Led Growing Is The Way Of The Future My Friends

[Dan Kone]

i was at home depot earlier looking at t-5's. they are a ripp off. 23 inch single strip that uses a 14 watt, 700 lumen bulb for 65 and it doesn't come with a bulb. you can go to the hydro shop and get a sunblaze 4 foot single strip with bulb for 35 after tax and that puts out 5000 lumens.

wow. That's quite the opposite from up here. You can't buy a t5 for under $100 at any hydro store around here. And the home depot has sick t5's as long as you don't mind doing the wiring yourself. If you can get sick t5's at your local hydro store for a reasonable price, do that.

 

[hyroot]

in the hydrofarm catalog the single strip(one bulb) 4 foot t5 is priced at 32.95. every shop goes by that catalog. they usually take 20% off of that too. get a catalog and show it to your local hydro shop. going to hydro shop is like going to a car dealership. you never pay the sticker price. got to haggle a little. i tell them its a buyers market. if you can't do it for this price im going to go somewhere else. im in cali and i even use htgsupply prices to haggle with these shops. and htg is on the other side of the country

 

[budleydoright]

Had an interesting conversation with a lighting director for a major pop act. He told me they are having a lot of issues with color shift in the first few thousand hours of use with their LEDs. He told me that at this time there is no way to accurately and reliably maintain the desired color spectrum over time.
Now I don't know if this shift is enough to create issues in our hobby or just make his girl look a little yellow onstage. Just thought it was interesting.

 

[maylee]

Had an interesting conversation with a lighting director for a major pop act. He told me they are having a lot of issues with color shift in the first few thousand hours of use with their LEDs. He told me that at this time there is no way to accurately and reliably maintain the desired color spectrum over time.
Now I don't know if this shift is enough to create issues in our hobby or just make his girl look a little yellow onstage. Just thought it was interesting.

This is an issue with Binning LEDs. It could be an issue if one LED wavelength shifted one way and an adjacent one shifted the opposite

 

[Bad Karma]

Had an interesting conversation with a lighting director for a major pop act. He told me they are having a lot of issues with color shift in the first few thousand hours of use with their LEDs. He told me that at this time there is no way to accurately and reliably maintain the desired color spectrum over time.

That's because he is using much larger lights that are made for brightness and aren't properly designed for heat distribution.
The LED's we use in our gardens are (usually) "undercranked", meaning the diodes are not powered to their full potential.
Which helps keep the temperature down and elongates the life of said diodes.
Whatever light this band is using is obviously overheating and decaying the spectrum at a very accelerated rate.
This is why so many people make a big deal about the heat sinks in LED lights, as a good heat sink in your light is invaluable.

 

[maylee]

The overheating sounds right as far as shifting colors. Keeping LED's properly cooled is a big deal. Heat-sink design especially for the much higher wattage's can be an issue.

 

[curly604]

just postin update on my little tent setup its about week 3 of flowering dwc 120w led + 4 23w cfl suppliment lighting for my little 12/12 from seed experiment girls

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I3o97HOk_Cg

 

[WattSaver]

Okay I've been using LED for over a yr. and have 6 grows. When I purchased my light UFO just started selling a 3 spectrum lights, and there were only 2 different company's that sold a light with 3w diodes (neither is in business today). Mine was from GrowItLed.com. It is a 6 band 375, 425, 630, 660, 720 (IR) & some white color I can't remember. It is a combination of 1w & 3w diodes, lens are 120 degree. It draws 385 watts, and was advertised as a 350w lamp and I believe it really has 350w draw on diodes or close to it. I don't know the ratio of 1 to 3 watt bulbs or in which spectrum the 3w are in. I do know that the 3w bulbs are running full strength, which is one of the faults that this particular light has, because I have to keep the lamp at a distance so the 3w's don't stunt the plants and that is to far for useful penetration distance of the 1w bulbs.

The light works well, but I can't say great. Plant growth is fantastic through all phases except for the last few weeks of flower, where flower production is slow, I have not finished any grow in a 8 wk period, it always takes at least 9 if not 11. I've added 105w cfl's to help with the finish.

Here's a few photos from previous grows.
C-99 in 6 qt soil pot, Osomocote nutes

NLxBB 3gal soil Osmocote fert

Bud Shots

DJ Flo 2gal Hempy again Osmocote with some LST work done

Grow in progress 3 different strains. 2wks into flower notice the height of the lamp.

Bottom line LED's do work, are they a replacement for HID? Mine is not but the technology seems to keep advancing.
Advantages:
NO HEAT (less that a 100w cfl)
Tight inter-nodal growth
High quality final product (many hps growers have stated that my buds are more stony)
Disadvantages:
Slow final growth
short light penetration distance (this leads to more work trying to keep the canopy at one height) I'm trying my 1st scrog because of this.

 

[newworldicon]

Lower yield...

Growing weed is a very personal thing, not everyone is looking for tons of the final product, some people would rather have less better quality than more lesser quality product. each to their own.

By the by there is enough info on LED capability out there for people to make informed decisions as to whether they want to go with them or not, they don't need you to tell them otherwise all the time.

It seems your'e on a personal crusade to inform the world of LED misconceptions....well nobody's asking you so STFU.

 

[WattSaver]

Lower yield...

Yes but you missed the point of higher quality smoke. From what I've seen my lamp yields about 85 to 90% of what a 400w heat lamp does but it is early 3w technology. I've followed comparative grows with the newer breed of 3w units and they have equaled the yield of the same sized heat lamp. Without the need for a vented hood, ac, extra ventilation, and less water. And the coup de grâce is that LED smoke was better in all comparison grows I've seen.

 

[Harrekin]

But you should list it as one of the disadvantages in your comparison purely for accuracy. Its overlooked alot and definately should be part of the equation if you're recommending it to someone who doesnt know better.

