comparison grow: HPS vs Induction

[Sarlacc]

I'm going to bite the bullet on the iGROW lights. A bit more than I was planning on spending but from everything I've been told and read these are the only lamps made that have been specifically engineered for plants, have been USDA approved and are made here in the good ol US of A. I can not wait to get started!

 

[Sarlacc]

The owner states these are USDA (1:30 in) certified for agriculture. I don't think I've ever seen that on any HID lamp. Pretty cool what they're doing here.

 

[WeedsterBunny]

I'm going to bite the bullet on the iGROW lights. A bit more than I was planning on spending but from everything I've been told and read these are the only lamps made that have been specifically engineered for plants, have been USDA approved and are made here in the good ol US of A. I can not wait to get started!

It should at least pay for itself in the first crop :) so you have that to look forward to!
Good luck and happy growing ;)

 

[LexLuthor]

I'm going to bite the bullet on the iGROW lights. A bit more than I was planning on spending but from everything I've been told and read these are the only lamps made that have been specifically engineered for plants, have been USDA approved and are made here in the good ol US of A. I can not wait to get started!

There are also T5 grow bulbs, look on ebay. The only thing a USDA 'approval' means is that it costs more for us, the consumers.

 

[Sarlacc]

Thanks Weedster! I appreciate the posts you put up. it helped in making my decision to go with this light. If it works like everyone is saying it will I'm definitely going to need a couple more..

Lex; I thought about going T5 but in the video @ 3:50 in they talk about how limited T5 as a technology is in delivering the proper spectrum's for veg plant growth. To have USDA certification is sort of a stamp of approval don't you think? A bit into this vid they even take the time to compare the energy savings with the intensity of color their lights put out when compared to 1000 watt HID grows as they consistently deliver greater yields and quality.

Very informative video you should check it out. I learned alot!

 

[El Cerebro]

you guys realize you can buy iGrow's exact lamps and even some of the same reflectors for hundreds $ less from any of the industrial distributors who are supplied by the same mfg, right?

from the outer case it looks like they're using the better drivers, which is the major weak link re quality. indagro has a custom phosphor blend (which unfortunately is still bs btw), but iGrow appear to just be using mfg stock kelvin colors (2700 and 6500 iirc).

 

[Sarlacc]

You obviously didn't listen to the video. These guys clearly know their stuff about plant lighting and their patents and USDA/university testing proves that. They work WITH a company in Michigan called Full Spectrum Solution who is the largest induction lighting manufacturer in the world and thankfully for us is located here in the USA. So why wouldn't iGROW partner with them to develop these lamps? They freely admit this in the video and on their literature. It's not like your uncovering something here.

The lighting guy @ the store told me that some people would try and talk down the technology, mostly HID guys, but after hearing how many of these they've sold and how satisfied their customers have been I believe I've made the right choice. My partner is going to order two for his room next week he thinks they're so cool. And he's right they don't put out near the heat of my old HPS. You can touch the lamp when it's RUNNING! Amazing really.

But seriously bro don't dis the technology just like you say the BS competitors. They're not innovating like iGROW by just pushing Chinese products. You can compare the competition for yourself. they put it up on their site @

http://www.igrowlights.com/images/pdf/quick comparision 2.pdf

iGROW is the real deal and you can hear it when you listen to their videos and explain how their lights put put out better coverage than competing technologies like HID (sorry) as they get higher from the canopy to cover larger areas. Perfect for greenhouses. In fact here's a link to a greenhouse in Huron, Ohio who just put in 700 of the iGROW lights and they LOVE them @



So unless you're some kind of lighting expert yourself do a bit more research with the experts, not against, and you'll see that the best lights for high yields, long life and low watts will be coming out of Ohio and not Shang fuckn HI! That has got me stoked. Yeah BABY!

 

[El Cerebro]

the guy who owns indagro worked for FSS too, haven't you read the online compendium of induction weed-light history? besides FSS, MHT, and a few other major importers, commercial induction on the retail level is largely marketed by 'affiliate sales', which basically means lots of smalltime operators with similar websites, no real inventory, and a big chinese mfg like LVD, YML, etc supplying their stateside vendors (lots of middlemen, drives prices up).

