LiberalThinker
Well-Known Member
All you really need to know about a light system is: how many watts of real power do I need to a drive a particular light to give me x amount in y area.
Changing to LED from MH & HPS, 1000w each: What should I get to match?
- Thread starter Sask420grow
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LiberalThinker
Well-Known Member
I've just got a dimmable Lumatek 315 CMH. I'll use a Lumatek bulb in the lower power to start because it's dimmable and then a Philips at full power because it's brighter... Philips are not dimmable. I'm all for splashing out on different gear as needed and keeping the power demand down. I'll check out the Hortilux that was mentioned.
Lowrider72
Well-Known Member
To be honest mate the dimmer is a waste on a 315W CMH.
Just smash everything full blast, they love it. I bought a very expensive controller for mine... Dont really need it... Lol
You get peak performance out of a 315w CMH at full output to the globe.
Hence why my expensive paperweight doesnt dim 315w ballasts.....and as confirmed by the manufacturer.
Philips bulbs are king.
LiberalThinker
Well-Known Member
OK. I'll just get the Philips then.
hi I find myself in a similar position and have been researching lights. The yield and quality being the most important. I have looked at the list of most efficent lights watt/pffd set out by migro and looked at the top results on all cases bar the fluence spydrx I cannot find grow journals showing exceptional yields to match. The fluence spydrx isnt available where I live . After yrs of growing it has been my experience outdoors yields the best ie. the sun. For indoors the reigning champ has been hps yet if you look at the efficency set out by migro for a 600hps it is 1.3 watt/pffd yet a 600hps produces firm weighty fox tails. All the grows say on hgl on youtube show small heads which look light. In most cases the yield isnt shown or if it is, the grower states he mucked the grow up resulting in poor yield. Well I think the spectrum has more impact than the efficency. Blackdog phytomax 2 shows multiple grows by them and growers on youtube showing large solid heads with great yields. For my 4*4 im going for a 600 which I hope will yield between 1-1.5 lb a grow. the 1000 has been shown to yield 3.6lb in a 4*4.
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Sask420grow
Well-Known Member
This is very interesting. So you did your on compiling of evidence off forums and YouTube and came with the conclusion a phytomax? I’ve looked into the Quantum boards and so far so good with grows and comparisons too hid. I believe I got very overzealous with my original idea and that’s what’s kicking me in the ass. I’m hardly an experienced grower and got right into the heavy duty grow equipment with the idea all will work flawlessly. Well, that’s not/never the case. (Little bit of some stoner ramble. Sorry)
I will look into the phytomax as I’ve heard similar results regarding it. Thank you
Stunned
Well-Known Member
Blackdog is horribly overpriced for what you get, and is what used to be considered top of the line before the advent of Quantum boards and high efficiency COBs
1100.00 USD for the phytomax 400 is insane when you consider that for the same money you could get much better spread out coverage and intensity with COB's or QB's
Same goes for Kind LED
I recently paid a visit to a few of my hydroponics shops when I was in the city
They don't even stock these types of lights now. Special order only
It was all DIY COB, strips, and boards. Also MH/HSP was still quite plentiful
my 2 cents anyway
LiberalThinker
Well-Known Member
Looking at cost/benefit, CMH lights seem the best value at the moment. I think LEDs will be the logical choice eventually.
ok finished my research, almost bought a blackdog phytomax 2 600 , I still think its a great light for a led, but followed yellowbellys advice and did more research. I quized the local hydro shop and he agreed the cmh is the bomb. Im going to have to redo my grow space to allow for better ventilation, which I probably should have done ages ago. Then im looking at the controllable de 630 cmh with controller for less than the black dog. The yield results for this light are amazing , migro did a cost umols/watt for the 315cmh at 1.29 the blackdog was 1.3 . The average ppfd at a height of 27inches over a 4*4 was 1027. The light has better spectrum for growing than a hps or mh. Im a bit excited and cant wait to begin.
LiberalThinker
Well-Known Member
Cool. I''m looking forward to using mine when my baby is big enough. It is the natural successor of the HPS and MH.
Lowrider72
Well-Known Member
Oh fellas, I did put that CMH grows smaller buds....Im not so sure....
