ViparSpectra 600W additional lighting ... ?

Hello Friends,

I have a little amount of money left over (lets assume 100€) and want to buy some additional lights to add to my ViparSpectra600w Reflector Series. I have with the help of the internet come to the conclusion that the best idea would be to add some red lights (660nm) spectrum and maybe some UVB light (280-315nm).

My setup at the moment is very basic and as follows:
2 x ViparSpectra 600w Reflector Series illuminating 95x95cm each.

I have just visited my local electronics store and saw this:
...unfortunately i am not allowed to post a link, it is called Phillips HUE LightStrip and you can find it at google.

(sorry, i can't find it in english??)

what do you think? Would it make any sense to add this strip to my growspacewalls in order to illuminate the sides better and get some better red spectrum?

Please let me know what you think and know, if you want.

Thank you

please dont tell me to throw my ViparSpectras away because they are shit, they are not shit (but maybe not optimal.. but what could you expect for 150$??) and have done a good service to me over the last year.

Those Viparspectras are 260w blurples, adding more blurple wouldn't be a good use of your funds.
Get a legit light from HLG, timber, rapid, chilled, plc or one of the other companies using modern diodes. or, learn to diy build, it really is very easy. Have a look at the led section here, lots of good info on the newer gear. https://www.rollitup.org/f/led-and-other-lighting.124/
Adding full spectrum and using the vipars as supplemental would probably kick ass.

anyone?

For less than a 100 there is very little to be had. Maybe check out @CobKits for a cxm light-engine, they are quite cheap and it would get you an idea about why people are telling you to not get blurple.

tbh i have spent about 1000 hours reading on LED and I can not understand what you mean when you say blurple etc... the viparspectra as well as the Philipps HUE are full spectrum lights. I see no scientific criticism in "blurple" ... its just an internet thing it seems to me. The ViparSpectra light isnt even purple, it is almost white when you have Veg & Bloom on.

I have checked at least 20 differenct sources telling me which lightspectrum the cannabisplant needs for different stages of growth. I really, no matter how hard I think about it, can not fit the "blurple" thing in there negatively.

Thanks for your advices so far.. but as I said. The ViparSpectra is doing me a good service and I see nothing wrong with the bud it produces. I have checked almost every single grow report on growdiaries,com and not one plant grown indoors looks different to mine in size and shape and density. And if they do, they look worse.. in most cases. If you check out the technical specifications of the lightspectrum the ViparSpectra gives off, you can clearly see that the red-curve is comparatively low.. and thats why I thought adding a 660nm Osram bulp or a LightStrip would result in even better bud. And the UVB light in order to attempt a stronger thc-production, as theory suggests

Many moons ago, blue and red leds were developed to have higher efficiency than full spectrum so light manufacturers would use them together in an attempt to make a useable light. They do work, but efficiency is about the same as hps. Modern full spectrum white light diodes have now surpassed that efficiency point by far.
It's really just about the technology and what its able to do. I bet there is an executive in china who got his ass handed to him over a warehouse full of blurple lights after the newer cobs and now qb's and strips came out. They're still trying to sell that stuff of course, who wouldn't?
I dont hate blurples, I just don't see any value for my $$ there. Spending a little more to get something that is demonstrably far superior is the way to go. Even the red and blue diodes used in those are not remotely the current best.
If you want to add far red for cheap and don't want to diy, have a look here. https://www.rapidled.com/far-red-initiator-puck/

Buy samsung strips. Can get them in LM561C or LM301B diodes (301 are more efficient but cost more). You add the strips up as many as you need. We will help you determine the driver when you need. The drivers are what cost the most imo.

You can lead a horse to water . . .

ok,

thank you for the good information.
I have of course looked at the quantum boards and the parts they use (and must therefore consider the price a horrendous joke).. and when I was researching them I stumbled across the Samsung strips you are talking about as well. But then.. as said, I thought it would be a better idea to consider the information RQS give on their website and add the specific spectrum of 660nm (red light) and 280-315nm (uvb light) to achieve specific effects which they say are:

280-315nm – UVB: Cause of sunburn and suspected to increase THC levels (!)
+ 2. Flowering Period – “Red” light for giant buds (range: 620-780nm; ideal: 660nm)

.. instead of increasing the whole light and energy output with unspecified spectrum? To me my thinking makes sense but please tell me if I am wrong on this.. and yeah.. these thoughts lead to me thinking it would be a good idea to just add 2 bulps/strips with exactly this spectrum.

please forgive my confusing and bad writing

I'll give it a go....
you can't compare LEDs based on wattage. you have to take into account efficiency. You are right - there's nothing wrong with "blurple", however, most of the fixtures including the one you bought use pretty inefficient LEDs so more of your wattage is going to heat production than light production.... this is why the quantum boards are NOT way overpriced...they are putting out more light per watt. If you like the QB style but want cheaper, check out atreum lighting (website or ebay store).... similar but cheaper than HLG.

caretak3r said:

I'll give it a go....
you can't compare LEDs based on wattage. you have to take into account efficiency. You are right - there's nothing wrong with "blurple", however, most of the fixtures including the one you bought use pretty inefficient LEDs so more of your wattage is going to heat production than light production.... this is why the quantum boards are NOT way overpriced...they are putting out more light per watt. If you like the QB style but want cheaper, check out atreum lighting (website or ebay store).... similar but cheaper than HLG.

