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

The Dawg said:

Good Afternoon Brother Duke.Your 5ft Tall Tent Would Do Just Fine For Veg.Im Currently In Week 4 Of Veg And My Lady Including The WaterFarm And Light Height Is A Little Over 3 1/2 Foot From The Floor.

Brother VTMi'kmaq The Website's Price Is 535.00.However If You Or Anybody Else Contacts The Guys At Area-51 I Know They Will Give You A Better Deal.The Advanced Led Is A Ok Light But it Cant Compare To The Area-51.Just Remeber You Get What Ya Pay For

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I really just need to sack it up and save a 1000.00 bucks for a sexy ass pair of badboy area 51's. really gonna start putting my energy into understanding this technology. it's really new here so I could be a plethora of valid info for the local folks to enjoy.

CaliWorthington said:

They can run CFL bulbs instead of induction too, or one of each, I believe. BTW, no affiliation here. I saw them mentioned in some YouTube comments while watching a video for another brand.

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CFL bulbs don't perform anything like induction in terms of longevity, heat, brightness or quality of light though. I would never use CFL as my main lights. I've been using them to add light from the sides, but don't need them anymore now that I'm getting the Area 51.

daveroller said:

CFL bulbs don't perform anything like induction in terms of longevity, heat, brightness or quality of light though. I would never use CFL as my main lights. I've been using them to add light from the sides, but don't need them anymore now that I'm getting the Area 51.

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The CFL or Induction bulbs look to be supplemental on those systems, LED is still the primary light source. Area 51 looks great, strong choice. Just keep in mind that their recommended coverage area per panel is 24"x36".

This is the picture I was referring to.

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=521372371267493&set=a.462811110456953.1073741826.457812694290128&type=1&theater

CaliWorthington said:

The CFL or Induction bulbs look to be supplemental on those systems, LED is still the primary light source. Area 51 looks great, strong choice. Just keep in mind that their recommended coverage area per panel is 24"x36".

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My bad. I didn't know that he was talking about that system. I see that they can have a CFL bulb in it now. I thought he was talking about CFL vs induction in general. Sorry!

Yeah, my grow cabinet is exactly 24" x 36", so the guy at A51 said it was a perfect fit.

daveroller said:

My bad. I didn't know that he was talking about that system. I see that they can have a CFL bulb in it now. I thought he was talking about CFL vs induction in general. Sorry!

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He says the induction is way brighter than the CFL at only 15 watts more, so you were right about that.

I'm looking at Induction as the primary source, with red LED for supplemental. That way the LED's can be turned off to avoid eye strain/headaches. Eight Area 51 panels is an option though, or maybe (2) Apaches and some eye protection.

daveroller said:

Yeah, my grow cabinet is exactly 24" x 36", so the guy at A51 said it was a perfect fit.

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I was gonna say, the Area 51 panels look ideal for tents and cabinets. You couldn't have made a better choice.

Inductions are cool(figuratively and literally). Inda-gro defiantly has the best induction setup, the pontoon is a great addition. I would say it's about a 3:2 to really compete with 1K's. So three inductions will replace two 1K's.

Whatever the 10x10 guy picks, he will be getting a multi light discount. But 5k for a equal performing "high efficiency" lighting soucre(s) is a not quite enough.

This thread's name should be changed to, "If you want to circle jerk to anecdotal LED performance, POST HERE!"

Why no user testing, data or trials? Why do some of you commend products with such praise, yet have no user testing, data or trials to reference or compare to claims by the manufacturer?

Don't be a sucker and make your decision based on what people on a forum claim to know, and certainly not based on claims from the manufacturer, which is mostly what this forum consists of. Don't buy more than one of these lights at a time, you'll probably end up regretting it.

I bought (6) Spectras in 2011. Now 4 of them are in boxes and I use 2 of them for veg. New lights are coming along, but its not worth the thousands risked just hoping that the lights will do exactly what they say they'll do.

I just don't get how so many people know what they're talking about in this thread but virtually none of them even use the lights!

I understand your frustrations with early gen LEDs, but you simply cant carry that with you in the new day and age. Take it as a learning experience.

Yes. There is a limited number of QUALITY panels/led manufacturers out and about, so the same company will pop up so often. aggravating? Maybe, but the truth still stands that they are the 3 out of 10+ companies using components that are at least reputable, have the confidence they are going to last, and have the balls to back their product up for at least a year.

Monochromatic LED's are much more touchy than a full spectrum white, if you did not blend your light enough before it hits your leaf surface- problems are able to arise. Even Hans has put in a couple whites, maybe because he is directing his product towards Stealth/Micro growers and he wants to be able to get his panel closer with no concern (whether there was any to begin with or not..) with no loss in intensity, coverage, or spectrum... hell what am I talking about, that dude probably did some research..

