STAY AWAY FROM LED's!!!!!

[agesbuds]

I had 8 LED pannels in my 4 by 4 tent and they didnt do their job. Super slow growth. Switched to T5"s like 3 weeks ago and now my plants grow close to 3 inches a week vs the 1'' for the first 3 weeks!!! THEY are JUNK imho. Sorry my fellow LED growers, but this was in mt experiance

 

[Jack Harer]

Do you think that ALL LED units are trash or did you price shop? Staying away from them will only slow research and development of ever better products!
There are companies like Blackdog who have developed some pretty damn impressive units. The votes ain't all in yet, and I have yet to see the products of the units, but I AM intrigued, and believe that they are the future. Just not the immediate one.

 

[hoss12781]

check my journal man, its in my signature. I'm very happy with my leds. Which brand did you use and how did you have them set up. From the sound of your first post I would wager you had a bunch of low wattage panels which do suck and should be avoided at all costs. They are the reason this tech gets a bad name. Real LED grow lights cost real money. Anything not throwing out at least 2w per diode is going to be shitty, anything using automotive grade leds is probably going to suck, and any unit that doesn't toss out at least 100w of actual led output, not total chip capacity is probably going to be weak sacue as well.

Please elaborate on your experience.

 

[Jack Harer]

One of the very few things in the cultivation of MJ where you actually DO get what you pay for.

 

[hoss12781]

indeed, I was on the led hate wagon for a minute after I bought some of the shitty screw in leds from HTG supply a couple years back. Heat was becoming a major issue in the summer months and after doing a lot of research found a brand that has worked well for me. It's all about brand of diode used, using correct nm, and the strength to which the diodes are driven. What most people don't get is that the average 3w diode is only driven to about 2.1w of actual output - driving a led to full capacity makes it fry out super quick. The use of step down transformers is what protects the lamps longevity. Cost me about a grand to replace 2 400w hps lights and a ton of cfl side lighting but my temps are now a non issue, my power bill is way lower going from about 1300w to 690w, and the harvest quality has improved without sacrificing weight.

 

[vilify]

ive got 4+ inches in the last week with 1 of my plants in veg. and its an indica... lol

 

[Carne Seca]

You get what you pay for.

 

[Jack Harer]

Thank you for that informative post. I'm sorta kicking around the idea of a couple of these:

http://www.blackdogled.com/products/bd1300

or about 6 of these:

http://www.blackdogled.com/products/bd450

Sorta like using multiple 600s as opposed to 1 1K. What do YOU think??
or

 

[NewGrowth]

LED's are bad for your eyes and Plants :: I'm more interested in new HID technology. Ceramic metal halide, plasma discharge ect.

 

[VILEPLUME]

I had 8 LED pannels in my 4 by 4 tent and they didnt do their job. Super slow growth. Switched to T5"s like 3 weeks ago and now my plants grow close to 3 inches a week vs the 1'' for the first 3 weeks!!! THEY are JUNK imho. Sorry my fellow LED growers, but this was in mt experiance

Wow, switching to T5's to get better growth, that is bad.

 

[Jack Harer]

LED's are bad for your eyes and Plants :

Please don't come here and categorically state things like that without citing references. Where did you get that info?? First I've heard about that. BTW< HIDs are bad as well. MH produces MAD amounts of UVB, as does plasma MH, but a normal MH bulb has filters built in. Plasma has no such protection AFIK. They are used by growers who want to expose plants to UVB as a way to increase THC.

 

[NewGrowth]

Yah I second that one t5's are crap

 

[hoss12781]

I think it is better, if you're going led to have more smaller wattage (130-200w) output vs one large 700w unit. It allows for a modular set up. When one plant is done I can re-arrange the lights and blast the hell out of the remaining plants. Remember with led the diodes produce what they produce, on a 3w chipset probably in the nieghborhood of 2.1w of output. It doesn't matter how many you have the light will only travel so far with the maximum intensity. I have about 700w of led in my garden, this is broken down between 5 different lights.

 

[Jack Harer]

That was what I was thinking!! Thanx again!!

 

[VILEPLUME]

I like a good 400w MH for veg. Bright enough but not too bright so it burns your plants.

 

[hoss12781]

LED's are bad for your eyes and Plants :: I'm more interested in new HID technology. Ceramic metal halide, plasma discharge ect.

If you're going to make an absurd claim at least try to back it up man. HID uses mercury, that is a proven poison. The spectrums you'll find on most leds are no different than those used in hid and cfl, they just aim to target specific wavelengths. If you can point me to some scientific proof of your claim consider me punked.

 

[M.Swills]

Wow, switching to T5's to get better growth, that is bad.

No idea what your talking about. I had a very successful grow using T5's.

 

[Jack Harer]

T5s beat out CFLs every time I used them

 

[Clonex]

LED's are only comparable to CFL type lighting / to compare them to HID lighting is ridiculous, however much the panel cost, they have there uses but comparisons make me laugh, peace

 

[hoss12781]

LED's are only comparable to CFL type lighting / to compare them to HID lighting is ridiculous, however much the panel cost, they have there uses but comparisons make me laugh, peace

Awesome, just what this board needs - more people shitting on leds. Have you used them Clonex, if so which brands/wattage and how did you have them set up? If you haven't don't blindly re-iterate what other people have said without speaking from personal experience. It doesn't further the conversation.