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

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JohnNeedsMeds

Well-Known Member
Heelo everyone , i am new to led

if i use this light (http://www.aliexpress.com/item/54W-E27-85-265V-High-power-12red-6Blue-LED-Grow-light-for-flowering-plant-and-hydroponics/1049231950.html)
2x 18Blue for veg...Blue light only works for rapid veg ?
3x 18 red for flowering...red light work fro flowering ?

Thank you
Hi James and welcome to the wacky world of LED's. :) There are many here on RIU that know much more about LED's than I but I can share what I have learned until someone better chimes in.

First of all those Aliexpress bulbs in the link come straight out of China. You may or may not be aware but many knock-offs and just plain junk come out of China so be very careful when ordering from there. There are many who prey on customers around the world by sending them inferior bulbs and get away with it because there is no recourse if they send you crap and the shipping cost, which you would have to pay, is usually as much as the item they sent. I know this from experience. It would probably benefit you to find something from a local USA seller (if you live here) but again be careful because the LED market is full of crappy knock-offs and re-branded items so take a little time to do a bit of research and of course others here can guide you to the right place to buy good bulbs.

Secondly, as I think you know the light spectrum matters a great deal as well as the wattage the lights use and put out. Yes more blue is used during the veg cycle but some red is also good for vegging and yes more red is used during the bloom cycle but blue is also used as well as other wavelengths during both veg and bloom cycles. The sun's spectrum of visible light is pretty wide and if you have ever seen a PAR chart, (Photosynthetic Active Radiation), it shows you the wavelengths that plants absorb most. I recommend checking out CaptainMorgan's thread here on RIU. He is using household LED bulbs in the warm white, neutral white and cool white spectrums in his grows and showing some very good results considering he is using a number of $10 - $14 bulbs from Home Depot. :) The lights he is using are rated by temperature in Kelvins, ie., 2700K Warm White is more in the Red spectrum, 6500K Cool White is more in the Blue spectrum, etc.

And lastly, can you tell us a little more about your grow so we can better assist you? How many plants are you wanting to grow, how are you planning to grow them, will you be using a grow tent or converting a room or other space into your grow area, what are the conditions like as far as heat/cold, humidity, etc.

I hope this helps some. :)
 

mightychrist

Active Member


 

JohnNeedsMeds

Well-Known Member


Hello MC and welcome to RIU and the LED thread! I can try and help you until someone more knowledgeable than I chimes in to suggest good panels that they have used.

Out of the two Ebay links for LED panels you posted the first one looks very sketchy to me. The guy sells nothing but after-market car parts and no-name LED panels. The second one claims to be a Vipar but unfortunately you never know if it is a much lesser quality knock-off or a re-branded panel coming out of China until you turn it on and see if it works or not. To begin with I would contact the seller and ask many questions to see if they reply and are forthcoming with much information. If they claim some sort of secrecy concerning what LED chips they use, the wavelengths of the chips or try and give you the runaround on any other data, stay away from them. In all honesty I would look for a local, reputable manufacturer of LED panels. They will cost a bit more than the Ebay panels you listed but they will stand behind their product warranties. A good place for information is right here on RIU. Look for threads where growers are actually using the panels. They post pictures of their grows and if you see one you like you can ask them for information on the panel. It is a much better way to get the truth about how a panel works in a real growing environment instead of relying on Ebay sellers and industry hype.

As for a switching LED panel, it depends on if you are planning to use it for veg and then for flowering but if you plan to veg plants while you are flowering you will need 2 panels or some CFL or LED bulbs to veg with. If that is the case you only need one panel to flower your plants with. Also, dimming isn't really needed unless you do choose a switching panel for veg/flower and I think they all have dimmers.

I hope this helps MC. Best of luck! :)
 

Edstonx

Active Member
MC for your size area and a quality light I'd lean toward the SGS 160 from area51lighting. It's coverage is just a touch more than what your tent is, so perfect imo. I have one I'm using over 3 plants myself and it's phenomenal, I've since ordered 4 more.

With that in mind I've heard wonderful things about the Hans panels, I suppose you could get a couple of those to cover that area aswell. I believe the website for that is bonsaihero.com ... That might be the wrong site. It's posted around these forums somewhere. Nothing but good reviews there too.
 

