Best lighting options for a single plant

[Dan789]

In my town you can pay a crackhead to " do things to get you a nice light " for $70.

Inviting bad juju doing shit like that...

 

[bunkerking]

Yah a 400w mh/hps. Why is everyone so scared of these, Is it the heat?

 

[Deadstill]

Inviting bad juju doing shit like that...

Lmao reminds me of back in the day when we had to steal street lights to grow with. I will never forget the day my less than honorable friend said "hey I got something for ya" and opened his closet to reveal a massive street lamp that I don't even know how he could have taken by himself lmaooooo

 

[Deadstill]

Yah a 400w mh/hps. Why is everyone so scared of these, Is it the heat?

I think the high heat low output is the big turn off. I have a couple 400w MH's I would love to replace with LEDs. imo, if you're going to have a MH or HPS bulb it should be at least 600w for the amount of heat they produce anyways, might as well get as much light out of it as you can. Of course I'm sure the difference is minimal but still 400s seem like a waste. That's just my opinion though I have nothing but my own experience to back that statement up...

 

[BigCube]

Yah a 400w mh/hps. Why is everyone so scared of these, Is it the heat?

Nobody is scared of HID lights. We used them before LED became viable. Most people no longer use HID because they are less efficiency, more expensive to run and maintain, and yes a byproduct of the poor efficiency is heat.

LED have got to the point where HID just doesnt make sense anymore. I still have my HIDs, I even tried a CMH for a bit a few months back.

To me, it's a combination of all the things. A good LED fixture is actually pretty cheap these days. There are no expensive bulb replacements, no 2x the power bill, low heat, controlled spectrum, even light distribution over an entire canopy compared to one hot fixed point in the center, the ability to get closer to the plant without hurting it... that kind of stuff.

Other people might have other reasons. But I'm sure my reasons are pretty common among LED users.

 

[bunkerking]

I think the high heat low output is the big turn off. I have a couple 400w MH's I would love to replace with LEDs. imo, if you're going to have a MH or HPS bulb it should be at least 600w for the amount of heat they produce anyways, might as well get as much light out of it as you can. Of course I'm sure the difference is minimal but still 400s seem like a waste. That's just my opinion though I have nothing but my own experience to back that statement up...

I respectfully disagree.

The cost of a led that's equivalent is 3x what a mh ballast would cost. I already did the math. Takes about 3 years for the led to pay itself off in power savings. If it even makes it that long lol. The warranty is expired.

Yes but most people are growing in tents and already have fans for filters.

My cool tube 250w light only brings up the tent temp 4-8*. My t5 makes almost more heat lol.

And I'm not even venting that air outdoors. Just back into the garage.

It's very manageable. Plus with the cool tube. You don't get dramatic temp swings.

 

[SadBadGrower]

Inviting bad juju doing shit like that...

It was more of a joke....

 

[SadBadGrower]

Yah a 400w mh/hps. Why is everyone so scared of these, Is it the heat?

So here's my first hand on this. Starting up, I was under the impression that HPS in a tent or a closet would be too much to deal with heat whys. Just the myth alone on them was enough I needed. But this was before knowing NOTHING about growing. Over time, I learned how LED also gives off heat, just in a different form then the HPS because of how surface temps with different spectrums and so on. I think this is what's going on in many many cases.

 

[Buzzer777]

So here's my first hand on this. Starting up, I was under the impression that HPS in a tent or a closet would be too much to deal with heat whys. Just the myth alone on them was enough I needed. But this was before knowing NOTHING about growing. Over time, I learned how LED also gives off heat, just in a different form then the HPS because of how surface temps with different spectrums and so on. I think this is what's going on in many many cases.

With LEDs..heat is a by product of inefficiency, that's one reason that lights built with the Samsung white diodes have become so popular. They are VERY efficient. Coupled with an inexpensive Meanwell driver that is efficient to say 93%, you have relatively little heat....Most of that heat is from the driver which can be remotely mounted. The heat from the face of mine is about 108d F (where the "bulbs" are). I know that I can't stand the heat from HPS/CMH, and I am very happy with my LEDs. (not the cheapo burples, but my old Meizhi Burples did fine too.) By nature, any light using a filament is inefficient.

I have a tough time in the High Sierra Desert keeping my house below 76 in the dead of summer. (can be over 100dF in the day and not get below 70 at night.)
Edit: I also own a few HLG 132's and Photon Sunboards that DON"T even need a heatsink!

 

[Dan789]

My two 4X4tents are ventilated combined into one 6” inline fan circuit on it’s slowest setting, and just to remove and replace the air with that and the rest of the grow room (1/3 of the garage). My 600 true watt cob array doesn’t bring either tent over 75º from a mean 60º-55º average garage temp. (Note: Off season growing).

 

[Snakeskins]

Yah a 400w mh/hps. Why is everyone so scared of these, Is it the heat?

yes the heat and optimum distance

 

[Snakeskins]

You know what, I think I should buy a 300w bulb fixture and a bulb what kind? Would I require fans on either sides? Lastly, how much do I need to spend?

 

[HeLLfiReZ]

I respectfully disagree.

The cost of a led that's equivalent is 3x what a mh ballast would cost. I already did the math. Takes about 3 years for the led to pay itself off in power savings. If it even makes it that long lol. The warranty is expired.

