Lec 315 anyone pulling weight?

[Big smo]

i have read a lot of journals with people swearing by the lec315's but they always end near harvest time and never really give accurate results. I can guess but who wants to drop money on that?

As far as I know there are 2 main company's sun system and the phantom by hydro farm.

Local grow shop sells the phantom with 2 bulbs veg and flower for 380 which is an excellent price.

Online the sunsystems sell for around 460 with one bulb only. The remote ballast part is pretty sweet on the phantom. Subsystem I don't believe sells a 120v unit with a remote ballast it just goes to 240 if your in the USA.

The main problem with these that I see is most talk is about them being supplemental lighting and not as much for a sole resource.

 

[rkymtnman]

i have read a lot of journals with people swearing by the lec315's but they always end near harvest time and never really give accurate results. I can guess but who wants to drop money on that?

As far as I know there are 2 main company's sun system and the phantom by hydro farm.

Local grow shop sells the phantom with 2 bulbs veg and flower for 380 which is an excellent price.

Online the sunsystems sell for around 460 with one bulb only. The remote ballast part is pretty sweet on the phantom. Subsystem I don't believe sells a 120v unit with a remote ballast it just goes to 240 if your in the USA.

The main problem with these that I see is most talk is about them being supplemental lighting and not as much for a sole resource.

check out 50000 sq ft colorado grow journal. he's having great success with 315s

 

[Big smo]

Hmmmm!! It's a little different compared to most of us growers. but it's definitely intriguing. If life was perfect we too could pull those yields

 

[rkymtnman]

Hmmmm!! It's a little different compared to most of us growers. but it's definitely intriguing. If life was perfect we too could pull those yields

my last 2 grows have a combo of 400 hps and 400 cmh (precursor to 315). quality and quantity were both pretty good. the cmh/lec really gives you a complete spectrum and some UV too.

 

[Gquebed]

Check out @GroErr Grows thread i the indoor section. I believe he is the resident expert on the Lec 315s... youll see some fine flowers there...

 

[DesertGrow89]

i have read a lot of journals with people swearing by the lec315's but they always end near harvest time and never really give accurate results. I can guess but who wants to drop money on that?

As far as I know there are 2 main company's sun system and the phantom by hydro farm.

Local grow shop sells the phantom with 2 bulbs veg and flower for 380 which is an excellent price.

Online the sunsystems sell for around 460 with one bulb only. The remote ballast part is pretty sweet on the phantom. Subsystem I don't believe sells a 120v unit with a remote ballast it just goes to 240 if your in the USA.

The main problem with these that I see is most talk is about them being supplemental lighting and not as much for a sole resource.

Pretty sure the phantom doesn't have the philips low frequency square wave ballast that the sun systems do. These ballasts are what make the unit so efficient and powerful.

Supplemental lighting? Not at all its a primary light source...

 

[Big smo]

Pretty sure the phantom doesn't have the philips low frequency square wave ballast that the sun systems do. These ballasts are what make the unit so efficient and powerful.

Supplemental lighting? Not at all its a primary light source...

Thanks for the info desert! I'm just now learning that wattage isn't the only factor when it comes to efficiency.

I really want to get the sunsystem but getting 240v isn't that easy. If they had a remote ballast option in 120v I would be on it right away.

I know the 3100k is more for flower but do you think it would be a good start to finish bulb?

Trying to maximize yield with keeping cost a priority now . Original budget was 5k I'm now at 15 and 2 rooms instead of just one. 4 extra bulbs won't kill me but it's almost the cost of another light.

 

[highdave]

replying now will come back in a few weeks after harvest. This was yesterday at day 26. I think someone with more experience and fuller canopy would have no problem pulling some good weight

 

[hyroot]

Thanks for the info desert! I'm just now learning that wattage isn't the only factor when it comes to efficiency.

I really want to get the sunsystem but getting 240v isn't that easy. If they had a remote ballast option in 120v I would be on it right away.

I know the 3100k is more for flower but do you think it would be a good start to finish bulb?

Trying to maximize yield with keeping cost a priority now . Original budget was 5k I'm now at 15 and 2 rooms instead of just one. 4 extra bulbs won't kill me but it's almost the cost of another light.

The sunsystem lec, nanolux, phantom, green beams / cycloptics and prism all have 120v and 240v. The endomaxx and the ed37 315 are the only 315 cmh's that are 240v only. Look on growers houuse, discount hydro, or monster gardens.

 

[Big smo]

I want 120volt with remote ballast. That's where I ran into problems. Growers house was my first choice. Their discounts rock. Saved 300 a piece on my leds

 

[rkymtnman]

I want 120volt with remote ballast. That's where I ran into problems. Growers house was my first choice. Their discounts rock. Saved 300 a piece on my leds

just get a AC to AC step up transformer. probably around $100 to 125. problem solved

 

[Big smo]

I felt the ballast on the phantom and it was just about to warm to touch. Multiplied by 4 that's just extra money in cooling. I would bet 4 with built in ballast puts out the same as 5 with the ballast in another room. Extra heat won't kill it for me but adding in the ballast and the cost of extra bulbs the phantom is looking a little more intriguing.

 

[Big smo]

1 or 2 lights I would t even consider it an issue but I am getting 4 plus something else as supplements side lighting. M

 

[hyroot]

View attachment 3652752

I felt the ballast on the phantom and it was just about to warm to touch. Multiplied by 4 that's just extra money in cooling. I would bet 4 with built in ballast puts out the same as 5 with the ballast in another room. Extra heat won't kill it for me but adding in the ballast and the cost of extra bulbs the phantom is looking a little more intriguing.

Go to Walmart get one of those 4 inch fans and set it on the ballot and point it towards the ballast. It will keep the ballast cool. I used to place these on my 1000w ballasts back in the day.

 

[DesertGrow89]

3100k should do fine from start to finish, I know o any people who have used hps, which is lower in Kelvin I believe so it should work fine in theory. Just make sure you have a backup bulb or two. I was just sent two defective bulbs in a row from hydro builder and their customer service is terrrible. They emailed me a shipping label in a format that couldn't even be opened and I ended up wasting a couple hours on the phone etc just trying to send them their garbage bulbs back!

 

[Big smo]

3100k should do fine from start to finish, I know o any people who have used hps, which is lower in Kelvin I believe so it should work fine in theory. Just make sure you have a backup bulb or two. I was just sent two defective bulbs in a row from hydro builder and their customer service is terrrible. They emailed me a shipping label in a format that couldn't even be opened and I ended up wasting a couple hours on the phone etc just trying to send them their garbage bulbs back!

It's funny that's the company that pops up first in many searches. I got my LEDs from growers house. It seems to be a pretty legit company. We will see how legit when they send me back a 2800$ refund

 

[Big smo]

I'm not worried about it getting warm as much as it adding additional heat to the room. Lighting wattage is one thing cooling it is another. Trying to keep everything as cool as possible to spend less on electricity. It's a small amount but if you can stick it elsewhere I'm going for it. I think I'm sticking with the phantom. Remote ballast and the extra veg/flower bulbs

 

[Big smo]

replying now will come back in a few weeks after harvest. This was yesterday at day 26. I think someone with more experience and fuller canopy would have no problem pulling some good weight

Plants are looking beautiful. I'm sold on them. 4 new lights coming soon

 

[DesertGrow89]

One can acquire these square wave ballasts and run vertical bulbs for far cheaper, but a bit of wiring needs to be done

What is the PPFD/PAR rating of the phantom ballast?

 

[Big smo]