Well I purchased 3 new Igrow lights 2 flower and one Veg, The selling point for me was that INDA-GROW needed such an expensive add on pontoon. The Igrow had a specific Bloom bulb wich in a pinch as it turns out can be used during Veg.
When my new lights were delivered it was obvious one of the lamps was broken in shipping even before opening the box it was the Veg light by the way.
A quick call to the dealer and a new bulb arrived within 48 hr's UPS no cost to me no BS just a new bulb. I ended up having to put plants under a bloom light for a few days while I waited for the replacement Veg lamp.
And you are correct the lamps are not that easy to replace not something I would want to try with the fixture hanging but I wouldn't say impossible, I would definitely put it on a table tho.
A quick look at ballasts and your right I don't see any UL stickers of approval nor any FCC approvals hmmm.......
This company's Parent company is an American lighting company too ???? It does seam odd to me that they a Major US lighting mfg would just forget or neglect to get those certs to me too.
I just took it for granted that they were being sold in USA and had to be UL listed? bad on me.....
I do like how the Ballast's are power smart they know if they are plugged into 220 or 110 without rewiring them! just simply plug into adapter plug to run them on 220 electrical.
I am a very new grower and only had the lights now for 1.5 months I cant say how they compare to any thing else as I have never grown any thing before nor do I have any other lights to compare them too nor do I have any experience growing ANYTHING!.
I really don't know where any of this stands? but for me it was not needing the Pontoon and I think the technology the pontoon is bringing to the table is altogether something different any way as far as new Plant lighting requirements and technology goes any way cutting edge stuff I am in no way knocking it. I'm also 100% sure the IGROW would benefit from the added Pontoon/added LED lighting as well.
As far as My Judgment goes on IGROW my jury is still out, Do they work? Yes!, BUT I am too much of a noob at growing any thing to really know how to use them to their full potential yet to make a good judgment to say yay or nay on being what they say they are.
I thank Spliff Yourself Chaz and SteveG and my own freedom of choice for my decision of which lights to try in the end it was the Pontoon specifically its price tag! which when added to purchase price of a new 420 was WAY more than a single Igrow, INDA-GROW had me till they came out with the Pontoon.
IGROW had specific bulb for flowering nothing more needed, BUT I bet it would benefit from the same technology that Inda-grow is using to supplement with using the Pontoon.
I thank all of you guys for putting your ideas and feelings and experience out there on these forums for others to benefit from.
Hi there Doright.
thanks for joining in the conversation; i'm eager to see your garden! i'm not knocking you at all with this, but i'd LOVE to see a single iGrow grow come to a decent harvest.
i wanted to take a moment tho, to correct your assumption that the pfr-Pontoon is "needed". take a peek at my older YouTube videos, if you haven't already. a single Pro-420-PAR gives pretty damn solid results in bloom on it's own. the pfr-Pontoon is an optional add-on that not only addresses the plant's metabolic increase in bloom with targeted Chlorophyll A stimulation, but also incorporates a Pfr ground state shift in the plant at lights off.
and based on my experience to date, with not only t5/cfl/HPS, but also a 200w and a 400w iGrow (aka Full Spectrum Solutions - the OEM that charges half what iGrow charges), a pair of Inda-Gro Pro-200-PARs, 3 420-PARs, and 2 pfr-Pontoons; the 420/Pontoon approach gives the best versatility for established plants.
allow me to explain:
imagine that you have a tent set up with a 420 and a Pontoon. you toss your babies in and rock the 420 solo for veg... you scrog them all up in the tent, and now they're hard to move...
oops! it's bloom time now! thank goodness you don't have to crawl in there and change a hood or bulb... you just plug the Pontoon in to the timer and set it to 12/12, and now you have enhanced day spectra and pfr state switch.
done with that run? just unplug the Pontoon and clean up for the next veg run...
oh, and the 2 combined weigh something like 17 lbs. light movers stay cool!
at least that's what my plans are, for 3 tents...
the iGrow "solution" is separate bulbs; and their bloom bulb, you go on to admit would most likely see benefit from the Pontoon as well. but look at the math of Inda-Gro vs iGrow too:
iGrow:
200w Veg light ($850) + 400w Bloom light ($1200) = $2050
-you have to change the fixture as you switch to bloom; i hope you designed your garden according to having to accommodate that.
-fixtures are too heavy for light movers and will burn them out (i know this from personal experience).
Inda-Gro:
Pro-420-PAR ($795) + 420-pfr-Pontoon ($745) = $1540
-will not require changing anything from veg to bloom.
-will veg the plants at 420w; more plant growth faster - less veg time required to achieve given desired canopy size before bloom (faster cycle speed).
with just that analysis, it looks like you went with the option that costs $500 more, and left you able to say "I'm also 100% sure the IGROW would benefit from the added Pontoon/added LED lighting as well."
but you said the Pontoon is what pushed you away from Inda-Gro...
maybe i've had one too many dabs...
or maybe i need another?
light pink......my last two left and it will go back to all white for veg, not spending any more $$$
