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pSi007

Active Member
So what would you guys recommend for a 4x4 grow tent?



you want to fill up a 4x4 grow tent? Seriously, I would use x2 600-1000w HPS on light movers. Stay away from the LED unless you have mastered HID.. Just imagine if your LED bums out during the 4th week of bloom and you don`t know how to fix it or possess a valuable back-up. Another thing, LEDs are NOT designed to be left on more than 16-18 hours per day. They need a cooling period. If you run them 24-hours, expect a short life of maybe 5000 hours.

Another thing.. Everyone listen to this... I bought a BlackStar500 clone from Alibaba and it works great. However, I paid about $290 to have it shipped to my door and the receipt that came with it was in chinese but also sub-texted in English. It noted the sale price of the BlackStar 500 clone was $92.

....Keep in mind, this is a solid steel frame with multiple vents and motorized fans. Link to the exact same item here.
http://www.alibaba.com/product-gs/667817030/Blackstar_500w_168_3watt_LED_grow.html

Send them an Email, tell them you know they pay less than $100 each. Tell them you will buy one for $200 shipped, see what happens. ;) ..I worry about websites which don`t have any prices, like the one Jane listed.
 

guod

Well-Known Member
you want to fill up a 4x4 grow tent? Seriously, I would use x2 600-1000w HPS on light movers. Stay away from the LED unless you have mastered HID.. Just imagine if your LED bums out during the 4th week of bloom and you don`t know how to fix it or possess a valuable back-up. Another thing, LEDs are NOT designed to be left on more than 16-18 hours per day. They need a cooling period. If you run them 24-hours, expect a short life of maybe 5000 hours.
...
...good point!

eels.jpeg
 

Someacdude

Active Member
you want to fill up a 4x4 grow tent? Seriously, I would use x2 600-1000w HPS on light movers. Stay away from the LED unless you have mastered HID.. Just imagine if your LED bums out during the 4th week of bloom and you don`t know how to fix it or possess a valuable back-up. Another thing, LEDs are NOT designed to be left on more than 16-18 hours per day. They need a cooling period. If you run them 24-hours, expect a short life of maybe 5000 hours.

Another thing.. Everyone listen to this... I bought a BlackStar500 clone from Alibaba and it works great. However, I paid about $290 to have it shipped to my door and the receipt that came with it was in chinese but also sub-texted in English. It noted the sale price of the BlackStar 500 clone was $92.

....Keep in mind, this is a solid steel frame with multiple vents and motorized fans. Link to the exact same item here.
http://www.alibaba.com/product-gs/667817030/Blackstar_500w_168_3watt_LED_grow.html

Send them an Email, tell them you know they pay less than $100 each. Tell them you will buy one for $200 shipped, see what happens. ;) ..I worry about websites which don`t have any prices, like the one Jane listed.
Thank you, im thinking about running four 4x4 tents at a time, that way im always in harvest, i can go bigger, i need to take an accurate measurement to see what i can use, my thoughts where, start each tent from veg to bloom without moving the plants, thoughts?
 

ellydee

Well-Known Member
I try and stay up to date on what's posted in the Hydro section on eBay, do I have better things I could spend my time doing... maybe... maybe... ha

Im sure we've all noticed the repetition that runs these pages so I thought id try and mix things up a bit- try and get people to see, there ARE good brands out there.. and sometimes for a deal. Just have to put a little bit of effort into things... yah feel me? So, to keep things fresh..


Things that were posted tonight:

Lumigrow 330
http://www.ebay.com/itm/251334049330?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1438.l2649

Haight Solid State PPF-800
http://www.ebay.com/itm/181208942473?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1438.l2649

Solarstorm 400
http://www.ebay.com/itm/251333934116?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1438.l2649

Advanced LED Diamond Series- 300w, 450w, 600+...
http://www.ebay.com/itm/111161118973?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1438.l2649


I think a couple of those could be pretty sweet deals... sounds like Advanced has given one "special" seller the permission to sell all their diamond series models. "Premium Seller" lol
Those "Advanced" lamps are bogus.
They are Eshines.
They are not even close to actual Advanced lamps in build quality or spectrum.
I have both, Advanced DS 11 spectrum and Eshine 3g 11 spectrum and the differences are night and day.
 

Javadog

Well-Known Member
LEDs are NOT designed to be left on more than 16-18 hours per day. They need a cooling period. If you run them 24-hours, expect a short life of maybe 5000 hours.
A very provocative point indeed.

This suggests that LEDs are problematic at the design level when
it comes to supporting the Vegetation phase.

Too bad, as the 24/0, 20/4. etc, schedules are the most expensive,
power usage-wise

Thanks for taking the time.

JD
 

Shwagbag

Well-Known Member
I use (2) 150w 2011 spectras on 18/6 in 5 x 2.5' space for veg and they love them. No problems with the lights other than they don't work well for flowering. I've never tried 24/0. I've been running them for over a year.
 

FranJan

Well-Known Member
Yeah that's pure opinion about LEDs needing a break. In all the textbooks and articles I've read I've never seen anyone say they needed to be shutdown. That they need an off period. You get the right LED, you get proper cooling with a proper electrical source and it will keep going until it begins it's eventual fade. Will it last the mythical 50000 hours? Probably not but it won't do what psi007 is talking about. And just go into any Vegas casino's slot-machine parlor and see if they're shutting down their machine's lights. But please, if anyone has proof to the contrary let me/us know.

