IF you are new to LED and want help choosing what to buy, POST HERE!

PurpleBuz said:

the variance in efficiency from gogreen, tasty, plc, amare and fluence can be quite large, potentially as high as 40% deviation. Different bins, different drivers, different currents and different cooling systems each alone can easily lead to a 10% deviation. so if I am a greedy cost cutting mfg, I can choose the lowest bin (-10%), use a cheap driver (-10%), run at a high current (-10%) and skimp on heatsinks (-10%).

Click to expand...

I agree with that and I am sure we can find a TON on alibaba(http://www.alibaba.com/trade/search?fsb=y&IndexArea=product_en&CatId=&SearchText=cob+grow+light&isPremium=y). But we ruled out the high current, low bins and cheap drivers. I can not comment on the heatsinks, I never went that far in depth. But you are right any one can and thats why I think it's fair to ask all of these questions no matter the company.

And these are all questions that a company should answer. I did not email every company granted, I did email a few and never got a reply back. But I was more willing to buy from some one who answered all these questions openly and never felt like something was being hidden.

JorgeGonzales said:

https://youtube.com/watch?v=24M2Ch0w6qo

This is what testing in an integrating sphere looks like. Has any cob based light made it into one?

Click to expand...

I posted that video a page back or so. We just talked alot about this on the last page I honestly haven't seen any who have nor have I asked either. It's an extreme test to me that a lot of units using near the same things would come out the same. I also think thats a massive investment for any one, even more so with how fast lights are being improved. Some a bit more then other depending what else is on it I would think.

If any one does, I love to see/learn about how cobs did in this though.

Big smo said:

I would expect this from other companies but not Amare

Click to expand...

I wouldn't expect a -40% for amare either, but since they don't publish their data we don't know. The amare very well could have an efficiency 10 or 20% lower than PLC, and that is huge.

The data recently given should prove this isn't the case.

Big smo said:

The data recently given should prove this isn't the case.

Click to expand...

what data ? I haven't seen ANY efficiency data for amare.

PurpleBuz said:

I wouldn't expect a -40% for amare either, but since they don't publish their data we don't know. The amare very well could have an efficiency 10 or 20% lower than PLC, and that is huge.

Click to expand...

Yeah, I hear you. My 450 weighs allot & seem like decent heat-sinks.
Personally, I measure my efficiency by buying one light & comparing it to my HPS Yeilds. If I can get the same g/sq' then I know I'm running pretty damn efficient. Bout to harvest from a poor grow w/ a SE-450. If it's anywhere near 1.5 lbs. then I reached my goal of matching 1200 watts of HPS w/ this strain first run & am running allot more efficient then I ever thought possible. Then add all the fans & cooling it's more like matching 1500w. I don't expect to reach this goal my first run w/ led & a poor grow but I'll be doing this test @ least 3 x to determine my efficiency.
How much quality bud I get from my plant based on usual #'s w/ previous lights is how I determine my efficiency.
Of course that's after doing the research to determine the best light.
You say you have no efficiency data? Math should give you some pretty close #s. Give it a try. But you know this too.
BTW. From the responses I recieved when being excited to buy my Amare. Apparently you should not be recommending any light to anyone unless you've finished a flower run w/ it? Yeah, I disagree but I believe that's what you told me as well as others eager to haggle.
So, why do you care to know such info if you cannot w/ a clear conscious, recomend the light anyways? Maybe you should buy a few dozen so you can speak from experience. lol!

PurpleBuz said:

what data ? I haven't seen ANY efficiency data for amare.

Click to expand...

You guys keep going around and around on this. Clearly you're going to have to go and ask Amare yourself if you want this...

PSUAGRO. said:

None of the cob fixture manufacturers have tested in a sphere yet? not that I'm aware of or they are not telling ..........It is expensive

The Swiss made leo led top bin cxb 3070 (3500/5000k)panel claims 2.5ppf/w, which is very good and the "math" backs it up. BUT i want proof and emailed them with no answer yet(month ago) if the #s came from a sphere or flat plane avg. bullshit?

http://www.leoledgrow.us/en/models

secondary lenses!/reflectors/ma/diffusers/drivers/cooling! used will have an impact on the #s ,apart from the same top bin diodes.

