315 cmh vs led

GrownAtHighAltitude

GrownAtHighAltitude

Well-Known Member
I would've gone LED if someone would've produced a 3x3 or 3x4 footprint that was not double the cost I paid to light everything with CMH.

I got 4 CMH vertical reflector 315's + Phillips lamps for just over $1000 shipped.

My area is 3x10.5 which ends up being weird for the best LED fixtures.
 
a mongo frog

a mongo frog

Well-Known Member
DukeFluke said:
I'd never even think for a second about switching back to my 315 cmh from the 320w bridgelux strip build I knocked up. There's no comparison between the two fixtures, the LED whoops it's ass all round the garden

I used to like my CMH too :cry:
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Are you going to try HPS this summer?
 
A

agentcarlo

Member
I changed a few cmh to a hlg 650r but still kept a few cmh, and whilst the hlg takes the piss for its how much light it put out and its foot print the buds under the cmh still develop better. Im not sure if thats because the cmh supposedly finishes faster or what. Cmh will never give yields in my opinion. The best weed you'll smoke is under cmh for quality. Ive run cmh led and hps. I can only speak from experience. The cmh just produces a better smoke.

I still run my hlg over the cmh.
 
D

DukeFluke

Well-Known Member
Norml56 said:
If you can find a plug and play 320watt LED strip light that's around $200 I would like to know where, and not Alibaba.
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Why not Alibaba?

You said you'd like to know where, but then ruled it out, and is cost even a factor for the OP. I can't see where he mentions it in the original post. This isn't a comparison of the two technologies, it's a question - as far as I can see - about which is the better more efficient fixture
 
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Norml56

Norml56

Well-Known Member
DukeFluke said:
Why not Alibaba?

You said you'd like to know where, but then ruled it out, and is cost even a factor for the OP. I can't see where he mentions it in the original post. This isn't a comparison of the two technologies, it's a question - as far as I can see - about which is the better more efficient fixture
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Because I buy my CMH from reputable places and that's what they cost. If a reputable LED company was selling a 315 watt LED for $200 or less I would buy from them. I wasn't talking about the OP he hasn't posted in this thread in months. For anyone wanting an amazing plug-and-play light on a budget, the CMH wins hands down. Amazing spectrum, low heat, super long-lasting bulb, compact design, high output. The best price I can find is around $500 for a 320 watt Plug-and-Play LED. That leaves me with an extra $300 for bulbs at 72 a bulb I could buy 4 bulbs. I swap bulbs every 2 1/2 years so that would around 10 years before I had to buy new bulbs. electrical consumption is the same and heat output is the same. In reality, the LED will only last for about 10 years too. Seems like most people are swapping their LEDs sooner than I'm switching bulbs because they are getting caught up in the marketing of LEDs and need that new board that will increase their efficiency by a couple of percent.
 
D

DaFreak

Well-Known Member
For some people buying new gear is part of the hobby, like body builders trying to get more definition etc. I'm happy with my LED though, hope it lasts 5 years. Even at $800 I'd buy a new one every few years if I had too. Looking at plants in natural spectrum alone is worth it to me.
 
Severed Tongue

Severed Tongue

Well-Known Member
Marshydro TSW2000 is 300 watts, lasts from 50,000 hrs min up to 100,000 max. Dimmer from 10% to 100%, 3 year warranty.

Flowering 12hrs = 4380hrs per year or 11.5 year min, 23 years max.
Vegetative 18hrs = 6570hrs per year or 7.5 years min, 15 years max.
.... and this 365 days a year , so I won't be doing that, but you get the point....

$285 USD on Amazon without any discount codes, free next day delivery.

Given the added benefits of its size and design, allows more plant height in the tent. Can also move drivers outside to reduce heat.

I don't see any negatives to this light at all.
 
