LED vs. HPS
- Thread starter funkmaster
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b0rab0ra
New Member
b0rab0ra
New Member
Hinduxskunk
:
Great info, I've seen a site in the UK, that add UV supplements to their LEDS. Maybe this is what is needed.
:
Great info, I've seen a site in the UK, that add UV supplements to their LEDS. Maybe this is what is needed.
b0rab0ra
New Member
do you have a link to the manual or can you post??? I can't seem to find it. 
lbezphil2005
New Member
Just found this quote of yours, thought you might like to look up irishboy, heard of him? Do believe he's got this accomplished with an led. How about that?
Yep, Irish Boy pwnt POTM. LED's can deliver the goods. Proven over and over again.
I have 2 decent grows with a UFO 90 supplemented with cfls. IMO, 90 watts is not enough to cover > 2X2 area and I expanded my space to 2 X 4. I did massive LED research but the prices were out of my range, so I looked for an alternative and found a journal (or thread) here about Quantum Bad Boy T-5; I think the UN is BendMMC. The more I read, the more I liked.
It began to sink in that life expectancy of LEDs is not as advertised, but more important, the bulbs are not field replaceable. Basically you toss them.
I surmised that with multi-spectrum LEDs one of the spectrums is likely to lose its output well before the others, and that is likely to effect the overall grow.
Another issue is the amount of spectrum from seed/clone changes from veg- harvest. The BB allows me to play Sun God and adjust as needed.
Best of all, I bought an 8 HO bulb fixture (2 X 4 foot print) including 8 each 2900/6500 bulbs for $350, which is about what I paid for my UFO 90. They have smaller and larger versions.
HTH
It began to sink in that life expectancy of LEDs is not as advertised, but more important, the bulbs are not field replaceable. Basically you toss them.
I surmised that with multi-spectrum LEDs one of the spectrums is likely to lose its output well before the others, and that is likely to effect the overall grow.
Another issue is the amount of spectrum from seed/clone changes from veg- harvest. The BB allows me to play Sun God and adjust as needed.
Best of all, I bought an 8 HO bulb fixture (2 X 4 foot print) including 8 each 2900/6500 bulbs for $350, which is about what I paid for my UFO 90. They have smaller and larger versions.
HTH
A few thoughts
One consideration should be how many generations of the plant have been grown under MH/HPS lighting spectrums. It's rediculous to expect a plant grown for possibly 100's of generations under HID lighting to perform well under the focused spectrums of LED's. The plants have gotta know someone is f-ing with their sh*t and it probably stresses them out a little.
Most LED grow lights don't really account for the plant's usage of chlorophyl B during vegetative growth and chlor A during flowering. The only have Red/Blue ratios. An Ideal LED lighting system would need more total available wattage and colors than what you actually use at any one point. Nobody Builds a light with variable intensity on each color band to simulate the change of seasons or changing from MH to HPS.
the LED bulbs themselves have a comparible cost per watt to HID lighting. If you buy a manufactured light the cost will at least double.
LED's are a very cost effective IF you build the light yourself. Which isn't an option for everyone. you'd have to pay me more than the bud is worth to get me to spend a few months soldering up a million LED's for a decent sized grow op.
LED's are absolutely not all created equal. 100 watts of high power leds do not have the same light density as 100 watts of small 1.2 mm or 3mm leds, assuming they are spread out over the same size area.
LED lighting has the potential to yield more than MH/HPS but you need to have a good understanding of how the plant utilizes colors and design a system accordingly. Different strains of buds are going to utilize slightly different color spectrums.
I'd like to see someone run tests with full spectrum LED's at 2100K for flowering and 9500-12000k for veg. That would make a much better comparison to MH/HPS than all this blue/red led crap. It would establish a more realistic LED/HID wattage ratio too.
A plant isn't a machine. You can't give it only the one color of light it absorbs the most of and expect it to yield the motherload. It needs all the colors in the correct proportions at the right time with the right ratio of nutrients and environmental stimulants to yield a lot. Plants grown under HPS for many generations will prefer that as an environmental condition.
Small low wattage systems will show different growth results than large High wattage systems.
The question of LED vs. HPS isn't a black and white answer.
It has the potential to yield more, but probably won't for most grow setups.
One consideration should be how many generations of the plant have been grown under MH/HPS lighting spectrums. It's rediculous to expect a plant grown for possibly 100's of generations under HID lighting to perform well under the focused spectrums of LED's. The plants have gotta know someone is f-ing with their sh*t and it probably stresses them out a little.
Most LED grow lights don't really account for the plant's usage of chlorophyl B during vegetative growth and chlor A during flowering. The only have Red/Blue ratios. An Ideal LED lighting system would need more total available wattage and colors than what you actually use at any one point. Nobody Builds a light with variable intensity on each color band to simulate the change of seasons or changing from MH to HPS.
the LED bulbs themselves have a comparible cost per watt to HID lighting. If you buy a manufactured light the cost will at least double.
