HPS to LED whats it worth??

H

hmmmmm.....

Member
Hey guys,

im on my second grow, first one being indoor and second being outdoor, indoor i had quite and nice yeild and from what friends said a lovely taste which i can only put down to someone on here recommending using apples and potato's as extra nuts, i have 2 weeks left on the outdoor grow and considering in the uk its been a bit of a fluff out this summer apart from the past week they are doing pritty well and smelling nice. As christmas grows near i would like to try an LED grow as it has less heat and smaller watts then a 600hps, any recommendations from users or researchers, atm im thinking a 90watt ufo for 5 plants as the lights are cheapish

all replies welcome

regards
:peace:
 
W

WeJuana

Active Member
Dont buy a ufo. I made that mistake, they dont work well at all. If you are looking for an affordable LED that works check one of the brands in my grow. All 3 companies have good records.

Id say your best bet, if your looking for inexpensive, would be a 240w Blackstar..
 
outlander1

outlander1

Member
Budgettttt!!! It's hard to recommend an LED when they range from Under $100 to in the thousands...
Check out Hydroponics Hut on eBay. They list their 180W Pro Grow 3 watt Cree, 7 spectrum's. You can pick them up for around the $200 mark easily.
(nothing listed today though, but you can also contact Ben over at his site and work out a similar deal.

Cheers,
 
hoss12781

hoss12781

Well-Known Member
I wouldn't rec the "240" blackstar, its only a 140w light in the real world. They also only have a 12 month warranty when these lights are supposed to last 50,000 plus hours. I'm a big fan of the Pro-Grows from hydro hut. There is a journal in my signature detailing my transition from 2 400w hps lights to all led. They have served me well.

A lot of unscrupulous led copmanies have greatly over exaggerated the power and coverage area of their lighting which has a lot to do with all the led hate we see on this and other boards. Anyone claiming a 90w ufo will replace a 400w hid should be cock smacked. I just sold the last couple ufos I had laying around on ebay - I only found them useful as side lighting.

Real leds will cost you some real money upfront but the equation corrects itself over the long haul if your lights are under warranty for three years which most reputable leds are.
 
hoss12781

hoss12781

Well-Known Member
To clarify I never said blackstars wouldn't work - there are some kick ass bs journals on this site. To justify my investment I needed to have a 3 year warranty on my lamps.
 
W

WeJuana

Active Member
hoss12781 said:
A lot of unscrupulous led copmanies have greatly over exaggerated the power and coverage area of their lighting which has a lot to do with all the led hate we see on this and other boards. Anyone claiming a 90w ufo will replace a 400w hid should be cock smacked. I just sold the last couple ufos I had laying around on ebay - I only found them useful as side lighting.

Real leds will cost you some real money upfront but the equation corrects itself over the long haul if your lights are under warranty for three years which most reputable leds are.
Click to expand...
Well put. IDK why Blackstar names their LEDs wattage which they don't actually put out, but none the less I have had great experiences with my 240. I will definitely check into the brand your talking about though, I am always looking for an honest comparison. Check my signature, I am about to do an LED test.
 
hoss12781

hoss12781

Well-Known Member
During my research process I was considering blackstar for the price but was deterred by this thread

https://www.rollitup.org/grow-room-design-setup/432283-blackstar-240w-led-dissected-upgraded.html

I'm really not trying to shit on your light man, I'm sure it works well - they're just advertising the total chipset capacity of the lamp. Leds are never driven to the total capacity as it would fry out the diodes too quick. The average 3w chipset is only driven to about 2.1w of actual led output.

Alhtough it would appear, at least going by the thread linked above, that the 240 dissected in this experiment was actually a 180w chipset light which kinda freaked me out. I emailed gotham about this including the link when I was researching and did not get a response which led me to give my business to GLH and Hydroponics Hut.
 
outlander1

outlander1

Member
hoss12781 said:
During my research process I was considering blackstar for the price but was deterred by this thread

https://www.rollitup.org/grow-room-design-setup/432283-blackstar-240w-led-dissected-upgraded.html

I'm really not trying to shit on your light man, I'm sure it works well - they're just advertising the total chipset capacity of the lamp. Leds are never driven to the total capacity as it would fry out the diodes too quick. The average 3w chipset is only driven to about 2.1w of actual led output.

