Led Users Unite!

ColoradoLove

Well-Known Member
if your room is insulated enough then an hid would work fine for keeping the room heated the insulation would retain heat during lights off or run the hid during the night when it's cold and leave it of during the daytime flip the light cycle opposite to the sun thats what i see bunches of growers do
Not a chance in hell that an HID would "store up" enough heat in insulation to HEAT a room for 12 hours of darkness, especially not during any season when you would actually need heat. Flipping the light cycle might help you avoid COLDER temps but unless you live in the South the winter is the winter man. You need heat when the lights are off, simple as that. Adding an HID would only help you during lights on, thus defeating the idea that it could replace a heater
 

Encomium

Active Member
It would be far more accurate (and not difficult to calculate) to go by grams per kilo/watt hour. G per W is too simple, but in a way it can work (there is only soo much bud an amount of light can support). Theres only so much yield one can get with say a 400w HID vs a 1000w HID, but since both can grow the same amount of stuff under the right schedule you must also include hours not just g/w
Yea that makes sense. I guess I just assumed equal light schedules and length of veg/flower time.
 

660nm420

Active Member
.

Let's look into this further: If ledbudguy used 6 (or what ever number of ISIS units he had) 400W units instead of the 170W LED's he would have walked away with several pounds. Dude had CO2, great nutes, and an entire attic, and 24 plants. What did he say he had 26 zips? That probably dried a ways below that in curing, but I'll take him at his word. Still, lets assume he got a good deal on the ISIS units (especially as I suspect he has a certain relationship with the company) and he got them for 300 each. Thats 1800 bucks. 200 bucks gets a real nice HID, so the lights would have cost 1200 instead. Right there he saves 600 bucks. (yeah I know, replacement bulbs ect. ect. ect...Im just looking at start up costs) He would be using 2.4KwH using roughly (assuming at 30 day veg (1296 Kw) and a 60 day flower (1728 Kw)) 3024 Kw total lighting for the grow with HID. Lets add 200 KW for ventilation (which is generous). 3224Kw total electrical consumption. At 15 cents a Kwh that works out to: $483.60 electrical cost for the grow. It would be horrible if he didn't pull at least 2 pounds from the grow, especially with the CO2 going on. 2 pounds, assuming he is letting go in zips or QP (at 100 a zip - (low for some high or some) = 3200 bucks. 3200 less 1200 for the lights, less 484 for the electric (all other costs are identical between the two grows), that leaves 1516 after covering all mentioned start up costs.

For LED, like we said, he probably spent 1800 on the lights, the 170's draw 120 (as stated from the company in an email I sent to them) Veg = 388 Kw, Flower = 518 Kw = 906 total KW's for the grow. At .15 per KwH that comes out to: 136.02. So lets look at the math: 26 zips at 100 a zip = 2600 less 1800, less 136.02 for the electrical. = 664 left over.
I recalculated based on my energy rates of $0.23
Everything below is based on that so let's REALLY look into this further. If ledbudguy used 6 (or what ever number of ISIS units he had) 400W units instead of the 170W LED's he would have walked away with several pounds. Dude had CO2, great nutes, and an entire attic, and 24 plants. What did he say he had 26 zips? That probably dried a ways below that in curing, but I'll take him at his word. Still, lets assume he got a good deal on the ISIS units (especially as I suspect he has a certain relationship with the company) and he got them for 300 each. Thats 1800 bucks. 200 bucks gets a real nice HID, so the lights would have cost 1200 instead. Right there he saves 600 bucks. (yeah I know, replacement bulbs ect. ect. ect...Im just looking at start up costs) He would be using 2.4KwH using roughly (assuming at 30 day veg (1296 Kw) and a 60 day flower (1728 Kw)) 3024 Kw total lighting for the grow with HID. Lets add 200 KW for ventilation (which is generous). 3224Kw total electrical consumption. At 15 cents a Kwh that works out to: $483.60 electrical cost for the grow. It would be horrible if he didn't pull at least 2 pounds from the grow, especially with the CO2 going on. 2 pounds, assuming he is letting go in zips or QP (at 100 a zip - (low for some high or some) = 3200 bucks. 3200 less 1200 for the lights, less 741.52 for the electric (all other costs are identical between the two grows), that leaves $1259 after covering all mentioned start up costs.

For LED, like we said, he probably spent 1800 on the lights, the 170's draw 120 (as stated from the company in an email I sent to them) Veg = 388 Kw, Flower = 518 Kw = 906 total KW's for the grow. At .15 per KwH that comes out to: 136.02. So lets look at the math: 26 zips at 100 a zip = 2600 less 1800, less 208.32 for the electrical. = 591.62 left over for a difference of $670 more for you.

