Cheap LEDs worth it?

[Mayne]

you kinow what, see if you can get $50 more, and get the QB 100 from the Zon for $150 shipped. You wont be buying Junk, you'll be getting top of the line lighting, thats no BS. Then, down the road, buy another. But for a 2x2 area, and 1 plant, you can get a nice run out of it if everything is proper, like environmental VPD, and a good airPot to get nice rooting to get a better plant. Just sayin, Its one thing to just buy cheap and waste money, then to buy cheap and get the best possible for your buck. 100 watt light, but if you can put it close, ( 14-16 inches away ) and move it around slightlu thrupught the day, you will be very surprised of what you can get out of this run.

You'll want to scrog this plant of sorts, but can achieve by tying the branches down and topping a few times. You both wont be disappointed.

 

[vtwin906]

Why is there no discussion of PAR values, Lumens, Lux...... the whole point of using LEDs is to get equivalent 'sunshine' to the plants... regardless of how efficiently the watts are used.

 

[Mayne]

*shruggs,

Cause Lumens are for humans?














lol,

 

[vtwin906]

*shruggs,
Cause Lumens are for humans?
lol,

It is nice and simple to use pure watts as a factor for HID lights. With LEDs there are a lot of variables such as the type and size of the individual LEDs. An important factor is the vendor, if you contact them before you buy the response may give a clue to their customer service commitment. The reason I choose Amazon is their 30-day no questions free shippingreturn policy, I have used it quite a few times on various purchases over many years with no problems. Burning through 600 watts of electrical energy where 250 watts may provide equal 'sunshine' effect is simply wasted energy/money. Not to mention HID light bulbs need to be replaced every year (MH) or 2 (HPS). There are a LOT of folks in these forums getting great yields with cheap LED lights, then there are others who are in it largely for re-sale and don't give much thought to waste.

 

[Mayne]

you can get sunlight equivalent, its just LEDs will burn at those values. They enjoy 2,000 par outside, but 2000 par under LEDs they hate. You only need 400-500 par for great growth with LEDs, if the spectrum is on point.

the Zon has SMD type boards for as little as $21 for 50W at wall, 6 of those would bury a Mars300 in the dirt. BUT if you put lenses on a Mars300, its a baddddd SOB, for 1430 PAR in center at 18inchs. At 36 inches, its still like 1000 PAR, 4 of those in a 4x4 would be a cheap setup. Be some work to get the lenses on, but worth it. For $300 you would have a light that would hang with a 1000W HPS

i do agree with ya

 

[Mayne]

Here, I took 2 Mars300, and put in lenses, powerfull. This was my first real grow, so i didnt even know anything of VPD and things, figured to get lights figured out first. Cheapest route possible. Then, i changed the diodes in a Mars300 to 3000K diodes, and a few Fullspectrum, and it kicked Butt.. just 1 single mars300 with lenses and changed spectrum, was aweome for veg, didnt make it thru flower because of mold issues early on.

d31

• Mayne
• Apr 19, 2017

squiggy5-10-5

• Mayne
• May 10, 2017

d1PRE-MED1

• Mayne
• Jun 11, 2017

dwcjune4-1

• Mayne
• Jun 4, 2017

 

[Mayne]

even at the highest i could get the light, it was to much. I didnt have aPAR meter at the time.. I had thoughts of using Mars300 guts and changing the driver for dimming, and make a light but decided to go the COB route.

 

[vtwin906]

Nice setup for sure. Some folks on very limited budgets and already high energy bills need options ... my route is optimize my cost and wattage, then adjust the grow for best results with what I can afford.

 

[Mayne]

no doubt,

 

[bobrown14]

Nice setup for sure. Some folks on very limited budgets and already high energy bills need options ... my route is optimize my cost and wattage, then adjust the grow for best results with what I can afford.

Start looking at your heat generated vs light output.

Efficiency - everything else follows.

Generally less heat will be more light for the same PAR or whatever unit you are using to measure.

 

[vtwin906]

Start looking at your heat generated vs light output.
Efficiency - everything else follows.
Generally less heat will be more light for the same PAR or whatever unit you are using to measure.

thanks but maybe don't really understand .... relatively low heat vs HID with a LED so that is good efficiency right?. I am mainly trying to keep the electricity cost around $30/month so with our rates that would allow around 200 watts @ 20/4 light cycle.

 

[MassMedMan]

You'll get a whole bunch of responses here. Some worth it to you, some not. We all try.

You get what you pay for. People only know what they know. Some folks might think 1 zipper of quality bud is worth the initial investment. Or the sunk one. You can not convince them otherwise. Some folks will always want more and seek better results from any means necessary.

Growing is just that. It's a process you've got to dial in yourself with all your variables.

Id buy cfls before I bought cheap knockoffs.

