Flowering with the new 18w Cree LEDs

I really want to try the new 18w Cree LEDs.

Anybody have any suggestions how to use them? Light distance? how many watts to replace a 400w HPS? I would hope 300w would be enough to outperform the 400w hps considering the price.

I am considering 288w or 16 bulbs....

Which bulbs should i get? the warm white or the daylight? or if a mixture, what ratio?

I would like to get 4 clamp lights.. take the reflectors and clamps off. Hang the socket with 3 splitters so i can fit (4) 18w bulbs in each socket.

Should i hang them in a row? or like a diamond (1:2:1)?

If you are going to get LEDs, I recommend reading the data sheet and looking for the spectral output graph.

A 2700K CCT lamp will have similar results to an HPS due to it's high red and orange intensity. It's hard to say exactly how they will perform in relation to an HPS simply because no one has done significant photosynthetic spectral analysis on the cannabis plant. But, what I usually hear is 65-75% of the power behind an LED to replace a standard HID.

Something to consider as well, an 18W Cree, the COB LEDs, need a heat sink. They will burn up without one.

I have a 330 actual pull led that would outpruduce my 400 watt HPS. But a 600 watt would destroy it yield wise. Buds look better under the led though.

Sent from my LG-LS980 using Rollitup mobile app

LED's are a waste of time IMO.... go with 600w HPS min. anything else is childsplay.... Im running 3 1000w HPS over a bed, using the sea of green, in 5" netpots. Im using Sunshine #4 mix, and yield 7 lbs average. Thats approx 2.3 lbs per light.

with the 600w HPS i should be able to get enough buds in fewer harvests and I will be able to save myself over 200 bucks on the startup cost.

Thanks for the advise everybody!