I'd buy an led grow light if they.....

[Ninjadogma]

Electric prices are ridiculous for me! My two little tents combined don’t use much more than 200w but I still notice a dent.

CPUC has implemented a time of use (TOU) billing system for the California grid. I only use grow lights for supplemental light and to make sure I pay the least amount of money for the electricity, I have it programmed to kick on after midnight when rates are their lowest. I was peeking at rates last year and it was something like 52 cents per kilowatt during peak period and 8 cents during super off peak period. I can run that light for 6 hours at night for what it costs me for one hour during the day with the price difference.

 

[Person]

CPUC has implemented a time of use (TOU) billing system for the California grid. I only use grow lights for supplemental light and to make sure I pay the least amount of money for the electricity, I have it programmed to kick on after midnight when rates are their lowest. I was peeking at rates last year and it was something like 52 cents per kilowatt during peak period and 8 cents during super off peak period. I can run that light for 6 hours at night for what it costs me for one hour during the day with the price difference.

Yeah I think it’s a bit like that here too, I just haven’t looked into it yet. I probably will though!

 

[Person]

Yeah I think it’s a bit like that here too, I just haven’t looked into it yet. I probably will though!

In fact, fuck it, I’ll do it now. My plants are still new so I’ll turn off my system today, then set it to run through the night. I’ll see if I can find out what our peak times are here?

 

[KG1]

CPUC has implemented a time of use (TOU) billing system for the California grid. I only use grow lights for supplemental light and to make sure I pay the least amount of money for the electricity, I have it programmed to kick on after midnight when rates are their lowest. I was peeking at rates last year and it was something like 52 cents per kilowatt during peak period and 8 cents during super off peak period. I can run that light for 6 hours at night for what it costs me for one hour during the day with the price difference.

I'm the UK we have economy seven from midnight till seven much cheaper.

I run all my inefficient grow lights during that period and my efficient ones during the day lol

 

[KG1]

Why dont you buy more than one led diode? Led come in all wavelenghts

Here is somr ai put out for 300w
1. White Base (total ~175 W)

6 × Samsung LM301B 3000K strips (e.g., Bridgelux EB Gen3, Samsung F-series, 50 cm @ ~25–30 W each)

2 × Bridgelux EB Gen3 2200K strips (50 cm @ ~12–15 W each)


(These run on aluminum bars or heatsinks, wired in series-parallel.)


---

2. Red Channels

Red 620–630 nm (Osram Oslon SSL or Luminus SST-20 Red, ~3 W each @ 700 mA)
→ Buy 7 pcs (~20 W total)

Deep Red 660 nm (Osram Oslon SSL 660, 3 W each)
→ Buy 15 pcs (~45 W total)

Far-Red 730 nm (Osram Oslon 730 nm, 3 W each)
→ Buy 7 pcs (~20 W total)



---

3. Near-IR

Mix of 850 nm + 940 nm diodes for radiant heat

Use Luminus SST-20-IR or Osram SFH series (~3–5 W each)
→ Buy 8–10 pcs total (~35 W)


(e.g., 5 pcs @ 850 nm + 5 pcs @ 940 nm for a balanced IR glow)


---

4. Blue (450 nm)

2 × Cree XPE2 Blue (3 W each) → ~6 W total



---
You have to diy because it not logical to make a lamp that gives less

Plenty of lamps give less efficiency just ask mars hydro what their base range produces lol.

Maybe there's more hps attuned LEDs out there than the standard grow ones in top spec stuff though I wouldn't know but sure some light manufacturers could clear this point up.

 

[amneziaHaze]

I guess mayve for a tan bed maybe but i dont think anybody is crazy enough to make a lamp where almost 50% of light is not plant usable(photosyntesis)

 

[KG1]

I guess mayve for a tan bed maybe but i dont think anybody is crazy enough to make a lamp where almost 50% of light is not plant usable(photosyntesis)

Define non plant usable light, almost all a HPS spectrum is used...

 

[amneziaHaze]

Define non plant usable light, almost all a HPS spectrum is used...

You know how leds do 2.5g/w and hps do 1.5g/w its because of usable light.the ir part the heat doesnt do much for photosyntesis
Soo yes almost all is usable just not the 40%

 

[BeefyBully]

They made a High pressure sodium equivalent as in the spectrum and only 250/400/600/1000watt dimmer settings plus overdrive.

Sometimes I'm not buying a car for the best mpg or top speed, maybe I want something in the garage for the weekend and a nostalgic trip down memory lane.

Would it be too much for some company to do a special run, you know something for that grower that already has every light and grows more than he can smoke and sell already.

Feel like something I might want!?!?

yes understood, I feel the same way about a grow tent. I need a tent customized to my needs. chances are I'm going to have to modify or design & build.

 

[Person]

In fact, fuck it, I’ll do it now. My plants are still new so I’ll turn off my system today, then set it to run through the night. I’ll see if I can find out what our peak times are here?

I just set the timer for 8pm to 8am. Hopefully the plants aren’t too pissed off about being put on night shifts. They must be stressed anyway with me as their employer. I’ll make today day 1 of flowering.
I’m determined to do this properly one day!