 

[curly604]

OK so i think that a few big misconceptions should be cleared up for anyone just lookin upon this thread FIRST off im am not and i dont plan on being an led provider, im a young business man that is much more interested in other parts of the "feild" so my info/ the info on this thread should only be taken as "educated advice" if someone on here is undeniably telling you to buy something you probly shouldnt do it unless you have done proper research and made sure the person isnt a rep for the company swindling you into buying their product.

NEXT on the block is the "myth" that led lights can out produce an hps system. now i oly say this is a "myth" because to my knowledge / i have never seen beginning to end a led setup that could outproduce a hps system..... but at that what i have seen is new 2 and 3w systems that are able to run as much yeild and a better product than a hps setup. this alone is a huge advantage to use leds for me just because of the lack of hoods,fans,ventalation, and climate controll which always prove to be very expensive both up front and to run over long periods of time. so basically what im trying to say is that when companies say that their product will cover this much space(usually much more than the truth) and will run as good as a 600w hps with half the wattage or whatever they are just trying to sell their product to run with a higher class than it should. i would say that it is defiantly possible and probly close down the road that some one will make an led that can out produce an hps system no prob but im happy with the fact that their are systems available to do just as good in the yeild department and even put out finer product, because then they are cheaper to run overall and comparitive price wise to the whole system you usually need especially if your in a hot climate to cool your hps heat lamps.

people often make gross claims without even thinking about those factors like " led are so fucking expensive compared to hps" but they usually seem to just be talking about the light setup i.e. the ballast(shitty),light fixture(shitty),bulb and maybe shitty hood. but they forget to add the cost of a good system possibly cooled light fixtures/hoods , the big fans your gonna need to move ut all that hot air, possible airconditioning units , bulb replacement ect. ect. they would easily be spending as much as even some of the most expensive led units.

AND last usually most important for me as i like to travel and stuff like that and not have to be tied down watching these crazy hps heat lamp systems that are becoming outdated and in my eyes just straight up dangerous for most growers who are stupid stoners (me included lol) who cant even remember to pass the joint let alone not burn your house down cause you forgot to check on your setup. this is especially true for the growers in hot climates ...... which is most growers everywhere haha. it just seems stupid to me when its already 30 degrees out Celsius 85 in your crazy imperial system. and then you throw on an intense heat lamp in your probably shitty built house (that you hopefully rent so you dont lose your house if you get busted ) it just seems rediculous to me. and its no wonder why there`s such a bad rep on grow ops in the media when these ass hats are burning down there whole block and killing people and shit. anyway not saying thats everyone at all but it just goes to show...... in conclusion ive stated before that i have had great success in the past with hps soil setups and that now with the new emerging technologies i find it very much in my advantage to use leds and a hydro setup in replacement. this is just info i passing on for other people to use if you like hps then hey good on ya bro use it to your hearts content but dont come on my thread bashing leds with ridiculous second hand word of mouth bullshit that probly came from some newb that couldnt figure his shit out or got sold thinking a 300w led system will match up against a 600w hps.also most led claims shuld be thrown out anyay cause new people on the grow scene have the new option to use leds so they do and they suck and then leds look bad to everyone.

so bash on that ya fuckin haters and if you do just remember ....... SUCK IT EASY

 

[Harrekin]

So you're in the business of LEDs then? How about you fuck off with your sales pitch bullshit and let us get back to some genuine,objective and honest discussion maybe?

 

[curly604]

So you're in the business of LEDs then? How about you fuck off with your sales pitch bullshit and let us get back to some genuine,objective and honest discussion maybe?

is that aimed at me? I AM NOT A LED DISTRIBUTOR NOR DO I PLAN TO BE!!!!!!! how much more simple can i make it jesus christ !!!

 

[Bad Karma]

let us get back to some genuine,objective and honest discussion maybe?

That would be great...when are you leaving?

 

[dannyboy602]

I just bought two blackstar LEDs. I have two 1000w HPS in another room. I'm skeptical of led performance but WTF it's all an experiment. When I reap my first led harvest I'll know for sure. And I'll start a thread about it

 

[WattSaver]

I just bought two blackstar LEDs. I have two 1000w HPS in another room. I'm skeptical of led performance but WTF it's all an experiment. When I reap my first led harvest I'll know for sure. And I'll start a thread about it

If you are going to journal this grow please let me know I'd like to watch.
I'd like to know which units you've got comin'

And I hope your realize that a LED and a 1000w HPS grow are way different.

 

[DrFever]

as technology grows so does other ends of spectrum ) LED to me means fck all and as for big time grow ops leds means fck all
i seen posts of guys bragung up LEDS to me they still cant touch hps and MH few posts back i saw a guy in flower 14 days ) and no buds showing with LEDs and CFL's look here 1000 watt day 18 as my climate is hotter not running the power but in winter when i run the power of over 1 million lumens and from a 4 " clone and in 2 weeks there 18" high lmao love to see a LED touch that oh and for yield 1136 grams dry per 1000 watt area

 

[GeeTee]

i would take a little lower yield anyday for much less heat, very little heat signature, lower energy bills, quality buds, and peace of mind

 

[DrFever]

i would take a little lower yield anyday for much less heat, very little heat signature, lower energy bills, quality buds, and peace of mind

you talkin heat signature its against the law to use FLir without a search warrant most big time grow ops jump power or run alternative as for quality buds Says who had mine tested against 3 others and it blew them all away so much people wanted my nute program recipe amazing when you use humic acid and micro nutrients Quality bud = what you feed it and lumens

what many people seem to forget is that to run proper lighting and give your plants what they need also i might add is searching the strain there growing and run room as close to the actual climates where they came from were all Gods of our own grow rooms
Wheelie on dude )