Osram Or Sansumg? Mars Hydro New Light Investigation

[Mars Hydro]

Hey growers, Mars Hydro Smokesara here! We are developing a new light for next year, and we are thinking about the chip brand it will use:

- Osram
- Samsung

They are both great chip brand, and have efficient light output.

 

[Mars Hydro]

@Old Salt @Ganjagrandaddy @Emilya @Pennywise @Jack420 @Preston9mm

 

[Old Salt]

I have no preference. Use whatever produces the light that's needed, and has the best cost/performance.

When I built my light I had the option of choosing the COBs from Bridgelux, Osram/CREE. and others. I ran the numbers. with equal light outputs their power requirements varied. I found that over five years the cost was the same when the purchase price, and power requirements were considered over the five year period. I went with Citizen CLU048s, and chose to pay the difference over time. This worked at my current power rates, and will change for those paying more for their electricity.

What I need to round out my lighting is something for my seedlings. As a minimum, I want something that covers a standard plant tray that's adjustable from about 50 to 300 PAR with a color temp of 4500°K. Why not build a complete unit with a built in timer for the light, the dimmer, and heater with temperature control. A good looking unit should sell at a price point of under $200 USD. This will be my next project, if nothing is available commercially.

 

[Chris Scorpio]

Samsung for sure

My preference anyway

 

[Nunyabiz]

It's not just the maker but also the specific diode.
As in Samsung LM301B, LM301H.

And you should do it in a Strip Light system where the customer can choose how many strips they need between 1 to 8.
Each strip having 100 diodes putting out about 38 watts per strip.
And add the right size driver depending on how many strips chosen.

Strip lights are more efficient and spread the light more evenly and run cooler.

And you should use BOTH Samsung and Osram.
Have the LM301B/H white diode at 4000k and then add 4 photo-red 660nm Osram or 450nm Blue on each strip so the customer can also choose their Spectrum.

 

[Pennywise]

No preference, my quantum boards we’re all Samsung though.

 

[EhCndGrower]

I like my Samsung lights on my QB, but I was also a fan of Osram from my projectionist days. Preferred them over the Xenon bulbs we used sometimes in our 35mm projectors. So I would be fine with either or

 

[1969gtx]

It's not just the maker but also the specific diode.
As in Samsung LM301B, LM301H.

And you should do it in a Strip Light system where the customer can choose how many strips they need between 1 to 8.
Each strip having 100 diodes putting out about 38 watts per strip.
And add the right size driver depending on how many strips chosen.

Strip lights are more efficient and spread the light more evenly and run cooler.

And you should use BOTH Samsung and Osram.
Have the LM301B/H white diode at 4000k and then add 4 photo-red 660nm Osram or 450nm Blue on each strip so the customer can also choose their Spectrum.

Wow, excactly what I was thinking! Sounds like a r-spec or b-spec with the added osram.

 

[Mars Hydro]

thank you guys a lot , i will give the feedback to my boss.

 

[jaynewbie]

Samsung for sure , example for the LH101B it has power efficient saving

 

[Baron Von Blurple]

Please make them dimmable with a real dim rotating dial accurate in percentages, not a screwdriver finding the proper contact in the back of a driver.

 

[Mars Hydro]

Please make them dimmable with a real dim rotating dial accurate in percentages, not a screwdriver finding the proper contact in the back of a driver.

Of course, the current one we actually didn't make them dimmer function, just too many clients asking about it, so we tell them about how to dim from the driver. We will make the dimmer function properly on our new products for sure.

 

[Icemud]

Brand is irrelevant without having a set goal in mind.....

• If you are looking for the longest lasting LED with minimal lumen depreciation, then look at LM80 test data....
• If you are looking for the most umol/joule for electrical efficiency, then look at each chips BIN data per drive data
• If you are looking for the most PAR/$ then compare cost of goods vs output.
• Beam angle of each chip is also important, but that plays more into design aesthetics and making sure a said fixture can evenly and properly illuminate a set grow area.... for instance if you make a light for a 4x4 area, than the light better make sure to have an even footprint and high enough PAR for flowering.

Also, OSRAM and Samsung chips (the common ones used in grow lights) really are comparing apples to bananas.... one is made to be driven at much higher power and has a focused lens where the others are driven at very low power and not focused. Kind of like comparing a high powered spotlight to a low powered floodlight.


These would really be the "goals" that most grow lights would want to consider first as getting the most value and most light for our money (both money spent on purchase and cost of running/electricity cost) are the biggest benefits with LED lighting. Who cares about the chips "brand" name... Its all about the DATA.

Other than that, customers want reliability, good honorable warranty, waterproof, UL listing (important for commercial grows).

Brand of Chip really doesn't matter as much as the data supporting the chips performance.

 

[Nunyabiz]

Well my personal experience was different.
Both of my Mars Reflector 96 lights started blowing out diodes , blue ones went first.
I called Mars they immediately sent me enough diodes to completely replace every diode on both lights more than once and cost was zero.

