MarsHydro or Platinum LED

I am torn between getting the 400W Mars Hydro which is considered less quality and china made, and the 300W PlatinumLED which is much more expensive but considered great quality.

Roughly how much does your lights with this power bring up your electrical bill each month? Will the lower quality Mars Hydro make the bill go up much more than the PlatinumLED?

Would either of these light be a bad fit fro 4 sq. feet.. 31" x 19.5" x 30"?

Personally I wouldn't purchase either....ask @BadKarma about Mars Hydro....he probably would recommend Vipar if you are going to use cheaper LED....

The Area 51 W100, the 100w version, is on sale right now for $230. That would bring you smiles for many rotations and has known high quality Cree led diodes, versus, ? for the either Mars or the Platinum.

The platinum is in the exact same category as the Mars, just a resale made to look "better" whatever that means.....Personally I wouldn't waste hard earned money on either, but that is just my opinion, not conclusive evidence

Abiqua said:

Personally I wouldn't purchase either....ask @BadKarma about Mars Hydro....he probably would recommend Vipar if you are going to use cheaper LED....

The Area 51 W100, the 100w version, is on sale right now for $230. That would bring you smiles for many rotations and has known high quality Cree led diodes, versus, ? for the either Mars or the Platinum.

The platinum is in the exact same category as the Mars, just a resale made to look "better" whatever that means.....Personally I wouldn't waste hard earned money on either, but that is just my opinion, not conclusive evidence

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Thanks.

I wanna get the Area 51, but I'd have to get two of them for 4 square feet? Seeing as people recommend 50w per square foot, and that light is only 100w. Might have to go cheaper

Coppertop87 said:

Thanks.

I wanna get the Area 51, but I'd have to get two of them for 4 square feet? Seeing as people recommend 50w per square foot, and that light is only 100w. Might have to go cheaper

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50 watts is for HID lighting. Good known Led's [Cree] are capable of 1 gram/watt @ 25 watts per sq. ft. So actually it would work just fine for 4 sq. ft.. If you really needed to supplement you could grab two or 3 Cree Led Bulbs from Home Depot? or Amazon?

Seriously, cheaper is a road of allusion. Just trying to save your the hassle I dealt with.

I would go 150w HPS before I went cheap LED

or.....just build your own!!!!

I'm using Mars right now. I have a 900w(actual draw 450) a 1200w(actual draw 595) and two 1600w(actual draw 780)
This pic taken yesterday


this pic taken 11-22-14


And this one taken yesterday same plant


Pics were taken with a Samsung WB35F smart camera that has a special auto light filter.

Abiqua said:

50 watts is for HID lighting. Good known Led's [Cree] are capable of 1 gram/watt @ 25 watts per sq. ft. So actually it would work just fine for 4 sq. ft.. If you really needed to supplement you could grab two or 3 Cree Led Bulbs from Home Depot? or Amazon?

Seriously, cheaper is a road of allusion. Just trying to save your the hassle I dealt with.

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Thanks for the info. Do you think the Area 51 XGS-190 would be too much for my space?

Coppertop87 said:

Thanks for the info. Do you think the Area 51 XGS-190 would be too much for my space?

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I think AZ2000 gave you some of the most pertinent advice. Yes, he may be right that your space is too "short" for the A51 and is better served by diodes just mounted on the whiteboard instead of lensed.

However, the whiteboards, don't really spread the light, at least the higher intensity's will discharge in a larger area [although more height is needed, your crutch].

I would say that it could go either way really.....I have essentially the same size cab and never went with an A51 SGS, XGS or RW because they were a bit much, the intensity wasn't necessarily too mcuh, it was basically the spread.

This is why I built my own, I concentrate on the best coverage with intensity 2nd....

I think you the A51 could be a good choice, the Hans 150w panel was just released from Bonsai Hero. From Europe but quality too....

The biggest problem i have with chinese "cheap" lights is that their efficiency is shit, maybe less than 20%. While my new light, the cobs are running close to 40% efficient overall after fan/loss etc. Over 40% by themselves into converting electricity into light instead of heat.

The chinese lights will grow undoubtedly, but even the Cree Home Depot bulbs have better efficiency and fairly good intensity @ 1.67 joules/Par

Thanks. I think I'm gonna go A51, but when you say the A51 is a good choice, do you mean the 100w or the 190w? I know you said the 100w would be good. But let's say the money didn't matter, do you think the 190 would give better results?

Hmm, or what about 2 of the 100w A51's. Might spread the light a little more seeing as I have 31" horizontal.

...Or just two of the RW-75's and save yourself a bit.....someone recently.......taking a chance @mc130p might have compared a XGS-190 and RW-150 and yielded comparatively? Might not be mc, my apologies if it isn't.....40 watts less for the RW-150 and nearly the same yields as the older XGS.