And you're right PSI. No one should be allowed to make a profit :roll:.
 

bioWheel

Well-Known Member
Yeah that's pure opinion about LEDs needing a break. In all the textbooks and articles I've read I've never seen anyone say they needed to be shutdown. That they need an off period. You get the right LED, you get proper cooling with a proper electrical source and it will keep going until it begins it's eventual fade. Will it last the mythical 50000 hours? Probably not but it won't do what psi007 is talking about. And just go into any Vegas casino's slot-machine parlor and see if they're shutting down their machine's lights. But please, if anyone has proof to the contrary let me/us know.

And you're right PSI. No one should be allowed to make a profit :roll:.

Consumer Reports has tested many LED lights and they say they've been on and going for YEARS - 24/7 - with hardly any light loss. And - the amount of time they've been working is way past any manufacturers warrantied hours.
 

syphex

Member
Always interested when I hear people bagging on chinese lights. How do you know the expensive companies aren't getting their lights from china? I'm sure you know most components are made there... I am concerned about scammers, but I'm sure some chinese lights are just as good, and cheaper due to lack of american resellers. Why do you think it matters which factory they come from? If they are using cheap BIN led's then I could understand.. but surely they want to protect their reputation? I've been in the LED game a while now.. and my opinion keeps alternating between those facts.
 

SnotBoogie

Well-Known Member
Always interested when I hear people bagging on chinese lights. How do you know the expensive companies aren't getting their lights from china? I'm sure you know most components are made there... I am concerned about scammers, but I'm sure some chinese lights are just as good, and cheaper due to lack of american resellers. Why do you think it matters which factory they come from? If they are using cheap BIN led's then I could understand.. but surely they want to protect their reputation? I've been in the LED game a while now.. and my opinion keeps alternating between those facts.
the expensive companies tend to keep their reputation by being USA/europe made with good components. The problem with the "chinese have to protect their reputation too" argument is that one of the biggest camps of LED panel buyers, especially those considering the budget end of the range, are simply not interested in looking up bins (if theyre even listed), and dont even have a way to measure "okay, this panel is performing X amount better or worse than the alternative". theyre just interested in the price vs probably wattage, which is obviously not the greatest indicator.

I should also add that i think that even the reputable and well regarded USA companies aren't putting out the very best lights they can in most cases. If you look up the bins they're using they're often not the best or newest. They too cutting a compromise between cost and benefit (i.e, using what they can get a reel of 10,000 of on sale or whatever) and while the price might be higher, the mark-up they are putting on the actual cost to them is probably larger.

This is part of the reason that I love DIY. It might not be economical for a huge company to use the best bin LEDs, but they aren't cultivating so they don't get their books balanced by the artificially inflated value of pot. Thanks i guess Gov't.
 

syphex

Member
the expensive companies tend to keep their reputation by being USA/europe made with good components. The problem with the "chinese have to protect their reputation too" argument is that one of the biggest camps of LED panel buyers, especially those considering the budget end of the range, are simply not interested in looking up bins (if theyre even listed), and dont even have a way to measure "okay, this panel is performing X amount better or worse than the alternative". theyre just interested in the price vs probably wattage, which is obviously not the greatest indicator.

I should also add that i think that even the reputable and well regarded USA companies aren't putting out the very best lights they can in most cases. If you look up the bins they're using they're often not the best or newest. They too cutting a compromise between cost and benefit (i.e, using what they can get a reel of 10,000 of on sale or whatever) and while the price might be higher, the mark-up they are putting on the actual cost to them is probably larger.

This is part of the reason that I love DIY. It might not be economical for a huge company to use the best bin LEDs, but they aren't cultivating so they don't get their books balanced by the artificially inflated value of pot. Thanks i guess Gov't.
What you say is true yes, but its becoming easier to differentiate those that are trying to sell to an uneducated market. I am very interested in DIY... I've had a look at some on rapidled.com but they probably mark up their price a bit too. I tried to look at some Phillips, Luxeon, Bridgelux, etc. Its hard to know which are better because they are all rated in lumens instead of umoles, and theres huge lists of them which are hard to distinguish.
 

FranJan

Well-Known Member
^^^Looks like any standard Chinese panel but here's what worries me. I'm pretty sure that Bridgelux doesn't make red leds so they're not telling the whole truth there and what's up with all the hate on the website about "Scammie"? I'd look elsewhere. Doesn't mean they don't work, it's just that I would do my business elsewhere.

http://bridgelux.com/products/ledchips.html

Here's some info to ask B-Lux themselves.

Markus Maile
Bridgelux, Inc. EMEA Contact
Phone: +49 7366 409330
Email: markusmaile@bridgelux.com
 

BTK3ill

Well-Known Member
If I am looking to grow in a small area 2x2 maybe 3x3 looking to yield a couple oz nothing crazy lets say somewhere between 3-5 oz heat being an issue to keep in mind considering I cannot put holes in the wall. What is a reasonable price range For a dependable average led setup to run this. Small personal grow
thanks
 

PSUAGRO.

Well-Known Member
If I am looking to grow in a small area 2x2 maybe 3x3 looking to yield a couple oz nothing crazy lets say somewhere between 3-5 oz heat being an issue to keep in mind considering I cannot put holes in the wall. What is a reasonable price range For a dependable average led setup to run this. Small personal grow
thanks
http://area51lighting.com/LED-Grow-Lights.html Quiet, low heat(150w) and once you dial in the rest(scrog/nutes/etc.) should get over 120gm dry every run for years easy.
 
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