Remembering back in the days when they said growing pot is easy, this was before led. Also, simple is best. Why do I need to know all the tech/geek stuff?

:hump:
[/QUOTE]
 
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Rocket Soul

Rocket Soul

Well-Known Member
Billy the Mountain said:
There's no distinction in complexity of use between an LED and HPS lights.

Most people want the most efficient light to maximize their results and minimize their electrical bill.
Click to expand...
I kinda agree cause theres a bit of transition. But in the end its really just about the basics: what temp/rh range in veg and flower, what distance between light and cannopy, how many watts per foot and how much nutes for the water i have and go. Problem is that many HPS to led converts have a problem adapting to different requirements and maybe the way to get the HPS requirements was somewhat easier (VPD never troubled our old hps grows).
But in the end its just this in order to get a decent grow going.

The one thing i feel is a major difference is light tolerance; its so much easier to acclimate a HPS plant to higher light intensity than it is to raising intensity with leds, sometimes it just feels like youre babying your plants holding them by the hand.

But like cant we get over this hps vrs led thing once and for all?
 
Rocket Soul

Rocket Soul

Well-Known Member
@OP that photbio light: dont recognize it nor from alibubbers or anywhere else, my best guess is that its a chinese rebrand from looking at its website; very little info (diode count and what brand/model, driver brand, parmaps). The advantage it give you is that you can take it to the shop, thats about it. Maybe somewhat better spread and hanging height than the hlg.

Are you in the US?
Figure out if you want a us made or china made brand. If US find something in the HLG product range; bonus if it uses the samsing EVO diode; it seems like the wider blue peak leads to healthier growth which an issue for many led newbees. Youll have a high quality light with great after sales from a company that has its roots in this very forum. Refurb? Double check with hlg re the light in question; if it meant exchanging a faulty driver for a new one i wouldnt let that stop me. If youre getting a repaired driver, nope.

Going china? Decide between china brands on the forums or just straight alibaba. Mars and SF can be reached and touched if you have after sales problems here on the forum. Theyll probably be a bit more expensive than Alibaba direct. But really, theres not much benefit in buying a rebranded china brand that isnt on the forum, they can dance around their warranty as much as any alibubber.
Alibaba lights; you may wanna get a spare driver just incase; this is the most common failure point. Their lights get very cheap but see them as sort disposable/perishables.
 
amneziaHaze

amneziaHaze

Well-Known Member
its almost the same.with led you have to not have it too close because of light bleach.and with hps you cant have it too close because it trows heat like crazy.
 
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