A thread for the users of Mars-Hydro lamps

[Skullman420]

The difference is that when a bulb dies in the Mars 1600, you change that bulb, you use a soldering iron and you change them bulb by bulb. In the pro series you just unscrew the entire section and replace it. No soldering at all

Congratulations. That looks like a nice harvest!



What's the difference? Do the older models use soldered connections and the newer ones are completely modular / have plugs for all the components? Or...?

 

[EastCoastGhost]

That's a mistake I have done several times, latest 2-3 days ago when I filled my 220 liter tank I wasted 800 ml of good vegg nutes on my flowering plants. I realized the mistake a few hours later and emptied the whole tank and used another 800 ml of flowering nutes

I learned a valuable lesson for sure, I will keep everything organized better for now on lol, it wouldn't have been as bad but with autos you can't afford to make any mistakes early on cause of their short veg time. I will be doing photos for a while so I can get a couple mothers established to run clones from.

 

[Skullman420]

doing a few autos for fun in between everything. It's allrright really. They're a little weaker - at least that's my impression - when it comes to thc. But photos are hard to beat due to their cloning properties. I mean - one plant can give you endless clones

 

[Darkscotia]

I always like starting from seed for some reason. Never really cared to keep mothers around just take up space I could be getting bud from I guess. But I do spend a lot on seeds too lol.

 

[Buckshot317]

Hey deville, did ya win the cob light?

 

[Darkscotia]

I'm also lucky with the fact I can go to a store and buy multiple different breeders of seeds and 1000 of different strains to pick from without ordering online

 

[Skullman420]

The name of the lamp is Mars 300. Just like Mars 400 is not a 400 watt but a 250 watt. I realize the naming is a little confusing. I know on the pro series they name them after the number of bulbs. There is 320 bulbs in my 320. Not sure how they named the 300, 400 and so on series. I do see a lot of people are misunderstanding and they believe that a Mars 400 is a 400 watt lamp. I do however never see anyone with a 320 believe they have a 320 watter, so hmmm..

I'd actually consider the four 80s to be better than one 320, simply because they can be spread out to suit the grower (and/or the grow space, if its area is not square in shape).



Here's a grain of salt to season that meal with .

They might be right, IDK. I just get suspicious whenever I see a seller state that one form of illumination "equals" another. Have ever since CFLs came out and such advertising confused a lot of people (perhaps intentionally).



I'd tend to... tentatively agree with your opinion. But that's just a guess.



Yes, I'll give them points for that. Not sure if it makes up for the deduction caused by products such as the Mars 300W that's actually a ~132-watt device, though.




THAT I'll give extra points for, lol. Seems much more realistic.




Here's something I've always wondered: If you hang one of those things @ 12" - or even 18" above the ground, and measure the footprint, is it actually a 4'x4' pattern? Or somewhat smaller? I've often thought that manufacturers/sellers were a little off on their footprint estimates (this is NOT specific to Mars-Hydro, BtW, but a general opinion about LED sellers).

To be honest with you, the kinds of specifications I'd really like to see for lighting products are "maps" of how much light is actually hitting the ground (as if it were the top of the canopy), across the entire advertised footprint (and in a room the same size as that advertised footprint, with reflective walls), at the recommended flowering height. With data points every 6" or so, and expressed in PPFD / μmol per m² per second, etc. This kind of thing is still all too rare in the LED grow light panel marketplace (although it does seem to be getting better).



I'll have to answer that via PM, because the company used to be a sponsor but (I think) no longer is - and I don't wish to take the time to refresh my knowledge of the "LED Guidelines," to break same, or to go on a rant this early in the day.



Err... That's called a warranty . I find three years to be somewhat short for a product that has an advertised lifespan of 50K hours, since even if the owner plugged the product in and never unplugged the thing, that's almost 5¾ years running 24/7/52. And it think it's pretty lame for them to charge the customer shipping on warranty parts that third year (maybe the company also sells tires and batteries, lol?), especially since - by sending you parts - it means they don't have to pay some kid to do the repair for you. And about that... Don't get me wrong, I consider it to be a feature, too, because it ought to mean less down time for one's light (which seems rather important, all things considered). But it does tend to save the company money, so it's not exactly an altruistic move on their part; more like something that benefits BOTH the company and the customer. Which is good, of course. Yeah... Points for that one. Anything that'll decrease down time gets extra points.

