Apache Tech LED Grow... 8x12...1900w

[puffenuff]

Those clones look real good, what distance do you keep them at for veg? not sure if you mentioned it or i forgot. How tall are they now?

the thin mint x jillybean sounds/looks like a nice combination, too bad the gsc wasn't what you were expecting, hope the jilly shows up for you. good luck with that one.

keep the awesome videos coming. +rep

 

[ellydee]

Tags, in an earlier post you stated that you got a pound out of a 4'x4' with 2 120s.
If I use your figures, that means you got 1 oz. per sq. ft. using 15 watts per sq. ft.
That's 1.866 grams per watt!
What am I missing here?

 

[tags420]

Those clones look real good, what distance do you keep them at for veg? not sure if you mentioned it or i forgot. How tall are they now?

the thin mint x jillybean sounds/looks like a nice combination, too bad the gsc wasn't what you were expecting, hope the jilly shows up for you. good luck with that one.

keep the awesome videos coming. +rep

Thanks puff. I ment to say it in the video when I was talking about rearranging them. I had them all the way up @ 45" to induce some stretch. As of today they are @ 36". I plan keeping them around 30" for the rest of veg, and probably 18" for flower.
They are right between 12-14". I had the yard stick ready for the video and forgot about that too.

Tags, in an earlier post you stated that you got a pound out of a 4'x4' with 2 120s.
If I use your figures, that means you got 1 oz. per sq. ft. using 15 watts per sq. ft.
That's 1.866 grams per watt!
What am I missing here?

You're close but missing some details... it wasn't a 4x4 confined tent...It was about 6x7 space that I only used 4x4ish of it. As the plants grew they stretched a little outside of 4x4... so that does make a difference. It was 16 blue widows in 2.5gal packed together SOG style. I did 2 runs and got 421g, then 465g. That's what gave me the confidence to go full scale.

With those numbers and the fact that apache's pull 157w each total from the wall, means 465g/314w= 1.4g/watt.

 

[BCGROWFORU]

How much heat come off those lights, think I'd need ac?

 

[ellydee]

"With those numbers and the fact that apache's pull 157w each total from the wall, means 465g/314w= 1.4g/watt."

Damn! I'm impressed. I was waiting for the new Area 51s, but after reading this I'm going to look at the Apaches a little closer.
Also Tags, I forgot to ask earlier, which lenses are you using? 14* or 50*.

 

[tags420]

How much heat come off those lights, think I'd need ac?

No AC needed. In really cold winter or uninsulated places you could even need some heat to be honest. My room stayed right at 69-73, which is definitely on the cooler end for a room. I had a cheap $20 booster fan pulling air out and that was plenty enough airflow.

Damn! I'm impressed. I was waiting for the new Area 51s, but after reading this I'm going to look at the Apaches a little closer.
Also Tags, I forgot to ask earlier, which lenses are you using? 14* or 50*.

I use the 14* lenses.

I know more about apache than I can't talk about just yet. I'll be vague. They have been working on more powerful versions of the current AT design. With the amount of output they can generate they won't have to use that tight of a focus to retain all the umols. They said making the 25-30* will still be 2.5x as powerful as the current one plus with a bigger spread. I think the coverage is a big thing holding the AT back so this should help a lot.

This year they will drop a few new things that will make them more appealing to people. They will have more than just one product so there will be options for all sizes, styles, and budgets.

 

[puffenuff]

Damn it, tags! You know I've been on the verge of ordering a new apache for a few months now, but when you drop little nuggets of info like that I feel like I just need to be patient and wait for the new stuff. Driving me crazy! Im stoked to see how this plays out, hopefully the wait wont be too long otherwise I'm going to order another at120wr in may/june.

 

[tags420]

I know puff sorry. If you can, just wait it out. If it is not out by the time you need it I'll be disappointed too.

The company is seriously 2 staffed people and then some contracted in people. And they have real jobs that take priority over apache so it is hard for them to develop things and produce them in the time we want/need. It sounds bad to say it like this but it is still kind of a side project for them till they have enough business to hire on a full time team, but it takes a whole team to get the kind of business they want. Some weeks they are doing so much shit and making progress, "It will be ready in two weeks", then he goes out of the country for 3 weeks for the other job and fall behind all over again. It is what it is for now but things will start to move faster soon. I believe in what their lights so much, I hate to see them missing out on what they could be.

 

[Scotch089]

I am really interested in their W/R, but the lack of details on their site brings a slight sense of unease... I dont even see dimensions, nothin on diodes, specs... or am I just uber baked?

More of a "contact-then-buy" company? Honestly, I love knowing every thing I can about panels I am looknig to invest in... but I am so burnt out on pestering companies for information that, I think, should already be noted..

 

[tags420]

There website blows IMO. It is unorganized and doesn't show other product like their T8 led bars that they have had for a year. You are best off, as many on here have done, is to call them and inquire
This is the only page that has anything worthy of reading and it is missing a bunch... http://www.apachetechinc.com/cms.php?id_cms=4. The RW spectrum chart is for the R1...where is the R2's sheet? Like I said, the business side of the company is lacking but the products are legit.