Yes but most people are growing in tents and already have fans for filters.

My cool tube 250w light only brings up the tent temp 4-8*. My t5 makes almost more heat lol.

And I'm not even venting that air outdoors. Just back into the garage.

It's very manageable. Plus with the cool tube. You don't get dramatic temp swings.

Pretty much this. I myself wouldn't mind running leds but what i want is 5k. For now i run old 1000 watt magnetic ballasts. After 15 years they still work great. Still consistently giving over 2lb a bulb. For veg i use 400watt mh fixtures i bought for 20 bux a piece.

I doubt any leds last that long, time will tell i guess.

 

[Buzzer777]

Pretty much this. I myself wouldn't mind running leds but what i want is 5k. For now i run old 1000 watt magnetic ballasts. After 15 years they still work great. Still consistently giving over 2lb a bulb. For veg i use 400watt mh fixtures i bought for 20 bux a piece.

I doubt any leds last that long, time will tell i guess.

Samsung LEDs have an average lifespan of 50,000 hrs, so it may take quite a while!..LOL
We are not taliking the cheapo Epistars in the imports that suck!

 

[HeLLfiReZ]

Samsung LEDs have an average lifespan of 50,000 hrs, so it may take quite a while!..LOL
We are not taliking the cheapo Epistars in the imports that suck!

So do the led bulbs in my house but they start flickering after months. Just because they say it don't make it true. Once it's proven then it is.

 

[canothink5]

Samsung LEDs have an average lifespan of 50,000 hrs, so it may take quite a while!..LOL
We are not taliking the cheapo Epistars in the imports that suck!

11.5 years in flower assuming we get 50k hours out of them.

So do the led bulbs in my house but they start flickering after months. Just because they say it don't make it true. Once it's proven then it is.

I have had them go out in less than a week!




The thing that got me to start playing with led was cooling cost and bulb replacement.
For the OP I would figure in maintenance cost (bulb replacement, cooling cost, and power useage) and thoughts of upgrades (larger grow).

 

[canothink5]

I sold my old 300w light for $30 and im looking for something stronger for my next organic soil grow for 1 plant. Maybe COB or LED at a price of $70.00 or under. Any suggestions appreciated. My tent is 2x3x5 with a 6 in. can fan.

Aceple Full Spectrum Sunlike White LED Grow Light 600W Equal, Waterproof Plant Growing Lamp, 2x2ft Coverage Plant Light for Gardening, Grow Tent, Houseplant, Seedling Veg Flowering

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07VRNBLTR/ref=cm_sw_r_other_apa_i_Gv7lEb6PPHS33?th=1

I have one of these and they rock for the price.

 

[Deadstill]

I respectfully disagree.

The cost of a led that's equivalent is 3x what a mh ballast would cost. I already did the math. Takes about 3 years for the led to pay itself off in power savings. If it even makes it that long lol. The warranty is expired.

Yes but most people are growing in tents and already have fans for filters.

My cool tube 250w light only brings up the tent temp 4-8*. My t5 makes almost more heat lol.

And I'm not even venting that air outdoors. Just back into the garage.

It's very manageable. Plus with the cool tube. You don't get dramatic temp swings.

Yeah that's why I said it's just my opinion. I have never been in a situation where using cool tubes or sealed hoods was viable. The last people I grew for had me hang 90 lights in a basement. Once you get that many lights you need a serious system and room for all that ducting. It was easier to just run open hoods and a central air system for the whole grow.

For my own personal private grows I mostly have lights that I earned as pay from previous grows. I have 2 magnetic 400w ballasts with 2 open hoodless sockets for the bulbs. Together they put out way more heat than my Mars Hydro LEDs that are 500w each (1200w equivalent) so for me yeah I would like to replace them with LEDs. Maybe I will get lucky and win that giveaway (fingers crossed)

I wish I had the room and money for all sealed hoods but I do alright with open hoods. I also supplement CO2 though, so the plants do fine at higher temps. Better, actually.

 

[Buzzer777]

11.5 years in flower assuming we get 50k hours out of them.


I have had them go out in less than a week!




The thing that got me to start playing with led was cooling cost and bulb replacement.
For the OP I would figure in maintenance cost (bulb replacement, cooling cost, and power useage) and thoughts of upgrades (larger grow).

If you had Sammys go out in a week, they could have been lower shelf, or just infant mortality..That the 1st time that I ever heard of anything like that with Samsung diodes from a quality vendor!

 

[BigCube]

I respectfully disagree.

The cost of a led that's equivalent is 3x what a mh ballast would cost. I already did the math. Takes about 3 years for the led to pay itself off in power savings. If it even makes it that long lol. The warranty is expired.

Yes but most people are growing in tents and already have fans for filters.

My cool tube 250w light only brings up the tent temp 4-8*. My t5 makes almost more heat lol.

And I'm not even venting that air outdoors. Just back into the garage.

It's very manageable. Plus with the cool tube. You don't get dramatic temp swings.

The cost of a 400w digital ballast with a dimmer and bulb, and a 240w quantum board are about the same.

The HID will need regular bulb replacements, will cost twice as much to run, will produce 2 - 3 times the heat, and will be a single hard fixed point of light .

I have 2x240w (480w total) of quantum boards in a 3x3 tent. The temperature only goes up 2 degrees.