Inda-gro Induction...

chazbolin said:

I've been looking for someone to post up an IBeam grow for sometime. I've never seen one. Perhaps you would consider starting a thread.

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This means an extra 1.5 - 2 hours of flowering every night. With Short Day Plants, once your flowers are initiated, the flower/fruit photoperiod can be increased to 13.5 to 14 hours, to gain at least an additonal 10% in yield and quality from the Flower Initiation aspect alone.

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Induction vs. LED Lights:
If Induction Lighting hasn't caught on in 100 years, could there be a reason?
Which is the better lighting alternative, LED lights, or induction? At first glance, induction lighting looks attractive, especially its advertised long life. However, induction lights have most of the same problems as fluorescent lights. LED lights avoid these problems, while offering a comparable lifespan and using significantly less energy.


Induction lighting promises long life, up to 100,000 hours, but that claim is suspect. It is true they have no electrodes to burn out (a common failure point in fluorescent lighting). However, induction lighting is otherwise very similar to fluorescent. It depends on a ballast, and a sealed glass tube containing mercury vapor in a partial vacuum.


Failed ballasts have always been a problem for fluorescent lights, and induction lights require a ballast. Few electronic devices last 100,000 hours (that's 12 years, 24 hours per day). Additionally, that figure applies only to externally ballasted lights. Internally ballasted induction lights (the type most used in standard light fixtures) are typically rated 25,000 hours or less.


Maintaining a vacuum, even a partial one, is problematic. Induction light tubes require a vacuum. If the seal fails, the light fails. Experience with incandescent and fluorescent lights suggests failure is likely to occur before the theoretic 100,000 hours, especially in any light not manufactured to the highest (and most expensive) standards.


The amount of mercury in an induction light is very small; but it is still considered hazardous by the EPA. Special disposal is required. Breakage requires a hazardous materials cleanup, and, in a commercial setting, may shut down that area until clean. And breakage is likely. The thin glass of an induction light tube shatters easily.


LED's contain no mercury, and the EPA has determined they are safe for general disposal. Even if they break, LED lights are solid state, no vacuum, no glass. This makes them inherently tough. The very tiny amounts of toxic chemicals present are all bonded to the base material, sealed with epoxy or other inert material, and that usually inside a protective housing. Short of grinding an LED to powder, and then ingesting it (perhaps as pizza topping? LED tea?), it is hard to imagine how anyone could be exposed in anyway.


Induction lights are less expensive; but their price is stable and unlikely to decrease. LED’s have been steadily decreasing in price for years, and almost certain to continue to do so for the foreseeable future. While induction lights are touted as energy efficient, LED lights use half the energy. Taken altogether, LED lights are simply the better lighting solution for environmentally friendly, energy efficient lighting. There really are perfectly good reasons there isn’t an induction light in every socket.


Contributor: Joel Zenzic
Posted By: Mary Wecker

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say what you will but mag ballasts are rock solid for at least a decade.

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Idk what indagro uses as a ballast but mine has worked flawlessly so far..and I expect it too go the distance

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DrGt chemo Iranian x 80s Nl5 haze C.
anything mixed with c5 gets huge!

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chazbolin said:

IG does an annual Black Friday Special where they offer the Pro-200 for $250.00 and the Pro-420 for $450.00, plus freight with a limit of two per order. You have to phone in to get that deal as the online store charges full price.

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WAProducer said:

I just received a quote for induction lighting from some company on Alibaba for 500 watt fixtures (5 veg and 25 bloom) for $10,200, shipping is another $500-$600, plus some import fees on my end...about $375 per fixture. I have no idea if these lights will even work (or for how long). Quality from China can be hit or miss. Most everything is sourced in China (and assembled in the US). High risk, high gain???

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Induction lighting promises long life, up to 100,000 hours, but that claim is suspect. It is true they have no electrodes to burn out (a common failure point in fluorescent lighting). However, induction lighting is otherwise very similar to fluorescent. It depends on a ballast, and a sealed glass tube containing mercury vapor in a partial vacuum.

Click to expand...

Failed ballasts have always been a problem for fluorescent lights, and induction lights require a ballast. Few electronic devices last 100,000 hours (that's 12 years, 24 hours per day). Additionally, that figure applies only to externally ballasted lights. Internally ballasted induction lights (the type most used in standard light fixtures) are typically rated 25,000 hours or less.

Click to expand...

Maintaining a vacuum, even a partial one, is problematic. Induction light tubes require a vacuum. If the seal fails, the light fails. Experience with incandescent and fluorescent lights suggests failure is likely to occur before the theoretic 100,000 hours, especially in any light not manufactured to the highest (and most expensive) standards.

Click to expand...

The amount of mercury in an induction light is very small; but it is still considered hazardous by the EPA. Special disposal is required. Breakage requires a hazardous materials cleanup, and, in a commercial setting, may shut down that area until clean. And breakage is likely. The thin glass of an induction light tube shatters easily.

Click to expand...

Induction lights are less expensive; but their price is stable and unlikely to decrease. LED’s have been steadily decreasing in price for years, and almost certain to continue to do so for the foreseeable future.

Click to expand...

While induction lights are touted as energy efficient, LED lights use half the energy. Taken altogether, LED lights are simply the better lighting solution for environmentally friendly, energy efficient lighting. There really are perfectly good reasons there isn’t an induction light in every socket.

Click to expand...