LED vs CMH

newbplantgrower420 · May 15, 2020

Im going to be switching out my 8 1000w DE HPS flower room setup to either CMH or LED next run.

Leaning towards transitioning to LEDs but....

buddy is saying that LEDs arent that much more efficient than CMH and CMH has a better spectrum than LED.
He also said only con to CMH is changing bulbs every year or two which is better than the diodes dimming over time.

Cooling isnt an issue at all. Got over 60k BTU in the flower room. So im not worried about CMH letting out a little more heat than LEDs because ultimately itll be giving out less heat than DE HPS bulbs

Whats the pros and cons of both running either those quantum board or Spydr/Gavita LEDs vs the 630w CMHs.....maybe even the 1000w CMH's like this https://growershouse.com/nanolux-1000w-ceramic-metal-halide-cmh-fixture-3k-4k.

Also hows the yield for LED vs CMH? I know 1000w DE HPS trumps all for now but I want to transition to something more efficient.

farmingfisherman · May 15, 2020

Use both. I did and was pretty happy with my results. 515 watts total in a 4x4 tent. 2 100 watt QBs and 1 315 CMH My first grow 5 plants 3 gallon pots. 4 plants harvested with a sativa stilling humming along at day 95. So far I'm just under 1 pound. Sativa is pretty large so hopefully she'll pull over a 1/2 pound by herself. Learned lots. Sure with some tweaking here and these results could be improved upon.

JoeBlow5823 · May 15, 2020

newbplantgrower420 said:
Im going to be switching out my 8 1000w DE HPS flower room setup to either CMH or LED next run.

Leaning towards transitioning to LEDs but....

buddy is saying that LEDs arent that much more efficient than CMH and CMH has a better spectrum than LED.
He also said only con to CMH is changing bulbs every year or two which is better than the diodes dimming over time.

Cooling isnt an issue at all. Got over 60k BTU in the flower room. So im not worried about CMH letting out a little more heat than LEDs because ultimately itll be giving out less heat than DE HPS bulbs

Whats the pros and cons of both running either those quantum board or Spydr/Gavita LEDs vs the 630w CMHs.....maybe even the 1000w CMH's like this https://growershouse.com/nanolux-1000w-ceramic-metal-halide-cmh-fixture-3k-4k.

Also hows the yield for LED vs CMH? I know 1000w DE HPS trumps all for now but I want to transition to something more efficient.

DE is still the best. How is a different kind of light "more efficient" if it yields less? That nanolux light looks interesting but i would bet you it puts off almost as much heat as a HPS and yields less.

newbplantgrower420 · May 15, 2020

JoeBlow5823 said:
DE is still the best. How is a different kind of light "more efficient" if it yields less? That nanolux light looks interesting but i would bet you it puts off almost as much heat as a HPS and yields less.

theres leds claiming to almost as have as much umols as a DE HPS fixture but at 650w instead of 1000w. 2/3rds the power....theoretically if you can yield the same..... thats more grams per watt. thats what i mean by more efficient....using less power but yielding approximately the same as a DE HPS.

also CMH has a better spectrum so Im thinking.... ya itll put out the around the same heat maybe a little less. but if the spectrum is superior thatll mean more yield i believe. talking about the 1000w CMH here.

630w CMH is comparable to a SE HPS fixture so itll probably mean losing quite a bit of yield compared to keeping my DE HPS regardless of its better spectrum.

newbplantgrower420 · May 15, 2020

farmingfisherman said:
Use both. I did and was pretty happy with my results. 515 watts total in a 4x4 tent. 2 100 watt QBs and 1 315 CMH My first grow 5 plants 3 gallon pots. 4 plants harvested with a sativa stilling humming along at day 95. So far I'm just under 1 pound. Sativa is pretty large so hopefully she'll pull over a 1/2 pound by herself. Learned lots. Sure with some tweaking here and these results could be improved upon.

good thinking. thats a new option ill consider

JoeBlow5823 · May 15, 2020

newbplantgrower420 said:
theres leds claiming to almost as have as much umols as a DE HPS fixture but at 650w instead of 1000w. 2/3rds the power....theoretically if you can yield the same..... thats more grams per watt. thats what i mean by more efficient....using less power but yielding approximately the same as a DE HPS.

also CMH has a better spectrum so Im thinking.... ya itll put out the around the same heat maybe a little less. but if the spectrum is superior thatll mean more yield i believe. talking about the 1000w CMH here.

630w CMH is comparable to a SE HPS fixture so itll probably mean losing quite a bit of yield regardless of the better spectrum.

Most commercial growers are still running DE HPS. There are reasons. What exactly is that "superior spectrum" good for? The plants crave the HPS.

