I understand that’s what it means. But I also know the advertised 900w is bullshit. I’m looking for the best objective metric to compare LED to HID
So there really is a big difference between a $2k 1000w LED and a $200 1000w LED? That seems insane.
Yes, but those aren't your only options though. Spend that 200 dollars on a quality LED light. It will give you similar light levels to the 400w cheapo that's advertised as a 900. It's like this, if the 400w lamp is 25% efficient and the 200w LED is 50% efficient, they're both providing 100w of actual light, but the 200w LED is only putting out 100w of waste heat while the 400w LED is putting out around 300w of waste heat. The drivers and emitters are lower quality and generally have poor thermal design and won't last as long.
Ok so then that goes back to my original question. How can I gauge the growing potential of a 200w kit compared to traditional light sources rated at much higher wattage?
If you're dealing with good COBs, strips, or Samsung LM561C-based PCBs (like HLG's Quantum Boards), figure to replace HID at approximately 60% of the wattage.
Minimum you would need to compare PAR wattage. Output efficiency * output watts. DE bulbs are around 42% efficient. SE bulbs (600-1000w) are around 35% efficient. A 1000w SE will therefore provide around 350 par watts. Could be replaced with a 700w LED at 50% efficiency or 600w at 60% efficiency. 750w LED at 56% efficiency = 420 par watts, about the same as a 1000w DE.
Problem is I live in an area that has blistering summers and high electricity cost ($0.25/kWh)
You can get HID combos on Ebay pretty cheap, probably cheap enough to deal with the electrical bills until you have the funds to upgrade. Or you can start with a small LED setup and add to it over time. It just depends on what you're trying to do.
If it matters, I was going to do a perpetual grow. 3 plants in flower harvesting one every 3 weeks. And a veg room with clones that I’d take one at a time into flower. Would it fuck the plants up having LED in one room and HID in the other?
No shouldn't matter.
find an LED with an actual PPF output number (not PPFD!)
This 1000%
Where did the 730µmols figure in the title of the thread come from? It actually sounds kind of accurate for a PPF considering the tech used and spectrum. And I didn't see that specifically on a PPFD chart from their site.
Hey I just went from a cheap blurple COB 800 watt 210 TRUE Watts. That I paid about $200 Cdn & that was my 1st light but half way thru flower my HLG Quantum Board 260 TRUE Watts 280 I'm told? I paid about $500 & it is 1000 X BETTER brighter light. They are as good as they say. It's worth the extra $$, even if saving is needed not everyone has $500 fir a grow light