So I can't complain about customer service.
Those type of 5w old style diodes just weren't very good, worked well but about a 2 year lifespan.

Today the only diodes you should even look at are the Samsung LM301B or Osram and a few of the Cree such as the XP-G3 Photored.
Any of those should last around a decade.

 

[LeaveUsAlone]

That's awesome, Nunyabiz! Wish I could say the same, multiple polite emails met with cold company-line responses, I've spent a little time trying to source the correct chips to DIY it since Emma wanted $12 to ship 14 LEDS... re-reading emails it was actually 2 yrs but very limited use for veg only, 2 runs, the unused one... I immediately removed the glass, hoping the heat would dissipate. Ebay pictures stated 100% customer satisfaction guarantee, 3 year warranty (no mention of "limited", nor shipping cost). If I believed that I could get 1/5th of the rated life, I'd buy 4 today and not care about any warranty.

Happy growing!

.

 

[Nunyabiz]

Those are most likely Epistar diodes.
They just don't hold up well which has nothing to do with Mars, its just the old style diode and the way it is.
But yeah, I was actually quite impressed with their customer service. Was at least 2 years ago.
So kinda surprised your experience was so different.
But most companies have kinda changed the past year because of Covid and Chinese companies I can imagine have even been hit harder because of the bald faced lies being spread by lunatics in this country (US).
I can imagine it has all taken a toll.

 

[NewToTHC]

Where can one buy the Samsung LM301B or H without the large minimum quantities. Don't need 4000 <lol>

 

[Mars Hydro]

Where can one buy the Samsung LM301B or H without the large minimum quantities. Don't need 4000 <lol>

Mars Hydro FC 6500, SP3000, SP6500 are both use Samsung lm301b and Osram 660 chips
Best of all, it's OK to buy one!

Mars Hydro FC 6500 Samsung LM301B Osram Vertical Farm LED Grow Light

Applied as large multi-strip LED grow lights for large-scale commercial cultivation and high-quality home cultivation. FC6500 employs Samsung LM301B chips and a full spectrum light that is rich in red and blue and adopts a uniform photon distribution to maintain an even PPID and optimal PPF...

www.mars-hydro.com

Mars Hydro SP 6500 Samsung LM301B 650W Greenhouse LED Grow Light

www.mars-hydro.com

Mars Hydro SP 3000 Samsung LM301B Osram 300W LED Grow Light

SP3000 is a large single strip LED grow light fitted with high-quality Samsung LM301B chips and a broad spectrum of boosted red light. Equipped with high penetration and minimum obstruction of natural sunlight, It's highly recommended as supplemental or major lighting for greenhouses.Wattage -...

www.mars-hydro.com

 

[LeaveUsAlone]

Oh man, my whole response wiped out when I tried to post another reply.
Long of the short of it. I think that the blues burned out because they run at a higher voltage, with higher voltage drop... without independent rectifiers for each color... the drop would heat them up like crazy. CS admitted that they moved to SMD because the older ones burned out too fast. Yet, would only provide me a chart of the spectra for the burn outs. I'm a pretty nice guy with reps, it's not their fault... you must be nicer than me though!

Also, I did keep the old lights... but they moved to Virginia without us (thanks Covid). So it'll be awhile but I'm going to pull out the meter and check to see if they overvolted the 460's to bring up the MW. Pretty sure I can watch volt drop too... though my multimeter is a cheapo. I was saving them for the drivers and boards, future project.

I did want to ask if you have been running an LED, probably not allowed to ask brand, for at least 10 cycles? If you don't mind answering that. I'd consider buying a newer model IF I can rely on it, like I can my Phantom II. My buddy dropped $500+ on a higher end LED... lost a couple diodes after maybe 4-5 cycles, he bought my Apollo 600w off me and put the "other brand" that rhymes with "diaper electra" under his bed.

Have a great night,
Mike

 

[NewToTHC]

Mars Hydro FC 6500, SP3000, SP6500 are both use Samsung lm301b and Osram 660 chips
Best of all, it's OK to buy one!

Mars Hydro FC 6500 Samsung LM301B Osram Vertical Farm LED Grow Light

Applied as large multi-strip LED grow lights for large-scale commercial cultivation and high-quality home cultivation. FC6500 employs Samsung LM301B chips and a full spectrum light that is rich in red and blue and adopts a uniform photon distribution to maintain an even PPID and optimal PPF...

www.mars-hydro.com

Mars Hydro SP 6500 Samsung LM301B 650W Greenhouse LED Grow Light

www.mars-hydro.com

Mars Hydro SP 3000 Samsung LM301B Osram 300W LED Grow Light

SP3000 is a large single strip LED grow light fitted with high-quality Samsung LM301B chips and a broad spectrum of boosted red light. Equipped with high penetration and minimum obstruction of natural sunlight, It's highly recommended as supplemental or major lighting for greenhouses.Wattage -...

www.mars-hydro.com

Thanks but already have a couple fixtures, wanted to repurpose a older aquarium LED fixture as a DIY, just need the LED's