Why The Hate For Cheap Leds?

[EventHorizan]

Here's the thing about COBs in COB frames: I can put up to 5 COBs on one RapidLED frame that's 45" long, I can then put as many frames as I want that will fit in a tent. I can then raise and lower each frame as needed depending on the heights of the plants across the tent. If you're doing a scrog, it won't really matter, but I'm just growing individual plants that grow in height differently so it's nice to adjust the heights of the individual frames. My current configuration is 6 rows of 3 COBs which are currently not all at the same height };-)

I like your setup!
When you gonna start scrogging???
:)

 

[h4ppyf4rmer]

I like your setup!
When you gonna start scrogging???
:)

probably never, I like 4 or 5 foot tall plants...

 

[MW7945]

probably never, I like 4 or 5 foot tall plants...

Off topic but I gotta ask, how's the Aurora going? That's what I'm doing for my first grow and thus far everything seems to be going pretty damn good (5 1/2 weeks into to flower). Smells like straight fruity pebbles right now

 

[h4ppyf4rmer]

Off topic but I gotta ask, how's the Aurora going? That's what I'm doing for my first grow and thus far everything seems to be going pretty damn good (5 1/2 weeks into to flower). Smells like straight fruity pebbles right now

yeah, AI is very citrus smelling, my AI is doing good, but my Canuck Blueberry is even bigger/better.

my last crop IA was very good and potent, you'll like it

 

[MW7945]

I'm only running a 600w and a 300w vipar with 2 plants in a 3x3x6 so I probably won't get the most out of it possible, but next time I'll for sure be using the CXB3590's. So far they're looking awesome though. One plant is doing much better than the other, but I FIM'd one and topped one to try out both methods. Definitely topping from now on. That plant stayed short and bushy, the FIM plant is a lot taller and making it a pain in the ass to keep the lights right.

 

[jumpincactus]

View attachment 726143 View attachment 726144

Looks good as far as specs go. As with everything tho, specs can be falsified to make the sale. That 50,000 to 100,000 service hours I have to call BS on.

Until the industry gets its thermal management system down with the boards I doubt anything will last that long.

But I have been wrong before. We shall see, leds for horticulture are still in its infancy stages.

It will be interesting to see how long these lights truly last once the bigger commercial greenhouses start approaching the advertised life times.

 

[jumpincactus]

The fact the kind " name brand" light doesn't even list any specs tells me it's worse. If it's listed than technically it has to do the listed spec or it be false advertising. By not listing they aren't lying." Perfect spectrum" is how kind has it listed. Perfect for what though? I'm sure it's perfect for something like maybe a book light. My past I've always seen halide for veg hps for bloom. That was standard. But the new wave is led. And maybe there is flaws especially at this stage. They are all rolling dice at this point until they actually get the technology mastered. I just don't personally see the difference in end results to back the more expensive ones.

We put way too much faith and importance in product specs I think. Cause at the end of the day mfgr's can put any specs they want on a package and who is the wiser if they are lying? There aint no spec police to keep em honest.

I live by this and it has served me well. " if it sounds too good to be true it usually is"

 

[MIMedGrower]

We put way too much faith and importance in product specs I think. Cause at the end of the day mfgr's can put any specs they want on a package and who is the wiser if they are lying? There aint no spec police to keep em honest.

I live by this and it has served me well. " if it sounds too good to be true it usually is"

Not if it is ETL listed or with another electronic certification.

 

[gwheels]

yeah, AI is very citrus smelling, my AI is doing good, but my Canuck Blueberry is even bigger/better.

my last crop IA was very good and potent, you'll like it

How was the blueberry. I have two of those freebies (Canuck blueberry). I might fit them in a grow but it is not very strong.

 

[Monster762]

Looks good as far as specs go. As with everything tho, specs can be falsified to make the sale. That 50,000 to 100,000 service hours I have to call BS on.

Until the industry gets its thermal management system down with the boards I doubt anything will last that long.

But I have been wrong before. We shall see, leds for horticulture are still in its infancy stages.

It will be interesting to see how long these lights truly last once the bigger commercial greenhouses start approaching the advertised life times.

Yeah I built a medical grow warehouse here and they won't consider using leds at all. So that by itself has to mean something. They use strictly green t8 for backlights and gravita labs hps. And lec ceramic lights the 630s. I can't remember brand but is related to Phillips. I haven't seen any of their work it's like Fort Knox there. They built the space but don't have the green light to operate it yet so no plants there yet.