BtW, my light has a five-year warranty, lol (and, yes, they also make the customer pay shipping towards the end of the coverage period - years four and five). I can't honestly say how good it is, whether or not they'd allow me to self-diagnose and agree to just send me parts, et cetera - because I haven't found any real discussion of product failures via web search, lol. Mine has only been running... IDK, a year and a half? Something like that here, but it was also used for a few grows by one of the "company reps" before that. IDK its actual age; it's about three generations behind current, now, and I have a suspicion that it might have been a prototype for that. Whatever its age, it's old enough that it has Cree CXA2530 COBs - which were advertised at the time as "next generation" technology. And the ten individual monocolor LEDs that surround each COB are "five-watt" class; IDK what class the newer ones of those would be these days. "Ten-watt" class? I don't guess it really matters, since no manufacturer drives them at power levels which match their "class" designation :rolleyes3 .



It's been my experience that a proper canopy of cannabis (deep in flower) will block just about any useful amount of artificial light from penetrating below it. I used to grow almost exclusively using the "scrog" method and I had one of those headband flashlights that I'd have to use for reservoir maintenance and such, because there wasn't enough light below the screen to see what I was doing.

Speaking of penetration and such... does that new M-H hybrid light you won have a removable lens below the COB? My panel came with six of them and it turned out that at the height I could raise the panel to in the setup, they gave me bleached tips (well, more than just the tips, actually). Just too much focused intensity, I suppose (IIRC, they're recommended when using the panel for "medium- to high-bay applications). So if it does come with a lens for the COB, you might want to experiment both with and without it in place.

All in all, I think more highly of Mars-Hydro than most Chinese LED manufcaturers/sellers. I kind of remember when a rep from the company first joined the forum. They weren't selling product then, IIRC - they were asking members what was wanted in a grow light. Yep... more extra points for that, lol. And they've been a faithful long-term forum sponsor (more bonus points ) that has done more than just cut a check each month; they donate prizes for the contests (I think...?) and I've seen the rep participate in other threads than just the ones created by that rep. I'm a big fan of sponsors who actually participate in the forum.

 

[Skullman420]

PS - If you go on the Mars page and look on a 400 or 1200, you will see that they list them as equilant to 250 watt HPS and 600 watt HPS. So I wouldn't say they're trying to fool people. I wonder how they named the lamps. Why is it named a 1200? I am pretty certain it doesn't have 1200 bulbs

 

[EastCoastGhost]

I always like starting from seed for some reason. Never really cared to keep mothers around just take up space I could be getting bud from I guess. But I do spend a lot on seeds too lol.

Yea I also like seeds, they are more unpredictable and alot of fun to grow. I have a whole extra house that no one lives in that I use for grow house so I have plenty of space I will find a couple strains I really like and make a couple mothers to run clones from but I will also run seeds, I love trying new strains.

 

[Skullman420]

Here is the official info on Mars 300

[h=2]Item specifics[/h]

Condition:	New: A brand-new, unused, unopened, undamaged item in its original packaging (where packaging is applicable). Packaging should be the same as what is found in a retail store, unless the item is handmade or was packaged by the manufacturer in non-retail packaging, such as an unprinted box or plastic bag. See the seller's listing for full details. See all condition definitions- opens in a new window or tab ... Read moreabout the condition [TD="class: attrLabels"] Type:	LED (Light Emiting Diode)
Leds Brand:	Epistar	Brand:	[h=2]Mars Hydro[/h]
View Angle of Leds:	90°/120° Mixed	MPN:	[h=2]MarsHydro-300W-LED-Grow-Light-True-Watt-135W[/h]
Input Voltage:	86v-265v. MarsHydro led can be used in any country	Wattage:	300W
Product Dimensions:	12 x 8 x 3 inches	Actual Watts:	300W is model number, but 135W±10% is true watt
Product Weight:	5.58 lbs / 2.53KG	Replaces HPS HID:	150 watt. 40% less energy than HPS
Safety:	ETL/CE/RoHS certified. No risk of fire or burning	Lumen:	5911 LM. High lumen output for plant grow garden
Shipping:	US/Canada/DE/UK/DE Stock. No Custom Tax.	Par:	493µmols at 18''. Maximize plant quality and yield
Package Includes:	2 Mars 300 leds hydro+2 set hanging kits+2 plugs	Coverage Area:	2'×1.5' = 60cm × 45cm
Why Buy from us?:	We are the exclusive Mars Hydro factory on eBay	Spectrum:	Full Spectrum. Colors of red, blue, white
Noise Value:	56DB	Features:	For plant growth veg flower bloom stages
Installation Area:	Indoor	Applications:	Indoor plant. All cycles of grow. Hydroponic, soil
Country/Region of Manufacture:	China	Hanging Distance:	Seedling: 24”-30“ Growth: 18”-24“ Bloom: 12"-18
	[h=2][/h]

 

[Skullman420]

Yes I did. I'm probably getting it on Thursday. Hope FedEx finds me this time.....