Spectrum looks to trump intensity in this case. Two of the RW-75s would spread it out nice!

IMHO if money isn't discussed, yes, a larger watt light is always "better". lol

I have 31" too, just keep your canopy filled and same height and you will kill it. Most do an actual scrog, but I just bend ever few days and manage the canopy with me fingas

Multiple lights may allow you to reduce your light height while keeping coverage up in a good range too, something else to think about.....

Abiqua said:

...Or just two of the RW-75's and save yourself a bit.....someone recently.......taking a chance @mc130p might have compared a XGS-190 and RW-150 and yielded comparatively? Might not be mc, my apologies if it isn't.....40 watts less for the RW-150 and nearly the same yields as the older XGS.

Spectrum looks to trump intensity in this case. Two of the RW-75s would spread it out nice!

IMHO if money isn't discussed, yes, a larger watt light is always "better". lol

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It wasn't me man....sorry I couldn't help out!

Abiqua said:

I have 31" too, just keep your canopy filled and same height and you will kill it. Most do an actual scrog, but I just bend ever few days and manage the canopy with me fingas

Multiple lights may allow you to reduce your light height while keeping coverage up in a good range too, something else to think about.....

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Thanks for the help. I have enough info now to make a decision. Can't wait to get started.

REALSTYLES said:

I'm using Mars right now. I have a 900w(actual draw 450) a 1200w(actual draw 595) and two 1600w(actual draw 780)
This pic taken yesterday
View attachment 3305293

this pic taken 11-22-14
View attachment 3305294

And this one taken yesterday same plant
View attachment 3305295

Pics were taken with a Samsung WB35F smart camera that has a special auto light filter.

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A week later

Coppertop87 I have the same problem as you. I don;t know what to choose between marshydro and hans panel. hans pannel is 2.2 times more expensive but qualitty. I was thinking to make my own light CXA3070 , but I'm not sure if those cob are better than hans panel ... Is Hans panel 150w worth the price in this moment ? considering that we have CXA series ? I don't know which one of this 3 light are best quallity/price.

obviously said:

Coppertop87 I have the same problem as you. I don;t know what to choose between marshydro and hans panel. hans pannel is 2.2 times more expensive but qualitty. I was thinking to make my own light CXA3070 , but I'm not sure if those cob are better than hans panel ... Is Hans panel 150w worth the price in this moment ? considering that we have CXA series ? I don't know which one of this 3 light are best quallity/price.

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I think the Hans are awesome, but if we are going by #'s of a datasheet, especially at a low current, then CXA's spread out might be nice.
The Hans are still the r/b spectrum fortified with all white, all top bin, etc.

So the crux will be this, the CXA would probably give you the most of what you are looking for, if it can be run at lower current for increased efficiency, but that causes the cost to be higher than the Hans.

So, per watt, Cree probably most efficienct
Per dollar, Hans probably most efficient



I like CXA3070's and Vero 29 @ less than 1a. This increases PAR/W cost, but also increases your PAR relative to wattage actually used.....

If I was choosing between those only two I'd definately go with the Platinum. I've read some grow journals where the owner of Platinum chimes in and answers questions. Seems like an honest guy and easily accessible. Good warranty and return policy as well.

Abiqua said:

I think the Hans are awesome, but if we are going by #'s of a datasheet, especially at a low current, then CXA's spread out might be nice.
The Hans are still the r/b spectrum fortified with all white, all top bin, etc.

So the crux will be this, the CXA would probably give you the most of what you are looking for, if it can be run at lower current for increased efficiency, but that causes the cost to be higher than the Hans.

So, per watt, Cree probably most efficienct
Per dollar, Hans probably most efficient



I like CXA3070's and Vero 29 @ less than 1a. This increases PAR/W cost, but also increases your PAR relative to wattage actually used.....

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Thank you for your answer. I'm gonna get the Hans next week cause I don't need headeache with CXA for setup. No tools , nothing here in UK. Maybe when I go back home I will get some CXA, but now I'm gonna go with Hans. But what that means ? :

• 130 Watt Cree XBD and Osram LH-CPDP LED Power, total power consumption max 150 Watt

Led power 130W , but the power consumption in 150 ? I don't understand this part ... So basically the panel is 130W , not 150, right ?

I just calculate the LED that Hans use in that 150W panel ... all together cost 90 pounds. And the panel is 250 pounds. I mean ... come on ... let;s just say that with cooler , driver and all together maybe will be 150. But 250 sounds a little bit to much ...I was planing to order tomorrow the tent , the panel and everything else , but I will try to find another option. Is US are alot of options , but here in UK are to expensive. I wish somebody to make a CXA cob panel , with the best spectrum that they can get for a fair price. Cause , this is the problem with LEDs : FAIR PRICE !