Am I The Last HID Holdout?

  • Thread starter 3 balls
  • Start date
  • Tagged users None

What do your run?

  • I run LED

    Votes: 18 72.0%
  • I'm a HID dinosaur like 3 balls

    Votes: 9 36.0%

  • Total voters
    25
3 balls

3 balls

582
143
Anybody else? Why? I feel like the explosion in popularity of LED is directly linked to rapid legalization and the accompanying explosion of tent growers who cant realistically run HID. From my perspective I dont get it for the following reasons.
As LED has evolved and improved they're really closing in on the range of wattage and heat output of HID. I live in a state with low KWH prices, less than half the price of many states. If I lived in Hawaii my potential savings would be almost quadrupled and it would be a no brainer but roughly half the states pay similar electricity costs as I do.

Color Spectrum. I'm not saying LED growers aren't producing fantastic results, but what the hell happened here? For decades it was not even open for debate that the blue spectrum MH was the only way to go in veg and likewise for red spectrum giving best flower results. Was this debunked or what? Just about every LED I see just indicates "full spectrum", not even specifying a Kelvin #. I cant help but feel like this is just splitting the difference and compromising what we had once established as ideal.

Sometimes I feel like the last guy to give into the new fangled cellular devices because my land line works just fine. I just feel like other than folks limited by a tent grow or outrageous power costs, etc; LED unnecessarily became the default. What am I missing? Learn me please!
 
ComfortablyNumb

ComfortablyNumb

6,099
313
If I lived in Hawaii my potential savings would be almost quadrupled and it would be a no brainer but roughly half the states pay similar electricity costs as I do.
You are more than welcome to pay my electric bill. Hawaii is not as cheap as you might think.
 
growsince79

growsince79

9,065
313
Anybody else? Why? I feel like the explosion in popularity of LED is directly linked to rapid legalization and the accompanying explosion of tent growers who cant realistically run HID. From my perspective I dont get it for the following reasons.
As LED has evolved and improved they're really closing in on the range of wattage and heat output of HID. I live in a state with low KWH prices, less than half the price of many states. If I lived in Hawaii my potential savings would be almost quadrupled and it would be a no brainer but roughly half the states pay similar electricity costs as I do.

Color Spectrum. I'm not saying LED growers aren't producing fantastic results, but what the hell happened here? For decades it was not even open for debate that the blue spectrum MH was the only way to go in veg and likewise for red spectrum giving best flower results. Was this debunked or what? Just about every LED I see just indicates "full spectrum", not even specifying a Kelvin #. I cant help but feel like this is just splitting the difference and compromising what we had once established as ideal.

Sometimes I feel like the last guy to give into the new fangled cellular devices because my land line works just fine. I just feel like other than folks limited by a tent grow or outrageous power costs, etc; LED unnecessarily became the default. What am I missing? Learn me please!
I've been using hps in closets for decades. Been using leds and mixing with hps for the last year.
1635878275214
 
MIGrampaUSA

MIGrampaUSA

3,732
263
A good LED light manufacturer will specify all the light frequencies and kelvin # of the fixture. For example, I'm running 3000k + 660nm + UVA+B + IR. The UVB is a stand-alone fixture and is not an LED though.

I am using tents for my grows, but I wouldn't be against using a cool tube HID fixture in one of my tents if I thought it were superior. Having used HID lighting in my younger days, I feel like the difference is huge and the LED lighting wins hands down due to better spectrum, lower heat output, and lower operating costs. Good LED fixtures, unfortunately, are expensive and can easily run 2x-3x as much $$$ as the HID fixture does.
 
mysticepipedon

mysticepipedon

4,738
263
I went to LEDs to more easily add capacity, without adding additional circuits.

But where I live, I need the heat from HIDs in winter. I've got a grow going now on LEDs, but the one started in February will have to be on HIDs, or I'll have to add a heater and kill any reason for getting LEDs.
 
