tags420 said:

Spectrum kings owner is an asshat and a half and doesn't understand basics lighting and plant requirements. And is arrogant...actually it's ignorant.

Their light is average at best in it's category....which is not a 1k replacement category by any means...maybe 600 at best, if the design was better(single point spice blow...we are trying to light a whole canopy). The output numbers speak for themselves...
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You can get the same fixture, with the exact same chips from 6 different Chinese manufactures...and I'm sure a few more. Alibaba it for your selfs. Or just the heatsink and reflector and put what ever you want in it. But the design is one of the biggest issues with it anyways so don't bother.


Bml used to work for illumitex. Then branched to his own company...but as you can see, the design was not left behind... after his non compete was over.
Anyways, bml uses solid Osram chips and has a nice spread. Personally their cooling is the flaw...and the newer 1000(original was the 600) is extremely hot to the touch and was hitting the 80c range when I measure it with my IR thermometer. that kind of heat isn't good for any LED performance. They even say you should add a circulation fan to direct cool the light...that part doesn't fly with me. But they are knowledgable and a better product than most lights available.

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sixstring said:

while i value the info you gave im confused.you say they are average at best but then say its a better product than most.i read somewhere that the spydr 1200 needs 1500btu of cooling,which i figure any light that is going to compete with 1000 de will need cooling.what would you recomend as a better light with a 4x4 footprint in led then?
the copy thing is good for everyone,just use gavita and nanolux as an example.if gavita was the only de out there we would still be paying 600 for one light,but i just saw both those brands for just over 400 and i bet by the end of 2015 the nano will be 100 bucks lower yet.

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tags420 said:

I said SK is average at best.
Said bml was better than many others. SK being one of the many they are better than.

When it comes to btu and heat. Any watt...regardless of what light type, source, or efficiency puts out 3.41btu's/hr. All watts are converted to heat eventually...even when used by the plants. LEDs just don't putout any direct IR towards the canopy. Thatnis the only differences. 600w is 600w of heat no matter what. Just physics/thermodynamics.

What I recomend makes everyone cry because of price. But it is what works on paper and in reality.
Apache tech, area51, or make you own. I suggest and stand by nothing elses. A few newer lights coming might make the cut soon, but none have track record and I question some designs regardless of quality componets.

@crocodile og you don't have to be in the U.S. You can find the light on alibaba from at least 6 differnt companies I know of. spec for spec.

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sixstring said:

ok thanks for the info on apache techs.but i would disagree with your theory on heat and watts.i run a bunch of t5 in veg and the watts total just shy of 2000w but that room doesnt get near as hot as a room with 3 x 600w would.now maybe its the design of the fixture but i can say 100% that my badboy 12 bulb fixture runs much cooler than a 600hps and the badboy is putting out 650w ,actually its more because their ballasts over drive the lamp a bit. but the savings should be in less watts used with l.e.d.,thats like the only thing they all lay claim to is led uses less power and needs less hvac because of this.its why i keep thinking about grabbing a led fixture so i can see if they will grow the same quality buds.but i keep seeing these side by sides and they always run sog type grows with hundreds or thousands of plants and im not gunna do that lol.i do see a few fixtures are starting to build more for penetration vs spread,and to me thats where led looks to come up short is getting into a 5 foot tall canopy like hps does.do you have any experience with blackstar led,if so where do those rate with apache tech?

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