 

[h4ppyf4rmer]

How was the blueberry. I have two of those freebies (Canuck blueberry). I might fit them in a grow but it is not very strong.

the Fem Canuck Blueberry was what I got as freebies seeds from True North Seed Bank. They seem to be very similar to the AI, I have three of them going now. I only grew AI last time. I Just started my 5th week of bloom last night.

 

[gwheels]

I stick to canuck seeds and have had good luck with them. I use the TNSB too because I am Canadian and I am not into cross border shopping when it comes to seeds. Eh. :D They have a lot of good strains too. I am doing 2 sour kush and a white widow this round and next round 2 train wreck and a jack herer :D keep it fresh and real. BEST HOBBY EVER.

With my cheap mars 48 reflector that draws 100 watts from the wall i got 62 grams on my first go round. It was life changing.

Cheap lights will get the job done and you can invest the money you would have spent in a better light down the road.

For me it is 10 a gram from the LP. 900 dollars of investment is only 3 oz of LP weed.

So I got a decent light. And then I got another decent light. The 315 CMH may be the game changer. HPS MPS UV and awesomeness with only 315 watts. Crazy train.

But in my growbox the mars does the job. It depends on what you need really. I like to retain 2 oz a month as a min. 3 oz is better because I treat my stoner friends with christmas and birthday gifts. And it is all getting better. Good genetics and more ability as I go forward.

And I am a bit nuts in that I want to see what I can get out of my tent and light. Adequate is OK and all but I want to excel :D

 

[OldManRiver]

With my cheap mars 48 reflector that draws 100 watts from the wall i got 62 grams on my first go round. It was life changing.

If I can get .6g/watt from my 350 watt draw, I will be very happy.

 

[Schkronis]

So, I got a 300W HiGrow LED from Amazon this spring. I used it to sprout seedlings, growing them to about 10 inches underneath it, before moving them outside. The seedlings did well, with good color, growth, and no stretching. This was on the veg setting of the light. This light cost me $89.

I'm about to pull the trigger on this light: https://www.amazon.com/HIGROW-Optical-Spectrum-Greenhouse-Hydroponic/dp/B01HYUO9VY for a closet grow over the winter. It'll be a one or two plant DWC SCROG setup. It's about $159.

I have seen a lot of discussion here that poo-poos the cheaper lights available on Amazon, such as the one above. I am trying to reconcile that with the dozens of five star reviews on Amazon. Can someone explain why these lights are hated here, yet loved by their purchasers? Who is wrong, and why?

It's right there!
Wattage 600W.
Avg. Power Draw: 250±3% watt

Also how does it manage to do core coverage of 3x3 with a rectangular shape?

Way to many false claims.

 

[xenon730]

It's right there!
Wattage 600W.
Avg. Power Draw: 250±3% watt

Also how does it manage to do core coverage of 3x3 with a rectangular shape?

Way to many false claims.

$89 is half of a 1000w digital ballast with hood or cool tube with huge hood, dimmable, with both a mh and hps bulb. This is why i hate cheap leds. You can grow 3 pounds every 60 days for $200 of hid light. or grow some 10 inch seedlings or a baby tent with a light that'll break randomly in your first or second year.

 

[MW7945]

If I can get .6g/watt from my 350 watt draw, I will be very happy.

Yeah, but it's not unheard of at all to pull 1.5-2g/w with a CXB3590 though

 

[h4ppyf4rmer]

Yeah, but it's not unheard of at all to pull 1.5-2g/w with a CXB3590 though

I will definitely be posting my results from my current cycle when they are done:
900 - watts from the wall
18 - vero29se
6 - plants (three blueberry, two aurora indica, one white widow)

if I get 1 gram per watt(two pounds), I'll be happy };-)

 

[MW7945]

I'd really like to see a side-by-side grow of CXB3590 and Vero29's both at 3500K. They seem to have very close output and Vero's are about $10 cheaper.

How far in are you?

 

[h4ppyf4rmer]

I'd really like to see a side-by-side grow of CXB3590 and Vero29's both at 3500K. They seem to have very close output and Vero's are about $10 cheaper.
How far in are you?

Wednesday will be the first day of week 6 (day 36). All the buds a getting really fat and filling in nicely. I'm guessing harvest time will be in about 4 weeks based on the last time under different lights though.

I'm running all 3000k CRI90 36V Vero29 COBs, no lenses, no reflectors, in a 4x8 tent, RDWC system.

I'll gladly do a side-by-side comparison if someone wanted to donate 18 CXB3590 and a few power supplies };-)

 

[MW7945]

Heh. Today is my first day of week 6.

Did you run the 3000K for veg as well?