Supplemental lighting, any thoughts

[Canachris]

after expanding my grow box I'm going to need a little more light. I have 2 really good CFL 2700K but they draw a bit more juice and run hotter. I also have some cheapo LED bulbs that I cut off the defuser they are also 2700K just not sure how they work as grow lights, but they run a lot cooler. my biggest concern is heat. my primary light is 3 HLG 95watt quantum boards. from the little bit of research I've done on the quantum boards says that even they are passive cooled the meanwell drivers don't last much longer than 3-4 years. mine are close to 5 years old, but I did modify them and put 1-1/4"stand off,s so they don't actually sit directly on the aluminum deck. but adding more lights makes more heat. any opinions or suggestions is welcome.

 

[safeman]

here is what I use : overhead (LED panels) and for side lighting - 12by 12 full spectrum LED boards - yields have increased by 15% at least. there is a new light now - called "under canopy" lighting. The company stated that there is a 15% increase in yields by using this also stated that in the next 3 years most commercial grows will use this (Company name FAYEN lIGHTING.COM) worth a look see - this is what's new in lighting FYI

 

[SmokingWings]

any opinions or suggestions is welcome.

My thoughts are to skip the curly-Q Compact Florescent Bulb and the LED common base bulbs. Go with another HLG 95 watt board. It might produce a bit more heat than the CFL and LED household bulbs but the quality of light will be better, much better.

Interesting that you are using household bulbs with a 2700K rating instead of 5000K. Or, is the tent only used for flowering plants?

If you go with another board and the increase in heat is enough to cause concerns it should be possible to come up with a way to bleed it off, maybe by just opening the door to the cabinet a bit during the lights on period. I open the door to my flowering tent shortly after the lights there come on. Once I do that the temperature at canopy level will drop 5 to 10 degrees F. I tend to look at the quality of the light first and any temperature increase second.

 

[SmokingWings]

The company stated that there is a 15% increase in yields by using this also stated that in the next 3 years most commercial grows will use this (Company name FAYEN lIGHTING.COM) worth a look see - this is what's new in lighting FYI

I cannot find a company with the Fayen in their name that makes LED lighting for growing plants. The closest is a company with a similar name that makes decorative light fixtures, usually sconces, for the walls in the rooms in a house.

Always trying to file away the lights and the companies that makes them just in case I want to make a change in my lighting layout.

 

[Canachris]

oh I'd love another quantum board, but there's no money in the budget for that. The curly-q CFL 2700k is what I used for flowering back when I grew under all CFL . and the cheepo LED is kinda an experiment not sure if they actually work as a grow bulb. The grow box is mostly open, but the HLG quantum boards were said have problems with heat even tho they are " passive" cooled the meanwell drivers get to hot and life expectancy was only 2-3 years. Soa small fan blowing on them keep em cool I've gotten close to 5 years out of em

 

[safeman]

I cannot find a company with the Fayen in their name that makes LED lighting for growing plants. The closest is a company with a similar name that makes decorative light fixtures, usually sconces, for the walls in the rooms in a house.

Always trying to file away the lights and the companies that makes them just in case I want to make a change in my lighting layout.

sorry !!! get the correct name = Faven lighting "favenlighting.com"

 

[SmokingWings]

sorry !!! get the correct name = Faven lighting "favenlighting.com"

Took a gander at their web site. Looks like a modular system. I know that some growers have asked questions about supplemental lighting along the sides and under the canopy over the years.

 

[safeman]

Took a gander at their web site. Looks like a modular system. I know that some growers have asked questions about supplemental lighting along the sides and under the canopy over the years.

my yields increased with side lighting by 15% at least

 

[Sueet]

I'm curious what is special about those units to make them good for 'side' lighting vs. any other kind of light? They seem expensive (per watt) and I don't see a reason for them to be that expensive.

 

[Canachris]

sorry, don't know

 

[SmokingWings]

I compared it to a T-5 LED lamp of the same length and it does seem to be a bit on the pricey side. First thing I noticed though was the 5 Year warranty which is pretty good compared to many other lights and that could be a major reason for the price.

 

[safeman]

I'm curious what is special about those units to make them good for 'side' lighting vs. any other kind of light? They seem expensive (per watt) and I don't see a reason for them to be that expensive.

with overhead light it about "pentration" with side lighting it kind of mumics the sun - hitting some of the lateral bud sites - But side lighting can help with plant stretch (decrease it) you will get more lateral budding that can be used for hash, etc (if that's what you want) As for top bud sizes have seen no decrease in main bud development - increase yields are you end results