Suggestions, looking at getting some more light

P

Phytoplankton

Well-Known Member
Member of the Month
May 2023
So, my current set-up is:
6.5 ft. x 6.5 ft. x 7 ft. tent
1, 8" intake fan
1, 8" exhaust fan/carbon filter
2, 2000W Bestva LED's w/veg bloom switch (about 285 true watts each)
FFOF soil and FF trio nutes, plus cal-mag

I normally run 4 plants in 10 gallon bags, but have space for at least 6, more if I use 7.5 gal. bags, but I know my current lights won't cover that area. Here are some of my restrictions, I have major power issues, it's an old house (70+ years), two wire ungrounded, so I have lot's of GFI plugs. I only have a 70 amp breaker box and 20 amps is for a 220 oven (which was replaced with a propane oven). So basically I need to run the tent on 15 amps. I don't want to break the bank, but at the same time I want decent lights. I have no issues with the Bestva's, they are good lights and I normally get 3 1/2 to 5 oz./plant. I am thinking about getting a Bestva 4000W and keeping the 2 2000W lights (285w power draw ea.), I think that should be enough light. The 4000W draws 450W, and it has a 3 year warranty, plus I can get it delivered for less than $250. I am open to suggestions, please.
 
LOL, when it comes to old knob & tube (if that's the setup you have) two-wire wiring, 70-amp service is like the gold standard. I have 30 :rolleyes: .

Oh, wait - you have a breaker box. Well, I suppose you might still have K&T wiring, but most electricians successfully convinced the homeowners to pay them to rip that stuff out back in the day if they were upgrading the old (often pre-WWII) fuse box). So maybe not, IDK.

You stated that you've got a 20-amp breaker that was for an electric kitchen stove, and that you have since switched to propane. Which might be the second-most expensive way to cook, lol, you've got it rough. Anyway... my question is: Have you repurposed that electric supply yet, or is it currently available? If the latter, it might be worth it to run a new line to your indoor garden and install a new, separate circuit solely for that.

Right now, you are trying to illuminate 42¼ square feet. So, yes, you need more light for that size of garden space. Or, alternatively, you can shrink the space to match the lights you already have. Which would probably increase your yield, especially if your walls are bright white, Orca Film, et cetera. As it is now, you're probably sending at least some of those photons you're paying each month to create into parts of that space that you aren't actually growing in - which means they're (sort of) being wasted.
 
I have a good tent with Reflective walls. The kitchen breaker is 220v, I’m sure it could be split, but I don’t mess with 220v! The wiring isn’t knob tube, it’s very old Romex. I’ve tried to get the house rewired with a 150 amp grounded box, but I live in a flood plain, and it would cost 40k over the cost of the re-wire to meet new code requirements!
 
Hi Phyto - I know it's not quite your set up, but I found that if you have a decent main light, which you do, cheapish reasonable spectrum burples with a veg/bloom switch work very well as you can supplement either blue or red light or both
My entire draw is less than 5A with that setup
Dunno if that helps or not :blunt:
 
I know how you feel brother, my house was built in 1934 and it’s still a two wire system. I’m running electric from three different parts of my home to accommodate my garden. Im running the mars fc-e4800 and so far it’s amazing. Maybe a little out of your price range but an amazing light if you decide to downsize like @TorturedSoul said then I would put that light in your list to compare with. Best of luck to you and I’ll be waiting to hear your decision :Rasta:
 
Growings said:
Hi Phyto - I know it's not quite your set up, but I found that if you have a decent main light, which you do, cheapish reasonable spectrum burples with a veg/bloom switch work very well as you can supplement either blue or red light or both
My entire draw is less than 5A with that setup
Dunno if that helps or not :blunt:
Click to expand...
It doesn’t hurt, I could run all three lights and the tent on the circuit I’m using, and be safe, which is why I was looking at the big Bestva, but I’m open to other options. I should make a query on the Bestva thread.
 
Hayron1088 said:
I know how you feel brother, my house was built in 1934 and it’s still a two wire system. I’m running electric from three different parts of my home to accommodate my garden. Im running the mars fc-e4800 and so far it’s amazing. Maybe a little out of your price range but an amazing light if you decide to downsize like @TorturedSoul said then I would put that light in your list to compare with. Best of luck to you and I’ll be waiting to hear your decision :Rasta:
Click to expand...
Mine was built in 1955, I was told my uncle wired the place. I had the bathroom redone a couple years ago and when the my wired it they found that the box had one more slot, so I tapped into the new line for my grow room.
 
I can beat all you guys... my house doesn't have wiring! Good thing I'm not doing an indoor grow, heh heh. I'm in the jungle, old house, and I've got extension cords coming from the solar, and even out to the greenhouses (in conduit). Just the other day I cut the ends off an old 3-prong extension cord, and rewired the DC line to the external pressure pump for the washing machine.
 
Phytoplankton said:
Three weeks now, no answer from a PM to Bestva, I'm through with them! Looking at the Spider Farmer 4000W or 7000W lights now, any comments or experiences with their lights?
Click to expand...
I've got the spider farmer se3000, it's doing a great job, I'm well happy.

It's pretty much the same light as the mars hydro FC and fce range.
You can get a 420mag discount on the mars hydro.
 
Listersmeghead said:
I've got the spider farmer se3000, it's doing a great job, I'm well happy.

It's pretty much the same light as the mars hydro FC and fce range.
You can get a 420mag discount on the mars hydro.
Click to expand...
Thanks for the info! Not really sold on Mars after reading about the many service/warranty issues. Want a decent light without breaking the bank, pretty much like to keep it under $500-$600, it will be the main light with two 285W (true draw) supplemental lights.
 
