New Lighting Tech

[Inspired]

Hello all. I appologize if this is in the wrong place. I find all the sections and threads here a little confusing. First post here, besides intro post.

Ok, so I've been researching EVERY aspect of growing for the past couple of months, and there are many questions I could ask - but I try to answer myself before I ask.

That being said, I'd like to ask if we can start a thread (or if there is indeed one in existance) on lighting, of all types. I'm interested in LED lighting options. Thinking about it today, looking at some types at a light"hut" site I thought "wouldn't this type of lighting be absolutely perfect for somebody trying to grow 3 to 4 plants in a contained flowering 'grow box' like so many of us on this website are?"
For reasons like: very little heat, very very little watts used in comparison with HPS, less cooling requirements etc etc...

I chop this here for now because it may indeed be misplaced. If so, I'm sorry. And if you could tell me where to post it instead, or if a MOD could move it perhaps?

Thanks guys.

-J

[Vexer]

Most people kinda have a budget and to get a good LED light you gotta drop a lot of money. Right now I don't think an led light is worth it. Maybe in a few years when they improve the technology and the prices come down I could see myself getting one, but until then Ill stick with my cfls.

Welcome inspired, always nice to meet someone else intrested in growing. Enjoy the website brother, peace.

[Inspired]

I duno - I think the costs are closer than people think. For example a good HPS system may cost:
Ballast = $150-175, Reflector = $110-140 Assuming of course you want good equipment. Thats around $300 right there right.
The thing is you HAVE TO cool your HID system.
So:
Fan + Ducting = $100-150 depending on CFM and quality. Quality being a huge priority for HID due to the heat. Lets face it, they're dangerous if you don't do things properly.
Then there is the cost of replacing the bulbs every 9 months to a year = $80 to 100 for a good bulb.
How that cost stacking up now? I haven't even calculated how much it costs to run all this, and I won't - but 400Watt HPS & 140 CFM fan for example, that's alot of money per month.

Consider one example of an LED setup quickly now:
a 90 Watt LED grow light (from HID HUT for example), which is the equivalent to a 400 Watt HPS light. It only uses 90 Watts of power!! Less than a quarter of the HPS.
Cost = $450 - 500. You need not cool it so forget about the Fan cooling cost. Bulbs last from 7 to 10 years!!! so don't worry about that. (they burn cool and have a small integrated fan inside them anyway).
Another plus is they only output the light spectrum you need to grow, no wasted light or heat energy.

I've found at least two or three viable sources to get 400Watt HPS equivalent LED grow light systems online.
And I'd love to get some discussion going on this. How much easier this sounds to me is awsome.

- J

[Legalize09]

the whole money comparison is true...but led technology just isnt to that point where it is as efficient as other light systems for growing

[Vexer]

Well first of all just cause you have an led light doesn't mean you don't need ducting and intake/exhaust fans, you still need that for the fresh air and most people install their carbon filter in with their ducting. Be careful with the word equivalent, you mean lumens, par rating, watts what? Like I said I think Ill wait a few more years and let other people test out leds before I go and buy one lol.

[Inspired]

In regards to the exhaust, I certainly did not mean no air exchange is needed. I just meant to point out that you don't need to cool your LED grow light at all.

About the light equivalent/effectiveness. As far as lumens, from what I've read about LED grow lights so far, using lumens to try and..."understand" their ability to grow is pretty meaningless. "Lumens are a measurement of how much light energy a light source emits. The problem is that this measurement is based around the wavelengths of the human eye, and NOT the PAR wavelengths." superled.net (check it out).

The real measurement is PAR watts per square meter(or foot whatev.)
LED's emit very specific wavelengths of light. You're familiar with the two ranges (blue and red) that plants need? Well they target those two and ONLY those two ranges. And also they can be put extremely close to plants due to their cool temps.

As for lumens. Yea, a nice HPS will give off what 50,000 lumens approx.? But I wonder how many of this "light per foot" lumens are even in the right spectrum. Meaning beneficial to the plant at all, ie: 400-460nm in blue spectrum, and 620-730nm (if you include Far Red - which NO HID light can achieve I'm pretty sure.)

I may buy one of these lights and give it a go. Just trying to figure out which one to go with. If they're good enough for NASA, I think they're good enough for indoor growers, no? lol..

[Vexer]

I think nasa is trying to explore space not grow bomb chronic lol. Well let me your led results if you decide to try it out.

[Inspired]

I've all but decided to Do the LED grow, for flower only. I'll be building seperate grow boxes for Veg and Flower. I'm waiting for an upcoming review of a websites "Supernova LED" grow light being done by treatingyourself.com and hightimes.com in the upcoming months.

In designing my VEG box, I ran into something that raised a quick question. What is the difference in air exchange/movement needed in the two different phases (grow boxes). I'm sure we've all heard of changing the air in the room 2-3 (or even up to 5) times per minute. I was gonna aim for 2 or three for either.
But, I guess my question is - is it 'less' important in the vegitative room? Do I need to change the air less often in the Veg room, say 1 or 2 times per minute?

Thanks for any response guys!

[Indicana Jones!]

Originally Posted by Inspired

I'm sure we've all heard of changing the air in the room 2-3 (or even up to 5) times per minute. I was gonna aim for 2 or three for either.
But, I guess my question is - is it 'less' important in the vegitative room? Do I need to change the air less often in the Veg room, say 1 or 2 times per minute?

Thanks for any response guys!

I was under the impression that it was once ever 5 minutes.. I hope it's not 5 times a minute, my fan isn't quite up to that.. and it'd be loud as hell too!

Cheers!