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Decided to go green

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Deftoner

Hello all. I have made the choice to switch to leds and have read up on as much info as i could dig up and have ran into a problem i could use help with. So i am looking for a equivalent 240w blackstar on alibaba. Thank you reves and vok!!! Saved me money. My problem is i dont know which models/companys are reputable from china. Any help helping me find the right light is greatly appreciated.
 
W

WeedIsGod

Member
These Chinese manufacturers are going on holiday in a couple days. You should wait a few weeks before placing an order on anything.

With that out of the way, look for the best warranty you can find. Usually this is one year, shipping not included. Cidly.com has gotten pretty good reviews and I hear they have excellent prices.

Imo, think about DIY, it could save you a few bucks and you'd learn something!
 
exploziv

exploziv

pure dynamite
Administrator
Veteran
even express service if you buy some spares. we have some nice threads on DIY leds here in the led subforum. check them, maybe you get inspired!
 
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Deftoner

Only reason i had even shunned diy was because i thought it would cost 200 to build one. Ill def start doing some reading. My main problem is i simply dont have common knowledge on led grow lights and with 2 babies/self employed, time is the issue on diy. If i can find something delivered for around 200 thats what im going for. My cab is 20x28x48. Thanks for the help thus far.
 
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Deftoner

Think im set on this as its pretty much a blackstar... http://m.aliexpress.com/item/712647111.html. also decided to go down to 180the which would draw about 105. Think thats plenty fot my small perp flower cab. I am going to make a small led light for my mother cab. Its about 1ft square. Prolly gonna get 2 5 watt crees. I only plan to run 2 bonsais mums at one time so i think 10w would keep my growth at a slow steady rate.
 
J

jcmjrt

Member
Deftoner said:
Only reason i had even shunned diy was because i thought it would cost 200 to build one.
My cab is 20x28x48. Thanks for the help thus far.
Click to expand...

I think that that you will be able to build a better fixture FOR YOUR SPACE than you can buy. LED light is a lot like T5...coverage is king. You will grow good pot directly below the fixture and a few inches to the side but after that...larf!

Build a fixture that pretty much just fits your space (within 2-6 inches of the grow room walls) and populate your quality heatsink with cree or philips (luxeon) top bin LEDs, drive them with inventronics or meanwell or other quality driver and put them on a heatsink that has a chance to cool the LEDs (and maybe add a fan too...belt and suspenders). ledgroubuy.com stevesled.com (I've purchased and will be building soon with their drivers and luxeon LEDs).

If you are worried that you won't have the magic spectrum. Don't!!! No one and I mean no one does. If you made a fixture that was predominantly warm white with a few cool white (and some deep red on a separate and dimmable driver if you can afford it), you'll be right there with a lot of folks...and growing oh, so much better weed than the one who bought the blackstar (well, if you know how to water, etc). You may spend more than $200 but you'll be happily growing quality weed for years without the cost or hassle of bulb replacements and without evil electric company bills or larfy pot due to heat issues.

I'd guess - and it's just a guess - that you will be gravely disappointed with a 100 watt blackstar in your space. Veg will look great and flower will flop.

I know diy may sound like a lot at first, but I'm surprised at how many people buy blackstar or blackstair type LED and then end up doing major repairs like driver replacements (on your time and dime) and wish that they had just done diy at first.

If you end up with a compromise LED due to cost/time, remember that supplementing flower with warm white fluorescent can work reasonably well and pretty cheaply. I've mixed LED and fluorescent with very happy results. I'll be all LED on the next grow since I diy'd a couple of lights but the LED and fluorescent light combo yielded some very quality results for me. :)
 
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Deftoner

Thanks for the advice man, deeply considered....this is getting overwhelming. Think I just might get a 150w hps. I have read alot about buying these led panels from china at discount but can hardly find ANY news from the people that have choose to go this route due to there wallet restrants. All i can really find is people saying to do it, and not so much what the outcome of the deal was. I really want leds to knock the heat down but im not going to spend 400 on a light to when this is just a hobby to keep myself loaded. Then on the other hand Im not convinced that if i buy from china its even going to work. and like i said before DIY for me is out. I do not have time. thanks for help thus far, the answers will come....
 
