**ULTIMATE LED TEST** *GLH Spectra 290* VS *Blackstar 500* VS *Hydro Grow LED 336X*

coolj said:

wow spectra290s on ebay for 300 all sales final, moving and makin way for new inventory

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Those are the ones with documented intensity issues, just a friendly FYI. That's where I got my 100w for $120 bucks. Great lights, totally worth the money with the discount offered, but you'll have to keep them higher (at least plus 4-5 inches) than the average led grow lamp or you'll wind up with mad bleaching. Cheers!

If your not using each to it's respective manufacturers recommendation then it is an invalid comparison.

massah said:

WeJuana, I'd suggest after you get through the entire test to sit down and compile all the pictures together and create a new thread from start to finish to show people the differences between the panels without having to read for 5 hours to get through the entire thread going on here...there is alot of LED information that if condensed would make a great Sticky

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Smart thinking! I will definitely do that!

@Maxpesh- WHAAAT!? I didn't even know a 500w HO Blackstar existed until you just posted this and I looked!

colocowboy said:

If your not using each to it's respective manufacturers recommendation then it is an invalid comparison.

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I beg to differ. I think the comparison is valid to show performance at 55" thus far. Further on in the journal I may change light heights.

It is, after all, the manufacturers choice how they make their lights, and whether they will do good in any other manor other than the "manufacturers recommendation"

Okay, while I accept that, it is not the title of this thread. Manufacturers engineer their lights to specific purposing, your statement is not scientific it is proving of a bias, by your own admission.

**I am not saying that what your doing is not still interesting or anything, it is just not an unbiased comparison.
It can still be a LED TEST I guess, I mean I can't see why not. Just saying that the initial thought needed your last posts clarification, for me anyway.... lol
Thanks!
cheers!

colocowboy said:

Okay, while I accept that, it is not the title of this thread. Manufacturers engineer their lights to specific purposing, your statement is not scientific it is proving of a bias, by your own admission.

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Okay. I would accept that, but "manufacturer engineered light test" is not the title of this thread either lol.

It seems I am just choosing different parameters than you would have.

ok covering a 7x7 space with leds how would u do it people? the right way

mohawke said:

Great test grow!

You said that the lights will remain stationary 55" above the floor during the entire grow?Well, If thats the case, then the Penetrator and Blackstar have an obvious advantage from the beginning.

They both use 60 degree lenses (Blackstar uses 60/90/120), therefore, the plants under those lights will get more PAR light (with the lights @ 55inches above the floor) than the plant under the Spectra (It uses 90 degree lenses).

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Thanks so much!

During at least the first portion of testing I plan on keeping the lights stationary but since I am making this a perpetual grow, I will be able to start changing variables and may eventually may start lowering the lights as one of them.

coolj said:

ok covering a 7x7 space with leds how would u do it people? the right way

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4 lights (min draw 300w / light) is how I would run it.

One thing though is that most people will keep their lights at the same distance from the plants whether or not the plant is tall... that said, it might have been a good idea to always keep the top of the plant at the same distance from the light instead of having the light stationary. That said, it was clear from the first post that the experiment was going to be set this way. I wasnt gonna say anything about it but now that mohawke points out the fact about the spectra and the 60degrees lenses,I personally would prefer to see it like the lights are always 15 inches (or whatever you like, but always the same through the entire grow in each room) from the top of the plant. but you are halfway there now, regardless, I enjoy following the grow show!

this is why everyone says the GLH lights yield more, because you get proper spectrum mix from 60* angle lenses at height and intesity as well, which the blackstar doesnt provide you have to sacrafice a little one way or the other when you hang your light, but that being said, the difference IMO is not worth the $

But i actually wish i would have thought to mention that earlier, still a really nice test though, better than any of teh others i've seen done really

keep up the good work wejuana....if the cheapest lights do the best a lot of people are gonna have a sore ass around here, but oh well.......i think the average person, including myself, would put the lights as close as possible despite manufacturers recommendation.....i had both my led's and 400w cmh 8" from the canopy and no problems.....as long as all the lights are the same distance then its fair game in my opinion.....its a fact that all the plants are going to respond a little different as far as height and bushiness are concerned.....personally a few inches in either direction doesnt bother me that much....lookin good brother

and for the record im not biased....im just a happy blackstar user that thinks the most expensive light should win by a long shot

kush groove said:

keep up the good work wejuana....if the cheapest lights do the best a lot of people are gonna have a sore ass around here, but oh well.......i think the average person, including myself, would put the lights as close as possible despite manufacturers recommendation.....i had both my led's and 400w cmh 8" from the canopy and no problems.....as long as all the lights are the same distance then its fair game in my opinion.....its a fact that all the plants are going to respond a little different as far as height and bushiness are concerned.....personally a few inches in either direction doesnt bother me that much....lookin good brother

and for the record im not biased....im just a happy blackstar user that thinks the most expensive light should win by a long shot

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I agree. The message you have entered is too short. Please lengthen your message to at least 10 characters.

Endur0xX said:

I agree. The message you have entered is too short. Please lengthen your message to at least 10 characters.

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3 X $ 3 X yield

there u go 10 characters hehehe

Great job wejuana....everything is moving right along(Quickly)....keep it up

Ya I wouldn't pay 3x the money for a light that doesn't at least double he yeild of the one that's a third the price.

Thanks all!! Plants are looking good today! Update pictures will be up shortly

Spectra


Penetrator


Blackstar

Hey wejuana, all the updates, photos, and videos are awesome...keep em coming! But could you do a couple pics of the entire plants or at least a couple full branches so we can see the lower flowers too?

Also, it might be a good idea to post the lens angles for each light...we seem to have some confusion already based on a few of the other posters' comments...

Dam those are looking sexy