Why do companies say - 300w LED replaces 400w HPS using only 180w of power?

[28 Grams]

It's all a little confusing to me... three wattage numbers for one light.

My "300w" LED light's company says on their product page "The [LED Light] effectively replaces a conventional 400w HPS grow light while only consuming 180 watts of actual power".

I have a 5 square-foot tent, which of the three wattage numbers would I use for my calculations? Is my grow light sufficient for this space, or would I benefit from adding in additional lighting?

I've heard 50W per square foot, and if I use the HPS wattage, I have more than enough.

 

[AnimaSola]

I think the 300w is the total power consumed by the fans and drivers. The 180 watts is what the drivers push through the leds total. Im probably wrong, it confuses me too, one of the many reasons I like the diy cree cob leds.

 

[TurboBucket]

LEDs use less energy to make the same amount of light. When they say "replaces 300w hps" or "300w equivalent" that is their light output claim. "Using only 180w" is the claimed power usage.

 

[28 Grams]

I think the 300w is the total power consumed by the fans and drivers. The 180 watts is what the drivers push through the leds total. Im probably wrong, it confuses me too, one of the many reasons I like the diy cree cob leds.

I don't think that is true, because mine say it has 100 individual LED diodes that run 3w each...this is indeed very confusing.

LEDs use less energy to make the same amount of light. When they say "replaces 300w hps" or "300w equivalent" that is their light output claim. "Using only 180w" is the claimed power usage.

I see that does make sense to me, but then why do they say 300w? I get the wattage the actual light used and the equivalent HPS wattage, but the 300w is the one that bewilders me.

 

[Skunkworkz]

1) I don't think that is true, because mine say it has 100 individual LED diodes that run 3w each...this is indeed very confusing.

2) I see that does make sense to me, but then why do they say 300w? I get the wattage the actual light used and the equivalent HPS wattage, but the 300w is the one that bewilders me.

1) Your 100 LEDs max out @ 3w each, but are clocked via processor to run at around 1.8w each so they don't suffer the greatly reduced lifespan that running them at full tilt would push. Chinese LED grow lights don't last that long for the most part, anyway. Corners get cut to make sure they can sell them cheap & still profit. You can buy a $1600 "pro grade" LED setup that'll be far superior or your best bet: Build your own or have one built for you by one of the folks around here that specialize in it.



2) Because Chinese LED grow light companies are inherently dishonest in their marketing.
And no, that light doesn't "equal" a 400w HPS HID light-that's just more marketing bullshit. Lower end, consumer grade LED grow light technology hasn't caught up to HID in terms of output yet. Figure that light will produce, via SCROG, maybe 180 grams if you're running a fairly heavy indica & lollipop that plant, i.e. removing the lowers entirely so the light'speak output is absorbed at the plant's top.

 

[TurboBucket]

100 diodes @ 3w equivalent. It's a lot of puffery to make stuff sound better than it is. Most LED lights lack the proper optics to get penetration to match the glass bulbs. They are effective though and I'm a big fan for reduced power consumption and much lower grow space temps

 

[Mayne]

at least they are truthfull about the lumans, a mars 300 is only 4900 lumens.

That is barley enough light for 1 sft of surface space.

 

[Gdpled]

But there are good led companies. White leds are the way to go.

 

[Merkle420]

I'm new to this (first grow) and I think the cheap led panels are pretty damn good for what you pay, my first grow I got 264 grams on a 270 watt (600) panel with a medium (everything) plant. Idn wether I got the best genetics from that bunch or what but I was happy.

 

[Gdpled]

Skunk works is right!!!!! Most brands state what the chips equal and not what they draw but Some led company's state their actual power draw in watts or amps so that is what I would look for. Also white cob led is the best way to go imo. The purple looking panels were no good for me.

 

[rookiept]

H

 

[AnimaSola]

I'm new to this (first grow) and I think the cheap led panels are pretty damn good for what you pay, my first grow I got 264 grams on a 270 watt (600) panel with a medium (everything) plant. Idn wether I got the best genetics from that bunch or what but I was happy.

I know what you need next, wide mouth jars lol...

 

[AnimaSola]

Skunk works is right!!!!! Most brands state what the chips equal and not what they draw but Some led company's state their actual power draw in watts or amps so that is what I would look for. Also white cob led is the best way to go imo. The purple looking panels were no good for me.