Alhtough it would appear, at least going by the thread linked above, that the 240 dissected in this experiment was actually a 180w chipset light which kinda freaked me out. I emailed gotham about this including the link when I was researching and did not get a response which led me to give my business to GLH and Hydroponics Hut.
Click to expand...
I also bought a Lighthouse Hydro panel, and I've got to say I'm not too impressed with them. Cheaply made and at the end of the day they are very shady.
I currently use it as side lighting and have it focused on 3-4 bud tops and they seem to be growing great though.
Not to mention they were suppose to ship USPS rather than UPS (they did this to save a few bucks) and I ended up being charged $40+ in brokerage fees.
(Their response was: Well you already got such a good price...lmao)
Lighthouse Hydro 180W sells for $240 on eBay, I can pickup a 180W Hydro Hut for less....don't sell yourselves short people!
 
B

bwes17

Member
WeJuana said:
Dont buy a ufo. I made that mistake, they dont work well at all. If you are looking for an affordable LED that works check one of the brands in my grow. All 3 companies have good records.

Id say your best bet, if your looking for inexpensive, would be a 240w Blackstar..
Click to expand...
I'd stay away from Hydro Grow LED. The owner is not a good person, has turned in her own customers for growing. Not worth the risk, and who wants to support that kind of person, anyways?
 
hoss12781

hoss12781

Well-Known Member
Super true - google "Cammie LED Fraud" read the first several links that pop up. He/She has actually called the cops on people she's sold leds to. Fucking crazy!
Also don't confuse Hydro Grow LED with Grow Led Hydro - two totally different companies. GLH makes fantastic leds I can tell you this from first hand experience with their lighting. I'm assuming Cammie named her company similar to Mike's to leech business from him. Pretty crazy eh?
 
Toolage 87

Toolage 87

Well-Known Member
I use a 13w LED panel that I bought from my local hydro store and I'm kinda happy for how it preforms for only $20 for a 1'x1' panel. You can use LEDs for veg but as for flowering unless you shell out the mega $$$ for a way better LED system stick with CLFs, T-5s , HPS or MH lights because you might be disappointed. If you want to use a lower wattage and less heat light then go with CFLs, T-5 lights or buy a 400w-150w HPS or MH lamps. You can get MH and HPS lamps and ballast systems that can go all the way down to 35w but a 70w MH or HPS lamps doesn't put out a tone of heat like everyone think they do.
 
puffenuff

puffenuff

Well-Known Member
WeJuana said:
Dont buy a ufo. I made that mistake, they dont work well at all. If you are looking for an affordable LED that works check one of the brands in my grow. All 3 companies have good records.

Id say your best bet, if your looking for inexpensive, would be a 240w Blackstar..
Click to expand...
Subb'd to your comparison grow. Looking forward to that very much. Glad to see someone using the new penetrators despite the bad rep the owners gets I hear the lights themselves are pretty impressive. Keep us posted!
 
hoss12781

hoss12781

Well-Known Member
Toolage 87 said:
I use a 13w LED panel that I bought from my local hydro store and I'm kinda happy for how it preforms for only $20 for a 1'x1' panel. You can use LEDs for veg but as for flowering unless you shell out the mega $$$ for a way better LED system stick with CLFs, T-5s , HPS or MH lights because you might be disappointed. If you want to use a lower wattage and less heat light then go with CFLs, T-5 lights or buy a 400w-150w HPS or MH lamps. You can get MH and HPS lamps and ballast systems that can go all the way down to 35w but a 70w MH or HPS lamps doesn't put out a tone of heat like everyone think they do.
Click to expand...
I think the reason you have this opinion is due to the light you're using. Those panels have roughly 225 diodes and run at 13w so each diode is producing .057w of output power at best. To compare that to a light where all the diodes produce 2.1w per diode of output isn't fair, especially when good leds contain 12 to 14 different bands some with IR and UV capabilities. Others allow you to switch the spectrum from veg only, flower only, or full illumination. A 2011 3w chipset led is literally 36 times as powerful diode for diode compared to the panel you describe.
 
H

hmmmmm.....