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Deftoner

If you have bought direct PLEEAAAASSSEEE share your experience....PLEASEEE
 
S

Socrates

Member
Hey man, for whatever it's worth, I bought a light from Bysen that pulls about 120W at the wall, uses some CREEs, and has worked well so far (for my purposes, which is a small-scale personal-stash affair). It was about $230 shipped and came quickly. Haven't had any problems. I don't weigh crops or work super hard on maximizing yield, so I can't address GPW questions. It definitely produces a good deal less than my old 400W HPS, but also gives off a fraction of the heat and takes up less space and energy (it's also not really a fair comparison - that was in a much larger space, and the plants were in containers 5 times larger with more room to stretch out). Overall, I'm happy - my first run netted enough to last me for a while despite spider mites, thrips, fungus gnats, nute issues, and ridiculously mismatched genetics (stretchy-ass sativas next to really short indicas).

If it were me, I probably wouldn't go with the light you posted. It looks somewhat outdated for what you'd be paying (those shipping costs are killer). Modular panels will be easier to deal with if there is a problem. But it is really hard to know what to do with so little to go on, as you mentioned - especially because Alibaba is an insane clusterfuck of knockoffs knocking off knockoffs.

I would check out medmaker420's thread. He's testing out a few different lights that you can find easily on alibaba (albeit with different spectra), so you can get a feel for some different styles. Vukman's also grown with a few chinese panels (including larger versions of both the knockoff blackstars and the light that I have), and seems to have gotten good results.
 
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Deftoner

Socrates said:
Hey man, for whatever it's worth, I bought a light from Bysen that pulls about 120W at the wall, uses some CREEs, and has worked well so far (for my purposes, which is a small-scale personal-stash affair). It was about $230 shipped and came quickly. Haven't had any problems. I don't weigh crops or work super hard on maximizing yield, so I can't address GPW questions. It definitely produces a good deal less than my old 400W HPS, but also gives off a fraction of the heat and takes up less space and energy (it's also not really a fair comparison - that was in a much larger space, and the plants were in containers 5 times larger with more room to stretch out). Overall, I'm happy - my first run netted enough to last me for a while despite spider mites, thrips, fungus gnats, nute issues, and ridiculously mismatched genetics (stretchy-ass sativas next to really short indicas).

If it were me, I probably wouldn't go with the light you posted. It looks somewhat outdated for what you'd be paying (those shipping costs are killer). Modular panels will be easier to deal with if there is a problem. But it is really hard to know what to do with so little to go on, as you mentioned - especially because Alibaba is an insane clusterfuck of knockoffs knocking off knockoffs.

I would check out medmaker420's thread. He's testing out a few different lights that you can find easily on alibaba (albeit with different spectra), so you can get a feel for some different styles. Vukman's also grown with a few chinese panels (including larger versions of both the knockoff blackstars and the light that I have), and seems to have gotten good results.
Click to expand...

It means ALOT right now my man TYTYTYTY, ill make sure to throw you some rep once I can.
 
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Deftoner

Another problem im running into about direct order is the brand that people are buying, Just about all that ive seen on a-b have some BRAND name on them. I could at least go off that instead of winging a prayer. I looking at bysen right now...ty again man. we pretty much have the same principals on what where trying to do so if this light works for you and its around 200, then im defff thinking on it.
 
Desert Hydro

Desert Hydro

Active member
Veteran
thats only gonna pull like 100w and wouldnt be good for more than a small plant or two in my opinion. i think most people here say around ~40w sq. ft. so that would cover about a 1x2 area or so OK. i am running 370w in a 2x4 tent and it seems to be working pretty good so far
 
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Deftoner

Thanks desert. From my measurements im right at 4 square ft.only looking to harvest 40-80 per harvest. not neededing anything much. just need to grow enough to get me buy without having to do the shady dealz.
 
S

Socrates

Member
Sorry, I don't have experience with either of those lights. But I would venture that the "JCX" that you posted would draw more than 100w - probably closer to 150. Which should be enough for your goals. The problem is that if any of them burn out, you probably have to send the whole thing back, which is why I'm a fan of the modular ones (like the Bysen but also Apollo-style lights). Another thing to look for is heat management - what do the heat sinks look like on this thing? Larger, finned aluminum heat sinks = better heat management, which will allow them to drive the diodes closer to their rating.
 
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Deftoner

So I just kept my CFLs and bought some roots organic soil. Going straight organic. Pics soon!!!
 
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