And now grow two. Mostly nothing changes except first off I pay close to $0.23 a kwh So 3224 at $.23 a kWh (and rates go up may 1) comes to $741 $3200-741= $2459 left over. Instead of 906 kWh I reinvest my 600 on more LEDs. bringing me up 200kWh to 1106w at $0.23 kWh = $254 and now I get 30 instead of 26 zips at $100. $3000-208.38= 2746. Now I've made about $300 more than you on less O's. You are still up 1500 from the first grow since I spent my $600 profits from the first grow.

So to do a little recapping
by the start of the 3rd grow you are still up the 1258.48 (based on $.23) because after the first grow I purchased more LED with my profits.
Second grow we both made some cash. I made $300 more than you with less product and had to sell less (less risk). So again I reinvest my 300 for another 150 Kw (safe estimation) and so you are STILL up the 1258 you made on the first grow but other than that we are even

3rd grow now I'm up to a whopping 1258 Kw compared to your 3224Kw at again $.23 except this time I get the 32 zips and lets just be honest a couple more than you. because when you increase LED wattage by 350w you get closer to 10 zips more. but we'll play it safe and say 32 zips and not the 36 I think is realistic. So now 3200 for you and 3200 for me. 3200-741=2459 and 3200-289.48=2910.66. Now we both are making some serious cash but I'm making close to $500 dollars more than you each grow. So now each grow I use the 500 extra that I'm making to reinvest on more LEDs. How long until I have the same amount of wattage as you in LED but with 3x the yield?? A couple years at the most, and in that time we are both making $ but in 2 years when I get up to using the same amount of wattage as you but yielding 3 x the amount what's the profit differential then. $3200-741=2459 versus my 96 zips at $9600-741=8859. Now I'm aware that to grow 3x the amount will require additional 4 on nutes and all sorts of other supplies so I'll knock off a whopping 2000 grand to justify those costs and I'm still at 6859 extra every grow cycle after I get up to the equal wattage.

+ who on here can accurately predict where energy costs are going in the next two years?? When I get up to rocking 3300 LED Kwh I expect them to be more than my current $.23 not any less. Seriously think about if prices rise to .40 Kw. That couldn't happen could it?? No way!! Not here in cali. When, and I do believe the key word is "when" prices reach $.50 a kWh no HID users will survive. It'll be a grower extinction. Judging by all the used HID setups for sale used on craigslist the die off is already occurring.

Now with that said. I don't agree with your numbers. I keep a close eye on my power bill and my kwh. The entire power bill at my spot is used for our specified purpose. I literally have nothing else running at that site. Not even a fridge and without going into very much detail I get more than your kWh to zip ratio and 2X that $ per zip so yeah my costs are heavier currently but I've got cash coming in and am not broke and every few weeks I have a harvest and plan on buying additional panels every 2-3 weeks until I'm up to the 3000kWh I used to use in HID but pulling down mad weight.

This is my last post unless I come back to post a photo of soon to be fat Harvey. The information I got from this site has been extremely helpful. I'm almost entirely done with my expansion project. I decided from here on out to go with ISIS. $450 for 120w is $3.75 a w better than the magnum's 180w for $750 so roughly $4.16 a watt with the magnums. Same spectrum, and ratio but having multiple panels to spread out is the added benefit at a slightly lower cost. So now with my 5 kessils at 175w. My HSS at 180w my (2) ISIS for 240w, a hydrogrow penetrator 115w and 2 blackstars +240w I'm at 950 LED w. In the next 2 months I'll have 4 more ISIS for a grand total of 1430 watts. Now the best part of it is to play it safe I recently decided it's time to move and already see the additional benefits of LED. This will be the second move for me in the last 8 months. This is the first pad I didn't have to tear the hell out of to put in a grow area. The move will be so much easier and set up a breeze, and this I think will be the first time I'll get my deposit back without having to correct all my renovations.
 

