Picking the perfect light !!PLEASE HELP!!

[Smokey Raven]

Hello, I am looking for people who have experience with a number of different LED lights. I am looking to upgrade my current set up, my original goal was to grow with the most minimal wattage possible so my current light is http://www.hydrogrowled.com/21X-PRO---36W-LED-Grow-Light-P96C60.aspx
but now I would like to make the most optimal us of my space. With the height restrictions in my micro-grow picking the right light is a difficult decision. I have 22" of space between the tops of my planters and the top of my box and I do my best to keep my plants 10-12" (might start shooting for shorter) finishing height, that leaves around 4-6" between my light and the canopy. that is just enough space to ensure no light bleaching using my current light. My personal top pick for the new upgrade is http://www.hydrogrowled.com/84X-PRO---120W-LED-Grow-Light-P84C60.aspx but im afraid that the modular design wouldn't be able to cover everything at that distance from the plants. if anyone is using that specific light please help me determine whether the light can diffuse over my entire space (15"x19") at the distance of 6"
other picks im considering are:
http://www.dormgrow.com/240-watt-led-grow-light-bloom.html
https://www.blackdogled.com/products/universal-series/bdmicro-u.html
http://advancedledlights.com/3w-led-grow-lights/new-diamond-series-leds-extreme-3w-led-technology/
http://californialightworks.com/product/solar-flare-100-bloombooster/
Coverage is my only issue here. I feel any of these lights would give me the yields i want and cost isn't a problem. If anyone has any experience with these lights, or if there are any other suggestions your input would be greatly appreciated!

 

[rives]

What is your overall footprint, and do you use a scrog?

I've stopped using LEDs for flowering, but the biggest issue that I had with them in the past was the distribution of light beyond the immediate footprint of the fixture, and your restricted headroom will amplify that problem. Depending on the grow-space dimensions, I would head toward a couple of lower wattage fixtures that give you good edge-to-edge coverage rather than a single fixture that is too powerful immediately underneath it but has difficulty reaching the edges.

 

[Soundguy]

area 51 rw 75

 

[PetFlora]

Budget is also a consideration

My loaner BML SPYDR 600 has a 3 x 3 foot print, with strong umoles at the perimeter ($999)

Solar Spec is a new company designed by a fellow mj grower

Just shipped

Their 100 is great for small space.

I am awaiting a 100 and a 260 for my new grow

 

[cocogrower]

Hi! I think Rives is on The right track here. Using 2-3 of the mini lights I'm building would cover your space very well! Scroll to the last pages of the thread if you wanna get right to the design. If you don't wanna build your own light, I think you should buy Hans led-panel. http://www.bonsaihero.com/index.php/ledgrow-led-panel-65-w

 

[Smokey Raven]

Thank you for your responses everyone! the input is very helpful! PetFlora those BML fixtures look AMAZING! thank you for your suggestion. Ive come up with a plan for my lighting fixtures now which I believe well make for beautiful optimized growth. I want to try using two of the Super Grow LED Halo http://www.supergrowled.com/products/#sgl6 in conjunction with my current light and supplement in vertical BML grow lights http://www.bmlhorticulture.com/led-light-bar-grow-max-spectrum/ into the four corners of my box. I might add CLF bulbs for a crazy lighting combo, the amount of options to experiment with is quite exciting! any thoughts on this kind of set up? does anyone have experience with Super Grow LED lights? the full spectrum LEDs seem quite beneficial.

 

[cocogrower]

Dude, that's a pretty expensive light for 25 w and no specification of lumen, umole, binnning of led etc. If you have height restrictions ai would also consider a more slimmed light. That one is super bulky for 25 w!

Check this out instead http://www.ledgrow.eu/

http://www.bonsaihero.com/index.php/ledgrow-led-panel-65-w

The Bml seem like quality, but you have to realize that you don't get very highly binned leds with that option either. If you are planning to keep your plants 10-12" there really is no need for side lighting.. But hey, all options will work! ganja is a weed!

 

[cocogrower]

I've been reading up more on DIY projects. Googling around now shows me that most companies seems very reluctant to give detailed information about their lights.

Most common is bragging about how many times more efficient than hid they are or how big of a footprint. As a DIY guy i'm not impressed with the output of BML'd diodes. But i have to assume that the companies that gives no info are worse..

I'd go for the hans panel. But another option would be buying 3 18" BML fixtures - you don't need the side light anyways!

 

[magiccannabus]

I've stopped using LEDs for flowering

Especially after having seen your DIY LED projects I am a bit surprised by this. Can you explain your reasons? I've toyed with going LED for a while now, but commercial LED fixtures are absurdly expensive still and I really need to clean my workshop before I can do a DIY rig. What do you use if not LED? How has the change benefited you? I am very curious and would love to hear your thoughts on this!

 

[PetFlora]

I've been reading up more on DIY projects. Googling around now shows me that most companies seems very reluctant to give detailed information about their lights.

Most common is bragging about how many times more efficient than hid they are or how big of a footprint. As a DIY guy i'm not impressed with the output of BML'd diodes. But i have to assume that the companies that gives no info are worse..

I'd go for the hans panel. But another option would be buying 3 18" BML fixtures - you don't need the side light anyways!

