How do you define "yield"? Is that the quantity of weed obtained? Or is it a ratio (grams per watt)?
LED vs. HPS
- Thread starter funkmaster
- Start date
baldalicious
New Member
Yield as in total weight not grams per. Good question tho.
Hi everybody. It's been a while since I let everybody know what my home made LED's have done. If you remember back I built a 400 watt system using 5 watt LED's, 24 of deep red 660nm, 18 of blue 460nm, 18 cool whites, and a bunch of red 625nm, I don't recall how many, I think about 4 times the 660's. I wish I had seen Hydrogrow's idea of getting the 60 degree lenzes, oh well, it's a good idea.
So my grow space for this is a little smaller than 3.5' X 3.5', and not too high. In this space I had 19 plants (20 is max if all my clones work), and I can only let them get 2' tall at most. Now that you know all that, let's get to the results.
I harvested a total of 9.5 OZ when I ran them at the same time as I use to when I was running my 400/600 combo light. First I don't think they finished enough. I'll run them a week longer this time to see. Second I don't think they were as sticky as they were under the 400/600, and I know I used to get a few onces more from that setup, but I should get more if I run them a little longer, and I only had them get a foot tall. I used to get them a little taller, but with the new type of lighting I wasn't sure of when to switch from veg to flower. Next time, a little bigger, and a little longer, I can see the potential for at least a couple more ounces.
The end result of quality was OK. The smoke is very good, but it used to be excelant, this too may come from a little more time. I know I need to add some UV-B to the mix.
So far I've told you how it compared to the 400/600, but before I had that light I had only a 400 MH. If you want to compare watt for watt, the LED's blew the 400 out of the water. The buds were every bit as good, and I got more out of my space than I did then by a few ounces. So for all of you that keep asking for a watt to watt comparison, guess what. LED's win that race hands down, not even a photo finish. If I do everything I said as far as time and tall it may be closer to the 400/600, but I still think I need to get some UV-B's into my mix. I still have one forth of my power transformer not being used for anything, all I have to do is figure out what voltage and current I need for the UV's, and build a regulator with the last side of the transformer. That part will have to wait till I can afford it though.
Well good luck to all.
Just because I'm not always on here doesn't mean I'm not reading what you all have to say.
So my grow space for this is a little smaller than 3.5' X 3.5', and not too high. In this space I had 19 plants (20 is max if all my clones work), and I can only let them get 2' tall at most. Now that you know all that, let's get to the results.
I harvested a total of 9.5 OZ when I ran them at the same time as I use to when I was running my 400/600 combo light. First I don't think they finished enough. I'll run them a week longer this time to see. Second I don't think they were as sticky as they were under the 400/600, and I know I used to get a few onces more from that setup, but I should get more if I run them a little longer, and I only had them get a foot tall. I used to get them a little taller, but with the new type of lighting I wasn't sure of when to switch from veg to flower. Next time, a little bigger, and a little longer, I can see the potential for at least a couple more ounces.
The end result of quality was OK. The smoke is very good, but it used to be excelant, this too may come from a little more time. I know I need to add some UV-B to the mix.
So far I've told you how it compared to the 400/600, but before I had that light I had only a 400 MH. If you want to compare watt for watt, the LED's blew the 400 out of the water. The buds were every bit as good, and I got more out of my space than I did then by a few ounces. So for all of you that keep asking for a watt to watt comparison, guess what. LED's win that race hands down, not even a photo finish. If I do everything I said as far as time and tall it may be closer to the 400/600, but I still think I need to get some UV-B's into my mix. I still have one forth of my power transformer not being used for anything, all I have to do is figure out what voltage and current I need for the UV's, and build a regulator with the last side of the transformer. That part will have to wait till I can afford it though.
Well good luck to all.
Just because I'm not always on here doesn't mean I'm not reading what you all have to say.
<WOOT!> I found out where I hid my password, lol.
I appreciate your comparison, and as always I appreciate anyone who bothers to do anything of a DIY nature - ditto for doing their own experimentation and reporting of same.
But I feel that in this particular case it is important to state for those who may not already know that, in general, a comparison of your LED versus a 400-watt metal halide is going to be a different animal altogether than a comparison of your LED versus a 400-watt high-pressure sodium since you would get different results in a head-to-head between the MH and the HPS.
Still enjoying your efforts. With so many different companies each stating that their device is the best, well... Might be that none of them are telling the truth, but it must be that at most only one of them is. It would not surprise me even a little bit if it turned out that you or someone like you were the one that actually found the best combination of materials to make an LED fixture.
I am pretty sure that whatever your budget is, you spend a far larger proportion of it on R&D than on advertising & marketing than those companies do.
