BEST L.E.D. SOLD

[Super.Seeds]

What about the "Haight Solid State PPF-1600 LED Grow Light " from Greners? Has anyone used this model? It has 62 - 5W and 6W wide beam LEDs...comes with Red, Deep Red, and White LEDS where the smaller Haight models come with blue, white and red LEDs....Which means they expect the 1600 to be used solely for bloom? Ideally I'd want something that powerful (330 watts) for VEG and a light 2-3 times that powerful for bloom.

It seems LED lights have progressed from 1 watt to 2,3 and now 5 and 6 watt LEDs...When will they come out with 10W or higher LEDs or the next latest and greatest grow light? I won't buy a 3D TV right now just like I won't get an LED grow light....They need more time to R&D and improve them. Just my 2 cents. I just hope they don't end up in a landfill somewhere next to the minidisk players that were popular for a few years.

I am still eager to see all growers out there testing these LED lights out! Do they get enough penetration or do you have to flower from clone? You can be sure when LED grow lights are considered the high-tech, latest and greatest technology, I will jump on the bandwagon. Just not willing to drop over 1,000 dollars to try it out.

SS

 

[SOTF420]

Buy a Lumigrow ES You will suprise yourself.

 

[habeeb]

with the lumigrow, what about there only using 3 leds ( red, white, blue ) . I thought it best to use multiple colors?

also lumigrow does not seem to keep with updating the LEDS? shouldn't they have replaced the LED's by now with better ones?

If you look on the internet, you will see multiple grows with LEDS now, this is not the only place for info..

I would like to know why people are using the 2-3 watt chips now? I thought there was better efficiency in using 1 watt chips? or using higher watt chips with lower voltage running through them

now, if knna would make his light, Im sure people would line up for one...

 

[Ligyron]

Any lighting which promises to use less electricity and generate less heat while still producing good bud, even within the limits of scrog-able distances, should naturally have the attention of at least small scale growers -- some of whom apparently stuff their grows inside furniture.

Come to think of it, there may be way more of those types to sell lights to than all the large scale or commercial farmers put together, many of whom are likey to source and build their lighting systems themselves a'la carte from electrical distributors and the like.

I really admire and identify with DIY'ers and am curious as to whether those of you who put your own LED systems together did so to save money - have a better or more customized array, maybe both . . . or what?

 

[Moondoggie]

There are significant differences between supposedly similar LED units sold. A company (Gotham Hydroponics) has numerous videos on YouTube (search string - Lighthouse Hydro). These tests include actual lumen and PAR numbers for several units.

The differences between the units sold on the internet are largely due to the types of LEDs used (Bridgelux, CREE). Gotham only uses CREE LEDs.

Their units are sold on their internet website, and also on EBAY and Amazon. Search: "lighthouse hydro" or "lighthouse blackstar".

 

[sm0k4]

After the type of LED they use, next is the footprint these lights use. All commercial units sold are restricted to a rectangular area the same dimensions as the grow light due to light intensity losses the farther you get from the light source. This is way worse with LED than HID, which is why they are placed 6-10" away instead of 15-20" like with HID.

Nothing will touch a DIY LED light designed properly for that grow space. I think the commercial units take away the efficiency of the LEDs by placing them in such a tight grid. Then you have to hope they have proper cooling so the lights don't burn twice as hot as they should resulting in a short life span. When I see six fans mounted to a 200W light I tend to think it will run a bit hot at the junction temp of the LED. Anyone know how hot the heat sink gets next to the LEDs with those commercial units?

I think most commercial light makers at this time are more worried about profit margin than optimum quality. So if a 200W light is less than 400 it is most likely garbage since good quality LEDs alone for the light will be around that price before quantity discounting.

You definitely get what you pay for with new technology. Unless the seller is a con man that is lying about the LEDs installed.

 

[SOTF420]

Well if you don't keep the Lumigrow more than a foot away it will bleach out the tops of plants & buds because it's far too intense trust me I found this out the hard way. They are semi-expensive because they are using all the best quality components and the internal heatsinks are massive so they do a great job of cooling the LED's along with the multiple fans. You really do get the quality you pay for.

 

[Herborizer]

I love the idea of led's and have been watching these led threads for a long time. I have yet to see an independent 3rd party do a side by side comparison of a Mh-veg/hps-flower Vs LED whole grow, where the led of less than the watts of the HID can produce the same or better result.

In side by side tests, the best I have seen is equal production with the same wattages between the led and hid's. LEDs seem to add a week to flowering too, taking extra electricity.

Also, I have a major issue with the light coverage area of led. Take my setup. 4x4 table scrog. I use a 600w Mh in veg, 600w hps in flower. Both use the same sunlight supply magnum xxxl hood. I have not seen a led light that uses less than 600w that would cover that light area well. Well enough to at least match the yield and quality of my hid's.

So I wait. I am someone who pays into the 5th power tier at 46c kwh every month. If the LEDs would resolve the problems above, the return on investment comes into play. Until then I wait.

 

[sm0k4]

I love the idea of led's and have been watching these led threads for a long time. I have yet to see an independent 3rd party do a side by side comparison of a Mh-veg/hps-flower Vs LED whole grow, where the led of less than the watts of the HID can produce the same or better result.

In side by side tests, the best I have seen is equal production with the same wattages between the led and hid's. LEDs seem to add a week to flowering too, taking extra electricity.

Also, I have a major issue with the light coverage area of led. Take my setup. 4x4 table scrog. I use a 600w Mh in veg, 600w hps in flower. Both use the same sunlight supply magnum xxxl hood. I have not seen a led light that uses less than 600w that would cover that light area well. Well enough to at least match the yield and quality of my hid's.

