LED recommendations?

1Zigzagman

Well-Known Member
Full spectrum = wavelengths for ideal photosynthic active radiation, typically considered 300-800nm, full spectrum implies leds cover everything inbetween
 

Herb Man

Well-Known Member
3x5 tent. The ti smartlamp i have in there is supposed to cover a 4x4 and i have a cheaper vipar led that works for at least a 2.5 x 2.5. Havent trusted that one enough to go for more than that but is kicking the space it is coverings ass.

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Got any links for the units you mentioned?

Thanks.
 

HockeyBeard

Well-Known Member
Tell me about the Mars II lamp.... How does it compare to the Hans panel? Appears to be 3-4x the wattage, do the results correlate with the extra power consumption? Appears that it has a slightly larger cover area, but is there anything else?
 

Lordgenin

Well-Known Member
You get what u pay for. If Your going to get leds GET good ones.
Warranty is a must. Here is a company that is well know for there LEDs and also what I use. I am not a sale person or noting like that. But for my children I only want the best and I know u would too.
http://www.illumitex.com/

Sorry I forgot to add, do not I repeat do not buy off internet go to a hydro wholesaler u can get them for 900$ don't let them tell u otherwise bc they buy it for 750 about. I know this because my boss bought them for me and charge me 900. (He has to make his money too). Do your research on them. It does not get any better then Illumitex,Hands down they are the Gods so to say in the LED industry.
 

GroErr

Well-Known Member
I've learned the hard way that at least for flowering, you get what you pay for. Any of these LED panels can veg, but they tend to lack in flowering in my experience. Not that they won't flower, but in my experience trying a couple of chinese brands, they don't form the density I'd expect and I've seen growing with higher end LED's. After a year of trials and let down's in flowering I'll be using the low-end panels for vegging (LG/TopLED) reflector series for vegging only, they do really well for that. Just about to go my first run with a combo of the LEC Sun System/Philips Elite Agro CMH + DIY LED Tubes and panels for flowering. If I were to consider buying LED's for flowering, I'd go with A51 or Apache, maybe Hans for a small op. Those Onyx Bloom panels look decent, as do the Spyder's but I feel I can build a better one with more efficient Cree CXA-3070 COB's, cheaper.
 

HockeyBeard

Well-Known Member
I've learned the hard way that at least for flowering, you get what you pay for. Any of these LED panels can veg, but they tend to lack in flowering in my experience. Not that they won't flower, but in my experience trying a couple of chinese brands, they don't form the density I'd expect and I've seen growing with higher end LED's. After a year of trials and let down's in flowering I'll be using the low-end panels for vegging (LG/TopLED) reflector series for vegging only, they do really well for that. Just about to go my first run with a combo of the LEC Sun System/Philips Elite Agro CMH + DIY LED Tubes and panels for flowering. If I were to consider buying LED's for flowering, I'd go with A51 or Apache, maybe Hans for a small op. Those Onyx Bloom panels look decent, as do the Spyder's but I feel I can build a better one with more efficient Cree CXA-3070 COB's, cheaper.
Based on a lot of the research I've done, I've come to a very similar conclusion. Especially with all the completed grow pictures that these companies are trying to sell me with. Just not impressed with the final product. What I've seen is that while they may be using Cree or bridgelux LED's, they're not using the same driver, which can be problematic or not provide the same output. Someone had said that when the Chinese held the Olympics, that contract went to Phillips, because their stuff was way more reliable. Take that for what you will. I was looking at the Onyx panel as well, it looks pretty stout. I'm now on the hunt for something with a little more coverage area, to supplement an Induction light system, one on each side. But if everything I'm seeing is only rated for 2.5x2.5, I'd essentially need 4 to cover the area that the induction is. DIY is looking better and better.
 

GroErr

Well-Known Member
Based on a lot of the research I've done, I've come to a very similar conclusion. Especially with all the completed grow pictures that these companies are trying to sell me with. Just not impressed with the final product. What I've seen is that while they may be using Cree or bridgelux LED's, they're not using the same driver, which can be problematic or not provide the same output. Someone had said that when the Chinese held the Olympics, that contract went to Phillips, because their stuff was way more reliable. Take that for what you will. I was looking at the Onyx panel as well, it looks pretty stout. I'm now on the hunt for something with a little more coverage area, to supplement an Induction light system, one on each side. But if everything I'm seeing is only rated for 2.5x2.5, I'd essentially need 4 to cover the area that the induction is. DIY is looking better and better.
Yeah, I'm taking the DIY dive, almost all the components are in, 2-3 weeks should be able to start running them if I don't f'up too badly ;) Induction + some LED's should expand your coverage and produce nicely with the right LED's...
 

HockeyBeard

Well-Known Member
Yeah, I'm taking the DIY dive, almost all the components are in, 2-3 weeks should be able to start running them if I don't f'up too badly ;) Induction + some LED's should expand your coverage and produce nicely with the right LED's...
I'd be interested in seeing what design you're going with, and the specs! Basically, I know that a 400W EFDL isn't going to produce, watt for watt like a HPS, even SCROG'd, so I figure (albeit without concrete evidence) that dropping in a couple ~300W LEDs (which should end up being around 180W actual) fixtures on each side, it should supplement that enough, and I can customize my wavelengths. I'd like to cover a 5x5, but if I can't do it cost effectively enough, I might just put the sides on mini-movers to make up for it, and use one less plant under it.
 

