? about LEDs, current HPS 600w and MH 400w user, experience 10 successful grows

[PJ Diaz]

The cheap Amazon LED board I bought came with a 5 year warranty! 240 watt meanwell driver bridgelux diodes… $89 bucks
Follow the best deals thread that @Marq1340 is running to get a great deal like I did. It’s called The Best Deals Thread. Post Best Deals And Lowest Prices Links

Don’t you guys think the name brands are from China too?

I never mentioned China. I was speaking of high quality companies who offer replacement boards for their fixtures. I can't speak to the specific light you purchased without a link, however I doubt that they sell replacement boards for your light. Yes, I've posted in that thread many times. I'm not sure what your point is.

 

[resinhead]

I guess my point was just that they don’t have to be treated as disposable, but I probably didn’t need to quote your post. That and another point was that I waited for the price to come down to what I consider a good deal before I jumped on the LED technology. It’s affordable for everyone now!

edit: and this is a time I SHOULD have quoted ya! I really don’t participate in social media very often other than to watch

 

[Markshomegrown]

LEDS are getting better value for money but LEDS degrade just like HPS, just takes longer.
warmer temps degrade them faster.
I wouldn't be surprised if a good led only last 3 years(heavily used, perpetual grow).

 

[Lenin1917]

Any of the newer 480-650w bar or board leds will outperform a 600w hps/mh by a lot. Why such small yields? You just not using much of the space?

 

[PJ Diaz]

I guess my point was just that they don’t have to be treated as disposable, but I probably didn’t need to quote your post. That and another point was that I waited for the price to come down to what I consider a good deal before I jumped on the LED technology. It’s affordable for everyone now!

edit: and this is a time I SHOULD have quoted ya! I really don’t participate in social media very often other than to watch

To put my originally quoted comments in perspective, you should have quoted this:

Depends on what you get, and whether or not the company will sell you replacement panels. Parts to an LED fixture are pretty basic: LED board, LED driver, a heatsink, possibly a potentiometer for a dimmer, and wire and cable to connect it all together. Those parts are all easily replaceable, often for less cost than a replacement HPS lamp, however you need to choose a fixture which you can easily get replacement parts for.

..and this..

.. as an example, if you bought this board and one of the LED panels went out after the warranty expired you could get a replacement panel for $80:

HLG 600 Rspec®

High Efficiency Commercial Indoor Horticulture LED grow light designed to replace a 1000watt HID with just 490 Watts. 1522 PPF @ 2.55 PPF/W. Full-spectrum. Reliable passive-cooled design. Powered by Samsung LM301H LED and Deep Red LED 660nm

horticulturelightinggroup.com

QB288 V2 Rspec Quantum Board

Ultra High Efficiency LED Boards for DIY. QB288 V2 has 288pcs Samsung LM301H LED

horticulturelightinggroup.com

If you think your $89 Amazon board isn't disposable, please let me know how you plan to get replacement parts on non-warranty items or after warranty expiration.

 

[resinhead]

To put my originally quoted comments in perspective, you should have quoted this:



..and this..



If you think your $89 Amazon board isn't disposable, please let me know how you plan to get replacement parts on non-warranty items or after warranty expiration.

Thank you for the help with the grammar. I’d like to be a more effective communicator!

so I’ve always thought the parts are interchangeable on the boards. The heat sink on my model could use more thermalmass to be more effective, but it has a meanwell driver like the top end models like Hlg.

https://www.amazon.com/KQO-Boards-Samsung-Spectrum-Lighting/dp/B08JXBCRCP/ref=asc_df_B08JXBCRCP/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=475718218050&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=10547916580261092340&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9017594&hvtargid=pla-1121219038277&psc=1

This would be an option for a replacement pcb board without really looking into too hard.

 

[PadawanWarrior]

The cheap Amazon LED board I bought came with a 5 year warranty! 240 watt meanwell driver bridgelux diodes… $89 bucks
Follow the best deals thread that @Marq1340 is running to get a great deal like I did. It’s called The Best Deals Thread. Post Best Deals And Lowest Prices Links

Don’t you guys think the name brands are from China too?

 

[PJ Diaz]

Thank you for the help with the grammar. I’d like to be a more effective communicator!

so I’ve always thought the parts are interchangeable on the boards. The heat sink on my model could use more thermalmass to be more effective, but it has a meanwell driver like the top end models like Hlg.

https://www.amazon.com/KQO-Boards-Samsung-Spectrum-Lighting/dp/B08JXBCRCP/ref=asc_df_B08JXBCRCP/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=475718218050&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=10547916580261092340&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9017594&hvtargid=pla-1121219038277&psc=1

This would be an option for a replacement pcb board without really looking into too hard.

OK, so a couple of things here..

First off, I believe this is the light that you have: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08KY2R1T3/

Assuming that I'm correct, that replacement board you linked to on Amazon will not work as a replacement for your light.

Additionally, not all Meanwell drivers are equal. The one used in your light is warrantied by Meanwell for 5-years, while the HLG series Meanwell drivers are warrantied for 7-years. I'm willing to bet that the only part of your light that is covered by the 5-year warranty is the driver, but I could be wrong there. Either way, it's not so easy to get fly by night Amazon based companies to honor their warranties.

 

[PadawanWarrior]

OK, so a couple of things here..

First off, I believe this is the light that you have: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08KY2R1T3/

Assuming that I'm correct, that replacement board you linked to on Amazon will not work as a replacement for your light.

Additionally, not all Meanwell drivers are equal. The one used in your light is warrantied by Meanwell for 5-years, while the HLG series Meanwell drivers are warrantied for 7-years. I'm willing to bet that the only part of your light that is covered by the 5-yeear warranty is the driver, but I could be wrong there. Either way, it's not so easy to get fly by night Amazon based companies to honor their warranties.