So I wait. I am someone who pays into the 5th power tier at 46c kwh every month. If the LEDs would resolve the problems above, the return on investment comes into play. Until then I wait.

Now you got me wanting to build two cabinets. I am in the process of building an LED grow Cab with 260 dissipation Watts of LED for flower.

I now want to build a 400 Watt HID cabinet to take that challenge.

I am building my LED myself, so I know what components are in it. I think I saw only one LED light company say their bin of LED they use. It was an expensive light too, rightfully so. Most probably use Chinese cheapo LEDs and I don't judge LED growing by those grow journals. I think misconception #1 is that plants will grow the same under LED as with HID. I think its already been proven to not be true. More nute uptake seems to take place with LED and less water is needed due to less heat from the light. Less waterings with stronger nutrient doses and one plain watering after 4-5 feeding seems to be the norm. Keeping temps up near 80 might also be an issue and will affect the VPD and plant growth also. So many things need to be accounted for when switching to LED.

Here is a prototype on a smaller scale size I am going to use in the Veg. chamber.



Now if you build your own you can build it to suit your size and also to distribute the light most effectively as well as efficiently. This way it is possible to beat a small HID setup with roughly 60-70% of the wattage due to more efficient use of the light. Given you built your own or know that the company uses the top bins of reputable LED manufacturers. With bigger setups, it probably scales linearly. So with a 1k Watt setup, you might need 85% of the wattage to match it due to size and other restrictions. This is all speculative though, research is already going on in a Spanish speaking forum and LED is just in its infancy for growing use.

Commercial LED lights don't seem to be there yet, but if my design plan works, it can be customized to any size due to modular designing.

 

[CARE giver]

Best LED?

Best LED?

Did a quick search and didn't find anything helpful.

I have some extra money and I want to try out LEDs for a run.

Anyways are her LEDs really the best? Or what should I be looking for?

 

[WasntMe]

I have a LED it works good for me. Some like the Stealth. There are a few quality brands out there. Look at grows that people have done with them. New models coming out all the time.

Unfortunately,by mentioning her name you just laid out an open can of hater and troll bait..... enjoy what is to come.

If you are lucky, maybe someone else might even give you suggestions.


Good Luck!

 

[OsWiZzLe]

LED waste of money

 

[Bionic]

Growledhydro dot com. Mike is a stand up guy and his lights have been tried and tested on another site by respected growers. That being said, LED's are still far too expensive for me to justify a purchase.

 

[CARE giver]

Growledhydro dot com. Mike is a stand up guy and his lights have been tried and tested on another site by respected growers. That being said, LED's are still far too expensive for me to justify a purchase.

Yeah I saw grow reports with those. Mikes seem to be the best on the market. But I'm looking for something a little smaller.

Found a couple companies carrying some 15w lights. Sun Shine systems and HTG look nice.

HTG is alot cheaper. Trying to find some grow reports with them first though.

Thanks for all the responses guys .

 

[GeorgeWBush]

Lumigrows are getting a lot of respect. If you have to money to toss at an LED that's a great one from what I hear.

 

[woolybear]

I would go with the grow hydro LED. If you're low budget, build your own!

This is a ~17w array. Cost about $70 total, $40 for LED, $18 driver, $11 piece of aluminum etc... very fun DIY project.

 

[CARE giver]

I would go with the grow hydro LED. If you're low budget, build your own!

This is a ~17w array. Cost about $70 total, $40 for LED, $18 driver, $11 piece of aluminum etc... very fun DIY project.

The GLH lights have been praised by everyone. But I'm just running these LEDs in a small PC side grow. No Need for 120w. But if I fall in love with LEDs, atleast I'll know where to go .

And I'm interested in DIY LEDs, it just seems complicated.

I found a site where you can get 15w BloomBoss LEDs for around $25 each wholesale price(12 in a set).

These would be perfect for micro PC/cab grows. They give off barely any heat, even compared to CFLs. Plus LED lighting is more affective with higher temperatures. So with your LED lights you can add some CFLs. Because raising temps will become the problem, not lowering them .

Anyone else like this deal compared to $60 each at other sites?

Maybe if a couple people chipped in it could be affordable .

 

[dadda j]

im using a prosource illuminator 350 watt tri spectrum and they are the best thing that ever happened to me since i started growing.i havent looked back

 

[SOTF420]

What is far more important than even the emitters themselves with LED lighting is the power supply and a highlly efficient cooling design for long life and optimal performance of the LED's and these are major limiting factors that come into play with home built lights. Top bin's and the right colors are very important but you cant just run them off mediocre power set-ups and expect full performance.

If you have the cash check out greners last I saw they have a good deal going on the Lumigrow and all these issues have already been solved and then some. You guys can thank me later when you are buying more of them because they are simply the shiznitzel.

 

[woolybear]

The GLH lights have been praised by everyone. But I'm just running these LEDs in a small PC side grow. No Need for 120w. But if I fall in love with LEDs, atleast I'll know where to go .

And I'm interested in DIY LEDs, it just seems complicated.

It took quite a bit of reading, however its actually very easy. This is coming from someone with zero electric/wiring/soldering experience. After making one, making more would be very simple!

After putting together the strip, it didn't work. The next day, I figured out it was b/c I had the power input on the wrong side. After googling something like 'make an led light' I learned about circuits. Easy as pie!

I you like DIY projects, I would give it a go. I did have to spend about $40 on tools (soldering iron, multimeter) plus another $10 on supplies (kapton tape, copper tape, solder, plugs, etc).