Hello everyone,

I have a 400 watt HPS light that im using and it gets really hot . I want to buy some new lights and was thinking of getting LEDs for a couple of reasons...#1 reason is that i heard helicopters cant see leds from their inferred view #2 less heat and more power ie 120 watt = 600 HPS...I just dont want a small yield. Can anyone tell me the pros and cons of LEDS?

Helicopters can't see any light system using infrared (FLIR), they are looking at the heat generated from the grow room. If you are looking at a grow of 1000w or less, there probably is no need to worry about FLIR since you won't generate enough heat to get the attention of the police. There are many legal things that make heat like computers or stereo equipment.

LEDs are more efficient which means they convert more of the electrical energy into light so put out less heat on a watt per watt basis. This means 100w of HID (MH or HPS) will create more heat than 100w of LED. LED also has the potential to give the plants only the light it needs and not waste energy producing light in parts of the spectrum of lower PAR. These facts combined is why LED can produce similar results to higher wattage lamps with less.
That said, it is not true that 120w LED is equivalent to 600w HPS. That's complete bullshit invented by marketers of LED. Without getting technical, LED do not have the intensity necessary to produce flowering like HID can. Higher watt LED may start approaching the ability of HPS during flowering but that day is still in the future and even then, those LED arrays with a ballast still produce a lot of heat. I also doubt you will see an efficiency ratio of 5 to 1 like the adverts claim.

Bottom line is if you want good drugs, use MH or HPS to flower and use traditional methods to control the heat. LED might be a good option in the future but for now, especially if you're a newbie, stick to tried and true methods, HID or CFL.

120w led doesn't equal 600watts hps.

I'd say figure out what is wrong with your current setup and tweak it.

I can keep a room pretty cool with a 400w in it.

What is your set up like?

If you want to know more about leds try here first then search led

LED light users... Please click here!

most importantly what reflector are you using in how small a space?

Pro of LED

1. Low Heat if any depending on how they are made.
2. Spectrum tuned to plants needs
3. Lower wattage then typical growlights, this is getting less true though
4.Compact
5. Easy to hang and move

Cons of LED

1. Expensive as fuck sometimes, but isn't anything new?
2. Not as intense as HID so the light doesn't penetrate through thick as well
3.So many models and manufacturers out there mass producing, that sometimes inferior leds get used, in the end just an overpriced veg light gets made.
4.Lots of misinformation out there about LEDs, so not to many old school led growers so everyone is most likely a newb to moderately experienced led grower. Wade through the BS to find good LED info. Google pinetreelane

If heat is an issue your money could be better spent on some liquid cooled setup.

If you working in a small area yes LED's are the way to go, are they costly? If you want to play your going to pay

There are a few people growing around here with pretty good success, just look around

I put expensive because thats the one major gripe people have.

Check out this Video I just found...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fh9oG...layer_embedded

thank you all for your help...i saw a video of a police heli circling a grow house and all you could see was one 1000w light and you could tell it was a light...idk i guess im a lil worried. Right now my setup is in my closet and my flower room is 65 inches high and 32 inches wide and goes 25 inches in, dwc 5 gallon. my light is about 2 years old so i have a old reflector.

this is my light but it has an older reflector
http://cgi.ebay.com/400-watt-HPS-GRO...item1c0c240abc


120watt = 600 HPS?
http://cgi.ebay.com/NEW-120-watt-LED...item1c0d891e47

apache thats a great video