The Truth About LED Lights
- Thread starter DormGrow.com
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budbro
New Member
I'm seeing more and more converts to LED's everyday, they have definitely turned the corner and a bunch of heads. When the 5watt diode lights start getting mass produced, watch out! I'd agree, the upfront cost is the main deterrent now, but the proof they work is in the journals.
The Bushmaster
New Member
So Dormgrow.com (Ethan) Lets make sure im on the same page. If i have an 120 watt LED system with 3 watt diodes ive actually got 360 watts total. Correct or do i need 3 120 watt LED systems.
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DormGrow.com
Active Member
You need 3 of the 120 watt lights to get 360 watts.
120 Watt LED UFO Grow Light 8-Band by G8LED | Dorm Grow
If you need more wattage, you are better off purchasing a larger light due to economies of scale. The G8-450 will cost about as much as three of the G8-120 lights, but you will get more light. The G8-450 is on sale right now.
450 Watt LED Grow Light | Replace 1000 Watt MH/HPS System by G8LED | Dorm Grow
The Bushmaster
New Member
So they are misleading us when they say it is equivilent to a 400 watt HPS? As far as per sq footage capability?
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DormGrow.com
Active Member
The coverage area for the G8-120 Watt light is around 5 square feet. You will need two of these lights to replace a 400 Watt HPS system or one of the G8-240 Watt lights. With LED lights, you can get more done with less wattage since the lights are formulated to target specific wavelengths of light necessary for photosynthesis as opposed to growing with light bulbs which inefficiently emit the entire spectrum of light as white light. This is why 240 Watts of LED is similar to 400 Watts of light bulb. You save about 50% on electricity and cut out the wasted energy in the form of heat.
BayAreaDrofessional
New Member
hey dormgrow,
ive been reading about leds for a while and due to heat issues, ive decided to go with the led over hps system.
ive been researching some companies and manufacturers. just want your opinion, would you use two 200w systems over a 450 or 400w? im using a 2.5x3.5 space but feel that with leds its more beneficial to pay a bit more and have multiple sources.
ive been reading about leds for a while and due to heat issues, ive decided to go with the led over hps system.
ive been researching some companies and manufacturers. just want your opinion, would you use two 200w systems over a 450 or 400w? im using a 2.5x3.5 space but feel that with leds its more beneficial to pay a bit more and have multiple sources.
NCDude
New Member
thanks for posting
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- #29
DormGrow.com
Active Member
You can go with 2 of the 240 Watt LED Grow Light | Replace 400 Watt MH/HPS System by G8LED | Dorm Grow
or 1 of the 450 Watt LED Grow Light | Replace 1000 Watt MH/HPS System by G8LED | Dorm Grow.
Very similar as far as coverage and price, but my preference would be to get one light and go with the bigger one.
or 1 of the 450 Watt LED Grow Light | Replace 1000 Watt MH/HPS System by G8LED | Dorm Grow.
Very similar as far as coverage and price, but my preference would be to get one light and go with the bigger one.
I started building my own led lights for growing. MY design uses 410nm/430nm/660nm and warm white led's in 50 and 100w arrays. These wave lengths grow excellent bud, in high yield taking take 5 weeks to go from floowering to harvest. Commercial ights use alot of 450 to 470 nm and 630nm which grows plants but not good quality bud,
Hosebomber
New Member
What exactly is your reasoning for using 410 and 660 other than that is what the name brand companies are doing? You are only hitting 1 photo receptor with each of those (yes I know there is reason for doing so). Likewise, there is a very good reason for using 450 470 and 630. Each of those 3 wavelengths hit more photo receptors than all of yours combined. I would love to see pictures of your great buds with very little red wavelength for the flowering process.
