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Time for a light upgrade .. CMH or LED or stay with HPS


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check out some info on youtube, might change your mind. LED is def not for everyone but the results some guys are getting far surpass HPS for me. I could link you 10 videos on youtube now but instead will give you one quality video to peruse when time permits. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qwt3FL7NYPU

not trying to convince you either way, just sharing some of what has led me to try LEDs over HPS, I'm in a small 4x4 tent so heat is also more of an issue for me and wouldn't he keen to jam a 1000w HPS in there haha, but I would stick 10 COB LEDs in there and possibly get more light/better spread/higher yield and use about 60% of the power. 

So what am I looking at here

24 COB in 6 units at 200w each so 1200 watts ?? 

So just over a gram a watt. 

Cost ?? would I be right saying $300 to $500 a light so $1800 to $3000 set up .

So is a smaller grow say 3 units diminish the returns. 

That's a lot of lights ,I like the spread but investing that much wow..

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We are all aware that people put a lot of stuff on youtube etc which is designed to get views, and if that means "stretching the truth", then there's a lot of people that do that, and not just with canna.  I am always a bit wary of any online video claiming super results, it's not hard to fake it.  Don't see how 3 lb off 1200w is better than HPS either, it's an easily acheivable number if you grow specifically for weight with 2 x 600 HPS

 

I'd rather go on the results I've seen here.  And whilst I've seen a lot of improvement with LED results, they're just not for me still.  If they work for others, that's great, but price for the good units is simply too high for their effectiveness.

 

And whilst I've become a fan of CMH/LEC, I would have to agree that the 315w's aren't really a direct replacement to a 600w HPS, they don't have quite the spread and penetration, or the same growth rates in veg, but I'm not sure if using the veg globe would make a difference to that.  But on balance, the better spectrum, and lower heat output, makes up for that slight performance drop when compared to a 600w, add in power savings and they are a winner for anyone who has to put up with hotter climates.  CMH lights have also been coming down in price, slowly, but I'm not sure the same can be said for LED's at the quality end.

 

End of the day, if the plants and the grower are both happy, then that's all that matters.

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There looks like a bit of tip burn on the leaves too...How do you get tip burn under LED ??? This I agree could have been grow under a 2 hps then swapped over for the video.

Thats why Im asking question on here and from trusted grow shop sources.

I spoke to a eastern suburbs long time shop owner yesterday about this and from his customer base ,the results are just not their yet and the few experienced growers he know's that have tried LED COB have all swapped back to HPS or LEC as he calls CMH .. 

Im still far from convinced and I cant invest in a maybe without more proof. 

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wow tough crowd here. I would consider GreenGene one of the more reputable guys on youtube. Not to mention he has a shitload of other videos showing the grow process from start to finish under his lights. 

He also has a side business making the exact lights he's using for anyone who wants to buy them. You can get tip burn under LED from strong nutes or light burn from being too close to a light, same as a HPS.

 

That's just one video and hot even his best results, just an average run and he had some issues at the start. Around 3.2lb of mids and tops only, and another 12-13oz of lower buds so nearly 4lb all up. Around 1500w of LED light all up or about 1gram per watt if you don't count the larf. Also worth noting that is not a high yielding strain I believe he is a medicinal grower so chuck something designed to produce weight and might be a better result. 

 

As I said not trying to convert anyone, but for a kit of 10 COB LEDs it's about $1300 and then maybe another $100 to make a frame, the way I see it is that the first grow would easily pay for the lights and whatever else you need and then you're in the green so to speak. I've seen some much better results on youtube like on growmau5's channel he has done up to 1.9 g per watt driving 32 COBs at 700ma which gives great spread, great light and low power so high efficiency. 

 

For me it's worth trying especially as I like to DIY, i'll be sure to share my results here in about 6 months time :)

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Traviss .if you decide to use 600 w it might be worth checking these out .

 

$550.00 at EppingDouble Ended Digital Light Kit

 

There is some power saving if using the dim function while in veg but can also go to 660 w in flower if needed.

 

 

Pasted from Epping hydro.

 

The HI-PAR 600w DE Combo Pro kit is a seriously powerful cultivation tool. Featuring the latest Digital DE HPS Technology all in one easy complete kit! Affordable excellence for hobby and commercial growers alike!