There are also smaller niche mfgs who produce some higher quality lamps, but most of what you see online in 400w lamps comes from 2-3 mfgs. it's not all exactly the same stuff, but pretty close, and more a matter of phosphor quality and small power efficiency differences.

and yes, i am totally the mr. burns of hid lighting, i own it all and induction is gonna eat my lunch blah blah blah. and i was involved in the diabolical conspiracy to quell Tesla's work too. wore a generals rank while the bodies stank, killed the czar and his ministers, etc.

 

[El Cerebro]

btw, i vote WeedsterBunny's grow journal thread as more interesting than this thread. got kind of confused and thought i was replying there. much better to just grow some weed with these things and share actual results than sit here and repeat ourselves about the best clothing for emperors, etc.

 

[Sarlacc]

That's FUNNY. Mr. Burns. I'm not saying that bro I'm just saying I'm happy with my decision to buy these lights for my garden. You just made it sound like I got ripped off on the price so I got a bit defensive is all. Have you even tried the iGROWS to see for yourself what they're doing in the garden? If not how would even know? And I did look at other brands but everyone knows it takes two different lamps to run a veg or a flower. The whole one lamp thing that I see being offered sounds like a scam to me so I'm with you there. Some of the lamps were even 1/2 blue and 1/2 red which looked like they had been painted on. They must take us for idiots.

I don't know about these other three brands you mention but I think iGrow has done it right with being affiliated with FSS and putting so much effort into developing these lamps for indoor gardens. That means a lot to me as well as buying locally whenever possible with products made here in the USA not the crap you get from alibaba. I've been burned there before and it won't happen again. BTW Mr. Burns, if you call FSS and ask for a grow light they direct you to iGROW so I think your wrong on that one too. They are clearly different companies doing different things otherwise why wouldn't FSS just sell these lights themselves? Think about that one.

 

[Classic Remix]

there is so much speculation and rogue marketing in this thread is hilarious. read through quite a few pages then got sick of it, just banter between whos GI joe has the better gun.

a rat might taste like pumpkin pie, but i wouldnt know cause i wouldnt eat the mother fucker...

point i guess im getting at is, after looking as these lights, (And El CEREBRO is dead on, its just like buying a taylor made driver knockoff, they were made IN THE EXACT SAME FORGE just different stamp.

t5's, including the bulbs, are anywhere from 20-80$ for a 2-6 bulb 4' w bulbs. cheaper if youre smart. if people complain that t5s dont work pull your head from your ass and take a look. sure, doesnt veg like a MH would, but its not broken, why spend hundreds more for the exact same thing when it doesnt need to be fixed?

and HPS, you could get a full 1k set up and run bulbs for YEARS before you even get to that price of one of those. super waste of money if you ask me. i understand people are trying to be innovators and things like that... but i have still to see one lick of evidence from anyone LED/induction/light brite grows that it will work time in and time out.... it seems to me more like a hobby grower "look check out the new shit" kind of thing.... i guess my natural perception is if i walk in and see a bunch of LED's in stead of some hoods like... "great where is the bag of miracle grow" LOL.

you can hype and market something all you want, but at the end of the day if the juice isnt worth the squeeze you arent gettin my hands around the fruit.

furthermore, and lastly, because i worked for a lighting company... to be completely honest i would trust China made lighting over america any day. that is there profession there, to make shit. america's is laziness, unemployment and greed. we arent techy saavy (compared to the rest of the world, if you exclude silicon valley)

if buying from humans born in a different country of a different color are all i have to do to get 300 FUCKING PERCENT OFF, i'll be more than happy to be a good guy. not saying im going to be a sucker and buy something shitty, do your research, but if your perception that stuff from china is shit, your whole fuckin house is scum.

 

[Sarlacc]

“The only way that we can live, is if we grow. The only way that we can grow is if we change. The only way that we can change is if we learn. The only way we can learn is if we are exposed. And the only way that we can become exposed is if we throw ourselves out into the open. Do it. Throw yourself.”

You can't be serious! American has it's share of problems but to prefer a Chinese knock off over an American Made product with PATENTS and USDA approval is not abiding by your own ideology. Sure the vast majority of what is in my house, like everyones, is made in China but it's exactly because there are companies out there that refuse to pay a decent wage over here and build their products where they'll be bought. Here in the USA!

