I'm not convinced
Can't say I blame you. I hate growing indoors during Summer with LEDs. F*cking LED heaters. . . .
Growing with HPS
- Thread starter mufc420
- Start date
Can't say I blame you. I hate growing indoors during Summer with LEDs. F*cking LED heaters. . . .
Am I missing something? MH/HPS generate a lot more heat than LED’s.
Apparently.
The only company that I know of, that produced an air-cooled LED grow light, that you could hook up ductwork to, was Amare Technologies. And, as far as I know, they only produced the one model of that nature. That would have been great for Summer use, almost as good as an air-cooled HID. And probably every bit as good, after the gardener disassembled the thing, remote-wired its power supply (it was internal), put it back together, then sewed up an insulated cover for the light, like people used to be able to buy for many HID fixtures.
Yep, didn’t catch the ductable part
The Twisted One
Well-Known Member
This is a subject that’s unlikely to become settled anytime soon.
Why? Several reasons. For one, some folks are dead set on HPS or bust. Why? Many reasons I presume. For one, HPS lights produce great flower and have been the staple for professional growers longer than any other light.
They also produce a lot of other things, but that’s another issue.
When LED first came out and hit growers networks, many HPS folks jumped onboard, me included. Many were EXTREMELY disappointed in the results. Me included. That was when LEDs were in their infancy. I still have some of those first offerings, I call them “blurples”. Didn’t flower for squat, but they’d be a great black light poster lighting…
Then, in my humble opinion, Samsung created a game changing LED diode. Then they turned around and stepped up the game even further by creating the LM-301 series.
It was here when my attention got captured. The first set of decent LED grow lights I had ever seen was in a local grow supply. They had a Nextgen, an HLG and an HPS all on, and I was rather amazed at how bright those LEDs were.
At that exact time we had began construction on our legal medical grow operation, and I was in the middle of calculating how I was going to distribute the maximum electric service I could get-and that was only 400 amps.
I knew the room sizes and I’m an HVAC tech, so I load calculated the room out, figuring the btu input into the rooms from 32 1000 watt HPS lights, the cooling requirements to offset this heat load and quickly realized I was in serious trouble.
So I began to research everything I could. I didn’t want a solution-I needed one. So I turned my attention back to the grow shop, sucked it up and purchased a PAR meter and did my own research.
I first began testing my 1000 watt HPS lights, taking PAR readings from a handful of different heights.
I then took my PAR meter and a notepad to the grow shop and began testing the Nextgen and the HLG.
Right off the bat, the HLG smoked the doors off the Nextgen, and promptly put it out of the race. The HLG on the other hand blew me away. I then began researching why their light rocked ass and quickly learned it wasn’t HLG doing it-it was the 1152 Samsung LM-301b diodes that did it, and the PAR value was on par with the HPS, plus I can keep the lights closer to the canopy and gives superior penetration? Really? Yes indeedy!
Settled. LED it was.
I then dug into the Meanwell 485 drivers, and using a simple formula based on watts I was able to calculate the BTU load in the room. It was substantially less than that of HPS even when I calculated HPS hoods with 6” flex hose and fan to extract the heat.
But wait. There’s more. One of the greatest costs in commercial growing isn’t just the lights-it’s the cooling required.
We were able to run a 32 light systems, with each light containing four 288 boards driven by overclocked Meanwell drivers. Each board has its own finned heatsink, and each board is driven at 137.5 watts. Each plant basically has one of those 288 boards to themselves, and each board had finned heat sinks. The lights are all 3000k. I run 4K LEDs in the mother/veg room.
On a 40x22 sealed room containing 32 lights being driven at 550 watts and 128 plants, I can maintain dialed in room temps and do it on only 6 tons of air conditioning. Pull that one off using HPS. I dare you.
Anyway, our plants regularly produce an average of 3/4 lb of dry, cured bud and those lights haven’t skipped a beat.
That was over four years ago. Any regrets? Nope.
I run an HLG, and still use a couple older veg/bloom LEDs (say what you want, but burples vegged just fine).This is a subject that’s unlikely to become settled anytime soon.
Why? Several reasons. For one, some folks are dead set on HPS or bust. Why? Many reasons I presume. For one, HPS lights produce great flower and have been the staple for professional growers longer than any other light.
They also produce a lot of other things, but that’s another issue.
When LED first came out and hit growers networks, many HPS folks jumped onboard, me included. Many were EXTREMELY disappointed in the results. Me included. That was when LEDs were in their infancy. I still have some of those first offerings, I call them “blurples”. Didn’t flower for squat, but they’d be a great black light poster lighting…
Then, in my humble opinion, Samsung created a game changing LED diode. Then they turned around and stepped up the game even further by creating the LM-301 series.
It was here when my attention got captured. The first set of decent LED grow lights I had ever seen was in a local grow supply. They had a Nextgen, an HLG and an HPS all on, and I was rather amazed at how bright those LEDs were.
At that exact time we had began construction on our legal medical grow operation, and I was in the middle of calculating how I was going to distribute the maximum electric service I could get-and that was only 400 amps.
I knew the room sizes and I’m an HVAC tech, so I load calculated the room out, figuring the btu input into the rooms from 32 1000 watt HPS lights, the cooling requirements to offset this heat load and quickly realized I was in serious trouble.
So I began to research everything I could. I didn’t want a solution-I needed one. So I turned my attention back to the grow shop, sucked it up and purchased a PAR meter and did my own research.
I first began testing my 1000 watt HPS lights, taking PAR readings from a handful of different heights.
I then took my PAR meter and a notepad to the grow shop and began testing the Nextgen and the HLG.
