The answer is ... Yes if you want to spend a lot of money on a powerful one. I have used the cheap ones off eBay myself. They don't work trust me. Invest in some cfls they are the best but don't get shitty household ones get the real cfl grow lights. I use 150w 6500k for veg and 300w 2700k for flower as you could do with more light in flower as she uses more energy ... I used LED lights as side lighting that's all they are good for unless you invest in a powerful one but then it defeats the object because you will pay the same on your elec bill for a cfl as you would for a powerful LED.
Are LED Grow lights any good ?
- Thread starter bigdanny
- Start date
Psychonaughtical
Active Member
I disagree.
miker10001
Member
Right.. and CFL is better?! Hah!
Do yourself a favor and research, research, research! Then choose for yourself.
I can say this.. The BS500 w/UV and a horrible rooted weak plant, the plant was salvaged a week into flower and without light or water for days and was brought back to life and still resulted in some potent buds and was loaded with trichomes. This is what sold me!
Amaximus
Well-Known Member
The only thing you wrote that I agree with is: "I have used the cheap ones off eBay myself. They don't work trust me."
And that isn't even news. Everyone knows the eBay lights are shit. And if you don't know that then you did not even do the most basic of research.
mikadodarkside
Well-Known Member
I think we can all agree that Ebay has a lot of different products and anything nameless is warent for skepticism. However Ebay has a lot of now name LED's that work just fine.
You could source 380,420,450,475,520,580,630,660,730nm 1 or 3 watt Chinese LEDs and build yourself fa killer array with some current driver know how..... add in some 2700k 4500k 6000k 10000k whites
and dont even start to tell me that american LEDs are any physically different then chinese except maybe a few percent efficiency. They are made in the same fabs for fucks sake.
and constant chinese espionage.... we cant forget about that. * americans freaking the fuck out.jpg *
You could source 380,420,450,475,520,580,630,660,730nm 1 or 3 watt Chinese LEDs and build yourself fa killer array with some current driver know how..... add in some 2700k 4500k 6000k 10000k whites
and dont even start to tell me that american LEDs are any physically different then chinese except maybe a few percent efficiency. They are made in the same fabs for fucks sake.
and constant chinese espionage.... we cant forget about that. * americans freaking the fuck out.jpg *
birdmananyweather
Well-Known Member
a lot of awesome growers here experimenting with each and every kind, just be patient or be the guinea pig and test out different LED's and pass on the knowledge learned and gained.. research and experimentation is the key here....and we all know what the goal is....super ultra mega sticky stanky delicious bomb-diggity danky dankkkkk herbal 
if i could...i would test out each and every LED there is out there.....oh wait...i can eventually, things just take time
if i could...i would test out each and every LED there is out there.....oh wait...i can eventually, things just take time
kounterfit
Member
http://www.dormgrow.com/450-watt-led-grow-light.html, I found this one, just wondering what people think? I am starting a new Secret Jardin 5x5 and am excited about LED's, but also very but skeptical, as I don't really know anyone using them. But as an electrician for 14 years, I know how much more efficient LED's are cost wise. Its not a huge deal but in this economy I think we are all trying to figure out ways to save what we can.
mikadodarkside
Well-Known Member
Nope, go for something with 1-3 year waranty.... if you expect to have this light working for 5-10 years... the company should sure as hell back their product for 1-3years. but nice spectrum....bottom line 90 days is not really a fair warranty for a device that cost 500$. unless you want to take it apart and fix it yourself.
thermal expansion/contraction is the main mode of failure in these devices.... that and dead LEDs...
go with a company with something to loose... if they have a reputation they want to keep it up....
thermal expansion/contraction is the main mode of failure in these devices.... that and dead LEDs...
go with a company with something to loose... if they have a reputation they want to keep it up....
budman111
Well-Known Member
LED is amazingly good these days with very stable drivers and optics, but like everything else, it has its pros & cons. Pros: less heat so can add more lighting for even better yields. Cons: RO water or soft water with no cal mag supplement will give calcium deficiencies very quickly, usually within 10 days and if left with no calcium replacement will severely retard plant beyond repair within 3 weeks.
tags420
Well-Known Member
It's all about the par and ppf with led's. They are only a couple of companies iv've found that have comparable or better numbers with a hps system . All of which cost a pretty penny. Apache Tech at120 is the lowest wattage to output by a good amount, but they are 1000$ so fuck. It's as good a 600hps but you need 2 to cover a similar area. 1000 and 10/month for an led or 150 plus and 70/month for hps.
Psychonaughtical
Active Member
This is one thing I've noticed, I just run out and grab a bottle of spring water and load them up. Fixes them fairly quickly.
so lots of people disagree with me ... what exactly do you disagree with ? the fact that only expensive LED's work ? The fact that i bought a shitty one off ebay to see for myself ??? why dont you go back and think of something more constructive to say !! i posted this because i had no info on the cheap LED's when i first started and i wanted to save peoples time and money ! for me cfl's are the the best ... hps cost to much to run ... people say you dont get the same yeild with cfl's ......... i find them fantastic ! if you only a personal grower then cfl's are cheap to buy and cheap to run. disagree if you want but that is my opinion !
Bilgerat
Member
I'm a new grower as well and my opinion on the matter is that you should be prepared to invest when starting to grow depending on how serious you are. I researched and was aware of the ebay lights etc. before I took the plunge for my LED's. If you buy cheap equipment you'll see cheap results imo.
budman111
Well-Known Member
Ive got an idea...chill the fuck out and look at things rationally. Yes CFL is better...than cheap ebay shit LED's. Ive bought into the cheap ebay panels about 3 years ago and they last about 3 weeks and blow out. This is simply because the dodgy as fuck factory's in china overdrive them so when you first plug them in they are bright as fuck and this makes you think - wow - this is the fucking business! So fucking wrong its unbelievable... If you want a reasonably priced LED the one i would say to check out is the vipar range. Great solid reliable LED at a great bang for buck price.
Amaximus
Well-Known Member
This whole led forum is filled with answers to your asinine questions. Why don't you go look some shit up before coming here and acting like a rude little child.
What is the deal with the led forum the past month? lots of new trolls popping in.