You're in lighting so you have to know that even though the housings might look alike so what? It's the lamps inside the housing that makes the magic happen. WeedsterBunny's journal proves that. Let's not kill off real innovators like iGROW with this kind of criticism when we need MORE jobs over here and HIGH QUALITY PRODUCTS made for indoor gardens!

From what you're all saying here is that we out to be buying all our lights and lamps from China or an electrical wholesaler since the hydro shops are hosing us on price and all the shit comes from the 'EXACT SAME FORGE' anyway...c'mon man....this technology has the potential to change the way we grow. My hydro shop sells HID too and they know these lights are going to hurt the relamp business big time but they're selling them anyway. That my friend is the ethical way to do business when they offer something at their own expense.

Perhaps you will take your own advice to 'throw yourself' into a first hand research of what iGROW has brought to market before making those of us like Weedster or at least me, feel stupid for accepting the advice of trained lighting professionals and paying more than I should have.

 

[Classic Remix]

Nah. These are all opinions no facts, so I'm not taking or giving any stabs just my .02

Kiss. Hid hasn't been beaten yet I won't waste money until its proven not just speculated... And the nugs grown under that look b grade at best IMHO

 

[Sarlacc]

ahh that was sweet. kiss back at ya! Anyway I appreciate you fessing up. Some of us are going to make the switch and try and get away from HID. It's going to be better for the environment and I'm looking for a better quality nug. Maybe I don't get the weight but if I can pull 75-90% of the 1000 watt HPS than iGROW will have been the best choice for me.

 

[El Cerebro]

hey Sarlacc, what other subjects interest you besides induction lighting and leds? so far all your posts seem to be focused here. just saying..

 

[Sarlacc]

Thank you for asking. I would have to describe myself as foremost one who is environmentally conscious of what I see happening in our increasingly industrialized world. We are getting farther and farther away from being able to do things for ourselves or grow our own food and meds. This technology, and iGROW in particular, appeals to me at all levels.

I used to have two grower friends when I lived in AZ that between them replaced 60 HID lamps every 3 cycles. That was their formula and they stuck to it. Until they met me they were just tossing the lamps into dumpsters. Then I got involved in trying to recycle them and for a while that was fine but then the recycle form was changed to ask where the lamps came from. WTF was that all about right? If you want to encourage more people to recycle, even growers, why would you ask that? So I just made up addresses the last two times I dropped them off and they took them. They probably would have taken them anyway but my sense is if you're on their radar with too many visits to the recycling facility they are going to get curious.

So today I have no idea if they went back to dumpster disposal. I'm pretty sure they did. But when I could help I did. If I can get them to look at what iGROW is doing than they'll make the move and I'll feel like at some small level I've helped not only the gardens but the planet as well. just saying...

 

[We Solidarity]

hey - if it wasn't all about the weight needed out of a given space these things would be amazing. Seriously considering some of these exclusively for extract plants if space clears up.

 

[Sarlacc]

I saw Chameleon doing something like this with their plasma lights adding 4 Kessil LED for flowering enhancement. This is the first time I've seen it with induction though.

http://chameleongrowsystems.com/Solar_Genesis-V.html

I'm not sure about the whole phytochome aspect contributes to these it but I do wonder what it would overall what it would do for weed? Anyone here tried these or done anything similar? Did it affect yield?

https://picasaweb.google.com/117165142682869295633/InHouseGarden1#5838637212538872274

 

[El Cerebro]

^^dude seriously, haven't the indagroers already pimped their 'ed rosenthal loves our lights' thing enough without having to (shillingly) post a shameless photo of him with bad caption incl?

i also think it's funny how on this site, when there's a new alert for any of these induction threads, there's always one or two more on the same subject also with a new post..

 

[Sarlacc]

I'm not sure what you mean. I've been looking at plasma, LED and induction. Chameleon did this red enhancement and now I see indagrow going something similar. I have no interest in promoting chameleon or indagrow. Some of us here want information before dropping our hard earned coin and am looking for feedback not abuse.

I can buy these for under $300.00 on Alibaba and they do the reds and blues. Before I spend over a grand on an iGROW I was wondering if anyone had ran these?