Hahaha. Is that really the light he thinks he could switch to HLG boards, lol?

 

[PJ Diaz]

Hahaha. Is that really the light he thinks he could switch to HLG boards, lol?

I'm basing it on his comment here: https://www.rollitup.org/t/the-best...-and-lowest-prices-links.237610/post-16248194

I think this is the best value in led boards available right now

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08KY2R1T3/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[resinhead]

OK, so a couple of things here..

First off, I believe this is the light that you have: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08KY2R1T3/

Assuming that I'm correct, that replacement board you linked to on Amazon will not work as a replacement for your light.

Additionally, not all Meanwell drivers are equal. The one used in your light is warrantied by Meanwell for 5-years, while the HLG series Meanwell drivers are warrantied for 7-years. I'm willing to bet that the only part of your light that is covered by the 5-year warranty is the driver, but I could be wrong there. Either way, it's not so easy to get fly by night Amazon based companies to honor their warranties.

Yes. You’re right, that is the led I chose for my dive into this technology. I’m just hoping if any of them break that Amazon will honor the warranty in case the fly by night flew away.

I’m going to be rocking 3 of these vs an old single ended raptor 1000hps magnetic ballast in a side by side tents grow soon.

 

[PJ Diaz]

I’m just hoping if any of them break that Amazon will honor the warranty in case the fly by night flew away.

They won't. That's why I suggested to consider them as disposable.

 

[resinhead]

They won't. That's why I suggested to consider them as disposable.

Thanks for schooling me tonight.

And you too pandawanda! I didn’t know those hlg boards were made in Michigan.

 

[PadawanWarrior]

Thanks for schooling me tonight.

And you too pandawanda! I didn’t know those hlg boards were made in Michigan.

 

[resinhead]

View attachment 5040869

 

[gwhunran]

Update: I finally decided to get LEDs to replace the hps and mh lights.
I got two HLG 600 Rs. I have spent the last several days making the changes to the grow rooms. I have changed the exhaust set up since I am not pulling or pushing air through the lights. I already had a high mount fan in the old flower room to help with moisture and bugs, so now it can cool the top of the light too. I installed a high fan in the old veg room to do the same thing since it will now flower too.
Question about light power and height.
Is the dimmer linear? Does each click equal the same amount of change in power? If I measure the lumens at 24" and 30" and assume the PAR values listed in HLG's chart are correct can I extrapolate lumens at 75, 50, and 25% from full power lumens and use meter and turn dimmer to hit those values?
I will post pictures of the set up later.

The reason I asked the light intensity questions, is because I have read that led fixtures can burn the plants if too close, for the last ten grows with hps, I just put my hand at the plants top and if it wasn't too hot, good to go. 10 grows and no problems with light burn. Does anyone know the relationship between the dimmer position and power output?

 

[Lenin1917]

The reason I asked the light intensity questions, is because I have read that led fixtures can burn the plants if too close, for the last ten grows with hps, I just put my hand at the plants top and if it wasn't too hot, good to go. 10 grows and no problems with light burn. Does anyone know the relationship between the dimmer position and power output?

depends on the light, but you can download a par meter app for your phone and just keep it set to no higher than 1000par in the hotspot you shouldn’t see burns. I run my 480w at full power about 12in from the canopy once they finish stretching, till then I’m usually 24” 50-70% power. No light burn at 12” and full power though.

 

[Lenin1917]

I have bleached the colas on a few plants that got to close to their hps bulbs before though.

 

[Markshomegrown]

Any of the newer 480-650w bar or board leds will outperform a 600w hps/mh by a lot. Why such small yields? You just not using much of the space?

Guessing from your post, you've have had little or no experience growing under 600w hps.
medium adjust a wing (hood), new 600w bulb and a 600w digital ballast on a light rail will cover a 1.2 m x 1.5m with good results.
guessing a 480w led will cover a 1.2m x 1.2m.

If you have enough light to cover the canopy, leds vs hps makes little difference, you save some electric with LEDS but they cost 100's
HPS are really cheap to buy but cost more to run.

I am building my own leds and so far the results are really good, I can easily change my led chips(cheap quick and easy, plug and play)
it should cover a 1.2m x 1.2m at 700par @ 14" (very even spread, no hot spots, I spread the chips out until I have a good level spread, corners drop off a little but can't fix this. The led is 364w from the wall.
I will replace the led chips every 2 years (cost about £100).

Going to use it on my next run, side by side with my 600w HPS.

 

[grotbags]

Guessing from your post, you've have had little or no experience growing under 600w hps.
medium adjust a wing (hood), new 600w bulb and a 600w digital ballast on a light rail will cover a 1.2 m x 1.5m with good results.
guessing a 480w led will cover a 1.2m x 1.2m.

If you have enough light to cover the canopy, leds vs hps makes little difference, you save some electric with LEDS but they cost 100's
HPS are really cheap to buy but cost more to run.

I am building my own leds and so far the results are really good, I can easily change my led chips(cheap quick and easy, plug and play)
it should cover a 1.2m x 1.2m at 700par @ 14" (very even spread, no hot spots, I spread the chips out until I have a good level spread, corners drop off a little but can't fix this. The led is 364w from the wall.
I will replace the led chips every 2 years (cost about £100).

Going to use it on my next run, side by side with my 600w HPS.

guessing from your post you have had little to no experience growing under led.
hes not wrong a good 480watt led will beat a 600w sodium easy, a 650watt led will destroy it...
lol light mover, good one...