I've been scouring the net for weeks but there are a lot of people making a lot of claims. I also have been looking at a few journals, and love the results. but everyone does something different. I am looking for someone who has tried several different lights to weigh in.
A few folks around here have tried a few different brands but usually that's because they started off with cheap chinese panels that barely did anything and then started breaking down. LEDs are pretty expensive. I use them to escape heat issues and because they really can produce some trichome covered bud.
I purchased Kessils and a spectral spinner and am now adding diy LED lighting to complete the package. I can tell you a few things that I've learned from taking a class from Cree and from growing with them.
First from growing with them: 1. A panel will produce little light off the sides so by far the best lighting is directly under the LEDs (much like growing with T5s if you've done that). This helps lead to 2) multiple sources of light are better than one (get out of the HID single point source mindset) What is directly under the light will grow well and for a couple of inches to the side and that's it. 3) You need to use less water than you have been. Less heat on the plant means it transpires less and will need less water. Overwatering is hard on a plant and I must admit that I made the mistake a few times on my first grow.
From the Cree class: LEDs are sold like computer chips - based on performance. The quality of a computer chip even with a manufacturer and same batch varies quite a lot as does an LED. Quality between manufacturers and between batches can be leagues different for the supposedly same item. Thus LEDs are sold by brand and by bin (performance measured and put into order of quality). The same brand made at the same time and one LED is top bin and one just makes their bottom bin. If you want to get top light out on spectrum (lumens or however one wishes to measure) for the amount of electricity in, then one needs top brand, top bin LEDs. The variation is really quite large - OK HUGE. Look at spec sheets and see. Would you buy a computer if you didn't know anything about the chip even the brand much less its specific performance? LEDs are similar.
Next from that class: After the selection of the LED heat management is really key. An LED will move off spectrum and will produce less light if it is hot. You will quickly lose the efficacy that you chose LEDs for. And then the LEDs fail from being overheated and you've lost your investment. You will find in some cheap chinese LED panels that they have basically no heat sink and are just using cheap very noisy fans (which will fail) to keep the fixture cool. Look at the number of posts on here about blackstars failing.
Based on what I've said, I would look for a couple of panels which will completely cover (maybe angled to bring in light from the side a little) your plant. Take a look at Hans panel, and area 51...look at growershouse.com and CLW, Kessil, etc The cost for most of the decent lights is about $3/watt Keep in mind though that a good one will serve you well for years without any more work or money than a cleaning at the end of the grow. No bulbs to replace or large fans to remove heat.
DIY wasn't mentioned but you can build a top quality light - better than anything I've seen for sale - for $3/watt with top brand, top bin LEDs, quality driver, good heatsink and as desired a quiet, good fan. Or you can buy cheaper but still decent and get it done for about $2/watt. You can build it any size and shape desired for your grow area. Noone has a lock on what the best spectrum is. I'm going with some dominant red/blue and some warm white/cool white lights to fill in any missing spectrum. Here are a couple of sites if you wish to check out diy- ledgroupbuy.com modularled.com and there are a few others... Jump in, the water is fine.
And don't negate the ability of fluorescents to grow. You can always use your CFL for a little supplemental light and spectrum if you can't buy enough LED light right now. Buy one quality light even if it isn't enough for full LED grow. Use your CFL too and then when you have a few more bucks buy another LED panel.
The htglight doesn't tell you even the brand of LEDs used. And what is the actual wattage out because 135 watts is strictly theoretical. The actual wattage will depend on the LEDs and the driver driving them. They are not running the 3 watt LEDs at 3 watts....I'd guess something between 1 and 2 watts each....so real wattage is probably about 70 watts...I'm making a guess . You'd have to ask them and see if they'd tell you the truth. If you search on here maybe someone has actually measured that fixture. When you are comparing, be sure to compare at least real watts to real watts. Note that Hans and Area 51 tell you real watts and don't try to deceive. I give credit. Now total wattage doesn't tell you how efficiently they are using the watts but at least you get some basis for comparison.