Right off the bat, the HLG smoked the doors off the Nextgen, and promptly put it out of the race. The HLG on the other hand blew me away. I then began researching why their light rocked ass and quickly learned it wasn’t HLG doing it-it was the 1152 Samsung LM-301b diodes that did it, and the PAR value was on par with the HPS, plus I can keep the lights closer to the canopy and gives superior penetration? Really? Yes indeedy!
Settled. LED it was.
I then dug into the Meanwell 485 drivers, and using a simple formula based on watts I was able to calculate the BTU load in the room. It was substantially less than that of HPS even when I calculated HPS hoods with 6” flex hose and fan to extract the heat.
But wait. There’s more. One of the greatest costs in commercial growing isn’t just the lights-it’s the cooling required.
We were able to run a 32 light systems, with each light containing four 288 boards driven by overclocked Meanwell drivers. Each board has its own finned heatsink, and each board is driven at 137.5 watts. Each plant basically has one of those 288 boards to themselves, and each board had finned heat sinks. The lights are all 3000k. I run 4K LEDs in the mother/veg room.
On a 40x22 sealed room containing 32 lights being driven at 550 watts and 128 plants, I can maintain dialed in room temps and do it on only 6 tons of air conditioning. Pull that one off using HPS. I dare you.
Anyway, our plants regularly produce an average of 3/4 lb of dry, cured bud and those lights haven’t skipped a beat.
That was over four years ago. Any regrets? Nope.
The Twisted One
Well-Known Member
I’m thinking I said they didn’t flower for squat, but since you brought it up, I’ll change it from they didn’t flower for squat to they work for veg AND black light posters!
Wasn’t aimed at you, it was the collective “You”.I’m thinking I said they didn’t flower for squat, but since you brought it up, I’ll change it from they didn’t flower for squat to they work for veg AND black light posters!
Fenderbender
Well-Known Member
Poor Mufc he just wanted to get his room going, but no this is going to be the legendary 4000 page thread where the LED vs HPS debate flames on 
For home grower, efficiency is king, LED wins.
I've grown 300gr with a 142watt light.
Don't see that happening with HPS.
Anyhow most of us recommend LED up there in the loft, cause yeah installing a bulb almost mid June, I'm learning to avoid growing indoors in the Summer as the heat is getting out of control and too much chance of pests and diseases that come along with it.
It will be interesting to see how it goes, good luck!
For home grower, efficiency is king, LED wins.
I've grown 300gr with a 142watt light.
Don't see that happening with HPS.
Anyhow most of us recommend LED up there in the loft, cause yeah installing a bulb almost mid June, I'm learning to avoid growing indoors in the Summer as the heat is getting out of control and too much chance of pests and diseases that come along with it.
It will be interesting to see how it goes, good luck!
Chrondocious
Well-Known Member
Have had decent results with those old pamels too.
Chrondocious
Well-Known Member
It's all preference.....if you havent grown with both, succesfully, then you cant really say which is better. In my experience, led are easier to manage the climate, and they dont give off IR heat, so you can run temps in the 80's. I have noticed the buds aren't as "big", but are a bit denser. Especially in panels. Cobs in my 3xperience, are kinda in between. It all really comes down to what you have, and what works for you. If all I could use were CFL....Id be using them.
The Twisted One
Well-Known Member
It’s all good my friend.
seaofgreen18
Well-Known Member
Howdy I use Led for clone, seed's until Big enough then Light Emitting Ceramic 2 /630 Sun system until I see good flower sets then 3/750 Gavita sodium but I have the controller so I don't need to run all 3 full power my results. Green Kush
seaofgreen18
Well-Known Member
Sodium light in veg makes them stretch Nd r lanky not the right light at the right time but you can but I say your taking a chance good luckHowdy I use Led for clone, seed's until Big enough then Light Emitting Ceramic 2 /630 Sun system until I see good flower sets then 3/750 Gavita sodium but I have the controller so I don't need to run all 3 full power my results. Green Kush
- Thread starter
- #75
Appreciate that mate, think my best option is to scrap the hps til the winter, bite the bullet and buy a decent sized LED... I don't suppose you guys have any links to some decent LEDs that are not going to blow the Bank.Poor Mufc he just wanted to get his room going, but no this is going to be the legendary 4000 page thread where the LED vs HPS debate flames on
For home grower, efficiency is king, LED wins.
I've grown 300gr with a 142watt light.
Don't see that happening with HPS.
Anyhow most of us recommend LED up there in the loft, cause yeah installing a bulb almost mid June, I'm learning to avoid growing indoors in the Summer as the heat is getting out of control and too much chance of pests and diseases that come along with it.
It will be interesting to see how it goes, good luck!
seaofgreen18
Well-Known Member
I use Nextlight core . But I only use it for starting clones or seeds and when I'm being cheap in veg although those lec are cost effective and adjustable for wattage just a little bit of heat but no heat with the cores well VERY LITTLE
Chrondocious
Well-Known Member
Rapid led DIY kits. Or mars.
Fenderbender
Well-Known Member
Yeah I don't know what the temps are over there but I'm across the channel not that far away and right now it's pretty toasty here.
It's almost 12 and even with LED the tent is pretty tropical.
I mean you could still try with the bulb and take a reading what it's like and see if you manage to vent it away.
and otherwise
Mars TS series is probably the cheapest option that can provide some coverage and grows well and offers option to daisy chain and dim so you could expand.
Ask yourself how much bud do you want to grow in one sitting?
Or what's the dimensions of the area you've now defined? as I see you made part of the room reflective? what's the shape & size of that?
- Thread starter
- #79
seaofgreen18
Well-Known Member
Start out by checking substrate phI don't suppose anyone can help me out with this definacy can you?