BML uses 3w Osram diodes- among the best

Make sure the individual bars are newest high output. I think mine are not

 

[rives]

Especially after having seen your DIY LED projects I am a bit surprised by this. Can you explain your reasons? I've toyed with going LED for a while now, but commercial LED fixtures are absurdly expensive still and I really need to clean my workshop before I can do a DIY rig. What do you use if not LED? How has the change benefited you? I am very curious and would love to hear your thoughts on this!

I found that chasing the tech curve for the LEDs was getting absurdly expensive and time consuming. There have been very vast improvements in LEDs over the last 3 years or so, and I decided to update my flowering fixture (the Hybrid). I'd been reading Spurr's ruminations on the Philips 315w CDM lamp and had been following Cycloptic's development of their fixture for it, and it sounded like a great substitute fixture while I was re-tooling the Hybrid.

I found several ballasts and a bunch of lamps on eBay for good prices, and after I got everything set up so that I could update the fixture at my leisure, I found that the 315 worked very well. I was using less power, the plants liked it better, my gpw went up, it was more pleasant to look at the plants under the white light, and it was easier to keep the tents cool with vented reflectors. It pretty much shot all my reasons for using LED's right in the ass.

I still use the Volks fixture for vegging - I haven't seen anything that can compete with it for that portion of the growing cycle.

 

[tenthirty]

Google CXA 3070.......very cool!!

 

[magiccannabus]

Thanks for the reply Rives. Do you use the Agro version of the 315W CDM? I couldn't find one listed for less than 100 dollars(!!!!!), and Philips doesn't list a spectral graph for the agro lamp for some idiotic reason....

 

[rives]

I use both the Agro and the 930. I've found the Agro as low as around $80, but it takes some serious looking.

Agro SPD chart -

930 SPD chart -

 

[magiccannabus]

The agro seems to have a lot more far-red. Have you noticed any real difference in the results between these two?

 

[cocogrower]

BML uses 3w Osram diodes- among the best

Make sure the individual bars are newest high output. I think mine are not

Yes, i do believe that the efficiency ratings are a little bit higher now. Still, considering that the leds are driven as low as 0,350 mA, the numbers are not so impressing. 630 nm is 55 lumen per watt, almost half of what you get from highest binned cree.

And if you look at the cob tenthirty mentions. or any of the newer high-binned cobs from cree or bridgelux you will get 50-60 % more l/w than you get from the white diodes BML are using. I think the problem is that I'm comparing apples and pears - DIY compared to more or less serious profit-making companies. But at least BML gives you numbers on the gear they sell, even if they don't tell you the exact binings.

I would never buy anything from a company that don't tell you what they sell. Would you? would you not expect a company to know what they are selling?

- Hey, buy this car! It's twice as big and twice and twice as fast as other cars. But if you wanna know how big and fast it is you have to buy it and try to feel for your self. Well that's not really true, - actually, it is possible to get to know the speed and size of the car, if you are that obstinate, but then you have to buy very expensive equipment and make the tests by your self.

I don't think this would be acceptable in to many other businesses..

 

[rives]

The agro seems to have a lot more far-red. Have you noticed any real difference in the results between these two?

I think that there was a pretty perceptible difference between the two, but I haven't done a side-by-side for a direct comparison. I have a bunch of 930's so I will continue to use them, but if I was starting from scratch I would go with the Agro.

 

[cocogrower]

deleted

 

[PetFlora]

Rives, and anyone else

There's a new player entering the mj panel market. Solar Spec designed by a mj grower based on the McCree curve

View attachment 283079

I wormed my way in, to become an official tester

2 panels are being shipped. Should have them early next week

Have week old seedlings from my Med-Man Silver Skunk that I reported on in my last thread; grown under a BML SPYDR 600 (~ 333w)

His concept is 4 panels be they 100-260... which the grower can buy one-at-a time, getting a nice discount on the 4th panel

 

[HydroGrowLeds]

Hello, I am looking for people who have experience with a number of different LED lights. I am looking to upgrade my current set up, my original goal was to grow with the most minimal wattage possible so my current light is http://www.hydrogrowled.com/21X-PRO---36W-LED-Grow-Light-P96C60.aspx
but now I would like to make the most optimal us of my space. With the height restrictions in my micro-grow picking the right light is a difficult decision. I have 22" of space between the tops of my planters and the top of my box and I do my best to keep my plants 10-12" (might start shooting for shorter) finishing height, that leaves around 4-6" between my light and the canopy. that is just enough space to ensure no light bleaching using my current light. My personal top pick for the new upgrade is http://www.hydrogrowled.com/84X-PRO---120W-LED-Grow-Light-P84C60.aspx but im afraid that the modular design wouldn't be able to cover everything at that distance from the plants. if anyone is using that specific light please help me determine whether the light can diffuse over my entire space (15"x19") at the distance of 6"

Hey Smokey Raven!

Glad to see you liked our 21X-PRO enough to want another light. Based on what you are saying, I think the best light for you is our SOL 2 which is available in 100W and 200W configurations. It will diffuse beautifully over your entire space and can be placed within 6" of your plants. Because you are not gorwing the plants very tall, you certainly don't need the penetrative capabilities of X2. Ultimately this will be the best solution for your area.