GroErr

Well-Known Member
I'd be interested in seeing what design you're going with, and the specs! Basically, I know that a 400W EFDL isn't going to produce, watt for watt like a HPS, even SCROG'd, so I figure (albeit without concrete evidence) that dropping in a couple ~300W LEDs (which should end up being around 180W actual) fixtures on each side, it should supplement that enough, and I can customize my wavelengths. I'd like to cover a 5x5, but if I can't do it cost effectively enough, I might just put the sides on mini-movers to make up for it, and use one less plant under it.
Ha, I'm the last guy you want recommending how to build a DIY light, I have no idea other than what I've read but then I dive into shit way over my head all the time and figure it out as I go. There are some great threads in the LED section, most have or start with "DIY" and/or "3070" which is about the most efficient COB out there right now. There are some great resources/brains in those DIY threads.

I'm using the Cree CXA-3070 3000k COB's, 2 per panel (50W/each @1400ma, 100W actual draw per panel), using the associated (COB-specific) solder less holders because I hate soldering and would likely screw it up. Driving them at 1400ma (50%) which is higher than most but fuck it, it supposedly won't last as long but considering some of the commercial designs drive them much higher I figure it'll be fine, if it last 2 years that's a lifetime imo and I'll have moved on to the latest/greatest by then anyhow. You can use 700ma drivers and be safer, you will just need 2x the number of COB's to get the same output (not really, the lower wattage/drivers are more efficient so it's not a 1:1 relationship but that gets into too much detail for my liking). I'll be Using the 2x Meanwell LPC-60-1400 drivers per panel (one per COB) to power them. I ordered some 7.25" W x 16" W x 1.4" H heat sinks which will in effect be my "panel", the COB's will be mounted directly on the heatsink, 2 COB's per heatsink. I bought some aluminum sheet 1/8" thick to build a mount for the drivers. With these big heatsinnks, not sure whether I'll need to air cool them yet but that's easy enough with either CPU coolers or straight-up fans blowing down on them. I don't like the idea of CPU-type fans, I've found them unreliable and if you're relying on them (aka use a small-ass heat sink) and they fail, you're probably going to destroy your COB's quick, or make them very inefficient, either one is bad. I'm thinking the surface area of these big-ass heatsinks + some downward air from a reliable small fan will be enough and better than mounting those CPU fans on them. But these are only my uneducated opinions, ok not uneducated, but certainly not an expert with these LED's. First go and I decided about 2 weeks ago, have done a lot of reading but I'm sure I've missed something I'll have to figure out when I start building them, to me that's half the fun ;)
 

PetFlora

Well-Known Member
I run a 12" house fan, half of which is above the SPYDR (cooling it quite nicely) the other half moves the air above the canopy. Works great

Very quiet


Cooling the SPYDR heat sinks increases PAR efficiency
 

oilmaker68

Well-Known Member
BUDMASTER II. Imported from the UK. Amazing build quality and the plants just love it. Seriously, my clones double in size in 5-7 days.
 
I have been using the AgroMax Pro Series Led at 372 watts actual draw and all that I can say because of this being my first grow is that I'm blown away with results so far. I vegged from seed 9 plants in a 4.5x4.5 tent in 5 gallon pots with the one light and t5 ho in the corners of the tent. I only vegged then for a little under 5 weeks and they were very full and short...super heathy and tons of bud sites.its now at 55 days since germination and my tent is full and at 18 inches from tops it's thrivingimage.jpgimage.jpg these pictures are 5 weeks from germination
 

dbkick

Well-Known Member
$450 for a veg light? It certainly appears well built but for a veg light? $450? With 4 different panels Im only in for $520, idk ... But again with leds you get what u pay for, im still just kinda in shock from seeing that price tag lol
Trust me, those panels are worth it AND more reasonably priced than most panels that actually do work well.
Tell me though, why would you be shocked at that price?
The emitters alone are nearly 10 dollars per.
 

1Zigzagman

Well-Known Member
Its nothing really but any cheap chinese ufo or panel will veg a plant the same as these would IMHO, flowering probably not, thats why it suprises me a little is all, i have a friend who ordered a lgled all blue with a few whites, and his plants get tight node spacing and a very fast veg rate in comparrison to mine, however that could be that he runs hydro and im in soil, but for veg I just dont see the need for "quality" usa made lights, bloom hey man those lights look like great quality, for veg i just dont see the need
 

GroErr

Well-Known Member
Its nothing really but any cheap chinese ufo or panel will veg a plant the same as these would IMHO, flowering probably not, thats why it suprises me a little is all, i have a friend who ordered a lgled all blue with a few whites, and his plants get tight node spacing and a very fast veg rate in comparrison to mine, however that could be that he runs hydro and im in soil, but for veg I just dont see the need for "quality" usa made lights, bloom hey man those lights look like great quality, for veg i just dont see the need
I'd tend to agree on that one, if you have a perpetual grow and dedicated veg area, pretty well any of the chinese panels can be used for vegging. Only caveat there is quality, long term reliability and warranty/support. The Vipar's, LG, MARS would likely all do just as good a job vegging than any higher end light. I just went through the second full round with my LG's and they'll be dedicated to vegging, just couldn't cut it in flowering imo though, so I'm moving away from the chinese panels for flowering, but they veg just fine & dandy. Next round is coming up nicely but will be switched for CMH + LED's for flowering. No harm in mixing up lights and utilizing the cost savings in veg, invest the savings into some decent flowering lights and the more expensive flowering lights will last longer to boot.
2xBB-2xPPP-1xJTR-Day1-14-10-1.jpg
 
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