My choice of wavelengths is based on the adsorbtion of light by Chlorophyll a and b and beta carotene. All of hese pigments have adsorbtion peaks aroumd 410 and 430 nm and chlorphyll a which is the major pigment ahas a major peak at 660nm. Providing these wavelengths provides the most bang for the buck when it come to plant growth, Any other wave lenghts are starchy fillers
wheat berry
New Member
budbro wow 5 watt LEDs, WOW! got a link to 5 watt grows,thanks.
o
5 watt LEDs say run at half power say 2.5 watts per LED, just how much PAR light might be generated?
having tried single 3 watt LEDs ( a 380 watt panel ), the thought of 5 watt LEDs sound exciting, but how much higher can they go?
Hosebomber
New Member
Chlorophyll A peaks at 430 and 662. Chlorophyll B peaks at 453 and 642. Beta Carotene peaks at 425,451, and 480. Your 410nm will hit 0 of those peaks above 75% light radiation (nearly all LEDs have a maximum of +-10 nm of peak for radiant power over 80%) and you are not hitting Chlorophyll B at all. Likewise you are also missing 4 other forms of Chlorophyll, the Emerson effect, and many other photo receptors that are used in the process of light to starch conversion... those starchy fillers are what makes the plant grow.
What about the 410 peak on ChlA and 412 ChlB and 409 for b carotene? The 410 peak for ChlA is 2/3 of the 430 and ChlA is the prime producer of the plants food.
Hosebomber
New Member
I would love to see one peer reviewed article that says Chlorophyll A, B, C1, C2, or F has a peak below 430... D does however have a single peak at 401. You may want to do at least some basic reading on the subject before attempting to make a grow light Here is the wiki link. Scroll down to the Spectrophotometry section. Some of the references they link at the bottom of the page are good resources as well. However, 100% of what you said in your last post is false through the thousands of peer reviewed articles I've read.
Chlorophyll a spectra
Hosebomber
New Member
That's not a peak below 430... That shows a peak at 431 and 666 (which is pretty close to the 430 and 662 that I mentioned). If you are talking about the plateau at 408 then you should also add 381, 530, 578, and 618 to your led's used... Likewise, a java script graph taking a single reading in less than a quarter of a second is hardly a peer reviewed article. You should also look into how other photo receptors are used when Chlor A receives light at those spectra and the interaction there.
So others reading don't take this the wrong way, Chlorophyll A does have a strong response to light across a larger than average light spectra but is far from being the only photo-receptor used in the growth of plants. If you only target Chlorophyll A and ignore all the other light receptors your plants will not grow. One could actually copy the spectra used by Chlorophyll A exactly in the same ratio that it can absorb and you will still have issues in growth. When you get to the flower/bud stage Chlorophyll A actually performs at lower levels than nearly all photo-receptors. This is because the plant is in reproduction phase and needs a different chimecal make-up to produce the offspring than it does to out grow the competition for light.
So others reading don't take this the wrong way, Chlorophyll A does have a strong response to light across a larger than average light spectra but is far from being the only photo-receptor used in the growth of plants. If you only target Chlorophyll A and ignore all the other light receptors your plants will not grow. One could actually copy the spectra used by Chlorophyll A exactly in the same ratio that it can absorb and you will still have issues in growth. When you get to the flower/bud stage Chlorophyll A actually performs at lower levels than nearly all photo-receptors. This is because the plant is in reproduction phase and needs a different chimecal make-up to produce the offspring than it does to out grow the competition for light.
You must not of looked at the spectra I posted, there are peaks at 410, 381, 324, 544.677. and 619nm. Besides in the process of building my lights, I went through a range of wavelength combinations including those of retail lights before finding something that works for me. And from this experience, I can say a 410/430 combination is better than 450/470 for healthy abundant stems and lots of resin while 660 gives better abundant buds than 630. I'm happy with what I have. It covers the full activiy spectum above 400nm
So you can grow your way and I'll grow mine
So you can grow your way and I'll grow mine
Really? Well let's see some pictures of that!!!!
"but not good quality bud" really? What commercial panels are you talking about?
You are going to make me go look up the spectrum of my newest light ...