D

DukeFluke

Well-Known Member
Norml56 said:
Because I buy my CMH from reputable places and that's what they cost. If a reputable LED company was selling a 315 watt LED for $200 or less I would buy from them. I wasn't talking about the OP he hasn't posted in this thread in months. For anyone wanting an amazing plug-and-play light on a budget, the CMH wins hands down. Amazing spectrum, low heat, super long-lasting bulb, compact design, high output. The best price I can find is around $500 for a 320 watt Plug-and-Play LED. That leaves me with an extra $300 for bulbs at 72 a bulb I could buy 4 bulbs. I swap bulbs every 2 1/2 years so that would around 10 years before I had to buy new bulbs. electrical consumption is the same and heat output is the same. In reality, the LED will only last for about 10 years too. Seems like most people are swapping their LEDs sooner than I'm switching bulbs because they are getting caught up in the marketing of LEDs and need that new board that will increase their efficiency by a couple of percent.
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With all due respect I just disregard all the cost of bulbs and bollocks because we're growing weed and if my LED fixture gives me 1.5 GPW of cannabis and my CMH gives me 1 or less then it's pissed that bulb cost in one grow.

And If the LED junkies get caught up in changing their lights every year then that's their thing. It's not applicable to anyone else and not something anyone has to do, it's completely optional and a moot point.

And if you're still growing with CMH in ten years because you've got a lot of bulbs which cost less than an LED fixture in 2021 then you are defining false economy. It's only just about debatable right now. In ten years if you can still sell that CMH to someone because of the cheap bulb argument, you might as well throw in some DVDs and a cassette player with it.
 
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Montanan

Montanan

Member
Norml56 said:
Check out this 10k CMH finishing bulb. 10k finish bulb
Not sure if I would pay the 90 dollars they want for a bulb they say to only run during the last 2 weeks of flower
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$48 igrowtek looks like the same chart as the $90 guy. China lamp, but arent most of them??
https://www.amazon.com/iGrowtek-Enhanced-Violet-Compatible-Ballast/dp/B07W84526R
Even if it only helped me for one grow, it might be worth it.. assuming the spectrum chart isnt a lie.. I am preparing for my first grow and I am totally at dead stop RE: lighting. I want to go LEC but have no confidence in ballast quality. Dont know which tool to get, I want the best tool so I dont have to return stuff mid grow... that would suck. I wish someone could tell me what ballast is best. I would like to find American made ballast. L8r
 
PSUAGRO.

PSUAGRO.

Well-Known Member
Montanan said:
$48 igrowtek looks like the same chart as the $90 guy. China lamp, but arent most of them??
https://www.amazon.com/iGrowtek-Enhanced-Violet-Compatible-Ballast/dp/B07W84526R
Even if it only helped me for one grow, it might be worth it.. assuming the spectrum chart isnt a lie.. I am preparing for my first grow and I am totally at dead stop RE: lighting. I want to go LEC but have no confidence in ballast quality. Dont know which tool to get, I want the best tool so I dont have to return stuff mid grow... that would suck. I wish someone could tell me what ballast is best. I would like to find American made ballast. L8r
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Any cmh/lec/cdm fixture with a Phillips ballast(240v)/ Phillips bulb(3100k) combo. Sunsystem is one that I know of , the model which has the bulb running vert.
 
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GrownAtHighAltitude

GrownAtHighAltitude

Well-Known Member
I paid $150 for a new, cheap vertical w/integrated 315 ballast on Ebay. Seems to work as well as the others at much less cost.

The ballast is rated for 50,000 hours. The Sun System stuff is made in China anyway, just like all the LEDs.

For the price, I can just buy a new external ballast to rig up if one of the internal ballasts fails and still be less than the price of the Sun System fixtures.

I usually try and buy only name brand, higher end stuff; I'm not cheap. But this time I couldn't see spending so much more for a brand name when there are plenty of cheap knock-offs these days.
 
Rurumo

Rurumo

Well-Known Member
Severed Tongue said:
Marshydro TSW2000 is 300 watts, lasts from 50,000 hrs min up to 100,000 max. Dimmer from 10% to 100%, 3 year warranty.

Flowering 12hrs = 4380hrs per year or 11.5 year min, 23 years max.
Vegetative 18hrs = 6570hrs per year or 7.5 years min, 15 years max.
.... and this 365 days a year , so I won't be doing that, but you get the point....