See the first trial grow was in 1 gallon pots....kept the tops small, but Im Midway into Week 5....in 2 gallon pots.
only 615w in a 4' x 8' tent.
Thats a lot of coverage for those size buds half way through flower....
Havent even put PK in them yet.... Healthy as....
See the first trial grow was in 1 gallon pots....kept the tops small, but Im Midway into Week 5....in 2 gallon pots.
only 615w in a 4' x 8' tent.
Thats a lot of coverage for those size buds half way through flower....
Havent even put PK in them yet.... Healthy as....
Slimn2gr8eD
Well-Known Member
The intensity, the IR, UV, penetration, lumens per watt...some LED manufactures still don’t have some of that...but they are beginning to include all that....but you might maybe save some $ if your wanting to replace 2K in HID with LED...but you could shop around...are you good with electronics? Are you a diy kinda person? You could always go for some Cree cobs 3590’s or something or some osram, citizen, qb boards...you might be able to get something like some of that and build your own light possibly for $200-$300 it may be probable...but that’s a lot of light your trying to replace/ upgrade....and you’ll need to find a big led light or a couple that have good coverage, penetration, intensity, efficiency, etc....I think I’ve tired about 8-10 different lights in the last 3-5 years and I finally was able to buy the light I was wanting for a year or so after trying all different kinds of leds...but it kinda boils down to how much you want to spend, and do you want it pinkish or do you want it white.... there’s so so much to go into the equation when choosing a light....idk if this helped any whatsoever...but maybe it might and there’s always a chance you could stumble upon a deal on some lights..
Slimn2gr8eD
Well-Known Member
The intensity, the IR, UV, penetration, lumens per watt...some LED manufactures still don’t have some of that...but they are beginning to include all that....but you might maybe save some $ if your wanting to replace 2K in HID with LED...but you could shop around...are you good with electronics? Are you a diy kinda person? You coils look into some cobs or some qb’s and they both can be run without any fans just have to have a big enough heat sink to dissipate all the heat from the board or chip/cob.
Lowrider72
Well-Known Member
Total of 630w CMH in 4' x 8'....
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Sask420grow
Well-Known Member
Well, I ended up cheating out for now and got a king plus led 2000w. So far I’m impressed with what it is doing for the veg plants. Lots of green, large stocks, lots of growth. When I was using the 1000w MH, it seemed like the plants where struggling to grow. Ran into a lot of deficiencies and hella slow growth. Timelines where all messed up because of it. Now that I have this new led which seems a lot less intense then the 1000w mh, I’m starting to think I had too much light in those phases of the plants life. Reason I say that is, those same plants that were struggling under the MH are STILL under the MH and are now doing great. 5 months later but going strong now. The plants under the led are the clones of those under the MH (two different rooms). So far I’m liking the led besides it doesn’t dry out the pot as much as I’d like. Nothing compared to the MH. MH would be dry in two days while the led takes up too 5. Regardless, I’m pretty impressed so far with this new led.
My plan is too keep the flower room as the 1000w HPS and have the led in the veg room (perpetual harvest plan).
Thank you all for commenting your thoughts. I will be upgrading the flower room too QB or cob when I have the funds too do so. The QB seems to be the best bang for the buck. Thank you all
My plan is too keep the flower room as the 1000w HPS and have the led in the veg room (perpetual harvest plan).
Thank you all for commenting your thoughts. I will be upgrading the flower room too QB or cob when I have the funds too do so. The QB seems to be the best bang for the buck. Thank you all
ScrogNub
Well-Known Member
Chiming in late but just wanted to throw in my experience with cheap leds. One light burnt out but still use the other one for seedlings only these days. I always found blurple lights to be quick on the upstart first few weeks... good that you keeping it for veg but you will find that this perticular led does not come close to replacing a 1k hps it won't have the horsepower or light penetration for flower. As stated its a 380w light. When I first started growing I got a "600w" led for a 4x4. I ended up getting a 2nd one as well once I found out 600w really was 280w. Ahh good ol amazon. So I was running "1200w" or 560 actual watts though probably less who knows with these budget leds. No light penetration and the grow sucked
I'm currently eyeing up things to sell to get a quality QB or lightbar setup going to replace my two 1k's.
#WallWattsMatter #IgnoreAmazonHypedWattages
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