Upgrading My Lights

[rydin4life]

I'm growing in a 4x4 tent with four Mars Hydro 300s and one ViparSpectra 450 in the middle. I'm considering going to newer LED technology and looking for opinions. I'd prefer not to have separate ballasts that I have to mount somewhere but am open to suggestions. Should I stay away from the blurple lights entirely for veg and flower?

[Weed Pharma]

I'm in the middle of resolving the same process you are looking at- here are a couple of threads on the subject with valuable links to studies etc:

https://forum.growweedeasy.com/forum...-caught-my-eye


https://forum.growweedeasy.com/forum...ed-suggestions

It's all about getting the right balance for your grow's environment.

[Smokesteve]

In my opinion developed through my own experience unless you are willing to spend good money for a well built LED, You will never match the quality of a HID light. I have 2 Marshydro and 1 viparspectra not useless but the HID destroys them for quantity and quality.

[Toker1]

That’s correct. For the purpose of this discussion (unless you are dropping a grand or more per light) the efficiency doesn’t match HID.

[Doubledealing72]

I use autocobs. No ballasts, not blurple, low electricity and good yield. Check out my last grow or current grow to see how they are doing for me.

I'll never go with a different light again.

[gbauto]

Based on what I've experienced over the past 3 years, lighting is the single most important factor in how successful a grow is. Providing a dense shower of useable photons is what we need-so it stands to reason that we need to determine how MUCH light we need for a given AREA. The biggest benefit of using current tech diodes over 'blurples' is that they emit almost double the number of photons for each watt of power used.
Basic rule of thumb: HID lighting needs approx. 50w/ sq ft of floor space. Blurples need the same power density(50w/sq ft) to get enough photon density. Current tech diodes like QB's or 'real' cobs need approx. 30w/ sqft to reach the same PPFD.

[9fingerleafs]

Check the led technologies topic, there’s a list of the best LEDs with specs, prices and gas discharge comparisons

[changeofpace2014]

I'm growing in a 4x4 tent with four Mars Hydro 300s and one ViparSpectra 450 in the middle. I'm considering going to newer LED technology and looking for opinions. I'd prefer not to have separate ballasts that I have to mount somewhere but am open to suggestions. Should I stay away from the blurple lights entirely for veg and flower?

Hey rydin4life - Have you considered building your own LED fixture?

A quick run down on my light.

I run 9# Vero 18 SE 5 3500 and 4 3000 K each requires a 75 W Artic 11 and now I use Mean Well drivers, was burned on the Chinese e-bay drivers because they were not what the spec said, not even close.

Cost $130 CA for Cobs, $135 CA for heat sinks, $40.CA angle aluminum, $60 US for e-bay drivers ( had to replace) Mean Well drivers $130 CA, Capton Tape, Heat sink thermal compound, wire and connectors, solider ect $120 CA.

In the end the small stuff, bits ect is what adds up, however I know my Cobs are being driver at 1400 MA and they are running at 47 W each, so that is a true 423 W. The actual amps on the circuit is around 6 A with Cobs, Heat sink fans, 200 CFM exhaust fan and carbon scrubber. That is really good compared to the older HID multi tap ballast. The Cobs draw less the what they are spec at, but maybe that has to do with how the circuit is wired from the panel to grow area.