$285 USD on Amazon without any discount codes, free next day delivery.

Given the added benefits of its size and design, allows more plant height in the tent. Can also move drivers outside to reduce heat.

I don't see any negatives to this light at all.
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I think peoples expectations regarding LED longevity are vastly overblown. Sure, I think most of them will last for three years, but I'd be concerned with the degradation over time due to the high heat they put out. I hate when manufacturers say their product will last from 50-100k hours, it's so disingenuous. I have a mars hydro fixture and that thing gets burning hot to the touch. In a few years I think we'll have a better grasp on the true functional longevity of these LEDs-I just wouldn't count on using the same light for 10 years as a major factor for choosing a light.
 
Wastei

Wastei

Well-Known Member
beercan said:
So i think im to the point that i need to change bulbs in my 315w cmh fixtures, pretty expensive bulbs to be changing every year or so, my last run yeilds were way lower than expected, i also run 260 w leds from hlg as supplemental lighting to the 2 315's in a 4x4, so should i go all led or change bulbs in 315s? I was looking at a timber fixture or perhaps buying a few more 260 w hlgs
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600w HPS at 2000K combined with a 315w CMH at 3100K is a better combo. It's way more affordable and better for quality and yield IMO. Better than 2x315w CMH that is.
 
Severed Tongue

Severed Tongue

Well-Known Member
I disagree, I think marshydro is a perfect example of where budget level LED is at....

Also, I misread.... The warranty is 5 years not 3.

A 5 year warranty with 50k hrs lifespan means they are pretty confident in their product imo.
Screenshot_20210228-102639_Chrome.jpg
 
Norml56

Norml56

Well-Known Member
DukeFluke said:
With all due respect I just disregard all the cost of bulbs and bollocks because we're growing weed and if my LED fixture gives me 1.5 GPW of cannabis and my CMH gives me 1 or less then it's pissed that bulb cost in one grow.

And If the LED junkies get caught up in changing their lights every year then that's their thing. It's not applicable to anyone else and not something anyone has to do, it's completely optional and a moot point.

And if you're still growing with CMH in ten years because you've got a lot of bulbs which cost less than an LED fixture in 2021 then you are defining false economy. It's only just about debatable right now. In ten years if you can still sell that CMH to someone because of the cheap bulb argument, you might as well throw in some DVDs and a cassette player with it.
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The same would go for your LED strip light. If you could still sell it in 3 years let alone 10, I would be surprised. One of the main reasons I always tell people to go with a CMH is that it is the cheapest best light you can buy and 99% of the people getting into this hobby quit after 2 or 3 runs. Do you actually use GPW as a measurement of efficiency? lol, I always looked at GPW as a dick-measuring contest for online forums at best.
 
Norml56

Norml56

Well-Known Member
DaFreak said:
For some people buying new gear is part of the hobby, like body builders trying to get more definition etc. I'm happy with my LED though, hope it lasts 5 years. Even at $800 I'd buy a new one every few years if I had too. Looking at plants in natural spectrum alone is worth it to me.
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CMH has a natural spectrum.
 
Norml56

Norml56

Well-Known Member
Rurumo said:
I think peoples expectations regarding LED longevity are vastly overblown. Sure, I think most of them will last for three years, but I'd be concerned with the degradation over time due to the high heat they put out. I hate when manufacturers say their product will last from 50-100k hours, it's so disingenuous. I have a mars hydro fixture and that thing gets burning hot to the touch. In a few years I think we'll have a better grasp on the true functional longevity of these LEDs-I just wouldn't count on using the same light for 10 years as a major factor for choosing a light.
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I think Migro did a test on longevity of LED's. It was interesting. I've always wondered where LED companies get those Hr lifespan numbers from. Does anyone know?
 
Rurumo

Rurumo

Well-Known Member
Norml56 said:
I think Migro did a test on longevity of LED's. It was interesting. I've always wondered where LED companies get those Hr lifespan numbers from. Does anyone know?
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idk, all I know is I end up having to replace my led bulbs that go into my incandescent lamp fixtures as often as regular light bulbs, and those were supposed to last for a decade, it says so on the box!!
 
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