HPS to LED?

[Dumpy]

Hey all. Looking for some insight. Currently running a 1000 W ballast with a metal halyde lamp for veg and a high pressure sodium for flower. Putting together a larger tent that will need two 1000 watt units. Currently the 1000 W fixture is costing 120 dollars a month on a 12/12 schedule and if I turn on 2 more, I am looking at an extra 240 per month.
I don't sell and will never sell weed so this becomes an out of pocket expense for me. Which leads me to a string of questions.

1. Can a 1000 w hid fixture be replaced by a smaller wattage led fixture?
2. Can I expect the same yields with a lower wattage led as I receive with a 1000 W hid ?
3. Can I expect canopy penetration?
4. If so what size led would I require and what brand do we think is the best and what should I avoid ?

I understand that the led caters directly to the usable light that a plant can use blah blah blah, but I was hoping to get some real life feedback to see what fellow growers have found. Do these lights have the punch that they advertise ? I have spoken to a few people and get mixed reviews.
I would like to save money but not at the expense of poor yield. Any input would be greatly appreciated. I understand a decent led fixture is going to be more costly than an hid setup bit its a price/ cost factor. Price being a one time expediture and cost being ongoing costs of running the lighting.

 

[Jozo-sha]

SteveHMan's LED Buyer's Guide ….

Also, just search for LED in the title of threads using the forum search function. Many very successful LED grows here at 420 Magazine.





- JZ

 

[Dumpy]

SteveHMan's LED Buyer's Guide ....

Also, just search for LED in the title of threads using the forum search function. Many very successful LED grows here at 420 Magazine.





- JZ

Yeah... That was a pretty neutral read.. Was hoping to attract real life experience like what people use, if they like it! If they were to do it again would they purchase something different? If people feel it is ok, but cant compare to hid.... And so on because some people say led technology leaves alot to be desired. Plus if you type in led, LED, or Led the search function returns an error as it is too broad of a search.

 

[Buckshot]

Dumpy

I am doing a perpetual grow with LED. I started with two panels just under 400 watts and did pretty well. I have since added another panel for side light and found the either the new panel or the combo with the new panel has really made the ladies take off... but


1. Can a 1000 w hid fixture be replaced by a smaller wattage led fixture?

yes... you can use a light bulb too (just joking) I have just under 600 watts total and it will light a 6 x 4' area


2. Can I expect the same yields with a lower wattage led as I receive with a 1000 W hid ?

No!

3. Can I expect canopy penetration?

Yes ... but this will depend on watts and lens


4. If so what size led would I require and what brand do we think is the best and what should I avoid ?


You know the answer to the first question ... more the better! As for brands check out this forums sponsors. There are many LED vendors. I got my last panel from Green Lights 4G LED Grow Lights

Here is my room so far

Some Buds (the buds are tight and full)

Here is the first clone under all lights (much better structure)

The clone and its mother

 

[Dumpy]

Really healthy looking plants Buckshot. Do you think the increase in plant production is primarily due to the addition of the new light or perhaps you have reached a lighting plateau that the plants are reacting favourably to? Currently I am assembling a 4x8 tent with an undercurrent deep water culture system. So far the A/C is done and about 80 pecent of the hydro system is collected. Have 2 kahuna hoods but am looking at trying to reduce the 240 dollars a month hydro bill it will take to run that. When I make that investment in the next couple of weeks, I want to buy once, especialy when I'm staring at between 800 to 1400 dollars x 2. I've done a ton of reading on this topic and everyone claims their product is the best and the other guy hasnt done the research blah blah blah........ Hid has been the standard, but with the cost of hydro never going down.....

 

[Buckshot]

Really healthy looking plants Buckshot. Do you think the increase in plant production is primarily due to the addition of the new light or perhaps you have reached a lighting plateau that the plants are reacting favourably to? Currently I am assembling a 4x8 tent with an undercurrent deep water culture system. So far the A/C is done and about 80 pecent of the hydro system is collected. Have 2 kahuna hoods but am looking at trying to reduce the 240 dollars a month hydro bill it will take to run that. When I make that investment in the next couple of weeks, I want to buy once, especialy when I'm staring at between 800 to 1400 dollars x 2. I've done a ton of reading on this topic and everyone claims their product is the best and the other guy hasnt done the research blah blah blah........ Hid has been the standard, but with the cost of hydro never going down.....

I still don't have the answers you seek. 2 panels of the size I am using is only about 400 watts. You will be WAY off the output from a 1000 watt HID and most likely bummed out. Just think of replacing the 1000 with a 400 watt HID there is a huge difference. The way I got past the cost (justified the cost) is no bulb cost, no additional fan system cost for cooling the lights, no additional cost of cooling scary hot ballasts and the savings on electricity. I have not reached max light in fact I have been so impressed with the blue panel I am considering another one for the other side. With 4 panels I will have great coverage and be at around 800 watts ... but I will only be pulling around 7 amps. I know this is not what you wanted to hear ... but it is closer to reality

I hope this helped

 

[GrowGSL]

It can be done, you can replace a 1000w HPS with a 600 watt LED BUT, you wont be able to get that big 5x6 or 6x6 footprint a HPS has. Soo you will need to adjust your operation a bit for this but yes in the end you can yield the same.

Also keep in mind those 1000w units actually draw about 1200w maybe 1300w of power. The ballasts are not a perfect conversion of electric for the bulb.

 

[Dumpy]

Nice site GrowGSL. What would you recommend for a 4x8 tent?

 

[progreen]

Hi check out the Gavita 1100 dimables, the light, the reflector and the ballist are all one unit. The good thing is the ballist does not get hot at all, and you can switch them between 600 to 1100 which lets you adjust your costs and your watts, plus as you know you can save about 20% on just switching to digital ballists. One thing i will say is that you need at least 9' above your canopy as these are proper green house lights and there is no need to adjust their height, just leave them a 9' your plants wont stretch. Good ventilation is required as although the ballists dont get hot the bulb and reflector still do. HPS all the way if you want high yelds in my opinion. Hope this is of some use.

 

[jad0086]

Hi just a little input maybe it would be ideal to get an even spread of 600w worth of smaller boards to fix the yield issue, i know im a newbie grower, have only grown a few plants, so take from me what you will. Youtube some of the commercial cannabis grows with leds, i know they are trying to endorse there product and in saying so no way am i endorsing any of those videos. The yield factor is a big question for me also since i have never grown with that kind of light, only ever 400 watt lights, and was thinking of going to 1000 w , but then i started reading about the leds and now im stuck, so if you could tell me how your going with the dilema, id appreciate it.

 

[Jozo-sha]

I've never grown with HID lighting, I started with LEDs and will always use them. Your mileage may vary, but for my setup, they're perfect. Low heat, no bulb replacement, and I have two Advanced DS-200's (drawing 172W each, that's nothing) in a long low tent and get these results:

My pal grows with HID, and he's just as satisfied medicating on mine as I am of toking up his meds. He grows more in a larger area, but I pay way less in electric. Good luck, young jedi.

Peace,




- JZ