Let me try and say as much in an organized fashion as I can about the AT120...
-120 1watt cree diodes driven at 100%
-Pulls 157w from the wall(120led+driver and fans)
-Ideal coverage is 2.5x3 but works fine in 3x3's
-1090umols @12" or 712umols@18"(recommended height)
-11"x13"x3"
-the WR2 is the best light and is for veg and ideal flower.
-The blues are obsolete now cause the white is a coated blue so the plants are getting all the blue they can handle other beneficial spectrum with the white chips

I am open to answer all the questions I can about the lights and their tech...or the company to the best that I can. I don't speak 100% for the company as I don't work there but they have given me certain privileges because I'm loyal and help them out with things and I have an online presence. Like a discount code for people(PM me) and the inside on what is happening(which is gold to a nerd like me. )

 

[tags420]

Chugging a long. I don't really know how I should run these...topped or untapped? They are getting to the point where if I'm going to I need to soon. I have had mixed results with this strain(BBS). Sometimes topping upped the yield, then other times not. But I've never done BBS under LED's, so I was thinking topping would make a more even canopy instead of one big cola 8 inches higher than the rest of the canopy. I trust the lights to penetrate just fine, but I want to make as easy as possible for them to succeed. If I top, I will only veg for week after, then flip so they stay tamed.

Just some pics for today...

 

[Mechmike]

Hi Tags,
Nice looking plants! Those Apache Tech lights are real proof that warm white leds are excellent for growing our favorite herb. I have been using led exclusively for a little over 3 years now and just recently started custom building my own. So far, the combo of 60% warm white, 20% deep red, 10% cool white and 10% 460nm blue seems to make my girls grow faster and bloom harder than with the mostly red and blue lights sold by most companies. The Apache Tech lights are the only commercially available ones that use warm white. It puzzles me that all the others haven't caught on yet but that may happen soon. I'm just not willing to wait for someone to build me what I want. As far as canopy goes... An even canopy tends to produce more. I train mine by pinching the stems and bending over the tops when they grow above the others. It doesn't really hurt the plant. Nothing gets removed like topping. It just slows down the 'damaged' stem/top enough to let the others catch up. I also defoliate regularly, just removing the oldest leaves and the ones near the highest tops which allows more light to the bottom of the plants, also adding to the yield.

 

[Jimdamick]

Hey Tags, how high are your lights above the plants and does the light make it down to the shorter plants? I understood that for them to be effective they should be 2' above the canopy, which would reduce the spread a lot I would think. Thanks

 

[tags420]

Hey Tags, how high are your lights above the plants and does the light make it down to the shorter plants? I understood that for them to be effective they should be 2' above the canopy, which would reduce the spread a lot I would think. Thanks

Mine are hanging at 31" right now. It is fine to have them high during veg, I'm more concerned about increasing the coverage than major intensity. Once in flower I will pack the lights down to about 18", which is the recommend. The math actually says less but whatever...power in numbers for me. The new lights will be better all around...coverage, output, price. I hope to get my hands on some before I have to flip these.

 

[PSUAGRO.]

Mine are hanging at 31" right now. It is fine to have them high during veg, I'm more concerned about increasing the coverage than major intensity. Once in flower I will pack the lights down to about 18", which is the recommend. The math actually says less but whatever...power in numbers for me. The new lights will be better all around...coverage, output, price. I hope to get my hands on some before I have to flip these.

Is their an ETA when these new apache's will be available to the public?? Still need to be tested in the "field" I imagine............Thanks Tags

 

[tags420]

I can't give a ETA, but it should be within 2 months. Proto's were supposed to be ready for this weekend and that got stalled. Maybe me talking about them will force them to hurry up...

There will be no new technology in the new 4x4 light. It is just 16 of the same lens units that are in the AT120's. More spacing between lenses. Since it is nothing extremely new, testing was/is limited. The housing is supposed to be steel(affordable) but I know that they are commited to some supplies so might still be aluminum for a while.

Don't expect new tech to get introduce till late in the year. That needs testing.

 

[puffenuff]

How's it going tags? what did you decide about topping the ladies?

 

[tags420]

They are doing great! I topped the big beaster of the group today cause she was out growing the rest. Height is good about 15"avg, plus they are getting so full. I need to transplant into the 4gal's then I will top them all after they get settled for a day or two.

I may have to alter my plan for this grow a little. Because I only have 24 BBS's, that wont take up my whole 8x12 room. Looking back, even if all 30 made it, it would not be maximizing my space. So what I am going to do is flower out in the veg room that they are currently in. It is a perfect 24 plant room(4x12) so why not. It will have 8 Apache's instead of 12. I'm not 100% this is what will happen yet but it is looking like this will be better in the end. I need Apache to get back from other business so I can talk his ear off.

 

[mamakush]

Nice pics, plants look verdant.

Interesting to me how you described the company; I went to the Maximum Yield gardening expo this past weekend... noticed Apache Tech was on the roster, but couldn't find them anywhere. I asked one of the Maximum Yield people what was up with that, and they told me it was the second year in a row that they booked a booth but were unable to show up. Sounds about right with what you said.

 

[tags420]

It was a last minute decision. I was all pumped to go...lights were supposed to be ready...then he got called away for 3 weeks and everything is on a stand still until next week. It is the biggest draw back for me. They make such a great light and have the ability to do so much more. I'm trying to push him to make more out of his company. This new 4x4 unit should have been out a year ago IMO.

He was thinking "why go if we don't have the new stuff ready?", which is understandable, but I think they still could have used the exposer. The AT120 is 3 years old(publicly) and still one of the best units available. They have this new version of the "zeppelin prototype" they made last year, it doesn't have/need fans...a bar like unit with 9 AT lens units. Plus they have T8 led bulbs. All those have been ready/available and could have been at the expo, even if the 4x4 wan't there, but it's not my company so I can't do much about it except vent.