I have big hopes for that tiny lamp. I do realize I can't expect very much from it. It's meant to replace a 150 watt HPS so it is what it is. But imagine what you could do with 10-12 of those and that damn system I keep blabbering about

Hey deville, did ya win the cob light?

 

[Buckshot317]

Yea, my diy's have been doing great. Plus the little amount of heat from cobs will help in your cold weather area.

This was my last little project, 5ft wide frame. My other one is cobs only, and was very happy with results.

Your gonna love them when ya get it. Good thing is you can add a few at a time.

Have a great day ..

 

[Skullman420]

When it comes to LED VS HPS. I've seen such phenomenal results done under both. I don't know which is best. The reasons I decided to use led are numerous. Everything from electricity bill to curiosity about new technologies. My first led was the fancy pro series with remote controller and programmable spectrum. That's still my favourite lamp. If it were not for the buggy remote controller that would be the perfect grow-light. Back then I grew with a 600 watt HPS and I had so big heat issues. It was so tight in there and so little I could do but just watch my plants slowly die. So I bought that LED and that fixed the heat issues permanently for me. It rarely goes above 27 degrees even if I fire all my 320's in that room

 

[Skullman420]

I really love those diy cob lights I keep seeing around here on this forum. Great work Buckshot!

Yea, my diy's have been doing great. Plus the little amount of heat from cobs will help in your cold weather area.

This was my last little project, 5ft wide frame. My other one is cobs only, and was very happy with results.

Your gonna love them when ya get it. Good thing is you can add a few at a time.

Have a great day ..

 

[Skullman420]

Hmmm. You're not the only one getting carried away blabbering Tortured I do that too now and then. I just thought I should mention one thing.

My favourite lamp is not recommended officially by Mars-Hydro due to the bugs. They do tell people to go for Mars Pro II instead. And so I did with all my other lamps. But the first pro series is really awesome when they work. And the fix is as easy as "remove batteries from remote controller after programming the lamp" and the lamp will never fail you.

I found out after a lot of testing that the bug - a bug that caused me to lose a harvest - the bug was caused by the remote controller. You see that the remote keeps sending data to the lamp and after a month or two the remote will run out of batteries. Then it will get reset and it will send a reset signal to your lamp and it will go back to a factory program instead of the one you programmed.

So - it's still my favorite lamp. You can program sunrise, sunset and all sorts of cool things and you don't need a separate timer for it either.

 

[TorturedSoul]

Why is it named a 1200? I am pretty certain it doesn't have 1200 bulbs

The usual (generic) thing is to count the number of LEDs and multiply them by their "class."

I must say, it's been a long time since I visited this sponsor's website, and it's nice to see that the actual power consumption/output is readily available now. IDK if it's always been that way or just within the past year (or... three?). But it's clearer than many such companies' information.

 

[Skullman420]

I've been following them since 2015. That's when I bought my first pro series lamp. Back then I had the impression that these data were much more honest than the competition. I would search so many companies. I contacted many as well. I noticed that Mars-Hydro were using bulbs from companies I had heard of like Cree and Epistar. Then I noticed that their huge lamps were listed with much lower wattage than their competition which made me go to forums here and there. And then I learned that most of them were lying about these things. So that's kinda how I went for this company.

Now - Until I got problems, Mars-Hydro was just another lamp company to me. I could not care less honestly. But the way they have had my back every time I ran into any form of trouble. That's the reason I think I'll stick to this company. They really do their best to get your lamp up and running again

The usual (generic) thing is to count the number of LEDs and multiply them by their "class."

I must say, it's been a long time since I visited this sponsor's website, and it's nice to see that the actual power consumption/output is readily available now. IDK if it's always been that way or just within the past year (or... three?). But it's clearer than many such companies' information.

 

[TorturedSoul]

But the way they have had my back every time I ran into any form of trouble.

You've had issues more than once?

 

[Skullman420]

I have 9 Mars Hydro lamps, so yes. I ran into issues more than once. Mostly as simple as a dead power supply which they of course send you for free.

You've had issues more than once?

 

[EastCoastGhost]

Any light can have issues, the important thing is how the company responds to the issues, one thing I can say about Mars is everyone that I have seen on here that had any kind of problem with lamp Mars went out of their way to take care of them and that means alot to me. I am gonna get a ps cob but I still love my Mars and I will always have a few Mars around, I want to try a mars cob. I was wondering DeVille, are they going to come out with a bigger (more wattage) cob in the near future.