Small question regarding LED colors...

[KRANKENWAGEN]

Do i need while LEDs for growing, or will i be ok with only 660nm and 440nm LEDs?
thanks

(and yes, i'm already going through all the literature here, but there's SO. FKN. MUCH of it)

 

[KRANKENWAGEN]

also since i can't edit my post, please tell me if these are any good
be aware that i'm on a relatively tight budget, i'm looking to save wherever i can:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Lot-1-10-50...t=LH_DefaultDomain_0&var=&hash=item9c038a6461
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Lot-1pcs-10...Domain_0&var=410152681497&hash=item19d7a6d568

I'm utterly technologically retarded

 

[jcmjrt]

LED lighting is not well understood by many and thus there are many con artists out there selling fixtures and chips. LEDs will save you money in the LONG run but in the short run, it is quite a bit more expensive than other forms of lighting...such as fluorescent, HID, CMH, etc. If you are seeking to save money in the short run, then LED isn't for you. Cheap LEDs just don't work well and that's why you get so many people that say, I tried LED and it didn't work. They bought into junk LEDs and fixtures.

The quality of LEDs varies tremendously and low quality means low light output, off spectrum and lots of heat because what power doesn't go into light goes into heat. Look at Cree XTE, XPE, XML2 and Philips luxeon es chips...these are quality... ledgroupbuy.com stevesleds.com rapidled.com modularled.com mouser.com

 

[KRANKENWAGEN]

thanks mate

i'm no stranger to CFL and HPS lighting, but i've been contemplating LEDs for some winter stealth action.

Thanks for the info!

 

[KRANKENWAGEN]

god damn, why can't i edit my posts?

anyway, i suppose that i should forget the chinese ebay vendors if i want anything out of it. correct?
thanks

 

[Lucky 7]

yes prolly not a good thing, though some peeps have had good luck with cheap crap . . . Amazon has a 350 wt for about t he same money . . . ($350)

or look at this http://www.advancedledlights.com/3w-led-grow-lights/new-diamond-series-xml-10w-cree-xml/

 

[hempfield]

I had success growing under cheap chinese leds, but I grow only for personal stash and as a hobby.

With a proper setup you can surpass the 1g/w limit.

For simplicity you can use 10w LEDs which are now extremelly cheap on Ebay, as low as $0.19/W or even less. Beeing so cheap you can use them without drivers if you have a spare PC power supply.

 

[Lucky 7]

please to inform us hempfield, what light (s) are you familiar with, and are they freely available?

Lights need drivers like the PC? who knew . . .

 

[KRANKENWAGEN]

holy shit, hempfield mate, brb reading your threads, hopefully you explained pics from your journal

you used cheapo ebay leds for that?

i also grow for personal use, just one big tower box...

 

[KRANKENWAGEN]

Lucky, thanks for the advices, but i'm looking to build a LED panel myself, not spend hundreds of dollars on a finished panel...
but still thanks for info, taking notes!

 

[hempfield]

please to inform us hempfield, what light (s) are you familiar with, and are they freely available?

Lights need drivers like the PC? who knew . . .

I was talking about DIY lights, not commercial units.

I must confess that I never bought a commercial grow light on my entire life cause I am a 'DIY guy' and I like to build my own growing accessories when possible.

I have built a few led panels in the past and I always enjoyed the weed that grew under their light.

Here is an example :

https://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=251622

https://www.icmag.com/ic/album.php?albumid=40244&page=1
https://www.icmag.com/ic/album.php?albumid=40244&page=2
https://www.icmag.com/ic/album.php?albumid=40244&page=3
https://www.icmag.com/ic/album.php?albumid=40244&page=4

The link on signature show the last grow under my DIY LED lights.

 

[KRANKENWAGEN]

sweet, thanks

ok, few questions, if imay

do you reckon it's better to have several stronger LEDs or a bunch of smaller? Is there a difference in energy consumption/light/whatever?
Also, cool white LEDs you used - that's the same cool light that CW CFLs give out?
So, theoretically, one could use a lot of them in a panel?

thanks

 

[KRANKENWAGEN]

also, that 10x XM-L U3 on the heatsink package you made is PURE FUCKING WIN
The exact thing i was conjuring in my head, only i couldn't express myself, being shit with technology
I am so copying this.
Where do i buy such a massive heatsink, though...?

 

[KRANKENWAGEN]

final question: can i, theoretically, grow with cool white and waram white LEDs, as if i was using CFLs?
thanks

 

[hempfield]

sweet, thanks

ok, few questions, if imay

do you reckon it's better to have several stronger LEDs or a bunch of smaller? Is there a difference in energy consumption/light/whatever?
Also, cool white LEDs you used - that's the same cool light that CW CFLs give out?
So, theoretically, one could use a lot of them in a panel?

thanks

My experience have shown that is better to have powerful LEDs for deep penetration. In the same time, the more sources of light, the less shading.

Yes, the light from CW LEDs is quite the same as from CW CFLs, but for a more even spectrum you should use a CW:NW:WW combination. CW is good for vegging, but NW and WW is needed for flowering. A 1:2:3 combination should give perfect conditions for veg and flower. In addition you can enhance the spectrum with some RED/DEEP RED, IR and UV-A/B.
At this moment, the cheapest source of IR for growing are halogen bulbs and for UV the reptile grow lights.

also, that 10x XM-L U3 on the heatsink package you made is PURE FUCKING WIN
The exact thing i was conjuring in my head, only i couldn't express myself, being shit with technology
I am so copying this.
Where do i buy such a massive heatsink, though...?

Are you talking about this : https://www.icmag.com/ic/album.php?albumid=40244&pictureid=1023419 ?
If show, this is a 200x100mm (8x4") piece left from an older project (I had a 1 meter long heatsink which I had to cut in 100x100 pieces). I think I bought it from a local hardware store for (equivalent) $30 or so. It was the only one available at that time and the shop was out of business a few months later.

But if you talk about the big heatsink of my led panel , this was built from a 3mm sheet of aluminium on which I have bond 36 small "U" profiles :

https://www.icmag.com/ic/album.php?albumid=40244&pictureid=952079

final question: can i, theoretically, grow with cool white and waram white LEDs, as if i was using CFLs?
thanks

Yes, that's right. Even better due the higher efficiency of the LEDs vs CFLs.

 

[KRANKENWAGEN]

huh, so people are moving away from strictly red/blue combinations...
thanks for the info

 

[Neekz]

I would still give those red and blues a go KRANKEN! Maybe even throw in a UV, IR, and white/s to fill any gaps. Alot of panels are using cheap china diodes supplemented with sparse Cree's and Epistar's and what-not, and still reach 1gpw results... Don't let anybody talk you outta your budget constraints lol, you will live and learn, and with the money saved from the cheaper alternative (It will grow buds ;P) you can invest in a better set-up for next round!

 

[KRANKENWAGEN]

thanks

i was just musing out loud, i'm trying to decide what to do and what way to go.

I have a micro 70W HPS grow going on, but it's not stealthy enough to pull it during the winter, mainly because of air filter and need for cooling.
So i'm looking to build a LED panel to put in during the winter, to reduce heat and space...

thanks for the support!