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This!!! I started with two vipar 1200w lights. Actual draw is about 500 Watts. For the $900 I spent on those lights I could’ve got a good head start on QB’s. Which is what I have now, and a $1000 lesson learned sitting in the closet unused. Add in the substantial cost to cool the room using the Vipar lights and I would’ve been way ahead buying QB’s from the start.

caretak3r said:

I'll give it a go....
you can't compare LEDs based on wattage. you have to take into account efficiency. You are right - there's nothing wrong with "blurple", however, most of the fixtures including the one you bought use pretty inefficient LEDs so more of your wattage is going to heat production than light production.... this is why the quantum boards are NOT way overpriced...they are putting out more light per watt. If you like the QB style but want cheaper, check out atreum lighting (website or ebay store).... similar but cheaper than HLG.

Click to expand...

yeah, thank you.
I understood that.. viparspectra is not the most efficient because the LEDs they use are an older generation. But its ok, power consumption is not my main concern i just want the best possible plants i can grow with viparspectra 600w reflector + additional lighting for up to 100€s. I have also considered building my own but I dont know if it is worth the effort for this little extra light. I dont aim to double the amount, just a few % more in quantity and quality. I will check out all the recommendations. Thank you

Ltcgrower said:

This!!! I started with two vipar 1200w lights. Actual draw is about 500 Watts. For the $900 I spent on those lights I could’ve got a good head start on QB’s. Which is what I have now, and a $1000 lesson learned sitting in the closet unused. Add in the substantial cost to cool the room using the Vipar lights and I would’ve been way ahead buying QB’s from the start.

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hey, interesting.
My Vipars make the perfect temperature.
Clearly they are not the best in energy efficiency but if you plan to sell your weed you have the inital investment+the running electricity costs covered as well as your own supply for the time without having to buy new weed, with the first grow (if it doesnt go very bad)

Quantum boards on the other hand are still unachievable and cover far too little a space to give the same ROI as the Vipars. In my seemingly not very informed oppinion at least (and my oppinion is also that most people growing weed do it because they struggle financially therefore most advice concerning quantum boards is just.. out of reach and not very useful but of course everybody gets the point that they are the better lights, for luxurygrowing)

EDIT: I think I will go with the Samsung Strips they seem to be the best investment in my situation (except somebody could tell me that I am right with the adding a specific spectrum by adding specific bulps)

https://www.rollitup.org/t/supplimentry-led-lighting.980475/#post-14609116

this is what I am talking about.. only for a different budget

Freedom Club said:

Quantum boards on the other hand are still unachievable and cover far too little a space to give the same ROI as the Vipars.

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What?

Freedom Club said:

and my oppinion is also that most people growing weed do it because they struggle financially therefore most advice concerning quantum boards is just.. out of reach and not very useful but of course everybody gets the point that they are the better lights, for luxurygrowing

Click to expand...

What???

Freedom Club said:

hey, interesting.
My Vipars make the perfect temperature.
Clearly they are not the best in energy efficiency but if you plan to sell your weed you have the inital investment+the running electricity costs covered as well as your own supply for the time without having to buy new weed, with the first grow (if it doesnt go very bad)

Quantum boards on the other hand are still unachievable and cover far too little a space to give the same ROI as the Vipars. In my seemingly not very informed oppinion at least (and my oppinion is also that most people growing weed do it because they struggle financially therefore most advice concerning quantum boards is just.. out of reach and not very useful but of course everybody gets the point that they are the better lights, for luxurygrowing)

Click to expand...

You're on really bad heroine. Stop posting complete bullshit.

TacoMac said:

You're on really bad heroine. Stop posting complete bullshit.

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Hey,
what about my comment is bullshit?
And why are you so badly mannered?

Johnny Lawrence said:

What?


What???

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@what???
What you fail to understand is, that this forum is visited by mainly europeans and not americans.

@what?
Do I really need to calculate the ROI for you? (if it is necessary, I will, with my numbers)

Freedom Club said:

@what???
What you fail to understand is, that this forum is visited by mainly europeans and not americans.

@what?
Do I really need to calculate the ROI for you? (if it is necessary, I will, with my numbers)

Click to expand...

Sure. Go for it. Calculate away.

I ran numbers the other day. In the roughly 2 years since switching out half my HID lights with COBs, I've saved about $7500 in electricity and bulb saving. The COB upgrade cost me about $2500. I wouldn't get those numbers with inefficient LED panels - sorry, just not gonna happen.

BTW - What does your "visited by europeans" comment have to do with anything I quoted? In other words - what???

Johnny Lawrence said:

In the roughly 2 years since switching out half my HID lights with COBs, I've saved about $7500 in electricity and bulb saving.

Click to expand...

You must be running a TON of 1000 watt lights then and you must live in Hawaii or some other nation that has absolutely stupidly high electricity costs.

The average cost of electricity in the United States is 12 cents per kilowatt hour.

That means that it cost $86.40 per month to run a 1000 watt HPS light 24/7.

That's $1,036.80 per year.

In two years, that's $2,073.60.

To replace a 1000 watt HPS would take about 600 watts of high quality cob.

That would cost $51.84 per month to run 24/7.

That's $622.08 per year.

That's $1,244.16 in two years.

That means on power alone for two years time running 24/7 you only save a grand total of $829.44.

By the time you figure in the fact that a cob fixture cost about 3 to 5 times what an HPS fixture cost, you're still in the hole per fixture by a substantial margin.

Add to that you either live on Mars where the power is about 100 times the national average at least, or you're a licensed grower that replaced 10 fixtures which means you have no business posting figures for guys running small grows, or you're just completely full of shit.