Full Spectrum LED grow lights

[sfhaze]

Hey all,

LED grow lights are really heating up.

I started a couple of years ago with spots and awful plantbars and then the lightblaze. They didn't grow well and couldn't grow seedlings at all. These products used just red and blue LEDs. Later, people started adding orange and other wavelengths but it still didn't really work right. Many people got burned by poor results and now LEDS grow lights are considered crap by most people.

Today, there are several products with a full spectrum. This to me means they have at least red, blue and white. I can confirm that this fixes a lot of issues and the prices also keep falling. HPSs day's may be numbered if some of these new products really perform.

The ones I know of are:

Haight Solid State
Hydrogrow
Lumigrow

There have been some challenges to compare results, side by side. As a start, I encourage anyone who has used any of these products to post some bud and plant shots. Anyone doing side by sides should start a journal and tell us about it.


Here is a bud shot from my little cabinet grow with the 400 model from Haight Solid State to start things off.

 

[HydroGrowLED]

Here are some of my personal plants grown under 126W lights. The oldest plant in the garden still has about 3 more weeks to go (maybe even a little longer).

 

[eyeswideopen]

I'll post pics here in a few days when I have more time. Enjoy.

 

[HydroGrowLED]

By the way Eyes, this forum is a very friendly place to post grow journals as well. A lot of nice people here, and mods who love to keep the peace.

 

[cronicboy177]

do they have to have white diodes if your light is full spectrum? ... what if the company says its full spectrum and it seems to not have any color but red and blues is this a ripoff or could it have white mixed in somehow? Do plants really use other spectums of light other than red and blue during flowering? real answers would be appriciated

 

[The Builder]

cronicboy177,

Most, if not all of the companies with LED grow lights that actually work, have between 5-12 different wavelengths, some including white. Just red and blue color LED grow lights typically don't work well. However, if the LED light your looking at has 55% red 660nm, 20% red 630nm, 15 % blue 470nm and 10 % blue 425nm or something near that ratio, it may work. Remember, you get what you pay for with LED grow lights. If it seems to good to be true, it probably is.

 

[HaightState]

do they have to have white diodes if your light is full spectrum? ... what if the company says its full spectrum and it seems to not have any color but red and blues is this a ripoff or could it have white mixed in somehow? Do plants really use other spectums of light other than red and blue during flowering? real answers would be appriciated

Yes, we think white LEDs are required. Without white it's a good idea to add some CCFL or other source of white light.

 

[WeedSands]

When does a plant need White LEDs?

Bloom or Veg?

I ask because some offer the ability to tun off the White LEDs.

Thank you.

I assume one uses the red's , blues , purples for veg and adds whites for bloom?

 

[The Builder]

When does a plant need White LEDs?

Bloom or Veg?

I ask because some offer the ability to tun off the White LEDs.

Thank you.

I assume one uses the red's , blues , purples for veg and adds whites for bloom?

As long as all of the wavelengths are covered for plant growth, there is no need for white other than to help with diagnosing problems with your plant. Most if not all problems start in your leaves and the white makes it a little easier to see true colors. Yes, white is a full spectrum color. However, like I said, as long as all of the wavelengths for growth are covered there shouldn't be a problem. Meaning, individual LED's cover more spectrum than people origionally realized. For example; A 440nm LED covers an area of 430-450nm because the electricity we all use is on a cycle, called Alternating currant (AC) and in the cycle there is a valley and a peak. It happens so fast we can't see it or hear it. This is one of the reasons why LED's are the future of growing, each cover a broader range of color than origionally thought.

 

[tripleogbiz]

good info, bump

 

[SteveHman]

As long as all of the wavelengths are covered for plant growth, there is no need for white other than to help with diagnosing problems with your plant. Most if not all problems start in your leaves and the white makes it a little easier to see true colors. Yes, white is a full spectrum color. However, like I said, as long as all of the wavelengths for growth are covered there shouldn't be a problem. Meaning, individual LED's cover more spectrum than people origionally realized. For example; A 440nm LED covers an area of 430-450nm because the electricity we all use is on a cycle, called Alternating currant (AC) and in the cycle there is a valley and a peak. It happens so fast we can't see it or hear it. This is one of the reasons why LED's are the future of growing, each cover a broader range of color than origionally thought.

It's been 20+ years since EE classes, but I believe LEDs by nature are DC devices. You can run AC through them but they will only function on one side of the sine-wave (which is why you use them in a bridge rectifier to convert AC to DC). I may be wrong, but I am pretty sure the power supply in my LED is DC, so the change in amplitude/wavelength argument is moot.

 

[SteveHman]

I should make a correction, you use standard diodes in a bridge rectifier (although all diodes function the same in respect to current flow).

 

[Eshine Robin]

The best light for the plant is sunlight but it doesn't mean the full spectrum light is best for plant for indoor lighting. The advantage of the LED light is emitting exact the light absorbed most by plants. That's the biggest difference between LED and conventional lights. The full spectrum LED grow light is just a stunt of dealers, they just added several white, purple,UV,IR LED lamps on the light, which I don't think work well, but worth a try and we expect your grow journals.

 

[Bionic]

This thread is rather old and it seems that his website isn't even in operation anymore. I think you should stay and share your knowledge to help those who don't know to avoid these sharks. Just sayin'.

 

[SteveHman]

Builder,
Tried to go to your site to look at the lights you are offering. Looks like you're site is down? Are you still in the LED business? I tried to click on the banner ad here as well--no luck.

 

[lbezphil2005]

Builder,
Tried to go to your site to look at the lights you are offering. Looks like you're site is down? Are you still in the LED business? I tried to click on the banner ad here as well--no luck.

I'll pm you a site that will help. also growled has a website also, his lights are being used by irishboy and some others with great success, I am using a black dog led bd700 look up blackdogled on google, check out video of grow - the 700 I KNOW kicks out some SERIOUS light, bro!

 

[budsoflife]

Finding best led grow lights is not an easy task, I have chosen BESTVA DC series 2000W full spectrum LED grow lights by reading reviews.