660nm420

Active Member
Ok I said that last one was my last post but I seriously think this will be my last post. What it comes down to for me. I've been doing what I do for a few years now. Been in the industry for over 10 years so it's safe to say I'll be in it for some time to come. If you are thinking of starting to grow and deciding which way to go, you REALLY have to assess your goals. Are you going to do it for a short time and try to make some serious scratch?? Well unless you already have a market good luck on that but this is the only instance where HID makes since. If you plan on growing for a year and then getting out of it, but like I said good luck with that weight unless you already have a place for it to go. Are you just trying to grow a little to smoke? Well LED is the only way to go for that. Or are you a person who is looking to grow now all the while growing larger as needed? What it comes down to me is if you are just looking to grow for a year or two go HID but if you want a long term sustainable op then go LED because eventually solar and LED will come down in cost and it's only a matter of time before LED users are growing indoors but with the power of the sun. This goal will never be achieved using HID and medically ecobuds will be more marketable. PEACE OUT!! Ignore the haters. LED is the future and go with it and you will survive the constantly changing economic landscape of the indoor grower.
 

budlover909

Active Member
Well I know GLH said their diodes sit directly on heat sink and not PCB then heat sink. Pretty sure another company does this, sent GLH an email asking for further clarification. In comments on pics of the heat sink of a GLH panel some people said there were more breakers than normal or something, maybe thats part of it? I'm not about to take mine apart, but I just gave it a close look in all the nooks and crannies and these little holes the wires go through, I definitely can't spot any PCB and it doesn't look as if there is enough room in there between the diodes and the heat sink to fit anything.

View attachment 1565337View attachment 1565338 These are pics the company owner posted months ago of a 395w 2011 light we was taking apart for forum pics (it was a 1st generation 2011, newest ones sold are a little different in wattage)
thats still a pcb bro thats ust a thermal metal pcb instead of a plastic one like what is used in computer boards fact all leds need to emounted to a pcb of some sort even those star mount leds those are star pcbs
 

budlover909

Active Member
Not a chance in hell that an HID would "store up" enough heat in insulation to HEAT a room for 12 hours of darkness, especially not during any season when you would actually need heat. Flipping the light cycle might help you avoid COLDER temps but unless you live in the South the winter is the winter man. You need heat when the lights are off, simple as that. Adding an HID would only help you during lights on, thus defeating the idea that it could replace a heater
umm that grow 560w + 1kw hid I talked about earlier thats done with lights on at night and of during day room is fully insulated and temps never drop and this is in a cold valley area never a heat or cold problem i dunno what youre talkig about
 

dunit

Active Member
Not a chance in hell that an HID would "store up" enough heat in insulation to HEAT a room for 12 hours of darkness, especially not during any season when you would actually need heat. Flipping the light cycle might help you avoid COLDER temps but unless you live in the South the winter is the winter man. You need heat when the lights are off, simple as that. Adding an HID would only help you during lights on, thus defeating the idea that it could replace a heater
I think he's referring to the room in general not just the HID. I know that my concrete floor takes about 4 hours to get up to temp and once the lights go off it "releases" heat and the heater doesn't kick in for the first 6-7 hours of darkness.

I actually use my flooring for heating/cooling. I actually put down a sub-floor when it was -30C and I take it up in sections as the outside temp warms up to help balance my room temp.
 

abecsta

Active Member
or you could just say you can use the hid as a heater during lights on cycle and have a heater on thermostat for lights off this is my plan when im going to get a 600w hps and have lights on at night when it is the coldest here since it winter and also get a thermostat to control a fan heater

you cant argue with more light :)
 

Hudsonvalley82

Well-Known Member
5 plants, roughly 4x4 (a touch smaller, but negligable)...I can't really tell the weight, if it is going to be light and airy, then defintely 12-13 zips, but this stuff is all indica (which I have never had an all indica grow). These buds don't seem light and airy, they seem really dense. I tossed about 8 (wet) ounces of immature bud and clippings into butter (again thats wet weight, I have no idea how to quantify that otherwise, likewise I really didn't pay attention to the percentage of clipping to bud, its probably about 1:3 bud to clipping ratio).

So long story short: If it is my light and airy bud: 12-13 ounces, if it is at all different than that, then we could be looking at much higher ounce count than that. Lemme get about 5 more days of drying for a good week of fan drying and we'll see. I'll compensate roughly 10% for cure loss after that.

This is my first organic grow so if I walk away with a pound, I'll be really happy...If I get 12-13, i'll be satisfied, if I get less then maybe this organic road wasn't the best choice (however you never know unless you try).

We'll see, its really hard to guess these things, my first grow I got more than I thought I should have (10z), my second grow, I came in under my estimate(15z), this grow, I'll just let the scale tell me...