Utilising Digital 400v Technology alongside a powerful DE bulb, these fixtures will seriously out-perform any old technology in horticultural lighting. More usable light for your plants means bigger and healthier harvests from your crops!

Hi-PAR has become Australia’s leading hydroponic lighting supplier. Providing powerful, durable and affordable digital lighting luminaires, Hi-PAR is loved by commercial and hobby growers alike.

Our 600w DE Combo Pro Kit has been designed to provide you with beautiful plant growth and seriously impressive flowers. Included in our Kit is the formidable 600w Double-Ended Horticultural HPS bulb, our own Hi-PAR Simple Wing DE Reflector with powder coated MIRO aluminium, and powered by the award-winning 600w 400v Hi-PAR Digital Ballast!

This ballast uses 400v technology housed within premium German engineering; making it the most powerful 600w fixture available in Australia! Tested and trialled with a range of production horticulture crops in research facilities, Hi-PAR has been proven to deliver outstanding results with incredible longevity!

Our digital lighting is available at all good hydroponic retailers throughout Australia.

600w Ballast + HI-PAR SIMPLE WING Reflector + 600w DE Horticultural 400v lamp!

combo kit pro box 600w hps fixture

 

post-57984-0-37634200-1489544159_thumb.pngpost-57984-0-88611800-1489544174_thumb.png

 

Don't know if anyone here uses these though .

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There rae two different COB's u may be confusing the good with the bad... the badare the "Purple" COB's out of china they are no better than the standard LED's that are flooding the market

 

than there are the "White" LED COB's which are kick ass

 

proof is in the pudding as they say, my girls were as seed form 27 days ago soaking in water today one is just under 50cm and one just over 50cm tall i believe the COB "White" LED's do work but you'll all have to wait untill i see some bud

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There rae two different COB's u may be confusing the good with the bad... the badare the "Purple" COB's out of china they are no better than the standard LED's that are flooding the market

 

than there are the "White" LED COB's which are kick ass

 

proof is in the pudding as they say, my girls were as seed form 27 days ago soaking in water today one is just under 50cm and one just over 50cm tall i believe the COB "White" LED's do work but you'll all have to wait untill i see some bud

And the cost to buy the COB's you have ? and whats the wattage in total. 

I can build my own if I wanted without an issue .

But what Im having trouble with is the amount of false and misleading information .

 

Traviss .if you decide to use 600 w it might be worth checking these out .

 

$550.00 at EppingDouble Ended Digital Light Kit

 

There is some power saving if using the dim function while in veg but can also go to 660 w in flower if needed.

 

 

Pasted from Epping hydro.

 

The HI-PAR 600w DE Combo Pro kit is a seriously powerful cultivation tool. Featuring the latest Digital DE HPS Technology all in one easy complete kit! Affordable excellence for hobby and commercial growers alike!

Utilising Digital 400v Technology alongside a powerful DE bulb, these fixtures will seriously out-perform any old technology in horticultural lighting. More usable light for your plants means bigger and healthier harvests from your crops!

Hi-PAR has become Australia’s leading hydroponic lighting supplier. Providing powerful, durable and affordable digital lighting luminaires, Hi-PAR is loved by commercial and hobby growers alike.

Our 600w DE Combo Pro Kit has been designed to provide you with beautiful plant growth and seriously impressive flowers. Included in our Kit is the formidable 600w Double-Ended Horticultural HPS bulb, our own Hi-PAR Simple Wing DE Reflector with powder coated MIRO aluminium, and powered by the award-winning 600w 400v Hi-PAR Digital Ballast!

This ballast uses 400v technology housed within premium German engineering; making it the most powerful 600w fixture available in Australia! Tested and trialled with a range of production horticulture crops in research facilities, Hi-PAR has been proven to deliver outstanding results with incredible longevity!

Our digital lighting is available at all good hydroponic retailers throughout Australia.

600w Ballast + HI-PAR SIMPLE WING Reflector + 600w DE Horticultural 400v lamp!

combo kit pro box 600w hps fixture

 

attachicon.gifIMG_1270.PNGattachicon.gifIMG_1269.PNG

 

Don't know if anyone here uses these though .

Cheers ..I spoke with them today about their range ( Think the young bloke i spoke to is a early morning Stoner or only had an hours sleep lol ) I will have to go in and have a look at their display.. When I rang I asked if the shop was busy and if he had a minute to spare to discuss the lights. That Seemed to take him by surprise . lol

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