Best Led Light 2015

mmcxix · Apr 12, 2015

Hi everybody!

First post.

I'm going to build a new grow room soon and want to use 4 led lights.
I find it hard however to get to know which brand makes the best led light, best yielding.

I'm at the moment thinking to get either the Kind xl1000 led light or Budmaster 2 1200 god led light?
Anybody have any experience with them or knows which one would be better.
Budmaster seems more powerfull but more than double the price (crazy expensive!)
What I like most about the budmaster is that they are made of seperate led panels, so if some leds burn out or something you can replace the smaller panel instead of having to replace the whole light.

The Kind xl1000 is a lit cheaper and also you can adjust the light spectrum, and has a build in brightness timer or something to replicate sunset and sunrise.

Anyway I would like to know which one is best or any other led light you think is best speaking from experience.
I have also heard about other brands, like Mars people say is good.
But the budmaster and kind seemed most interesting to me for some reason.

I'm going to use them with a hydro sog style grow.
I like the budmaster but if the kind xl1000 gets the same results I don't want to pay double for budmaster.

Anybody know anything about those lights or knows best performing leds on the market today, no matter the cost I just want best performing ones.

coloradoBTC · Apr 12, 2015

they cost too much for what they actually are. I would say learn to build your own but I do not know enough about you, can you devote an entire day using the internet to fully grasp a single subject and no distraction? Then building a powerful light on the cheap is for you. transformers, power rectifiers, capacitors, regular diodes, light emitting diodes, heatsink, fan. The LED chip is at most 100 dollars (full spectrum with uv like the peach colored LED chip in the pic) everything else is peanuts!

mmcxix · Apr 12, 2015

Thanks for your reply.
Yes I have read about people building their own and I worked as an electrician and am also good with electronics so I'm sure I would have no problem building my own.
I just feel like one build by a company specialized in led lights will probably be better performing than one build by myself.
Like I said, no matter the costs, I just want best performing one.

Also to be honest, I really like the designs of the two I mentioned and I would love to have pretty ones like that :p
You see my grow room is going to be my little project and I want to make it really neat :)

I would love to tell some more about the room I want to build if anyone is interested but for know I want to set my mind on one brand of led light before I move on to other aspects of the room.

coloradoBTC · Apr 12, 2015

mmcxix said:
I just feel like one build by a company specialized in led lights will probably be better performing than one build by myself.

well I still believe in you friend

Toaster79 · Apr 12, 2015

I'd also suggest DIY build especially if you're not a noob in electronics. You would be way better of sourcing some high quality COBs or single emmiters, decent drivers heatsinks and fans. Id suggest Cree LEDs mated to Meanwell drivers and good quality PC fans. Keep the build simple so in case something goes south you can always make a quick repair. Choose different CCT emitters to get better coverage spectrum. Use let's say 5000K high CRI for veg and make it half of the power and add 2700-3000K for flower. Each spectrum on its own driver.

Look at Radioshack's and Mouser's for the parts if in US or Cutter if in Australia.

I got a 125W DIY setup running in my 20"x40" closet and the temps are 3-4*C above ambient temperatures in my living room with lights on.

It's a bit ghetto but does a great job considering it's such a low power setup. Drivers are running at 96% efficiency so they aren't producing much heat and the power losses stay low. You'll never get that from a unit off the shelf.

Positive vibes!

mmcxix · Apr 12, 2015

Thanks guys!

Still the design of company made ones means a lot to me though hehe, I'm a bit perfectionistic about this projects and want to make it really neat and sharp looking.
Same goes for my hydro setup, I can build myself, but I want neat looking company made one, maybe it sounds stupid I'm not sure, but I guess it's like building my little dream growroom.

Anyway can I ask you guys how you are doing yieldwise compared to different lighting, if you used different before.
I'm using hps 600s now.
Some people say good led lights yield better than hps and will create better quality buds with better resin and oil production, while other people say the complete opposite is true.

I find it hard to learn how much difference there is between hps and led, and old led vs new led lights.
The things that led attracts me the most is lifetime, design, and mostly much less heat compared to hps.
4 600s give so many heat in a small room, make me hate summer :p

seaslug · Apr 15, 2015

Oh man, I'm heavily invested in Lumigrow fixtures but check out the newest Cree COB stuff, newer than the OP of this thread: https://www.thcfarmer.com/community/threads/diy-led-with-cobs-small-medium-and-large-grows.64252/
And thanks, Supra--I've been missing sleep reviewing data sheets.

Edit for repost from another thread: "An open letter to the venture capitalists, MBAs and cost accountants that know how to drive a pretty good company into the ground: FUCK YOU"

seaslug · Apr 16, 2015

So anyway, HI mmcxix; the post above reflects my disappointment in Lumigrow's continuing habit of cheapening the thermal management to save some dollars--but obviously ignoring engineer input.

I'm still frying my plants by giving them too much LED light; leaves look tortured up top but lush below. Wasting a lot of energy right now but I'm about equalling the yield of my friend's 600W HPS (Radiant reflector w/o glass), watt for watt--using a mix of two Lumigrow generations. The grow rooms were quite different but I'd have to say the HPS produced better looking buds if you like trichs. Potency was the same either way, no opinion about smell or taste difference.

mmcxix · Apr 16, 2015

Frying top leaves? like light poisening or something?