I appreciate your comparison, and as always I appreciate anyone who bothers to do anything of a DIY nature - ditto for doing their own experimentation and reporting of same.
But I feel that in this particular case it is important to state for those who may not already know that, in general, a comparison of your LED versus a 400-watt metal halide is going to be a different animal altogether than a comparison of your LED versus a 400-watt high-pressure sodium since you would get different results in a head-to-head between the MH and the HPS.
Still enjoying your efforts. With so many different companies each stating that their device is the best, well... Might be that none of them are telling the truth, but it must be that at most only one of them is. It would not surprise me even a little bit if it turned out that you or someone like you were the one that actually found the best combination of materials to make an LED fixture.
I am pretty sure that whatever your budget is, you spend a far larger proportion of it on R&D than on advertising & marketing than those companies do.
Well Tortured Soul I guess I never had the opertunity to run only the 600HPS at any time. I used to run just the 400MH, then upgraded to the 400/600 combo unit. At times I had to turn off one light or the other because of the heat build up, but I never had a complete run with just the 600HPS.
Point is, I only have personal referance to what I could do with a 400MH, or the combo unit of the 400/600. The LED's did beat the 400 out of the water, but I think there are too many holes in my spectrum to get the results of the 1000 watt combo unit. In other words, the 1/3rd power usage they claim the LED's can produce compaired to the 1000 didn't quite pan out, but I'm getting closer.
Your right about prices too, I have about $1,400.00 into aluminum for heat, and power supplie's and LED's. In other words, I'm in so deep now I really want to get it right. From what I can tell I'm not far off what they sell a 400 watt LED unit for. Only thing I think I need now is some UV's, but they cost a small fortune. I also still have to treak out my grow using the LED's as they are a little differant from regular lighting. By the way, that $1,400 also includes a complete system for my veg room, and it works better than I would have believed. I cut my total power usage by 1000watts, and the LED's I'm using are good for 100,000 hours. I wounder how long till I get my money back not buying 2, 400MH bulbs and one 600HPS every year, and cutting out that 1,000watts?
So there you go, I don't know how the LED's would do against just a HPS.
Point is, I only have personal referance to what I could do with a 400MH, or the combo unit of the 400/600. The LED's did beat the 400 out of the water, but I think there are too many holes in my spectrum to get the results of the 1000 watt combo unit. In other words, the 1/3rd power usage they claim the LED's can produce compaired to the 1000 didn't quite pan out, but I'm getting closer.
Your right about prices too, I have about $1,400.00 into aluminum for heat, and power supplie's and LED's. In other words, I'm in so deep now I really want to get it right. From what I can tell I'm not far off what they sell a 400 watt LED unit for. Only thing I think I need now is some UV's, but they cost a small fortune. I also still have to treak out my grow using the LED's as they are a little differant from regular lighting. By the way, that $1,400 also includes a complete system for my veg room, and it works better than I would have believed. I cut my total power usage by 1000watts, and the LED's I'm using are good for 100,000 hours. I wounder how long till I get my money back not buying 2, 400MH bulbs and one 600HPS every year, and cutting out that 1,000watts?
So there you go, I don't know how the LED's would do against just a HPS.
I did not mean to imply that I was knocking your efforts - far from it; while I still don't buy into the hype put forth by the marketers of LED grow lights in general, I'm a fan of yours where LEDs are concerned and want you to succeed in your efforts. If I was also "somewhere in the frozen north," I'd probably be bugging you daily.
Hi Techhead, Have you considered just adding a UV fixture like the kind you use to keep reptiles happy? Munki has added one these fixtures on both of his grows and might be able to comment on the efficacy/efficiency. I think they run around $40-50. I'm just thinking out loud. I'm not sure if you were shooting for a fixture that was all LED without any outside help or if adding this fixture would skew the results you were looking for. Either way, love the DIY. Well done & +reps
Sent from my Virtual Desk.
Well, I been reading for a few months, I love the ideal of LED and I am sure one day the price will come down. When it reaches the price of a good HPS light, I am sure they will sale a lot more than HPS.
It's great to read all the ideals and how they work for others, but time ran out and HPS for this year won IMHO and that is where my money went.
I think someone mention that we should have a “how to build a better LED light post” There is a lot of great ideals on here and it seems like there is daily progress on LED lighting.
I been in touch with a few manufactures, and they are all different. One wrote back to me and told me they have some green LEDs in their lights????
420 mag should get all of our ideals together and hire a manufacture to build light to our specks and sell them close to cost.
Well, I been reading for a few months, I love the ideal of LED and I am sure one day the price will come down. When it reaches the price of a good HPS light, I am sure they will sale a lot more than HPS.
It's great to read all the ideals and how they work for others, but time ran out and HPS for this year won IMHO and that is where my money went.
