LED Ahoy!

[khyberkitsune]

More pics The last two are the 9 and 5-clone buckets under 50w panels. The 9 bucket still has about 6 weeks or so to go, the 5 bucket maybe 4.

About two weeks left for the main stuff!

[khyberkitsune]

I had to get a size comparison shot for everyone, so I used my D-cell flashlight.

Flashlight-sized cola. Not bad for a dense mother plant. The other colas are so heavy (and the branches so thin) that they lay out like a carpet almost.

Microscopic views show lots of cloudy, and some amber starting to pop up. Looks like I'll be on-time for harvest at the end of week 9 instead of week 10. I'll start the flush on Sunday.

[Kirker]

I think this would depend on the type of panel. You said 56w, the only 56w panel that I'm aware of uses tail-through 'lite-brite' diodes. While these panels will work, they won't work as well as a panel using SMT diodes, which will output much brighter at the same power draw.

If one were shopping for LED lighting, what would look for or ask for or otherwise be aware of to ensure they were getting "SMT diodes"?? Also, are there LED panels that lean either way by design to either the blue or red ends of the color spectrum?? Lastly, I hear things like "tri-band" and "UFO" and "muti-band" (or something) and such, any English translations??

:rastasmoke:

[khyberkitsune]

If one were shopping for LED lighting, what would look for or ask for or otherwise be aware of to ensure they were getting "SMT diodes"?? Also, are there LED panels that lean either way by design to either the blue or red ends of the color spectrum?? Lastly, I hear things like "tri-band" and "UFO" and "muti-band" (or something) and such, any English translations??

:rastasmoke:

It's easy to tell a surface-mounted diode. They're the only type used in quality panels. Any UFO panel is using SMD (SMT is surface-mount technology, SMD is surface-mount diode) and thus you have a panel using SMT. SMT is the class of technology, SMD is a type of that tech. Cell phones are one example of things that use a lot of SMT, laptops are another.

In my personal opinion, avoid white diodes in any panel. Quad band versus tri-band, as far as I've seen there's no notable difference, and I've really seen no difference versus panels that add UV or IR to the mix. Avoid 7:1:1 ratios like the plague (panels that lean too heavily towards red,) you want panels with more balance. Don't get greater than 120 degree beam angle, and don't get narrower than 45 degree unless you're wanting to focus all of your power into a narrow space for a small amount of larger plants.

tri-band means three specific wavelengths are targeted. UFO is just a sort of light that's round and was called the UFO light originally.

If you go for blue-heavy panels, make sure blue is no higher than 60% of the overall amount of light. You still need red for flowering.

happy growing!

[neceros]

Can't wait until LEDs are good at flowering. I really hate HID.

[khyberkitsune]

Can't wait until LEDs are good at flowering. I really hate HID.

They're good enough for flowering as-is. I've got colas so heavy on one of my mother plants that that one proud-standing cola next to the flashlight in a prior pic has finally fallen over as well.

Rock hard, not fluffy.

Just depends on how deep you want to flower.

[Kirker]

Avoid 7:1:1 ratios like the plague (panels that lean too heavily towards red,) you want panels with more balance.

If you go for blue-heavy panels, make sure blue is no higher than 60% of the overall amount of light. You still need red for flowering.

happy growing!

Wow, lots of info there :stoned:

Could you discuss this ratio(s) and your definition of balance??

Also, could you explain the thinking on the 2nd point, I mean if LED's are weaker at flowering wouldn't you want MORE red????? :wtf:

:thumbsup: I ask because I'm interested...LED's have some serious safety advantages it seems

[khyberkitsune]

I did a check under the microscope. They're about 15% amber and totally cloudy the rest of the way, so I've done a pre-trim for tomorrow's harvest.

9-10 week strain, finished in 8 weeks 2 days.

The biggest plant had colas so heavy that we had issues trimming the fan leaves off of her. We'd get her stood up and supported, get about half the leaves off one cola, and the plant would flop in the opposite direction. This went on about eight different times with this plant.

And these babies are ULTRA frosty.

[khyberkitsune]

Wow, lots of info there :stoned:

Could you discuss this ratio(s) and your definition of balance??

Also, could you explain the thinking on the 2nd point, I mean if LED's are weaker at flowering wouldn't you want MORE red????? :wtf:

:thumbsup: I ask because I'm interested...LED's have some serious safety advantages it seems

I've run tests under blue-dominant LED lighting and have found no major difference in mass, just in trichome density.

The ratio I cannot discuss too much as it's a result of my company research. Needless to say I emulate the sun as closely as I can with the few wavelengths I use.

You want a good deal of red, yes, but you want blue for bulk production, and also blue penetrates better than red. Blue light is what is responsible for powering a majority of growth processes. Red is responsible for powering flower development. Notice how the blue poor panels tend to produce fluffy buds in most grow attempts? Once you put major power like 300w into the equation that's not too much of an issue but still part of the problem. My fresh pre-trim stuff is hard. I can thump it and it makes a decent sound against my fingernail.

The safety advantages abound, indeed. Near-nil IR signature, no UV (none required with my design anyways,) higher efficiencies at lower power, no burning parts, safe to spray treatments without fear of burning plants while lights are on, less stress on your electrical system due to lowered energy requirements from both lighting and through reduced cooling requirements.

Other advantages include customizability, ease of installation, compact size, some models lack external ballasts (some lights require them,) lifespan, and quiet operation. Then power savings are nice as well.

Oh, and avoid the hype of 90w = 400w HPS - that's only true for the vegetative phase. When you hit flowering, minimum 200w to match 400w HPS.

[khyberkitsune]

Hanging up to dry. I'm estimating about 3oz dry.