I'll give you an example, look at the nextlight model #s differences between the mega (2.1ppf/w)and mini(1.7ppf/w), all tested in a sphere=== the mini is driving the samsung leds harder and has a pmma diffuser lens.


fluence spyder x, nextlight mega have been tested properly and are just over 2umol/j...

Click to expand...

Damn ive been emailing back and forth with no problems. Wouldnt understand why they wouldnt reply you . As I told them I let rollitup know about the lights and someone might be interested in doing a review for thier light and they much appreciated it. And has been nothing but helpful in providing info. I will email and see if they tested it in a sphere or not

LivingsoilMan said:

Damn ive been emailing back and forth with no problems. Wouldnt understand why they wouldnt reply you . As I told them I let rollitup know about the lights and someone might be interested in doing a review for thier light and they much appreciated it. And has been nothing but helpful in providing info. I will email and see if they tested it in a sphere or not

Click to expand...

That's cool. You able to post some information that they sent you?

Hybridway said:

Yeah, I hear you. My 450 weighs allot & seem like decent heat-sinks.
Personally, I measure my efficiency by buying one light & comparing it to my HPS Yeilds. If I can get the same g/sq' then I know I'm running pretty damn efficient.!

Click to expand...

that's not efficiency, that only tells us if the unit can grow well. if the unit grows well but takes twice as much power to run it compared to other lights, I lose.

I want efficiency, more photons less $$, and secondly a superior spectrum.

PurpleBuz said:

I saw that data, its PPFD, intensity at different distances, used to determine footprint and hanging height.

That's NOT efficiency (umoles/joule, PPF/watt or even lumens/watt).

Click to expand...

I guess you should contact the company.... If you go to their website they do have a spectrum graph not sure if it is what you want.

https://www.amaretechnologies.com/collections/solarecilipse

Their spectrum may be proprietary if so they may not share that. Most company's won't give proprietary information on their products. I guess if you really want to know buy a light...

Big smo said:

That's what I understood, they should all be very similar. If one is 2-3 % less efficient I couldn't care less if it suited my needs better. This is how it all started btw. I realized Victor wasn't a salesman looking for my money either. He offered assistance and did it with a smile. In my situation I would purchase his lights no matter the cost. Which I do believe are priced very well. After th 4/20 sale I beat the price of all the other companies offering similar lights. The best coverage, customer service and warranty. Then add in all the other features like top bin cree monochromes and uv.

What's fucked up is my order is large and delayed a little. I just offered him more money to divide the shipments and send it out partially. I was willing to pay double the shipping. His reply " it's not about the money" the next hour I got a shipping notification. What ever he strings he pulled he did it to help.


Case settled. I'm thrilled to death

Click to expand...

I have to concur with their customer service! I am finishing up a test grow. I posted the pictures a few comments back. Was it my nicest grow? No Way!. Was it a light issue? Partially the plants got to big and I basically burned them. They actually grew past the lights. I know better because I did the same thing under HPS. Yet this is a new strain and I did not know how they were going to turn out. There is a video out there by Grow Boss on the tube and he shows four different buds and ask you to figure out what was grown under what and how. Long story short. They were all the same strain grown in the same nutes, media, light and room conditions. It surprised me. Well I told Victor that I was about finished and needed another light and like you said he made it happen...

PurpleBuz said:

that's not efficiency, that only tells us if the unit can grow well. if the unit grows well but takes twice as much power to run it compared to other lights, I lose.

I want efficiency, more photons less $$, and secondly a superior spectrum.

Click to expand...

Here is a link that may help... If you scroll down a bit they have a spread sheet where you can enter your known value.. Problem I see is they don't list many other kelvins.

http://www.hoshi-lab.info/env/light.html

PurpleBuz said:

that's not efficiency, that only tells us if the unit can grow well. if the unit grows well but takes twice as much power to run it compared to other lights, I lose.

I want efficiency, more photons less $$, and secondly a superior spectrum.

Click to expand...