If a grow light manufacturer lists lumen and doesnt list ųmol or par dont buy it. Lumens is for humans, how bright the light is to your eyes. A eye catching sales tactic to draw noobs into buying inferior products.

 

[28 Grams]

1) Your 100 LEDs max out @ 3w each, but are clocked via processor to run at around 1.8w each so they don't suffer the greatly reduced lifespan that running them at full tilt would push. Chinese LED grow lights don't last that long for the most part, anyway. Corners get cut to make sure they can sell them cheap & still profit. You can buy a $1600 "pro grade" LED setup that'll be far superior or your best bet: Build your own or have one built for you by one of the folks around here that specialize in it.



2) Because Chinese LED grow light companies are inherently dishonest in their marketing.
And no, that light doesn't "equal" a 400w HPS HID light-that's just more marketing bullshit. Lower end, consumer grade LED grow light technology hasn't caught up to HID in terms of output yet. Figure that light will produce, via SCROG, maybe 180 grams if you're running a fairly heavy indica & lollipop that plant, i.e. removing the lowers entirely so the light'speak output is absorbed at the plant's top.

My light was actually quite expensive for 300W, I paid about $370 for it and it's US Made so hopefully it's better than the Chinese lights...although I've heard great things about MarsHydro.

 

[bignugz420]

My light was actually quite expensive for 300W, I paid about $370 for it and it's US Made so hopefully it's better than the Chinese lights...although I've heard great things about MarsHydro.

I have 2 mars hydro reflector 192 series 2 and love them for vegging as well as for my autos , but I want a optic 4 and a 3*3 tent to do a scrog in with the optic led, if it does good I'll grab a optic 6 with some COB optic 1 supplement lighting for my 5*5 and flower in it, I just don't think I can beat CMH/LEC HID LIGHTS 3k bulb deep red I get some nice flower with that light

but I mix spectrum with a mars hydro 192

 

[Scientific]

It's all a little confusing to me... three wattage numbers for one light.

My "300w" LED light's company says on their product page "The [LED Light] effectively replaces a conventional 400w HPS grow light while only consuming 180 watts of actual power".

I have a 5 square-foot tent, which of the three wattage numbers would I use for my calculations? Is my grow light sufficient for this space, or would I benefit from adding in additional lighting?

I've heard 50W per square foot, and if I use the HPS wattage, I have more than enough.

My understanding (and I think I'm right about this) is that the "300-watt" part is typically the total rated power of the LEDs. If you have a light with 60 LEDs, each of which is rated for a maximum power of 5 watts, they call it (somewhat disingenuously, IMHO) a "300-watt" light. If they run those 60 LEDs at 3 watts instead of 5, you get an actual power consumption of 180 watts.

Because LEDs are more efficient than HPS bulbs, the manufacturer is claiming that you can get the same amount of growth with their light as you can with a 400-watt HPS.

 

[28 Grams]

Oh tricky, so they advertise their actual wattage as if it's a good thing it uses less but really we want them to consume more

 

[Scientific]

Oh tricky, so they advertise their actual wattage as if it's a good thing it uses less but really we want them to consume more

The tricky part is just that they sell them based on the max power handling capacity of the LEDs, but the actual power that they feed those LEDs is much less so the lamp will last longer.

I have no problem with running the LEDs at a more conservative power, but selling them based on their max capacity is kinda sleazy IMHO, but seems to be the standard practice, so basically if you just divide the power on the label by about two you're close to what they're actually using. (I do have a little TaoTronics "12 watt" lamp that actually consumes 9 watts, so there's one case where they pushed it up to .75x.)

 

[28 Grams]

The tricky part is just that they sell them based on the max power handling capacity of the LEDs, but the actual power that they feed those LEDs is much less so the lamp will last longer.

I have no problem with running the LEDs at a more conservative power, but selling them based on their max capacity is kinda sleazy IMHO, but seems to be the standard practice, so basically if you just divide the power on the label by about two you're close to what they're actually using. (I do have a little TaoTronics "12 watt" lamp that actually consumes 9 watts, so there's one case where they pushed it up to .75x.)

Would you say an LED that actually draws 150W is similar to a 150w hps?

Also how do you like your taotronics bulb? My friend had some speakers by that brand they were good

 

[HigherTheHigh]

iv heard a few growers say that there electricity bills are the same as what they would be for hps!

if something says its 300w but apparently it will only drag 150 out the wall then dont believe its a 300w, top and bottom of it is you can double your watts if you dont have them.

hps for yield - led for quality in my oppinion.