 

[amneziaHaze]

Even if your electrical price is 52 cents you will pay for a single grow around 200$ and you get half a kg... a lot lot cheaper than 10$/g

I allways go night when its less than 20c you have the lights on and during the day your there cooking or using the space and sun is heating soo your allways in nice temps

 

[Person]

Even if your electrical price is 52 cents you will pay for a single grow around 200$ and you get half a kg... a lot lot cheaper than 10$/g

I allways go night when its less than 20c you have the lights on and during the day your there cooking or using the space and sun is heating soo your allways in nice temps

I’ll see what the current damage is when I send the electricity supplier a meter reading. I just got £150 credit from the government (warm home discount) so I’m far less concerned now. Should cover a few grows. And yeah the lights are all on nightshift.

 

[pnwbluntman]

Damn, this brings back memories of growing up. All the sound of buzzing coming off the power supply wall and the bulbs. Then when they came out with the digital adjustable ballasts they finally weren't to noticable.. It gets cold in the winter here. I remember battling heat during the summer. Now I almost feel like it might save money if I ran metal halides and high pressure sodiums in the winter and just vented the heat coming off into the house. At least I wouldn't have to run a heater all the time, even when I am not home just to keep the room temp at 76-78 during the day, otherwise my house turns into a freezer. It's ridiculous. Leds definitely make my life easy during summer. I don't miss how much room the hoods use to take up. But those times were such a great part of being apart of the industry. Newer growers will never understand the struggles anyone doing any kind of decent grow had to grow through back through time. Shoot the things I heard the old timers doing back in the day steeling street lights and ballast and whatever they had to do to .

 

[amneziaHaze]

Damn, this brings back memories of growing up. All the sound of buzzing coming off the power supply wall and the bulbs. Then when they came out with the digital adjustable ballasts they finally weren't to noticable.. It gets cold in the winter here. I remember battling heat during the summer. Now I almost feel like it might save money if I ran metal halides and high pressure sodiums in the winter and just vented the heat coming off into the house. At least I wouldn't have to run a heater all the time, even when I am not home just to keep the room temp at 76-78 during the day, otherwise my house turns into a freezer. It's ridiculous. Leds definitely make my life easy during summer. I don't miss how much room the hoods use to take up. But those times were such a great part of being apart of the industry. Newer growers will never understand the struggles anyone doing any kind of decent grow had to grow through back through time. Shoot the things I heard the old timers doing back in the day steeling street lights and ballast and whatever they had to do to .

Dont know about you but half my house is warmed with the led haha.when i go to the grow room you really feel the nice warmth haha.

 

[pnwbluntman]

Dont know about you but half my house is warmed with the led haha.when i go to the grow room you really feel the nice warmth haha.

Insulation for my house isn't the greatest, I live a little bit higher elevation so I am near snow 5 months out of the year. My main flower room stays warm during lights on, avg 77.4 °f. It's when those lights are off I have to run a heater to keep it above 65°. My main flower room is 10'x15'x10' with (4) 600w led grow lights. It's nothing special. That's the only room that seems to be able to stay warm from the leds. Really it's mid November through April I have to deal with the opposite issue then most people. During summer, it's easy for me to keep that room under 80° and the only rooms that get hot are the sun facing windows. So I just close those off for the most part of the heat.

 

[pnwbluntman]

I just remember that I never had a cold house when I ran mh and hps. But then again I lived in Seattle at that point. And I had a basement. So there's those two things. The basement was a perfect setup to grow .

 

[amneziaHaze]

Insulation for my house isn't the greatest, I live a little bit higher elevation so I am near snow 5 months out of the year. My main flower room stays warm during lights on, avg 77.4 °f. It's when those lights are off I have to run a heater to keep it above 65°. My main flower room is 10'x15'x10' with (4) 600w led grow lights. It's nothing special. That's the only room that seems to be able to stay warm from the leds. Really it's mid November through April I have to deal with the opposite issue then most people. During summer, it's easy for me to keep that room under 80° and the only rooms that get hot are the sun facing windows. So I just close those off for the most part of the heat.

HAve the same problem thats why i run them at night but still for 2h maybe i have 18c temps

 

[pnwbluntman]

HAve the same problem thats why i run them at night but still for 2h maybe i have 18c temps

I have mine turn on about 12am in the main flower then the other rooms turn on at about 8am. I check my reservoir before I go to sleep, and when I wake up. Then everything thing else is in a 75%coco mix so its easier for me to check in on those during the day time a couple times, you know the plants you spy on lol. The hydro setup is pretty much dialed in to as little time needed for me to be in there. I don't like adding the risk of outside contamination. Like pollen from one of the males in my green house. Or pests of any sort. It's the one room I keep as clean as humanly possible. So really I don't mind running the heater or wood stove for the house.

 

[Person]

HAve the same problem thats why i run them at night but still for 2h maybe i have 18c temps

My house is Baltic at this time of year! the room the tents are in is a tad warmer the room is currently at 13c with the lights on. never checked inside the tents? Dropped down to 11c earlier today. the plants probably don’t like it but it brings out the colours nicely.

 

[pnwbluntman]

My house is Baltic at this time of year! the room the tents are in is a tad warmer the room is currently at 13c with the lights on. never checked inside the tents? Dropped down to 11c earlier today. the plants probably don’t like it but it brings out the colours nicely.

It can be a bit challenging getting temperatures dialed in when you have a fresh set up. But after a while, you can get everything functioning at full speed. And sometimes you just have to deal with things you don't have control over due to lack of equipment or whatever it may be. The first year I lived here, it was chaos getting everything functioning correctly. Never have I had to get a mini split ac/heat unit just for my flower room till here, only ever had to buy ac units to help keep the heat down.The main thing is just getting to know what you have to work with, and the way to make it work for you.