Your obviously happy with your over priced Plc light so go stir shit somewhere else. I want I want get off your ass and email someone with the exact info you so desperately NEED. While your at it find the recommended torque on the panels screws. I'm trying to figure your reasoning for all the bs. Maybe you can't afford the light but really want one. Maybe you know it's better but bought a less efficient light somewhere else and now your butt hurt. Talking here is like punching yourself in the dick. It's only fun for the first..... Never

You guys need too stop lol. All I know is my lights better hahahaha just kidding but diy is way better and not that hard. You get what you pay for as well as you get what you put in to it as well. Food for thought. Btw CXB3590 are more efficient than the COBs you guys are arguing over. You guys forget I own the rarest COBs on the market CXB3590 6500k DD bin 72v ran @ .5amps(HLG-185H-C500A) which I dim it down to 250ma when I start veg from clone and turn it up every week.



2x4 tent

I was going to do the same thing I just liked the fact there is a nice housing on all pre made units. Then with the Amare I liked the monos and uv. Coulda saved around 300$ per light I just couldn't be bothered right now. But i have been talking to victor about making another light and asked his thoughts, his reply was its definitely not needed with the se450's the plants get more than enough.

Was thinking of an 8' bar with a cob every 16" on either side of my trays for side lighting. Overkill possibly. But I do need a good veg only unit. Anyone interested? Prefer a 4x4 coverage dimable strictly for veg on 12 plants.

Big smo said:

I was going to do the same thing I just liked the fact there is a nice housing on all pre made units. Then with the Amare I liked the monos and uv. Coulda saved around 300$ per light I just couldn't be bothered right now. But i have been talking to victor about making another light and asked his thoughts, his reply was its definitely not needed with the se450's the plants get more than enough.

Was thinking of an 8' bar with a cob every 16" on either side of my trays for side lighting. Overkill possibly. But I do need a good veg only unit. Anyone interested? Prefer a 4x4 coverage dimable strictly for veg on 12 plants.

Click to expand...

Got a light meter?

REALSTYLES said:

You guys need too stop lol. All I know is my lights better hahahaha just kidding but diy is way better and not that hard. You get what you pay for as well as you get what you put in to it as well. Food for thought. Btw CXB3590 are more efficient than the COBs you guys are arguing over. You guys forget I own the rarest COBs on the market CXB3590 6500k DD bin 72v ran @ .5amps(HLG-185H-C500A) which I dim it down to 250ma when I start veg from clone and turn it up every week.

View attachment 3672658

2x4 tent

Click to expand...

They are just like the 3070 just smaller no? Nice looking lights. And yeah dyi, just don't have the time yet and other lights need to go back. I'm still building the room around me. So all have reasons for buying pre-makes.


I do want to mess with dyi but later on. Can I ask why it's so rare? (Reading your log, nice info.) What was the cost of it? And are you still using the cxa3070?

No light meter. Any suggestions on one? Same boat on time. I just build another veg room and a completely tricked out flower room. Pitched floors in veg room with rubber roofing and a shower drain. Walls are all waterproof too. My main room has pots in flood tables that have drains to the outside. Light bars for easily moving lights. I went through every option and didn't let time or money hold me back. Even has a microwave, mini fridge and Keurig

The 3 fuktard Amare spammers need to go away. "It grows the best, but I can't back that up with fact, just my opinion" ....then shut the hell up and post a grow thread and move the fuck on.

To call out PLC which makes its stuff known, Cree CXB 3070 BB's and Meanwell HLG drivers, makes zero sense and is extremely comical at this point. Maybe they [amare fuktard spammers] can just pay for their advertising.... Come on, the Amare drivers aren't even branded, you are kidding right

Abiqua said:

The 3 fuktard Amare spammers need to go away. "It grows the best, but I can't back that up with fact, just my opinion" ....then shut the hell up and post a grow thread and move the fuck on.

To call out PLC which makes its stuff known, Cree CXB 3070 BB's and Meanwell HLG drivers, makes zero sense and is extremely comical at this point. Maybe they [amare fuktard spammers] can just pay for their advertising.... Come on, the Amare drivers aren't even branded, you are kidding right

Click to expand...

Get help man.

Abiqua said:

The 3 fuktard Amare spammers need to go away. "It grows the best, but I can't back that up with fact, just my opinion" ....then shut the hell up and post a grow thread and move the fuck on.

To call out PLC which makes its stuff known, Cree CXB 3070 BB's and Meanwell HLG drivers, makes zero sense and is extremely comical at this point. Maybe they [amare fuktard spammers] can just pay for their advertising.... Come on, the Amare drivers aren't even branded, you are kidding right

Click to expand...

What're you calling out PLC for? @Greengenes707