ComfortablyNumb

ComfortablyNumb

6,099
313
If the LED ballast was on a different cable and not attached to the light, you could have it low down and use it's heat during cold seasons, and hang it outside the tent in warmer weather.
 
Ponky

Ponky

3,941
263
I went to LEDs to more easily add capacity, without adding additional circuits.

But where I live, I need the heat from HIDs in winter. I've got a grow going now on LEDs, but the one started in February will have to be on HIDs, or I'll have to add a heater and kill any reason for getting LEDs.
I just average more weight with HPS than with any of the LEDs I've tried. And people who I know that have bought multiple expensive LED units didn't get an increase in yield VS. Electricity bill. I'd try another array. But only if it was pulling 600+ watts.
 
growsince79

growsince79

9,065
313
I just average more weight with HPS than with any of the LEDs I've tried. And people who I know that have bought multiple expensive LED units didn't get an increase in yield VS. Electricity bill. I'd try another array. But only if it was pulling 600+ watts.
In terms of g/w, leds win hands down. In terms of g/sf they are equal in my grow.
 
mysticepipedon

mysticepipedon

4,738
263
I just average more weight with HPS than with any of the LEDs I've tried. And people who I know that have bought multiple expensive LED units didn't get an increase in yield VS. Electricity bill. I'd try another array. But only if it was pulling 600+ watts.
I'm on grow 2.5 with LEDs (switched halfway through a grow). Burned the fuck out of them the first 1.5 grows and hadn't figured out the greater nutrient demands, so I have had no amazing harvests. But once I get it, I expect I can eventually do better on a per watt basis.
 
Ponky

Ponky

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263
I'm on grow 2.5 with LEDs (switched halfway through a grow). Burned the fuck out of them the first 1.5 grows and hadn't figured out the greater nutrient demands, so I have had no amazing harvests. But once I get it, I expect I can eventually do better on a per watt basis.
I'm going to try again. But I don't expect any gains in grams per watt. Just waiting for a deal on a light. LeD is just easier. No changing bulbs. But cost more up front.
 
growsince79

growsince79

9,065
313
I'm going to try again. But I don't expect any gains in grams per watt. Just waiting for a deal on a light. LeD is just easier. No changing bulbs. But cost more up front.
My 100w leds make the same amount as my 150w hps. g/w not even close. Hps is still way cheaper even with bulb and electric. You don't buy leds to save money.
 
Cashmeh

Cashmeh

2,007
263
My 100w leds make the same amount as my 150w hps. g/w not even close. Hps is still way cheaper even with bulb and electric. You don't buy leds to save money.
Isn't it about quality or adding all spectrums which encourage buds to be dense? I'm just tryn to figure out why I should bother with LEDs after reading all this.
 
growsince79

growsince79

9,065
313
Isn't it about quality or adding all spectrums which encourage buds to be dense? I'm just tryn to figure out why I should bother with LEDs after reading all this.
Well I just did the math. For my little lights, the leds start saving $$ after 2 years. But I need to use at least one hps in the winter-or spend more on heat.
 
Chem77

Chem77

384
93
I built my room 21 years ago. Used two 1000 hps for 19 years and LED’s the last 2 years. No comparison for me, better quality and a lot more in weight.
So much easier to give the perfect environment with the LED’s. Being in Michigan and having 4 major seasons, it took me 1 year to get it the way I wanted and dialed in.
 
3 balls

3 balls

582
143
Isn't it about quality or adding all spectrums which encourage buds to be dense? I'm just tryn to figure out why I should bother with LEDs after reading all this.
I would do some googling to research how the different spectrums affect growth in different stages of the life cycle. As far as I'm concerned it's a fact not an opinion that the boast of "full spectrum" translates to- we split the difference so you could use the same fixture for both veg and flower without having to switch out the bulbs. HLG one of the pioneers of the LED game are about the only ones that stayed true to the science and sell B-spec and R-spec fixtures.(with the exception of some VERY high end commercial units)
 
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