Part of my goal in growing was to eliminate variables. When I eliminate shitty genetics, equipment, and processes from the get go,, then I can focus on growing quality.

Just my thoughts. Best of luck! Enjoy the process!

 

[Emilya Green]

You might want to check out my current journal... I am testing out two CHEAP knockoffs... actually pretty solid engineering projects in their own right. I am out to prove that a $100 no name LED can grow pot, and do it well. So far, just a week into bloom, the results are speaking for themselves. You do get what you pay for... if you spend wisely. Apparently, a cheap LED can indeed stand right up to HID. I am proving it to be so.

 

[Mayne]

thanks but maybe don't really understand .... relatively low heat vs HID with a LED so that is good efficiency right?. I am mainly trying to keep the electricity cost around $30/month so with our rates that would allow around 200 watts @ 20/4 light cycle.

dang man, not much to work with, definitely try to get that QB100 man, Best all around for your purpose. are you accounting for $30 worth of power, does that include distribution charges, if you have any? $30 of power here, is actually $60 with distribution charges.

 

[vtwin906]

dang man, not much to work with, definitely try to get that QB100 man, Best all around for your purpose. are you accounting for $30 worth of power, does that include distribution charges, if you have any? $30 of power here, is actually $60 with distribution charges.

I'm real good at math, there are several more than distribution charges on my bill and I do account for them all. The fixed charges are there whether I grow or not... I've got a spreadsheet I can plug in my projectedc kwh usage and see what the bill will be. My meter is just outside my back door, I can easily see day to day how many kwh I've used in 24hrs, etc.

 

[vtwin906]

You might want to check out my current journal... I am testing out two CHEAP knockoffs... actually pretty solid engineering projects in their own right. I am out to prove that a $100 no name LED can grow pot, and do it well. So far, just a week into bloom, the results are speaking for themselves. You do get what you pay for... if you spend wisely. Apparently, a cheap LED can indeed stand right up to HID. I am proving it to be so.

I hear you loud and clear. Imo the main reason a cheap knockoff might not work out is quality control and that is usually apparent soon after delivery and it's sooo easy to get free return and refund with Amazon....I've always been a risk taker anyway. My bet is that a $100+ unit will work long enough and well enough to grow a whole lot more weed than I could buy for the same expense even after 3 or 4 months of elec. usage. For $100 I may get one to have in reserve just in case. I'd have no problem buying a new light every year for those prices which may fall even further as time goes on. I am easy to please, many others not so much....

 

[Mayne]

You might want to check out my current journal... I am testing out two CHEAP knockoffs... actually pretty solid engineering projects in their own right. I am out to prove that a $100 no name LED can grow pot, and do it well. So far, just a week into bloom, the results are speaking for themselves. You do get what you pay for... if you spend wisely. Apparently, a cheap LED can indeed stand right up to HID. I am proving it to be so.

spending wisely isnt buying 5 $89 lights just to say you have 100 watts a sqr foot of grow space, when the light using the watts is mostly heat and not really light. If you have to put your light, and manufacturer suggestion is 5 inches from canopy, lol, common man. 5 flashlights taped together will grow a plant, just dont mean it will be worth a dam at the end.

a PPFD of 350 from 6 iches away is horrible. But because you callculated your getting X amount of watts per sqr foot, it must be legit? Nope, dont work like that. Low THC content and airy buds is what your about to prove for the 10000000 time on this site is all,.. But by spending WISELY, with concerns of AVAILABLE light Power and efficiency, you can have a 5x better production from a ALREADY PROVEN CHEAP LIGHT, for a TAD more money.

 

[Mayne]

I'm real good at math, there are several more than distribution charges on my bill and I do account for them all. The fixed charges are there whether I grow or not... I've got a spreadsheet I can plug in my projectedc kwh usage and see what the bill will be. My meter is just outside my back door, I can easily see day to day how many kwh I've used in 24hrs, etc.

does that electrical alotment include your cooling, fans, heat if need it, dehumidifier/humidifier?

 

[Mayne]

20 watts per sqr ft,

 

[farside05]

What a LED light pulls from the wall is of little consequence anymore. There is a vast difference between the old technology LED's and current. It's mind boggling. Older technology, that number being pulled from the wall also includes cooling which doesn't equate into light output. New technology is passively cooled and you aren't wasting as much juice, more is getting to the plant. I used to grow with 4 old Mars 300's. They filled jars. I built my own strip build fixture last summer. It burns a little over half the electricity as my old Mars setup, has 3 times the light output, and my crops have increased 50%. Only THC tests are personal experience, but everything seems much stronger too. I gave away 1 of the old Mars, still have 3 on the shelf. I'd be interested in @Mayne mods, but it probably involves soldering. I can replace an engine in a car, but ask me to solder something, not gonna happen. I'm mosy likely gonna fry something, or at best, it will be functional but look like a rat made turds all over the board.