And there are constant tests, maybe not formal, but even right now- I have two Lemon Skunk heavy SLH clones under all white light, at ~950umol, that is intense light. That should explain the test in it's own, but if not- I want to see if these fuckers can take it. Things that I am thinking about:

1. As long as all other limiting factors are in check (heat), where is the peak light intensity for vegatative growth? For my situation (my co2 levels...)

2. ^^ I may need to increase my temps to help the metabolic functions and transpiration rates to keep up with the higher levels of light.

3. Feeding regime

4. How do I want to deliver that intensity? From 45 emitters @ 12" @ 95w w/ 950umol, or do I want to mix my spectrum before it gets there with 90 emitters @ 18" @ 195w w/950umol?

5. ^^ What kind of emitters plays into the whole "experiment," using R/B's... yea, id have it easily at 18", if not 24"... but with my all white 4250k emitters- I can stay at 12" because the spectrum doesn't need to blend as much.

So far.

Some others on here do post their research, Rasser and Guod are some personal favorites, diy'ers. There is a lot of information you are missing out on.


I dont know your space, but to replace x2 spectra's (depending on model, guessing 145w draw?) I would recommend checking out Area 51, could replace both of them with 1/2 the draw. bonsai hero, Apache tech, Area51, Rhinogrow, Indagro, it doesn't matter man... let me know your situation and you will get the best quality option you've got. You just cant get pissed if it's a quality option for every one else' situation too.

Shwagbag said:

I just don't get how so many people know what they're talking about in this thread but virtually none of them even use the lights!

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Some of the people here know what they're talking about and some of us are just here to learn. Don't take what I write too seriously, because I'm one of the newbs with LEDs, etc. For example, that stuff I wrote about the Inda-Gro was mostly taken from the company's web site and one review at Big Buds that I read. (Big Buds did their own testing.) You always have to take a company's claims with a grain of salt, but Inda-Gro appears to be legit as far as I can tell. Anyway, a person should do some more research before shelling out the money for an expensive light like that. There are probably more real-world tests out on the internet.

By the way, you have the best avatar I've seen in a while. Wow!

Price was the biggest mitigating factor in my apprehension from the start when I started reading psuagro's info about how well they do. Now its feaseable for me to grab one but don't get me wrong shwag your spot on with your post, I have no intention of being worked over like that.

I'm not looking to replace the Spectras with something a tiny bit better for another thousand bucks lol. I was just expecting to see more real data and trials in this thread rather than just speculative discussion and potential. I want to see how the latest technologies are superior to the stuff that was being brought to market 2-3 years ago.

Yes, my Spectras are 2011 V1, originally 180 draw, tuned down to 140 draw from changing the power supplies. Less wattage and slightly less heat than the T5's I used previously. Node spacing is elongated a bit but they definitely get the girls ready for flowering under HID. These lights are fine for vegetative stage but as psuagro and I both know they were not engineered quite right to flower with. I bought the lights without seeing a spectral analysis which was a huge mistake. After hounding Mike for months, I finally got the analysis, and these lights were incredibly efficient at peak flowering wavelengths to the point where it just torches the plants once full flowering is initiated.

I'm not looking to replace them, I already have the money invested in them. They work adequately for vegging, and the footprint is perfect for the space which is about 4.5' wide and 2.5-2.75' deep. I know these lights are considered "early models" but that doesn't change the fact that I'm not seeing anything in this thread to convince me that throwing more piles of benjis at newer versions will somehow translate into astonishing results. I am just here to watch and learn as well, I just wish I was learning more.

Those of you using these lights, please share more of your results in the thread! It would be great to see you share your experience. I'm more here to watch the lights evolve because I still don't feel there is an affordable LED available that can do what HID does for flowering purposes. I will pay more for the usage, maintenance and environmental controls because the results of LED vs HID still speak for themselves.

Don't get me wrong, there are some decent buds being grown under LED, but to claim that vigor, yields and quality are comparable to HID is still not reasonable at this point.

I don't doubt the lights are getting better results, but they're still nowhere near what they should be for the money manus are currently demanding.

I'm sorry if I came off as pissed due to my candor, I just want to see more facts with results and less speculation, that's all. Show us what you've got and what you're growing up in here!

Here are the Spectras in the veg space.

Hallo, my 1st post here (and please excuse my English ..). I'm a total newbie in LED growing lights, I have tent 0.8m x 1.2m x 1.8m (~ 2.5 x 4 ft), 4-6 plants and I'm planning to replace 400W HPS with LED panel. Do you think that this panel will be suitable? http://www.ebay.com/itm/-/181261536702 - VIPAR Dimmable Reflector 360W LED. I'm from EU, so I need to order light inside EU (UK or other countries) to avoid custom office 'curiosity' .. In this moment I can't afford to buy light over ~$350 (220 pounds), but I also don't want to order 'total crap' from CN :]. 3-Year Warranty is also important for me ..I was trying to read appr. last 30 pages in this thread, imho 360w for 9sq feet should be just fine. I don't know the quality of these 'older' Vipar panels (used LEDs), but it could be 'golden middle way' for me, right? Another variant is www.ebay.com/itm/161108922599 - 360W Full Spectrum UFO (I don't know the brand), but it has CE & RoHS approval and 3-Year Warranty also. Which one could be 'more suitable'? :]Thanks for info, have a great day!