Member
thats utter madness, makes you wounder where she gets off really taking peoples money then sending the police to intervene :finger:.

well iv been a little inspired by pr0ffessors t5 grow opp and was looking into a badboy for less heat with as much give but they will leave a whole in my wallet including the bulbs, but the LED system at around the 300mark seem to get slated when compared to a 600hps which Toolage 87 i have already man, made a few buds on my first grow crispy. which makes me hesitent when you speak of the diodes and giving less power in reality.

however your opinions on these videos would be appreciated
heres a few guys who are getting 15watt bulbs powered by magnets not sure if its a wasted indevour but if they could get a 125watt running cheaper or for free then that would make a saving
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cLjuec8mz1E&NR=1
or
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gR37MDIrU_E

my aim is to have a cheap running cost whilst maintaining a nice amount of end product, quality over quantity

and one more off shoot, my ladies are 2 weeks left outdoors till finishing, the only sadthing is the next to weeks where im living is supposidly rain and overcast spots of sun and cold (oh happy days) would it be a better idea to dust of the tent and finish under the 600hps?

kind regards
:dunce:
 
Toolage 87

Toolage 87

Well-Known Member
hmmmmm..... said:
thats utter madness, makes you wounder where she gets off really taking peoples money then sending the police to intervene :finger:.

well iv been a little inspired by pr0ffessors t5 grow opp and was looking into a badboy for less heat with as much give but they will leave a whole in my wallet including the bulbs, but the LED system at around the 300mark seem to get slated when compared to a 600hps which Toolage 87 i have already man, made a few buds on my first grow crispy. which makes me hesitent when you speak of the diodes and giving less power in reality.

however your opinions on these videos would be appreciated
heres a few guys who are getting 15watt bulbs powered by magnets not sure if its a wasted indevour but if they could get a 125watt running cheaper or for free then that would make a saving
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cLjuec8mz1E&NR=1
or
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gR37MDIrU_E

my aim is to have a cheap running cost whilst maintaining a nice amount of end product, quality over quantity

and one more off shoot, my ladies are 2 weeks left outdoors till finishing, the only sadthing is the next to weeks where im living is supposidly rain and overcast spots of sun and cold (oh happy days) would it be a better idea to dust of the tent and finish under the 600hps?

kind regards
:dunce:
Click to expand...
Actually if you manage to harness the power that the magnet thing makes you could use those if made right and what not to charge a Deep Cycle Solar battery then you'd be uber golden because you can have power 24/7. But as for running a light that way to just give it power almost directly it wouldn't be safe because when CFLs or LED lights have a power surge or the power is turned on and off fast like that or w/e you can risk the CFL's internal ballast to fail and can run a chance of causing a fire. I had a CFL in the house that I used for regular lighting and when it failed you heard a pop and a not so good smell coming from it.

As for the last 2 weeks if the weather isn't gonna be good and you can I say dust off your 600w and finish your girls inside.
 
virulient

virulient

Active Member
I can say from almost a year of research and a LOT of real-life experience using LED's I can recommend the following brands that have PROVEN results, in no particular order : GLH(GrowLEdHydro), ProGrow, StealthGrow(overpriced, though), AdvancedLED (diamond series preferred), Kessil, and Blackstar (keep in mind the actual wattage is about half of the advertised wattage with these). This is my personal opinion, as I have seen these lights used with great success. They are all costly, with LED panels you get what you pay for. Again, they are in no particular order. Hope this helps :joint:

For extra credit supplement with HPS and UV-B when flowering. Totally not necessary, but I'm the overkill type of person. And I would, because I like to give everything 100%.
 
sso

sso

Well-Known Member
hehehe, wont come near leds myself.

just about everyone lied about their usability. (i didnt ever see a fair statement and true)
what else did they lie about? their durance?

this stuff gonna really last that long time?

we´ll see.
 
hoss12781

hoss12781

Well-Known Member
that's sadly true with some companies, most of the ones mentioned on this thread as being good are very upfront about the total coverage area, wattage, bands ect. I'm pretty sure they're here to stay and the long life cycle of these have been proven time and time again with leds not specifically tuned to grow mj. My local power company is actually encouraging and giving rebates to their customers for buying indoor led (non horticultural of course) lighting to replace other traditional lighting due to the decrease in power consumption & longevity.
As for the warranty, most of the companies that are highly reviewed on this site have been around for at least three years, and I'd wager will still be in business three years from now to honor their commitment to consumers.
The good news considering a lot of the absurd claims originally brought about when leds hit the grow market is they've by and large decreased. There are not many people left claiming their 90w ufo will replace a 400w hid.
 
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