Seems like Spider Farmer's business model is to wait for Mars Hydro to produce a light - then copy it. While I do find it humorous that it's a Chinese company that a Chinese company is copying this time, I still wouldn't support it by buying (or recommending) one of SP's products.

If I was interested in something like that, I'd just buy an actual Mars Hydro product. I've got three (and one of their tents), and they're all fine, still work, etc. I haven't been paying attention recently, but in the past, the company's forum rep actively solicited suggestions when they were designing new lights, when they wanted to refresh their grow tent line of products... even back when they were basically just getting into the indoor garden lighting business (under another name) and an employee joined the forum to ask us what we wanted in such a product. I'm guessing that, if the OP had contacted them instead of whichever company it was that he hadn't received an answer from... that he'd have received one, lol.

In addition to Mars Hydro, here are several other companies that sell grow lights and pay to advertise here. If you're planning to post a grow journal, ask for help/advice about your lighting, et cetera - it would probably be a good idea to pick from one of those businesses so that you do not, in the future, find yourself being shat upon from a great height.
 
Phytoplankton said:
Thanks for the info! Not really sold on Mars after reading about the many service/warranty issues. Want a decent light without breaking the bank, pretty much like to keep it under $500-$600, it will be the main light with two 285W (true draw) supplemental lights.
Click to expand...

As I mentioned, my three are still working fine. But "your mileage may vary" applies, of course. One thing, though: If looking at Mars Hydro product experience posts, be sure to ignore ALL of the old blurple products. Also ignore posts by people who don't actually own one of the company's products, lol. Which will probably cut out, IDK, 80% of the complaints or thereabouts.

Other factors (than actual product quality) can affect the... shading of opinion, too. For example, take a look at posts about Atreum's products over time. Several years ago, some people used them to good effect - but there wasn't a lot of discussion, and there was some negativity. Now, however, they are much better regarded here. At least some of that is probably attributable to the fact that they are currently a forum sponsoring entity. <SHRUGS> Nature of the beast; people tend to think more fondly of those who support their own choices/activities. It can skew things, though. . . .
 
Phytoplankton said:
Not really sold on Mars after reading about the many service/warranty issues.
Click to expand...
I've had no problem with my spider farmer lights, I've got 2 smaller ones also. The 2 small sf1000 I've had 2 years now no problems, the larger se3000 I've had 6 months, again no problems.
But spider farmer will have a similar experience to mars hydro with service/warranty, both being Chinese companies.

It's a good shout from @TorturedSoul about atreum. They're great lights, I've seen their quick response service on here. They've got one of the best lights for a 2x4 around, I was eyeing it myself. American compamy as well iirc.
 
That was merely one example. There are several businesses on the list of advertisers that sell grow lights. It would not be a bad idea for the OP to visit each of those links, compile a list of products that might be adequate for OP's needs and within the budget (or within a likely future budget - sometimes, the best choice is to wait a few weeks whilst one saves additional money for a better light... or arranges to sell one's current lighting products, which might have to wait until harvest), and then use the forum's search tool to search for threads in which one or more of the candidates on the OP's list are discussed. Grow journals which feature them would be a big plus, because then the person could see them in action, see how they perform, and - possibly - read about any problems.

That's one advantage of going with a sponsor's grow light (etc.) - there will be more discussion about it. Another advantage is that some companies have a rep that is a member and who does (or at least can) interact with the members. Mars Hydro probably has the longest (more or less) continuous support/information thread here. But some others do, too. You can even "page" them, in a manner of speaking. @Mars Hydro , might get the rep's attention and cause her (him?) to become aware of the thread, and perhaps to offer advice based on your wants/needs. So might: @Atreum Lighting , @GrowStar , @Maxsisun , @MedicGrow , @NextLight , @Perfect Sun LED , @PhotonTek Lighting , @VIVOSUN . (Apologies to any that I might have missed!)

Being able to interact via the forum can be helpful if/when service is required, too. And it can help you learn all there is to learn about your light (or one you're thinking about making your light).

I am not suggesting "buy from the sponsors or don't buy anything," lol - but I am suggesting you place them at the top of your list of businesses and products to consider. If none of them meet YOUR specific needs, then look elsewhere.

BtW, the businesses that pay to advertise and have some kind of presence here on the forum... are also paying to keep 420Magazine in existence. So you're indirectly helping the forum by giving your custom to those businesses. Also, your posts will probably be less likely to get edited. . . .
 
I bought the mammoth 800watt about 8 months ago. Completely in love with it. Dont really think it draws too much. My house is 3 levels and power bill was $255 dollars last month, going to be different next couple..lol
Not sure if that would work in your setup being an older home.
Always been a Mars fan, use them for my veg.
I had a bestva ( older model) really didn't think it was the best value.
Hope you find what youre looking for..
 
If you want to buy Mars Hydro products, please don't worry about the service and warranty. You can always find me at 420magazine, I'm a Mars Hydro rep and very active here.
For your budget, FC-E3000, TSW2000 and TSL2000 are recommended for you. You can check their details on our website. :green_heart:
 
GainesvilleGreen said:
I bought the mammoth 800watt about 8 months ago. Completely in love with it. Dont really think it draws too much. My house is 3 levels and power bill was $255 dollars last month, going to be different next couple..lol
Not sure if that would work in your setup being an older home.
Always been a Mars fan, use them for my veg.
I had a bestva ( older model) really didn't think it was the best value.
Hope you find what youre looking for..
Click to expand...
Are you in Gainesville FL? I have a good friend who lives there.
 

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