CoJalex

New Member
Can i use 18 Blue for veg and 18 red for flowering ?
I heard you can but I wouldn't flower with out any blue. I've read that the red stretches the plant more when you switch to 12/12. If anything use more red when the plant starts to flower and use more blue right after the switch. I would just get the ones that they sell with a UV and IR chip in them.
,
 

FranJan

Well-Known Member
Heelo everyone , i am new to led

if i use this light (http://www.aliexpress.com/item/54W-E27-85-265V-High-power-12red-6Blue-LED-Grow-light-for-flowering-plant-and-hydroponics/1049231950.html)
2x 18Blue for veg...Blue light only works for rapid veg ?
3x 18 red for flowering...red light work fro flowering ?

Thank you
Jamesva you will most likely be very disappointed with those. Those are for house plants at best, not for growing marijuana really. Maybe you could start a plant with them but you should save your money for something better. Or plan on getting 6 more come flowering time. Are you in the USA? There are much better alternatives if so. Oh and I'm pretty sure Epistar doesn't make a 660nm diode in any size. Ask them or check for yourself:

http://cs.epistar.com.tw/login.aspx?lan=en
http://www.epistar.com.tw/_english/01_product/01_overview.php

Good Luck!
 

RedCarpetMatches

Well-Known Member
I'm really second guessing this major LED purchase :( does it really save money when coverage is minimal and you need a heater?! Maybe I'm missing something. I don't want to heat a tent. It gets very cold here till spring, so I was thinking bout LEDS for the summer. Rep for wisdom.
 

FranJan

Well-Known Member
I'm really second guessing this major LED purchase
does it really save money when coverage is minimal and you need a heater?! Maybe I'm missing something. I don't want to heat a tent. It gets very cold here till spring, so I was thinking bout LEDS for the summer. Rep for wisdom.

LEDs work best in specific situations and flowering in large areas gets expensive and at that point other technologies take over, i.e. HPS or CMH. That's just the state of LED growing right now. And LEDs aren't heat free, they just put out less heat than HPS in most cases. And remember Red, no one said you can't use different types of lights. Small LED panels and some of the newer smaller CMH's sound like a great combo, no?
 

mightychrist

Active Member
MC for your size area and a quality light I'd lean toward the SGS 160 from area51lighting. It's coverage is just a touch more than what your tent is, so perfect imo. I have one I'm using over 3 plants myself and it's phenomenal, I've since ordered 4 more.

With that in mind I've heard wonderful things about the Hans panels, I suppose you could get a couple of those to cover that area aswell. I believe the website for that is bonsaihero.com ... That might be the wrong site. It's posted around these forums somewhere. Nothing but good reviews there too.

Reeeeeally appreciate both this and the other replies! That area 51 light looks dope, I looked at it and the Hans panel before, just too much cash to shell on something I may only be able to use a few times (gf situation). I was really hoping to find a decent panel for $200 and giver. Anyways I bought this panel http://www.ebay.ca/itm/121163870824?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649 for $190USD. Hope it actually works. She listed the ratio of lights, spectrum (Spectrum: IR730nm, Red( 620-630nm / 650-660nm ), Blue( 430-440nm / 450-460nm ) & White( 3000-4000K / 6000-9000K )) and stated that it uses Bridgelux LED, which is the core US manufacturer. In purchasing an LED panel from foreign companies/Ebay accounts, I have realized that communication/grammar is sometimes a bit "iffy" with their customer service reps, but I still took the risk anyways. Will update as to the overall quality etc of this panel. Does anyone know any more about Bridgelux LED, and are they any good ? Either way Im gonna see what I can do with it, hopefully it gets the job done !

Again, appreciate the help playas! Time to cook up some buds (will supplement with some T5s if needed)
 

PSUAGRO.

Well-Known Member
I'm really second guessing this major LED purchase :( does it really save money when coverage is minimal and you need a heater?! Maybe I'm missing something. I don't want to heat a tent. It gets very cold here till spring, so I was thinking bout LEDS for the summer. Rep for wisdom.
Your right about the coverage and Hans uses a wide lens angle imagine the panels with 50 degree lenses!!! Now your issue isn't that hard to fix, just run autos:shock: at 20-4 or even 24-0 light schedule to keep room temps up. Put the remote drivers near your circulation fan and let the heat get blown around and in extreme cold add a couple cfl's/turn off exhaust to really increase ambient temps. more light and heat to your girls. Electric should still be minimal due to low consumption of the hans(65w each) and never add a heater when you can add LIGHT wattage. yes HIDs will work really well in very cold areas, you just have to tinker more with leds.