Anyway I have been checking out the Lumigrow pro 650.
Seems similar to the Kind xl 1000.
Though it seems the lumigrow might be slightly more powerfull than the kind xl, while the kind xl might have a better footprint.
Also I like the build in timer of the kind xl and the flat design.
Probably there isn't that much difference between the two though.
Anyway I still haven't settled on one.

With 600 watt lumigrow you get the same yield as your friends 600 watt hps?
On the lumigrow website they claim the pro 650 goes beyond a 1000 watt hps, not that I believe everything manufacturers say, but still.
But you are using a mix of two generations? you use two 350's?

Hmm hps got better trichs? Like frostier looking?
I have read a lot of people say led is supposed to give better trich production.

seaslug · Apr 16, 2015

Nanner, mostly due to genetics but I had to end this Aurora Indica fem grow at five weeks instead of the six weeks I was planning. ES320 in a 2x3ft alcove. I added a humidifier to the room but it didn't help as much as I expected.
I have four ES320, four ES165 and five Pro325 units. I don't know how they compare to Kind; growershouse.com has done the best comparison of LEDs I've seen.

Everything I've grown so far has matured a week to ten days sooner than the quickest advertised flowering time.

mmcxix · Apr 16, 2015

I have never had a nanner or hermie before.
I don't really see it in the picture though, nanner there should be growing bananas from the seedsacks no?
You say too intense light can cause it?
I used to think when people say nanner they mean hermie, only recently I learned the difference.
Nanner the banana is not a pollen sack right? so one nanner in your room is not so bad I guess, hermie could be problematic if you discover too late.

Everything matured sooner? That's very interesting! Do you think it's because of the led lights? that would be great.

mmcxix · Apr 16, 2015

Looking really closely yes I can see one banana :)

seaslug · Apr 16, 2015

Yeah, the nanner is just right of the center of the photo above. I've been fighting hermies for too long. I think it is mainly bum seeds but my previous round of Aurora Indica had proto seeds all through it--I never saw a problem during the flowering and four phenos were run twice. The nanners I saw on this little alcove grow look sterile but I'm not willing to screw up any more bud, even if I take it early.

SAGE albino top from being too close (24") too Lumigrow Pro 325:

seaslug · Apr 18, 2015

Well you DIY people finally pushed me over the edge:
https://www.thcfarmer.com/community/threads/my-plan-for-a-cree-cxb3590-light-bar.72868/

juniper · Apr 29, 2015

FWIW I love my Advanced LED XML unit. I bought it 3+ years ago, so technology and the units have improved since then. LED is not my specialty or area of expertise, but it works, I've flowered plants with it, I continue to use it in veg. I, like yourself, wasn't too interested in building my own.

Icemud over @420magazine forum uses Advanced LED. He has a bunch of awesome grow journals featuring them, they're a must-read.

mmcxix · Apr 29, 2015

Thanks, I will check his journals.

Yeah I haven't used led yet, though I love them more and more learning about them.
If they, like consumers claim, produce more yield than hps then I'm 100% sure I'm switching to led.
Though still I see people saying that it isn't true, but maybe they are talking about the older generation led.

Anyway I want to build a pretty small growroom, led seems perfect for that, also sog style so I really don't need the light penetration of hps lights anyway.

juniper · Apr 30, 2015

LEDs have pretty crazy penetration, in my experience, at least more than you think they would. You can easily burn plants with them (or cause localized deficiencies).

I think the technology can easily match HPS now, just your initial investment will be much, much higher. I'd like to invest in a flowering LED to replace my 600 HPS during the warmer months.

I think you should still look into having an alternative "analog" light source. Most reputable companies offer good warranties, but what the hell ya gonna do when you have to send your unit in for service in the middle of flower?

mmcxix · Apr 30, 2015

with analog you mean anything other than led, like hps and such?

anyway yes the led im thinking about buying, the brand Kind, its a one part unit I think.
That's the thing I like about the Budmaster brand though, the light unit is made of more seperate led modules, the 700 watt is made of 16 led modules I think, so if some leds die or something only the module where the leds are dies and the rest of the unit still works and you will only have to replace the dead module.

juniper · Apr 30, 2015

Yeah, now that I think about it, that may not be correct syntax. But yes, like an old core n' coil HPS. Something you are 100% sure will work when plugged into an outlet.

As far as the modularity is concerned, that is something to think about. The Budmaster does seem to be consistently higher priced, though I have no experience with that brand.

mmcxix · Apr 30, 2015

yeah im still not sure about backup systems, still working out the details of the room.
budmaster would be sweet, just buy a few extra modules just in case.
but yeah sadly prices are ridiculously high, especially the god series one, even though they look neat and have promising specs, par and such.
the series below god is sort of the same price as kind leds I think, but the god series is just bloody expensive.
first i wanted the budmaster god, but seeing the kind led design, the price, learning you can tweake the light spectrum, and also the build in timer, I like kind led more.
apart from the modular design of budmaster, thats very practical.

Best Led Light 2015

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