I think someone mention that we should have a “how to build a better LED light post” There is a lot of great ideals on here and it seems like there is daily progress on LED lighting.
I been in touch with a few manufactures, and they are all different. One wrote back to me and told me they have some green LEDs in their lights????
420 mag should get all of our ideals together and hire a manufacture to build light to our specks and sell them close to cost.
Green light is, of course, not absorbed by the plant, but reflected; that's why they look green to us.
Also why algae doesn't like to grow in Mt. Dew pots, I would imagine.
Interesting, and I wish you success with your business.
But if you are going to advertise your business here, it is only right that you become a site sponsor before doing so, IMHO.
CharlieMopps
New Member
If i ever grow again, it'll be under a 250 hps with a cfl or two. Unless i can find a 400 watter near the same price that is.
KingSpade43
New Member
Hello to all! I am new to this forum and sorta new to growing, although I have smoked for a long time. My friend has 8 lights (he uses MH ans HPS) of Strawberry Cough and out of 3 harvets, he found one seed and gave it to me. I germinated the seed under a 200w light but I need to move it under something better for its veg phase. I am also growing this plant in a hydroponic system, fyi. I see in some of the pics that people are using LED's. I am looking into the LED route to save on power costs but havent made up my mind quite yet. The big question I have to ask is how does the red LED light do with the flowering of the plants you have? Does the red LED lights make the flowering cycle longer or does it not really effect it? I only have room for MAYBE 3 plants, so I wont have as big of setup as most of you do. How is the quality of the new forming buds under LED? Quality of the final product? Thanks for your time and I apologize for some of the possibly ignorant questions. I look forward to your response(s).
KingSpade43
KingSpade43
HinduxSkunk
New Member
I posted that when i was on my LED kick your correct LEDs aren't where they need to be but ive actually been thinking of doing an experiment with them once i have my grow room set up im probably going to be using the lights pitviper is using and im going to take a side by side test of a Cannabis plant under just LED and a cannabis plant under LED with UVB bulbs in the grow.
I THINK this may be the mecca for LED fanboys im not sure but i will definitely keep everyone on 420mag posted.
The reason LED fails in flowering but is way better in veg is because obviously it doesn't have the intensity that cannabis needs for resin production so im thinking that if i supplement enough UVB lighting i may actually be able to make the LEDs in harmony with the UVB better then a HPS .
No, plants don't need it. [EDIT: Some plants may actually need some UV radiation. Upon consideration, I realized that I shouldn't have made that generalization without this disclaimer as I do not have a PHD in plant physiology or a related botanical field; and even if I did, there are an awful lot of plants out there.] In fact, some have developed defense mechanisms against it. THC, for example, has fairly high UVB absorption properties. Which just might be a factor in why a lot of landrace equatorial strains growing at high altitude have so much of it, lol, and why the same strains grown at sea-level were still potent but not as potent as in their home environment.
Many people have found that switching to an unshielded MH during the last ten days or so of flowering seemed to help with trichome development. As did flowering with approximately 75% HPS and 25% MH lighting on a Sun Circle (such as two 600-watt HPS and a 400-watt MH). And several have reported good results with supplementing their HPS lights with UV bulbs during flowering.
Typing "marijuana" and "uv" into Google's search box yields 192,000 results. I'm guessing that using a few more terms to narrow the results significantly would quickly yield something more scientific than a lot of happy growers who thought their product had improved due to uv and several who had done side-by-side grows with clones from the same mother (and other factors the same except for lighting). Google is your friend.
To get you started, you might try looking in Marijuana Botany. Pages 132-133. Raphael Mechoulam. 235-285nm, perhaps aiding in the biosynthesis of THC. Some say 280-315nm.
It can be harmful to plants. The trichomes are (among their other uses
) a way of protecting the plants. Sunlight degrades trichomes. Then again, sunlight is kind of a major factor in how outdoor plants grow and ultimately produce them in the first place.
Too much of a good thing is in most cases a bad thing. But a little of a good thing... Is quite good indeed.
SanibelGreen
New Member
my sig. check it. 4 ufo's
SG
SG
SanibelGreen
New Member
They are all 90w, how can you say they are outdated when they are still making them, new models this yr as well as making 50w and 45w now. That just doesnt make sense.
SG
SanibelGreen
New Member
Well apparently mine work, I know who made them what LED's they are and I know they are brand new. Not gonna argue, the 4 90's are better than a 300w led so if i had the 300w id still be buying old stuff though apparently. Do you have a LED grow?
SG
SanibelGreen
New Member
I agree, reason I went UFO is because a panel wouldn't spread as well as UFO's would in a long closet, tent sure go panel.
SG
SG
