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Stonesy

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Hey guys I am looking at starting another grow and this time I want to experiment with LEDs (I understand the pros and cons from both using and not using LEDs)

 

I would like to run the whole grow at 12volts. Meaning I would need to find 12 volt Led grow lamps suitable enough to supply 4 plants.

 

Have any of you done this and if so please share your story (or link me to it). Now I found some strip lights on ebay and wondered if anyone has had any experience with them or not or if anyone would know if they suitable. obviously i would need more than a meter. http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/1M-Plant-Grow-Light-12V-Waterproof-5050-LED-Strip-Light-Hydroponic-RED-BLUE-5-1-/121480237388?_trksid=p2054897.l4275

 

I am ideally wanting to solar power this grow completely! If anyone has any info on what the best items to use are it would be very helpful

 

 

 

 

 

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stonesy, pretty sure LED grow lights are 12 volt mate, the input power is 220-240volt than its converted and reduced to 12volt or less, i pulled the cover off mine but i cant remember the voltage of the power supplies inside

 

you really need 5watt diodes to grow with, alot of guys are saying genuine 3watt diodes are ok for veg but stuggle for penetration in flower

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stonesy, pretty sure LED grow lights are 12 volt mate, the input power is 220-240volt than its converted and reduced to 12volt or less, i pulled the cover off mine but i cant remember the voltage of the power supplies inside

 

you really need 5watt diodes to grow with, alot of guys are saying genuine 3watt diodes are ok for veg but stuggle for penetration in flower

 

 im using led.. have been for a few years... 3w chips.. take a look at my grow log... they are nice.. not brilliant but i rekin they do pretty good.

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I am using MarsHydro 300w with 5w LEDs and it has been brilliant. Just make sure to keep the light at the recommended distance otherwise you get some strange leaf burns. You don't get the heat with LEDs so this is great for summer growing but in winter things slow down a bit. On the plus side the LEDs use far less power and don't seem to attracted the wrong sort of attention from the power company and the blue gang.
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On the plus side the LEDs use far less power and don't seem to attracted the wrong sort of attention from the power company and the blue gang.

The heater in front of me uses more power than all three of my grow tents combined.  When you start looking at things like TVs, computers, stoves, fridges, air conditioners, etc. grow lights don't use all that much power.  The real issue is that we use them for 1/2 - 3/4 of the day, every day, and that use not only adds up come bill time but thanks to timers we put a repeated usage pattern on them too.  See its not the fact that you're drawing 400w that's suss, it's the fact that it's done for exactly 12 hours a day at exactly the same time that rings alarm bells but I wouldn't worry too much because power companies aren't in the business of giving their customers away.  If you get raided that means you use less power which means less profits for them and since they've got shareholders I wouldn't worry about power consumption at all unless it was being stolen.  You mess with their money and they'll definitely send the police but otherwise you're a-ok to draw as much power as you can afford.

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Johnnydark I see you found the joy of LED bleaching...something I never encountered in teh same way with HPS...you burn things with an HPS but LED just turn things dead white...its freaky (and sadly not good)

Yes the bleaching was a little disconcerting when it first happened. I thought at first it was a deficiency or something I was doing wrong then I read an article about how the LEDs had to be a minimum of 12 to 14 inches from the canopy. Once I adjusted the light to the right distance, no more problems.

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