LEDs or traditional lighting?

[khyberkitsune]

So what ur saying is that a 5-600 watt led is equal to only a 100 watt hps hid light??? doesn't sound right to me from what i'm hearing about led lights

Ack, I meant to say 1000w. My stupid fingers sometimes don't hit the key fully, stupid laptop keyboards. I'm used to my Model M.

Apologies.

khyberkitsune Reviewed by khyberkitsune on 11-06-2010. LEDs or traditional lighting? I am looking to start my first grow and am wondering what would be better to go with. I am looking to be discrete and will be growing in a room that is 12x20. I have looked at multiple light systems and am leaning towards the LEDs. What are the better LEDs on the market and the cheapest place to buy them. All help would be appreciated.:jointsmile: Rating: 5

[means2010]

From what stra8toutaweed said,he got really good results from just led in veg stage then a combo of 2-150 watt leds and 1- 600 watt hps in flowering,he got some really good results,sounds like a combo of led and hps is the way to go

[stra8outtaWeed]

you can flower w/LED alone but you better have the right spectral balance or flowering sucks which i why you see so many LED threads start but none finish...i think mine is one of the few...so depending on needs, power constraints and personal goals a combination of LED/HPS is the easiest formula for success...all LED takes more skill :jointsmile:

[means2010]

u said u flowered with a 600 watt hps with 2-150 watt leds on each side,how bout just a single 300 watt led for flowering,do u thinki that would be enough lighting for flowering and growing some nice buds,did u go hydro or soil?

[StoneMeadow]

So back to the OP's question, what is the best LED combo? I have not yet bought any lights, and I want to do it right from a cost-to-yield-to-discretion basis. So what do I buy?

For you experienced guys...stra8outtaWeed and khyberkitsune...if you had, say, $1000 to buy lights and wanted to stay discrete, like the OP says (IOW, not throw off a ginormous thermal bloom and peg the electricity meter), what would you buy, knowing what you know now?

Thanks!

[khyberkitsune]

So back to the OP's question, what is the best LED combo? I have not yet bought any lights, and I want to do it right from a cost-to-yield-to-discretion basis. So what do I buy?

For you experienced guys...stra8outtaWeed and khyberkitsune...if you had, say, $1000 to buy lights and wanted to stay discrete, like the OP says (IOW, not throw off a ginormous thermal bloom and peg the electricity meter), what would you buy, knowing what you know now?

Thanks!

I'd buy a solid 300w panel using the newest single-emitter 3w diodes, with a proper tri-band blend and balance. That 300w alone would rock my current setup with 36 constantly flowering plants.

[StoneMeadow]

I'd buy a solid 300w panel using the newest single-emitter 3w diodes, with a proper tri-band blend and balance. That 300w alone would rock my current setup with 36 constantly flowering plants.

Thanks...can you recommend a make and model that fits your criteria?

[khyberkitsune]

Thanks...can you recommend a make and model that fits your criteria?

I can't do that without being biased towards my own equipment, I'm sorry.

Not to mention, what I have specced isn't in production, yet.

[StoneMeadow]

I can't do that without being biased towards my own equipment, I'm sorry.

Okay...that's understandable.

Not to mention, what I have specced isn't in production, yet.

Oops...awkwaaaaarrdd!

[StoneMeadow]

LED in veg rocks all lighting.....a combo of HPS and LED in flower will get the best yield and quality....i've grown with about every combonation from T5/HPS...HPS alone...LED alone....and the HPS/LED will be your best bet....i use 150w LED's on either side of a 600wHPS for 900w total over a 3x3 tray and have been yielding 560-610gr dry....with HPS 600w alone the yield was 330-350 and w/1000w HPS i yielded 400-445gr....w/450w LED i yielded 330-360....those are hard numbers w/same strains and nutes...you can check out my LED runs in the link in my sig :jointsmile:

This is very interesting information...thanks!

1) 2x150w LEDs + 1 600w HPS = 900w: 585/900 = .65 gm per watt yield.

2) 600w HPS alone: 340/600 = .57 gm per watt.

3) 1000w HPS alone: 422.5/1000 = .42 gm per watt.

4) 450w LED alone: 345/450 = .77 gm per watt.

So, LEDs are most efficient, but it's also clear that the more light you throw down on a given area the better. Presumably, right up to the point where you can no longer control the temperature, right?

Thanks again...really good stuff!