EDIT......shit you didn't buy Hans panels did you?? I think I mistook you for someone else who has the same avatar.. Sorry about that.......some of the info^^ is still valid though:P

Reeeeeally appreciate both this and the other replies! That area 51 light looks dope, I looked at it and the Hans panel before, just too much cash to shell on something I may only be able to use a few times (gf situation). I was really hoping to find a decent panel for $200 and giver. Anyways I bought this panel http://www.ebay.ca/itm/121163870824?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649 for $190USD. Hope it actually works. She listed the ratio of lights, spectrum (Spectrum: IR730nm, Red( 620-630nm / 650-660nm ), Blue( 430-440nm / 450-460nm ) & White( 3000-4000K / 6000-9000K )) and stated that it uses Bridgelux LED, which is the core US manufacturer. In purchasing an LED panel from foreign companies/Ebay accounts, I have realized that communication/grammar is sometimes a bit "iffy" with their customer service reps, but I still took the risk anyways. Will update as to the overall quality etc of this panel. Does anyone know any more about Bridgelux LED, and are they any good ? Either way Im gonna see what I can do with it, hopefully it gets the job done !

Again, appreciate the help playas! Time to cook up some buds (will supplement with some T5s if needed)
VIPAR leds are now US based as well^^?? IDK what's going on with them, seems they are selling all kinds of different models and only show one on their UK website?? Bridgelux doesn't make 620-730nm leds so NO. It's a rebranded http://www.ebay.com/itm/Reflector-300w-Led-Grow-Light-Growth-Flower-Switches-8Band-LED-Grow-Lamp-Panel/380578162921?rt=nc cheap ($200) chinese led panel I will say that most likely they are using generic encapsulated leds that they have on hand at the factory..........but slipon grew some very nice girls with it, so it should work for you
 

FranJan

Well-Known Member
^^^ I'm wondering if they're just Evergrows PSU. Nothing wrong with an Evergrow made LED IMHO. What you save on the panel, you give to your electrical company. But if you're not paying alot for electricity, they are a very good deal though maybe not in the long term. Plus I feel there is a performance ceiling you'll hit on panels like this. Good for smaller grows in other words. Still you're spending more money on electricity than you have to. But the one thing I will say is that they seem to be the one Chinese company that will give you the nm's you've ordered, something people who buy from China take for granted that they're getting. And I've got/seen enough IR chips posing as FR chips to prove it :).

Shenzhen Sanxinbao Semiconductor Lighting Co.,Ltd
http://evergrowlight.en.alibaba.com/
http://www.ledgrowlights.cn/
 

Herb Man

Well-Known Member
I'm really second guessing this major LED purchase :sad: does it really save money when coverage is minimal and you need a heater?! Maybe I'm missing something. I don't want to heat a tent. It gets very cold here till spring, so I was thinking bout LEDS for the summer. Rep for wisdom.
[FONT=&quot]I think the sensible way is to dip your toe into the LED market.

I'm gonna start with supplemental LED lights in one dim corner of my tent to support my 400 watt HPS.

When I can successfully grow in this corner using LED's I'll be ready to get deeper into it.

I'll have my HPS on during the winter months and then come next summer I should be ready to be growing HPS/heat free (I'm looking forward to that).

I still see myself using HPS in the coldest months, we'll see.[/FONT]
 

RedCarpetMatches

Well-Known Member
Your right about the coverage and Hans uses a wide lens angle imagine the panels with 50 degree lenses!!! Now your issue isn't that hard to fix, just run autos:shock: at 20-4 or even 24-0 light schedule to keep room temps up. Put the remote drivers near your circulation fan and let the heat get blown around and in extreme cold add a couple cfl's/turn off exhaust to really increase ambient temps. more light and heat to your girls. Electric should still be minimal due to low consumption of the hans(65w each) and never add a heater when you can add LIGHT wattage. yes HIDs will work really well in very cold areas, you just have to tinker more with leds.

EDIT......shit you didn't buy Hans panels did you?? I think I mistook you for someone else who has the same avatar.. Sorry about that.......some of the info^^ is still valid though:P

Thnx for response. I'm thinking about 2 A51s for a 4x4. I've read the ideal ambien temp for an LED is around 85*F for transpiration. Would I also have to have more drainage to my soil? Thanks for help everyone.
 

InnDickUhh

Member
Hey guys, like most posting in this thread I am extremely new to LED lighting. Just out of curiosity how much would I be looking at spending for a 2-3 plant grow in a box that's 25" tall x 26" wide x 11" deep. Thanks(:
 

RedCarpetMatches

Well-Known Member
Hey guys, like most posting in this thread I am extremely new to LED lighting. Just out of curiosity how much would I be looking at spending for a 2-3 plant grow in a box that's 25" tall x 26" wide x 11" deep. Thanks(:
You might want to look into CFLs and LST for that space.
 
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