LED - not 'low' temp

[FloridaSunset]

An old newbie just getting back into the hobby after a couple decade absence. Was way out of touch with the new technologies available to growers these days so did a lot of reading on most every topic and especially on lighting since I was starting from scratch. Have very limited space available so decided to go with a 2x2x4 tent, stick to auto and/or dwarf varieties, and go with LED lights.

Picked up a set of MarsHydro 300w (about 180W actual) lights after reading that LEDs were a low temp option. Sadly to say, and much to my surprise, the MH 300W light bumped the temp in the tent up from an out-of-tent ambient room temp of 74 degrees to an inside-tent-temp of 89! Have managed to get the inside temp down to between 80 to 81 with the addition of a 4" inline fan and am planning on adding a DIY humidifier to bump it a little lower, but I think the LED turned out to be a far from the stated low-temp option it was hinted as being.

I realize that 15 degree difference is minor as compared to what an MH/HPS would do, but still...

Posted from Sunny SW Florida - otherwise known as God's Waiting Room.

 

[Dave Groomer]

An old newbie just getting back into the hobby after a couple decade absence. Was way out of touch with the new technologies available to growers these days so did a lot of reading on most every topic and especially on lighting since I was starting from scratch. Have very limited space available so decided to go with a 2x2x4 tent, stick to auto and/or dwarf varieties, and go with LED lights.

Picked up a set of MarsHydro 300w (about 180W actual) lights after reading that LEDs were a low temp option. Sadly to say, and much to my surprise, the MH 300W light bumped the temp in the tent up from an out-of-tent ambient room temp of 74 degrees to an inside-tent-temp of 89! Have managed to get the inside temp down to between 80 to 81 with the addition of a 4" inline fan and am planning on adding a DIY humidifier to bump it a little lower, but I think the LED turned out to be a far from the stated low-temp option it was hinted as being.

I realize that 15 degree difference is minor as compared to what an MH/HPS would do, but still...

Posted from Sunny SW Florida - otherwise known as God's Waiting Room.

You hit the nail on the head. It is not the LEDs run cool as much as they run cooler. My 2 tents both stay around 84. That is with a 400cfm fan pulling air from both tents. 80-81 you are right there where you want to be.

 

[Dave Groomer]

They work great form me and the price was right. How about you start a journal with your grows and you can show us what is what.

 

[HydroDyna]

You can assume that all energy that's being used will eventually turn into heat(energy)
A led light that consumes 180 watt will make your room just as hot as a 180 watt HPS.

The difference is that an 180 watt LED is as strong as a HID of higher wattage and that's where the heat saving comes from.

 

[JBUptown]

FloridaSunset,
I wish you the best of luck growing indoors in Florida, I hope your home AC is up to the task! Having spent a few years there I know the summers can be brutal. If you can keep it under 85 degrees you should be good, and do you think you need to add humidity for sure? Mold and mildew were ever present when I was there and it was always super humid. I wonder how many plants you have in 16 cubic feet? I would think one Indica strain plant would be about maximum during flower. When healthy, they always seem to grow bigger than you would think and see during early Veg.

JB