JoeBlow5823 · May 15, 2020

newbplantgrower420 said:
good thinking. thats a new option ill consider

If anything maybe do half 1000w CMH and keep half your DE HPS.

newbplantgrower420 · May 15, 2020

JoeBlow5823 said:
Most commercial growers are still running DE HPS. There are reasons. What exactly is that "superior spectrum" good for? The plants crave the HPS.

it mimics the suns spectrum the closest compared to LEDs and HPS.

ya i hear you about commercial growers. thats why i originally started this flower room with DE HPS.

but lately im reading about these success stories about people hitting 3lbs per 4x4 area which is what im currently pulling with DE except theyre using much less electricity and ac's arent working as hard because they run LEDs or CMH.

mixing the lights does seem really interesting too. having the best of both worlds. good idea

PadawanWarrior · May 15, 2020

newbplantgrower420 said:
it mimics the suns spectrum the closest compared to LEDs and HPS.

ya i hear you about commercial growers. thats why i originally started this flower room with DE HPS.

but lately im reading about these success stories about people hitting 3lbs per 4x4 area which is what im currently pulling with DE except theyre using much less electricity and ac's isnt working as hard because they run LEDs or CMH.

mixing the lights does seem really interesting too. having the best of both worlds. good idea

My favorite is cmh with LED.

hotrodharley · May 16, 2020

JoeBlow5823 said:
Most commercial growers are still running DE HPS. There are reasons. What exactly is that "superior spectrum" good for? The plants crave the HPS.

I have only seen one commercial grower in Alaska using LED. With sky high electric rates half the year more would switch to them if the production was even close. HPS or CMH is what is used.

farmingfisherman · May 16, 2020

newbplantgrower420 said:
it mimics the suns spectrum the closest compared to LEDs and HPS.

ya i hear you about commercial growers. thats why i originally started this flower room with DE HPS.

but lately im reading about these success stories about people hitting 3lbs per 4x4 area which is what im currently pulling with DE except theyre using much less electricity and ac's arent working as hard because they run LEDs or CMH.

mixing the lights does seem really interesting too. having the best of both worlds. good idea

Growing and helping the environment.

Rocket Soul · May 16, 2020

PadawanWarrior said:
My favorite is cmh with LED.

Absolutely right, especially if you are vented and with a large openspace, leds need +81F. Hps is not really good at those temps, too hot, but cmh work fine, so you can mix and match according to season. Cmh is also excellent for vegg.

jjlowe · May 19, 2020

We just switched from all cmh to all led last year with a smaller 4K flower room. Similar yields, way better quality though. They will pay for themselves in 3-4 years without 1k$ bulb changes every 8 months.

chronnie49 · May 19, 2020

PadawanWarrior said:
My favorite is cmh with LED.

Thats what I am trying this run. Hows the quality compared to cmh in its own?

oldtymemusic · May 19, 2020

i went from de hps to de cmh.. wont look back. cooler temps and bigger yields.. all the lower buds plump better also

PadawanWarrior · May 19, 2020

chronnie49 said:
Thats what I am trying this run. Hows the quality compared to cmh in its own?

I wanna say they seem a little denser, but maybe not quite as frosty. I've been experimenting. I have all LED now in my flower closet since it's getting warmer, so the cmh are turned off for summer.

newbplantgrower420 · May 19, 2020

oldtymemusic said:
i went from de hps to de cmh.. wont look back. cooler temps and bigger yields.. all the lower buds plump better also

sounds beastly. i always have an issue with lower nugs being fluffy.

are you using the Nanoluxx 1000w de cmh fixture?

newbplantgrower420 · May 19, 2020

jjlowe said:
We just switched from all cmh to all led last year with a smaller 4K flower room. Similar yields, way better quality though. They will pay for themselves in 3-4 years without 1k$ bulb changes every 8 months.

thats what i like to hear.

which leds are you running that are producing similar yields to your de hps runs?

oldtymemusic · May 19, 2020

newbplantgrower420 said:
sounds beastly. i always have an issue with lower nugs being fluffy.

are you using the Nanoluxx 1000w de cmh fixture?

no sir, i have the de hood that has venting and the glass lid removed. the ballast is ceramic solutions 630w. it makes less heat than a 400w hps

JoeBlow5823 · May 19, 2020

oldtymemusic said:
no sir, i have the de hood that has venting and the glass lid removed. the ballast is ceramic solutions 630w. it makes less heat than a 400w hps

The sunsystem ac/de hood? I noticed a FUCKLOAD of air leaks around the bulb with the glass off.

LED vs CMH

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