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AllDayToker

AllDayToker

Well-Known Member
SomeGuy said:
IMO replace the t5 with Cree tubes. They look like flouro tubes but they are led. Good #s on them in the data sheets too for what they are.

I've been vegging w generic tubes like this. Up to 18 1gl smart pots w 60watts.
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So they would work in the T5 fixtures I have already? Do you go off of the same 25-30w/sqft with those?

I will be vegging 3 plants in 2-3g pots, then the last couple weeks of veg they get transplanted into 5s.
 
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az2000

Well-Known Member
AllDayToker said:
So you pretty much recommend just getting those Cree light bulbs and making a fixture?
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I like @SomeGuy 's recommendation to use Cree LED replacement tubes for your T5 fixture. That should be the same as using Cree lightbulbs from Home Depot, but much easier to mount since you already have the fixture.

I like the lightbulbs because they can be shaped around plants, whereas tubes are one flat plane. Lightbulbs are also more easily acquired at Home Depot.

You could do both. Add a lightbulb in each corner as sidelight in mid to late flower. (Depends on how many watts the LED t5 setup uses. The sweet spot for XBD or XTE diodes should be about 28-32w/sq ft in that space. More watts will produce more, but it's diminishing returns.).
 
AllDayToker

AllDayToker

Well-Known Member
az2000 said:
I like @SomeGuy 's recommendation to use Cree LED replacement tubes for your T5 fixture. That should be the same as using Cree lightbulbs from Home Depot, but much easier to mount since you already have the fixture.

I like the lightbulbs because they can be shaped around plants, whereas tubes are one flat plane. Lightbulbs are also more easily acquired at Home Depot.

You could do both. Add a lightbulb in each corner as sidelight in mid to late flower. (Depends on how many watts the LED t5 setup uses. The sweet spot for XBD or XTE diodes should be about 28-32w/sq ft in that space. More watts will produce more, but it's diminishing returns.).
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Well I honestly don't need a lot of side lighting, just the top canopy would be fine because they go into a scrog anyways. So yeah those LED bulb T5s would be perfect.

If I bought the bulbs I'd make some sort of fixture and hood anyways, and I kind of need low profile with the lack of height.

Would do you think about a DIY panel? So I could make a more stretched version of a normal panel, with the 3w bulbs and such.
 
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Heavy Consumer

Well-Known Member
mr.bricolag said:
hello,i need some help in chosing my led lights.I want to grow 3 autos.whats the best option to buy at this time?would be enough this setup?
MarsHydro 300W LED Grow Light 40cm Length, 5KG,170~180W True Watt Grow light


http://www.ebay.com/itm/MarsHydro-300W-LED-Grow-Light-40cm-Length-5KG-170-180W-True-Watt-Grow-light-/321370535386?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item4ad32d35da

Thanks guys
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No comment about the Mars Hydro light your asking about, but if you do decide to go ahead and purchase that brand, they have a rep' - "Smokesara" - who sells at a discount over in 420magazine (I think she offers 10% off, but not certain).

If you read back in this thread, you'll find plenty of opinions from people more knowledgeable than me about this and other brands that use Epiled/Epistar diodes.
 
REALSTYLES

REALSTYLES

Well-Known Member
mr.bricolag said:
hello,i need some help in chosing my led lights.I want to grow 3 autos.whats the best option to buy at this time?would be enough this setup?
MarsHydro 300W LED Grow Light 40cm Length, 5KG,170~180W True Watt Grow light


http://www.ebay.com/itm/MarsHydro-300W-LED-Grow-Light-40cm-Length-5KG-170-180W-True-Watt-Grow-light-/321370535386?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item4ad32d35da

Thanks guys
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I own that light as well as other Mars II lights. What's the size of your grow area? Because you'd be better off with the Mars II 400 watt. I have moved on from them to diy led panels. If you do decide with that one make sure you keep it at least 12" over your plants.
 
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mr.bricolag

New Member
REALSTYLES said:
I own that light as well as other Mars II lights. What's the size of your grow area? Because you'd be better off with the Mars II 400 watt. I have moved on from them to diy led panels. If you do decide with that one make sure you keep it at least 12" over your plants.
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my grow are will be 0.6 m2 (60x60).my budgets for lightning sys is 200$.
 
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az2000

Well-Known Member
Cococola36 said:
I really want to believe this was true lol....but the ol too good to be true saying keeps banging in my head
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There have been a couple threads about these lights. He uses XBD diodes which are a little old now. Not the most efficient by any means. His web page denigrates COBs -- but his own design is cramming a lot of XBD diodes into a small space like a COB. I.e., his criticism of COBs seems to apply to his own light.

He visited one thread and tried to answer questions/skepticism. But, a lot of what he said sounded like hype. Could never get to a PAR grid. (His posts and account were deleted as spam, which was unfortunate.).

The experts here think he's full of it. I'm still perplexed why someone would play up efficiency, the use of cree, denigrate cobs while essentially making his own from discrete LEDs, and be a scammer. I mean, the way most LED scammers work is by rebranding Chinese imports (epi-whatever fixtures). Kind, Lush, HydroGrowLED, GrowBlu, Blackdog. It's easy to see how they operate (lots of fluf, few details, not playing up the diodes they use because there's nothing special about it.). He plays up Cree, efficiency, etc., but is at *complete* odds with what is considered to be the most efficient here.

I'm still unclear about it. Seeing the grow results, it's hard to imagine how he could get those kind of results from XBDs. Like you said, it doesn't sound physically possible.
 
nomofatum

nomofatum

Well-Known Member
Cococola36 said:
I really want to believe this was true lol....but the ol too good to be true saying keeps banging in my head bongsmilie
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Yep, that video doesn't exactly scream confidence either. In our sloppy test we won, and by a landslide, lol. Did they actually run 315w in the same space as over 1000w? That is silly to begin with.
 
nevergoodenuf

nevergoodenuf

Well-Known Member
He is not using XBD's. I have the light with the XBD's. He is using a higher power chip (can't remember which one. It was deleted from the first thread). My light has 288 XBD's and his has almost half as many than mine. If you can find my post in the old thread, I posted my par #'s with a different hood on it. I tested my light for a 4'x4' foot print at less than 24". With the round reflector, it was to hot in the center, with out a reflector, everywhere in the 4'x4' area lost light, and with a square sunsystems hood, the light evened out the best. It definitely has more throw than my COB's.
I am starting to flower 14 36" to 40" OG's under it today.
 
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az2000

Well-Known Member
nevergoodenuf said:
He is not using XBD's.
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I thought @Greengenes707 said he was. I remember he said it a couple times and SKL didn't dispute it. I assumed it was undisputed.

If SKL uses something else, that would reduce the astonishment about his alleged yield.

It would be nice if he let someone do a side-by-side. Nobody here trusts him doing his own.

(But, it's kind of a moot point because it's such a large fixture and requires so much vertical space. I don't see many home growers using it.).
 
nevergoodenuf

nevergoodenuf

Well-Known Member
He was honest about the chips he was using, but I think my post got confused with his. He's using the chips (4 diode per chip, I think) I am thinking of having my next light or 2 made with. Cree announced the chip the week I bought my light. Anyone running a 4'x4' tent or bigger would be fine with this. But I would rip of that cone and change reflectors.
 
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