I am still experimenting to find my best paths to follow. I know that HID and LED are good, molasses is good, jacks classic burns quickly but is good too, and manure tea with wood ash rocks...I also know that I like flowering better with my MH and LED than with my HPS and LED. This grow tought me that vegging for two months is awesome, 10 gallon pots kick the shit out of 5 gallon pots and fungus gnats are worth killing but just barely. (I used go panic over them)


@ Hudson. I am probably preoccupied with grams per watt because the limiting factor for many of my friends who aren't liscenced is total watts as there is sort of an accepted maximum to keep under the radar. They look to maximize yield based on the amout of watts they have to use. You are absolutely right about looking at Total Yield as a way to improve the credibility. How big an area did you just cut down and what kind of yield does it look like ur gonna have?

I'm coming down in two weeks and right now my total yield for a 4x4 area looks like it's gonna be quite impressive regardless of consideration that I only have 360 watts total draw over it.

View attachment 1564457
 

Hudsonvalley82

Well-Known Member
forgot to mention how good that room is looking...

@ Hudson. I am probably preoccupied with grams per watt because the limiting factor for many of my friends who aren't liscenced is total watts as there is sort of an accepted maximum to keep under the radar. They look to maximize yield based on the amout of watts they have to use. You are absolutely right about looking at Total Yield as a way to improve the credibility. How big an area did you just cut down and what kind of yield does it look like ur gonna have?

I'm coming down in two weeks and right now my total yield for a 4x4 area looks like it's gonna be quite impressive regardless of consideration that I only have 360 watts total draw over it.

View attachment 1564457
 

TshirtNinja

Well-Known Member
4-24.jpg4-24_2.jpg4-24_1.jpg4-24_3.jpg
I wish there was a gang sign for Blackstar cause I'm reppin them today!
:finger:all the haters and I look forward to adding another 240w unit where that 100w is and adding 2 more 240w units after that for a continuous grow of 18-24 ladies.
 

dxtr

Member
quick question: will I be able to do an entire grow cycle using only one 300w led panel? I will have 6 pots, auto strains from sweet seeds, organic. panel is from china, alibaba, lg led solutions 7 band, they clam it could substitute a 600/800w hps...
 

kush groove

Active Member
I wish there was a gang sign for Blackstar cause I'm reppin them today!
:finger:all the haters and I look forward to adding another 240w unit where that 100w is and adding 2 more 240w units after that for a continuous grow of 18-24 ladies.
god damn dude.............there's obviously no need for the do not enter sign .......lol
nice size room you got there also
 

TshirtNinja

Well-Known Member
god damn dude.............there's obviously no need for the do not enter sign .......lol
nice size room you got there also
Well that is what you have to do in order to safely grow in a apartment complex. I claimed at my last place that my whole room was off limits and locked per my work because of documents.... Same concept but I will be getting something to better cover up the FUCK OFF security system I installed.... If anyone wants to learn how to make this its sooooo easy to put together and my complex won't even know it was ever there.... So Kush..... You jelly of my baller closet yet? :p
 

jdizzle22

Well-Known Member
quick question: will I be able to do an entire grow cycle using only one 300w led panel? I will have 6 pots, auto strains from sweet seeds, organic. panel is from china, alibaba, lg led solutions 7 band, they clam it could substitute a 600/800w hps...
Ok these look to be built very similarly to growledhydro lights except at least these guys still use 2w LEDs where as GLH uses 3w. These guys should be a pretty safe bet, but I see no reason to go with them over GLH when GLH is better for at least using 3w LED (there may be other features GLH has that these guys don't, cause they don't talk about all the same points)

But I was looking at this site, so make sure we are still talking about the same light http://lgledsolutions.com/products.asp?selectclassid=003001
They do seem to use the same tech as GLH to make it so only one LED dies at a time (and its easy to figure out and replace supposedly), really they are probably virtually the same product except GLH uses 3w and these guys only use 2 (and also bullshit about their HID =) Oh and these guys say nothing about what brand LED they use so I imagine it might not be the best ones.
 

budlover909

Active Member
Ok these look to be built very similarly to growledhydro lights except at least these guys still use 2w LEDs where as GLH uses 3w. These guys should be a pretty safe bet, but I see no reason to go with them over GLH when GLH is better for at least using 3w LED (there may be other features GLH has that these guys don't, cause they don't talk about all the same points)

But I was looking at this site, so make sure we are still talking about the same light http://lgledsolutions.com/products.asp?selectclassid=003001
They do seem to use the same tech as GLH to make it so only one LED dies at a time (and its easy to figure out and replace supposedly), really they are probably virtually the same product except GLH uses 3w and these guys only use 2 (and also bullshit about their HID =) Oh and these guys say nothing about what brand LED they use so I imagine it might not be the best ones.
my 135 from ecogroled is lg made and theyre using bridgelux nlx-6 3w diodes i dunno what youre talkign about
 
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