Shwagbag said:

Don't be a sucker and make your decision based on what people on a forum claim to know, and certainly not based on claims from the manufacturer, which is mostly what this forum consists of. Don't buy more than one of these lights at a time, you'll probably end up regretting it.

I bought (6) Spectras in 2011. Now 4 of them are in boxes and I use 2 of them for veg. New lights are coming along, but its not worth the thousands risked just hoping that the lights will do exactly what they say they'll do.

I just don't get how so many people know what they're talking about in this thread but virtually none of them even use the lights!

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That's hard to argue with. It's wise to try one panel, no more than two, before spending money to convert your whole setup. See if it works for you first.

Ed Rosenthal says LED still doesn't have the green and amber wavelengths that make HID work so well, but they're fine for supplemental use. I'm sure a lot of LED growers disagree with that. To each his/her own.

Im looking around for a led light which i can use in my DR60 (2'x2'). I was thinking anout a LFG Spectrabox gold 200w, but tell me if there is something much better for my situation. I am legally allowed to have two plants, so i plan to scrog them after vegging for 6ish weeks,
My goal is about 2 ounces per plant. Is this obtainable with a led light in my space? My budget is up to $500 after shipping.

GroenJoe said:

Im looking around for a led light which i can use in my DR60 (2'x2'). I was thinking anout a LFG Spectrabox gold 200w, but tell me if there is something much better for my situation. I am legally allowed to have two plants, so i plan to scrog them after vegging for 6ish weeks,
My goal is about 2 ounces per plant. Is this obtainable with a led light in my space? My budget is up to $500 after shipping.

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Please Brother GroenJoe Is 2oz's Per Plant All Ya Want????Check Out Area-51 Brother 1 Sgs-160 Classic Would Be A Perfect Fit For Your Dr-60.I Pulled 8oz From 1 Plant In Hydro With 1 Of These Bad Boy's
Heres The Link http://area51lighting.com/LED-Grow-Lights.html

The Dawg said:

Please Brother GroenJoe Is 2oz's Per Plant All Ya Want????Check Out Area-51 Brother 1 Sgs-160 Classic Would Be A Perfect Fit For Your Dr-60.I Pulled 8oz From 1 Plant In Hydro With 1 Of These Bad Boy's
Heres The Link http://area51lighting.com/LED-Grow-Lights.html

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Hmmm, should I also have mentioned im living in the EU? So i would need a light which will ship and work in the EU with its different voltage

GroenJoe said:

Hmmm, should I also have mentioned im living in the EU? So i would need a light which will ship and work in the EU with its different voltage

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No Worries Brother Check Their Shipping I Belive Its Free To Eu From Hong Kong

CaliWorthington said:

That's hard to argue with. It's wise to try one panel, no more than two, before spending money to convert your whole setup. See if it works for you first.

Ed Rosenthal says LED still doesn't have the green and amber wavelengths that make HID work so well, but they're fine for supplemental use. I'm sure a lot of LED growers disagree with that. To each his/her own.

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Based on what I've seen from LED I would have to agree. But that NASA tech looks pretty damn sweet!

I think a lot of LED growers don't really care about yields relative to space, but are more concerned with whether or not they can grow reasonably good bud with low(er) wattage. I've seen some good bud from LED, but the yields relative space are not in the same ballpark. Many LED growers are "thinkers" and they see the potential in the future. They just really enjoy following and learning the tech which is commendable. If yield matters to anyone shopping for LED's, they should stop their shopping there though.

For me personally, I'm all about maximizing the quality and yields to my space and I'll use as much energy as necessary to do it. Everyone grows for different reasons and with different methods, to each their own. Even for smaller tents I think a 600w digital dimmable is the most versatile light a person can buy for the money. MH & HPS switchable making it usable for both veg and flower, power can be raised and lowered depending on climate and seasonal weather. But most importantly, you know what you're going to get.

I jumped on board with LED's after being totally brainwashed by Irishboy's threads. I'm fairly certain at this point that he was using a 1000w HPS and moving his plants to an LED tent for photos. Either Irishboy was Mike from GLH or Irish was getting commissions on light sales even though he denied it. Either way, its one of the dumbest things I've ever done being sold like that. I bought the lights at a discounted rate as they were returns, which should have been enough of a flag to begin with. Its either that or Irish is one of the best growers on the web. But most probably noticed that when things went bad for Mike, Irish totally disappeared in 2011.

Here is the link to my LED flowering experiment if anyone cares to see LED epic failure.

BTW, has anyone checked out Spectra's new(er) website? I think Mike finally sold it to someone a while back. They have an option to design your own panel on there including 2700k or 5500k. Spectra

Psuagro, do you still have/use your panels?