[beats6789]

I really really want to switch over to LED but I must understand a few things.

To me and only to me I speak of, everything I do comes down to money and at the end of the day it puts a smile on my face.

So when I type this I am only thinking in terms of what will benefit "me" the most. I have to see it on paper, opinions and the such really don't matter much so I do not mean to offend anyone.

A single 345w LED cost $1,150 out the door. Now with LED, there is no maintenance. Just plug it in and fire away for ever, right?

Now a top of the line 600w HID set up cost $485.00 out the door.

https://cgi.ebay.com/600w-Lumatek-Bal...#ht_3734wt_966

So from a perspective customer stand point the difference is clear. $565.00

Where I need convincing and I know it is possible is: that over the life time of the light (and to a true serious grower, light life time does not exceed 5 years and if it does then great but you should probably consider buying a new computer first, lol) I will save an estimated 565 dollars if I go the HPS route.

So.......I know for a fact that over five years a 350w power difference will not cost 585 dollars running on a 12/12 lighting schedule. I only use 12/12 for this because to be honest anything can veg a plant, the part I truly care about is flower.

Now I will hear the light bulb theory.

A single $120.00 3k sunpluse bulb last 20,000 hours with only a 10% light degradation counted as light drop off. 20,000/12=1666 days/365= 4.5 years. Keep in mind the HID light I used as an example comes with both a MH and HPS bulb so your first 6-12 months are accounted for depending on your usage (bulb replacement).

So if you take in account the single bulb replacement you encounter over the life time of the lamp (which to me as previously stated is 5 years because I am no cave man, lol) you come up with a $445.00 cost difference.

Now cooling is slightly an issue with a 600w HID. The light in my example comes with the best air cooled lid available, great! Slap a Soler & Palau 6in inline fan on that hood and your cooling needs are eliminated with a 54w power increase. https://cgi.ebay.com/Soler-Palau-TD15...#ht_2733wt_941

So apples to apples we have a 404w power difference (640w total draw off the ballast + 54w fan for cooling) and a total cost difference of $308.00. (485 for HID setup + 120.00 for the sun pulse bulb + 137.00 for the s&p fan = $742.00. 1050-742= a $308.00 cost difference.

Before we go further I know people will argue that an HID will cost more then what I illustrated but to "me"; key word there, that is how much it cost along with maintenance. I am solely looking at this from an investment stand point and nothing more. Data and par and intensity and lumens and micromoles and the such are great and I get it but from an investment stand point I do care. I just wont everything to work. Simple.

Back on point and this is were I need convincing., Will an LED light fixture which is said to be a 600w HPS replacement-save me $308.00 over the course of its life time to "me".?

Thats all I truly care about, not who is better or what light does what. Put it this way, I take 4.5ounces of said and done dried Marijuana (thats why we're all here) out of my grow tent every 7 days using a 600w HPS. 18 Ounces a month. Believe it or not, I don't care but I only bring up these points in hopes to finding a cost benefit of switching over to LED entirely.

I have $6,500 dollars and looking to buy some new lighting but at the end of the day it has to make sense on paper. Someone make it make sense cause I am fascinated buy these fucking LED lights!

[LEDGirl]

Originally Posted by beats6789

To me and only to me I speak of, for an LED grow light to be truly efficient it has to produce more then 1 gram per watt and the thought of doing so should not be a dream. More or less a standard.

This is more or less already the standard with our LED Grow Lights. Many individuals hit 1 gram per watt on their first grow with our products, and they only get better with each grow. Few have posted first time results below .8 grams per watt.

Originally Posted by beats6789

So.......I know for a fact that over five years a 350w power difference will not cost 585 dollars running on a 12/12 lighting schedule. I only use 12/12 for this because to be honest anything can veg a plant, the part I truly care about is flower.

Our 345W light draws between 280-290W of actual power from the wall. A 600W Digital Lumatek runs about 670W (WizeWizo just tested one. You can find the photos here: https://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=170090

Now I'm not too sure about the fan you listed, but most 6" fans I've seen tested, draw between 100-150W of power. 54W would be a pretty small fan. So if we use standard values for consumption on a fan, your total power draw with the HID is going to be between 770W-820W. The light setup would cost you $485, and the fan costs $137, for a total of $622, making the LED $528 more expensive on the initial purchase.

290W of power for 12 hours a day = 3.48 KwH. In a month that's 104.4, and in a year that's 1270.2 KwH. The average cost per KwH is about .11 cents USD, so your yearly electrical consumption costs about $139.72

770W x 12 hours = 9.24 KwH. That's 277.2 KwH per month, and 3372.6 KwH per year. Your total yearly electrical consumption would cost about $370.99

The YEARLY electrical consumption difference is $231.26. After 5 years that saves you $1156.33 in electricity costs.

So simply based on electrical usage alone, you would re-coup all of your initial investment and then some. This doesn't factor in bulbs used for the HID either.

Now we haven't even touched yet on light, but yesterday I had the opportunity to take readouts on a 600W Digital Metal Halide. It put out 1200 micromoles at 6" away from the glass, whereas our 345W puts out over 2000 micromoles at that same distance. So even though we rate our 345W equivalent to a 600W HID, it puts out more light in the PAR region than a 600W MH. For this reason your results with our 345W should exceed those achieved with a 600W HID.

Hope that info helps

[Sleepy]

well, just on cooling, the LED wins...no ballast to deal with, and only one cord to plug in.

i ran a 126 watt LED fixture, and had to add a space heater!

on yield, i can't answer if the 345 watt LED will match your 600...too many variables...if you are taking 4.5 ounces every 7 days, you have my attention!

welcome to icmag.com!!

[beats6789]

It does entirely, thanks led chick! Give me a couple days, I have to talk to my buddy/partner but Ill be sending you a private message. I gotta speak some details if you follow my drift.

EDIT******

Hey I dont mean or am not trying to sound like a ***hole. I am new hear and not trying to step on anyones feet.

I only want what makes the most sense, I'm sure we can all agree on that.

-Much respect

[LEDGirl]

No problem. I look forward to talking with you