LED vs HID

nvhak49

nvhak49

Well-Known Member
Trying to figure out if an led is really worth it, and if it actually save on power? Since in growing in my garage and it's about 35 outside and about 55-60 ish in my garage and about 75-80 in my grow box now, wondering f I would have to use CFLs to keep the temp up high enough I would be in a 4'x2'x4' grow tent by the end of the week. Or should I go with an 250w HID light but I would have to run a cooling system I'm sure with that. So either way I gotta use something else to balance it out haha. Jwing what would be better this is my first grow and currently growing with 136w of CFLs 2 45w 6500k and 2 23w 5000k, in a small grow box I thru together till my tent gets here.
 
SupraSPL

SupraSPL

Well-Known Member
You can control the temp in the tent by increasing or decreasing the vent fan CFM. If you go with LED and temps are too low you could use something like a BFQ50 BFQ75 or BFQ90 to vent.
 
nvhak49

nvhak49

Well-Known Member
SupraSPL said:
You can control the temp in the tent by increasing or decreasing the vent fan CFM. If you go with LED and temps are too low you could use something like a BFQ50 BFQ75 or BFQ90 to vent.
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Ya that's what I was thinking too, cuz I would like to do away with the CFLs soon. Cuz either way I'll have to have some venting with hid or led with a filter on it to keep the smell down. What would be a good size HID for my tent, what a 250w be to big?
 
S

stickybuds*

Active Member
I would use a 250w hps, led's look like there getting better from what I have seen but you have to have deep pockets as there not cheap and still not as good as hps
in veg I use a 250w mh and have a 150w cfl, the results are 10x better using the mh on larger plants (over 6" tall)

every descent led grow I have seen has been a scrog or well lst plants as the led can't penetrate deep in the canopy, the buds look more airy but saying that the buds have a lot more crystals so its not all bad
they have a much better spread of heat and light so the plant can handle it and no hot spot on the canopy
 
nvhak49

nvhak49

Well-Known Member
stickybuds* said:
I would use a 250w hps, led's look like there getting better from what I have seen but you have to have deep pockets as there not cheap and still not as good as hps
in veg I use a 250w mh and have a 150w cfl, the results are 10x better using the mh on larger plants (over 6" tall)

every descent led grow I have seen has been a scrog or well lst plants as the led can't penetrate deep in the canopy, the buds look more airy but saying that the buds have a lot more crystals so its not all bad
they have a much better spread of heat and light so the plant can handle it and no hot spot on the canopy
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ya they are spendy I've done some research on some the cheaper ones and read and read on threads on guys using the cheaper ones they have good results, but I'm growing in my garage so I dunno if an led would produce enough heat to keep the temps up u know? So u don't think a 250 out be to much? My tent is only 4' tall and I'd only grow like 1 or 2 plant 3 at the very most.
 
Greengenes707

Greengenes707

Well-Known Member
Go get the equivalent wattage(true wattage) to your CFLs worth in CREE globes from home depot. The 9w 2700k ones. They put the same light with 1/3 the electricity as an already cost saving CFL. Plus they are about 1/3 as cool as a CFL too(and I thought cfl's ran cool).
 
nvhak49

nvhak49

Well-Known Member
No ya they run cool already but still put off enough heat for my box that I have right now and probably will be enough for my tent maybe, I'm just trying to get the best bang for my buck, and was wanti to do away with the CFLs and just only have a LED panel or HPS.
 
Greengenes707

Greengenes707

Well-Known Member
I didn't mean that like I can't believe you have heat...they are warm and it builds up in a tent for sure. And the led house bulbs are still a lot cooler
 
FilthyFletch

FilthyFletch

Mr I Can Do That For Half
To keep it simple LEDs have improved but not even close to HID lighting. the initial investment will take awhile to earn what a simple HID setup will give in a much shorter time. If you have the money for LEDs then skip them and spend it on either sulphur plasma lights or inductio lighting as they give much better results and use less energy then HIDs but cost like LEDS
 
nvhak49

nvhak49

Well-Known Member
Greengenes707 said:
I didn't mean that like I can't believe you have heat...they are warm and it builds up in a tent for sure. And the led house bulbs are still a lot cooler
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No ya I know what you mean I'm running around 75-80 in the grow box I have now but it's pretty small and the tent will be a lot bigger and just worried LEDs won't hear it up enough to keep the right temps.
 
nvhak49

nvhak49

Well-Known Member
I'm on a budget so I was gunna get a cheaper led panel cuz ive seen guys on here using them having good results. But I'll do some more research and see what the best thing money can buy for cheap lighting.
 
dbkick

dbkick

Well-Known Member
RapidLed Onyx grow. reasonably priced, compact and powerful.
449 dollars to your door.
 
dbkick

dbkick

Well-Known Member
but then again for some reason I have no clue what this thread is about, my excuse....the og pure oil of course.
 
gk skunky

gk skunky

Well-Known Member
nvhak49 said:
Ya that's what I was thinking too, cuz I would like to do away with the CFLs soon. Cuz either way I'll have to have some venting with hid or led with a filter on it to keep the smell down. What would be a good size HID for my tent, what a 250w be to big?
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4x2x4? So 32 cubic feet. I ran a 400W in a similar sized but even smaller space. 1.5x3x5 ~23 cubic feet. Ran it aircooled with a 4" no scrubber, then 6" no cool tube with a scrubber. 250W are garbage, just a hot ass bulb that just does OK. Most inefficient HID bulb next to 150W and 150W MH. Right now my A51 XGS 190 LED is definitely kicking the shit out of a 250W HPS and so far hanging with what I could do with a 400W.


