HELP! Consultation regarding the purchase of an LED lamp

[DorMashilker]

Hello everyone,
I am interested in purchasing an LED lamp and I wanted to hear your opinion on this lamp.

https://www.alibaba.com/product-detail/product_1600145537220.html?spm=a2700.12243863.0.0.260d3e5fsaftBq#reviewSubHeader

My growing space is 100 * 100 cm
Thanks in advance

[dilvish]

I think you already posted this but Ill answer this one instead. Ultimately the cheaper the light the cheaper the product. don't get fooled by claims that these lights are highly regarded or certified. The only manufacturer that i know of who actually has the proper safety certification stamped right on the light is ViparSpectra and then only certain models (like the R900).

Safety is important. If it isn't properly safety tested by UL ETL or CSA then I wouldn't buy it.

On your previous post you said the company website showed these certifications but just posting them on the website doesn't mean they passed safety inspections.

Do your homework, read as many independent reviews of LED grow lights on the internet as you can and not reviews on websites that sell them like AliBaba or Amazon etc. Then find out if the one you like the most is UL, ETL or CSA certified. If not, keep looking.

Other growers on this forum may offer their advice but do your own reviewing. Everyone has a particular taste and budget so consider all options.

Good Luck

[gbauto]

240 watts isn't enough photon output to flower a 3x3, even with top-tier diodes.
I'd shoot for a minimum of a 320-watt fixture.
I built the fixtures in my main room 4 years ago using Vero's and F-strips running Meanwell drivers and haven't had any issues with them.
Having said that, divlish makes a valid point. The quality of electrical components is an important safety consideration, so I'd suggest using a trusted vendor.
I have also had a couple of years of use of my Meiju 480-watt QB clone fixture in my pheno tent.
Excellent quality and value on the fixture I got.
Obviously, you could buy a fixture from HLG, Chilled, or Timber and get better customer service if needed, but it comes at a premium in cost difference.
Building fixtures now is pretty-much plug and play now, the most challenging part of the build is constructing a frame.
The rest is just connecting wires.
If that is too much, then I'd take a hard look at Meiju or Kingbrite on the 'baba.
This has a ton of info if you want to diy: https://ledgardener.com/diy-guides/

[Poppa]

I will say thanks gbauto I love working with my hands and will be reading through this to see if it's a project I want to dabble in.

[ChadWestport]

What is the budget you are working with? There are many that look alike but not all are created equal, spending money on the right one prevents you from buying another light after the disappointment of your first attempt with a cheap light.

[CaptainWiese91]

Viparspectra is a good beginner lamp. Low cost and it will do “the job” I have the R900. But I will definitely not buy a second or replace it with a new viparspectra.
All depends on your budget. But in my experience the extra dollars/euros you put into the lamp, it’s worth spending.

look up Lumatek light which is clearly my favorite type of LED and it doesn’t have the Red/blue/purple light. As the vipar have. And clearly my plants love the light from the lumatek Attis 300w way more than from the vipar. Uses less Watt and than my vipar too. But is way stronger in light.

The second company I want to buy from, which is highly recommended also is Mars hydro LED lamps. I seen some good buds been making in the Mars hydro and didn’t I know the lumatek brand, I would buy Mars hydro.

[dilvish]

Personally if you buy any light that is not UL, ETL or CSA certified, you are gambling the safety of the grow and potentially a serious fire.

Unfortunately this industry is highly unregulated and most manufacturers of grow lights, including Mars Hydro, are not government safety approved.

These manufacturers approve their own electrical fixtures using the "CE" certification which is not the government certified standard for electrical safety. It's more like a "self certification" based on European guidelines, nothing more.

Basically the market is "buyer beware" like a lot of electrical products made in China

Some good advice: don't take any chances with an electrical item that not only produces heat, but is operating 12 - 24 hours a day for months at a time. If the manufacturer has no proof that it is safety certified using UL, ETL or CSA standards then keep looking.

P.S. I contacted Mars Hydro several times to get proof of government safety certification and each time they merely made claims that could not be supported. I did the same with ViparSpectra. Not only did ViparSpectra send me proof (a picture of the unit) but they gave me the LED grow light product safety ID number for the UL certification and pointed me to the UL listing website where the number can be verified and the unit safety testting verified.