LED's are a very cost effective IF you build the light yourself. Which isn't an option for everyone. you'd have to pay me more than the bud is worth to get me to spend a few months soldering up a million LED's for a decent sized grow op.
LED's are absolutely not all created equal. 100 watts of high power leds do not have the same light density as 100 watts of small 1.2 mm or 3mm leds, assuming they are spread out over the same size area.
LED lighting has the potential to yield more than MH/HPS but you need to have a good understanding of how the plant utilizes colors and design a system accordingly. Different strains of buds are going to utilize slightly different color spectrums.
I'd like to see someone run tests with full spectrum LED's at 2100K for flowering and 9500-12000k for veg. That would make a much better comparison to MH/HPS than all this blue/red led crap. It would establish a more realistic LED/HID wattage ratio too.
A plant isn't a machine. You can't give it only the one color of light it absorbs the most of and expect it to yield the motherload. It needs all the colors in the correct proportions at the right time with the right ratio of nutrients and environmental stimulants to yield a lot. Plants grown under HPS for many generations will prefer that as an environmental condition.
Small low wattage systems will show different growth results than large High wattage systems.
The question of LED vs. HPS isn't a black and white answer.
It has the potential to yield more, but probably won't for most grow setups.
g13hazenvj
New Member
I was reading about the new LED lights like in the picture that BigSmokie has and they are show that they put out a wider range of light that the plants do better with. I haven't tried any yet as I don't even have my own grow since I live in Ohio and I can't grow here or get seeds anywhere that I can find. I would like to know how the LED Vs. HPS goes.
lbezphil2005
New Member
I think you need to look at a few journals here, bro. Irishboy, Setting Sun, there are a few other led growers out here and on other forums that have proven LED's work. Irishboys won plant of the month with his stuff, speaks for itself. The technology is here now, would pay for itself after the first grow, especially bag appeal, etc. seems to be much better than before.
hey JohnnyHemp, was wondering if you could give me some tips on leds to buy. I plan on doing the whole grow under leds. I have a medium budget, i want what i pay for to work, so i am not looking for the cheapest. My plan consist of 5 1k lights, can you guide me on to how many leds i would need to compare to 1k HIDs. My goal is maximum yield and the grow will probably take place all in one room, except the veg room will be separate. The strains i pick will all be picked for their max yield attribute.
Thanks man, I cant pm do to lack of posts..sorry
Thanks man, I cant pm do to lack of posts..sorry
I don't know much of anything. But I saw a neat tutorial on making a arc lamp. I don't know their electrical consumption, and I know they get hot as hell, but if you want "bright" I'm pretty sure one could do a huge room. Also you would need to wear welding goggles as you enter and work on your room.
Thought I'd give everyone a worst alternative to hate on than our two contenders. Love the thread though! When I eventually grow Imma use HPS lighting while I build my own LED panels. I could never afford these huge LED set ups, but single 2 or 3 watt LED's aren't too bad and I could do over time.
Thought I'd give everyone a worst alternative to hate on than our two contenders. Love the thread though! When I eventually grow Imma use HPS lighting while I build my own LED panels. I could never afford these huge LED set ups, but single 2 or 3 watt LED's aren't too bad and I could do over time.
Ruralgirlz
New Member
I'm thinking about going LED when upgrading our old HPS system this year, but not entirely convinced yet. Can someone point me to some LED resources?
Thanks in advance~ruralgirlz
Thanks in advance~ruralgirlz
cryodude
New Member
Ruralgirlz, check out Stevehman journal going on now. with GLH and Advanced LED lights, amazing. There are some really good LED's now, 3W USA circuits that have outstanding spectrum and really good canopy now. GrowLedHydro (GLH), Advanced LED, Prosource, Magnum357 ,all i think use 3W USA high quality leds now. The options have changed dramatically in the past 8 months or so. who knows what this year will bring. I think my timing getting back into this is really good.
MV...
cryodude
New Member
Thanks Chronic Don. I'll take a peek and see what's up. I am still somewhere tween 45-60days getting moved and set up so i have some time before i have to shoot my wad on some lights.
Ruralgirlz
New Member
Thanks Cryodude and everyone else for the LED feedback. We're running our last or second to last crops with HPS now, then will be changing to probably LED for at least the reason of power conservation. I'm exited to wind the power meter down a bit and eventually we'll be using solar for growing, so this will be best.
~Cheryl
~Cheryl
What is sober
Well-Known Member
I want a system preassembled with LEDS FOR UNDER $700 for a personal stash talk about impossible. 
lbezphil2005
New Member
black dog led is one of the best on the market right now, imo. 15 spectrums, 3watt and 5watt leds, lots of power. They definitely will do the trick, you can grow trees with these lights. Everything else on the market is just not powerful enough.
