You're in luck. Check out Astir Grow's LED thread on riuI really want to order 2 of these lights, but so goddamn expensive..been waiting for leds to drop in price like the flat screen tvs did..bought a 44 inch tv for 500$ that sold for 1200 a couple years earlier...thought the leds would follow a similar price reduction over a couple years..just ain't happening..my cheap ass is still waiting for the ps3 to come down in price before i buy one.
You're in luck. Check out Astir Grow's LED thread on riu
Well...You sure spam that Astir LED a lot, and it's kind of bogus of you to do it in someone's grow journal.
Isn't it true your only LED experience whatsoever, is with a 90 watt UFO from 3 or 4 years ago?
Not that there is anything wrong with the Astir panels, but aren't those like $75 for 22 watts? That's $3.40 a watt for what they openly tell you are cheap Chinese parts.
1) They do work...Aren't they ?
2) Better be honest ,eh ? Almost 90% of any other panel in the market uses same quality (or even inferior ) parts....
3) 80% of the price is the heatsink...I do not think that you'll find a better price anywhere else,for 4 lbs of soft alum passive coolin'....
4)Spam ? Why is not so for any other led grow panel ,that other people suggest ? (i.e . Kessils or Area 51,or..,or...or... ,ect ) ..
Hmmmmm...Bothered,eh ?
Maybe a toe of yours is stepped on, really hard ,I guess....
Which means we're headin' the right way ....
Thanx.
....
I might stop by sometime for debate, maybe we can learn something from each other.The most impressive thing about these leds is the density of the buds they produce..is area51 the only light with that built in uvb switch?
We should take the "debate" on Astir's thread...
Both of us (and not only us )have a lot to learn from ....
We should take the "debate" on Astir's thread...
Both of us (and not only us )have a lot to learn from ....
How would you compare the Apache Tech to the AF600 ?A51 doesn't have UVB switches, just cool white, red and deep red, and 2 switches for 1/2 and full power.
I think you're thinking of Cali Lightworks. Doesn't seem to be a bad light at all, if I didn't build and sell my own LEDs, Cali Lw would be a light I would consider using, providing I didn't have enough money to buy an Apache Tech with red and white LEDs.
I might stop by sometime for debate, maybe we can learn something from each other.
How would you compare the Apache Tech to the AF600 ?
Thanks for the quick reply, I am looking forward to see the new lights!!!
Are you still working with FERO for the new series?
Thank You Brother Txchilies.MaryAnn Is Really Thriving In My CabShe is a crystal factory....ymmmmm, ymmm! A definate strain for future scroggin grows. Lookin MIGHTY FINE!
While I'm on the same ship with you considering the "smaller-medium sized panels over 1 large unit" part...I am a fan of multiple smaller-medium sized panels over 1 large unit...
....
....new 73° lenses....
While I'm on the same ship with you considering the "smaller-medium sized panels over 1 large unit" part...
I'm standing totally on the other side considering use of lenses....
Especially regarding steeper angles than 120°-130°...
We can have a nice analysis on that also ,my brother EraserHead ...
Area 51 led panels ,are really something I'd be buying for sure ,
if i wasn't on the DIY side myshelf ,researching for the Astir company...
Maybe I should get some of these...
I really would like to have to my collection (inside my tent,I mean...)
3-4 pieces of A51-60s'....(but without any lenses there for me... lol...)
Up till now ,they have proved that they work really fine ....
But that "lenses" thing .....
It affords some more of our "debate "...
Fair enough...Why I use lenses are for a few reasons.
1) An LED that is rated at 90° doesn't mean 100% of the beam is within that 90°, it means it is mostly within that range between 1-90, but there's plenty of light still emitted from 90-170, most of which will never make it to the plants because it is almost emitting sideways from the LED.
A lens "collects" those sideways lost beams and redirects them to the plants.
A lens may block out 10-15% of your light, but it saves the 40% you're gonna lose without them.
The 73°'s are custom made, that's the exact angle they need to be in the panel they're going in, so when the panel is 12" above the plants, there is a perfect intended footprint and 30w per square foot and more evenly spread out PAR. I paid a lot of money to get the mould made to make those lenses.
The lenses in the current panels are 80°, they are the closest to ideal for the panel sizes I have. There's no glass, it's just the LEDs > lenses >
2) I do sell the panels in fairly large volumes and to keep warranty costs down for me, the LEDs need to be protected. My choices are an older traditional glass face, which also blocks out 10-15% of light, but some of the light emitted emits between the circuit board and the glass and that was too much wasted light for me to not do anything about. My other choice are lenses, and if possible, with no glass face, which is what I have. Those Helixeon's from Heliopto are pretty costly, and the silicone domes can snap off easily if someone is trying to clean them too roughly...
My original plan were to use reflectors and bare LEDs, as that would deliver the most PAR possible, but the thought of all the broken LEDs stopped that plan...