Just saw you say you are on a budget. What's you budget? You could get 2- vipar 300W panels for $300, you could get an air cooled 400W possibly even digital ballast for about $200. I would rather go spend money on a bunch of CREE leds from homedepot than spend money on a bullshit 250 HPS. That's coming from a guy who's always used HPS or CMH up until this small little experimental grow.
 
nvhak49

nvhak49

Well-Known Member
gk skunky said:
4x2x4? So 32 cubic feet. I ran a 400W in a similar sized but even smaller space. 1.5x3x5 ~23 cubic feet. Ran it aircooled with a 4" no scrubber, then 6" no cool tube with a scrubber. 250W are garbage, just a hot ass bulb that just does OK. Most inefficient HID bulb next to 150W and 150W MH. Right now my A51 XGS 190 LED is definitely kicking the shit out of a 250W HPS and so far hanging with what I could do with a 400W.


Just saw you say you are on a budget. What's you budget? You could get 2- vipar 300W panels for $300, you could get an air cooled 400W possibly even digital ballast for about $200. I would rather go spend money on a bunch of CREE leds from homedepot than spend money on a bullshit 250 HPS. That's coming from a guy who's always used HPS or CMH up until this small little experimental grow.
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Ya I'm guessing it would be 32 cubic feet, oh damn really? That's sweet ya I'm kinda leaning towards the led panel. Do you think I could veg and flower with a 300w vipar panel in my tent I would only be growing two plants? I'm hoping not to spend anymore than like 200$ on a panel if I can help it but I know a good panel is pretty spendy that's why I'm asking around b4 I make a purchase. Your like the 3rd person to tell me to go with Cree bulbs I have to go to home depot anyway today so I'll pick up some, have you grown with them b4? Do they work for flowering too at a lower kelvin of course?
 
Bad Karma

Bad Karma

Well-Known Member
gk skunky said:
4x2x4? So 32 cubic feet. I ran a 400W in a similar sized but even smaller space. 1.5x3x5 ~23 cubic feet. Ran it aircooled with a 4" no scrubber, then 6" no cool tube with a scrubber. 250W are garbage, just a hot ass bulb that just does OK. Most inefficient HID bulb next to 150W and 150W MH. Right now my A51 XGS 190 LED is definitely kicking the shit out of a 250W HPS and so far hanging with what I could do with a 400W.


Just saw you say you are on a budget. What's you budget? You could get 2- vipar 300W panels for $300, you could get an air cooled 400W possibly even digital ballast for about $200. I would rather go spend money on a bunch of CREE leds from homedepot than spend money on a bullshit 250 HPS. That's coming from a guy who's always used HPS or CMH up until this small little experimental grow.
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Great advise Skunky, I couldn't have typed it better myself.
 
nvhak49

nvhak49

Well-Known Member
gk skunky said:
4x2x4? So 32 cubic feet. I ran a 400W in a similar sized but even smaller space. 1.5x3x5 ~23 cubic feet. Ran it aircooled with a 4" no scrubber, then 6" no cool tube with a scrubber. 250W are garbage, just a hot ass bulb that just does OK. Most inefficient HID bulb next to 150W and 150W MH. Right now my A51 XGS 190 LED is definitely kicking the shit out of a 250W HPS and so far hanging with what I could do with a 400W.


Just saw you say you are on a budget. What's you budget? You could get 2- vipar 300W panels for $300, you could get an air cooled 400W possibly even digital ballast for about $200. I would rather go spend money on a bunch of CREE leds from homedepot than spend money on a bullshit 250 HPS. That's coming from a guy who's always used HPS or CMH up until this small little experimental grow.
Click to expand...
can you use the cup at panels in flowering too, is 300w enough during flowering for two plants?
 
gk skunky

gk skunky

Well-Known Member
nvhak49 said:
Ya I'm guessing it would be 32 cubic feet, oh damn really? That's sweet ya I'm kinda leaning towards the led panel. Do you think I could veg and flower with a 300w vipar panel in my tent I would only be growing two plants? I'm hoping not to spend anymore than like 200$ on a panel if I can help it but I know a good panel is pretty spendy that's why I'm asking around b4 I make a purchase. Your like the 3rd person to tell me to go with Cree bulbs I have to go to home depot anyway today so I'll pick up some, have you grown with them b4? Do they work for flowering too at a lower kelvin of course?
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I can't say for sure on the HD CREE bulbs but captianmorgan I think is his name on here, sorry no disrespect just still new around here, and seems to be doing pretty good with them. He says he prefers the 9.5 standard vs the conical floods. This is my first bout with LED, always used HID in the past, and so far so good. I've seen some decent grows with VIPARS. They are still pretty questionable as to what's really in them but I have yet to see anything as far as the negative stigma you see surrounding cidly and all of their lights rebranded like the apollos and SOME of the UFO series lights.
 
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