move from hps to led

Budget Buds

Well-Known Member
like how they don't show a close up what they used to grow the final product all we no is they used nutes with the leds and water with the hps no idea and never trust the commpany that does a test with there own led lights ;)
I'll second that one, It is more then likely a gimmick grow, feeding a different nute or none at all , intentionally screwing up the hps side in some way or form. I would like to see a blind study grow , ie one not being grown by someone who has a financial stake in the outcome.
 

Dr. Who

Well-Known Member
I want to move to led light.. What about kind led ?
Your just not fucking getting it are you?

Top end growers are telling you to stick with HPS and your still wanting to toss away your hard earned dollars on less effective across the board science....

Heat? Heat is easy to deal with......How big an area slick?
 

Queece

Well-Known Member
Alright, here we go. Heat is easy to manage if you want to spend 800+ on a mini split to handle a legit grow for personal use with enough excess to bounce around some screens and have fun with. Yes, absolutely, an HPS setup is verifiable and will produce results, no question. The problem being every peripheral that has to be implemented for an HID grow to be successful being economically prohibitive for some folks. LEDs have been utter hype dragons for years, I know, I've blown inordinate amounts of money on California Lightworks panels that were outperformed by CFLs.

Here's the thing though, just because you flip a coin and you're seeing heads seven times in a row doesn't mean the eighth flip will be heads. New COB phosphorus conversion white LEDs are an entirely different animal than narrow spectrum reds and blues. Even the best osram 5w single chips cannot stack up to much more than gimmicks. I'm telling you, we are now on the coast of LEDs that can outperform a 1000w hps setup for the first time in history. You can buy mini splits and fight the heat, the noise, the conspicuousness, and the energy bills, and you will be growing really respectable material. There is however, for the first time, an alternative that is producing the same par intensity as any double-ended HPS bulb without having to pull thousand dollar punches to get a stable environment.

People gave up buying records because there was an infinitely more conservative way to achieve the same end that would seem impossible ten years prior. But it took time and several bullshit ideas before one worked. Don't grow to be a badass and flex 7 pounds with 4 lights. Yeah, cool, I get it, but it's been done. Innovation requires you to bust your ass and take a piss on something far fetched. Build some panels and document it, if you're an established HID grower, you probably have the resources. You'll learn something and help a lot of people in the community grow cleaner, safer, and smarter. Remember, just because you have a really badass hammer doesn't make every problem a nail. Baleedat.
 

komrade komura

Active Member
Yeah....the heat from the HPS always gave me problems in my tent. Nice to have an alternative. I still think HPS vs LED is the wrong debate.
How do I use them together in tandem and achieve optimal results with lower heat and electricity consumption? That's what I care about.
But if I was commercial I'd be LED vegging and HPS for Flowering, with LEDs Mounted on movers doing low level bombing runs all day....fast moving LEDs at 6 inches from the canopy...back and forth all day, up and down the rows.
 

ttystikk

Well-Known Member
Alright, here we go. Heat is easy to manage if you want to spend 800+ on a mini split to handle a legit grow for personal use with enough excess to bounce around some screens and have fun with. Yes, absolutely, an HPS setup is verifiable and will produce results, no question. The problem being every peripheral that has to be implemented for an HID grow to be successful being economically prohibitive for some folks. LEDs have been utter hype dragons for years, I know, I've blown inordinate amounts of money on California Lightworks panels that were outperformed by CFLs.

Here's the thing though, just because you flip a coin and you're seeing heads seven times in a row doesn't mean the eighth flip will be heads. New COB phosphorus conversion white LEDs are an entirely different animal than narrow spectrum reds and blues. Even the best osram 5w single chips cannot stack up to much more than gimmicks. I'm telling you, we are now on the coast of LEDs that can outperform a 1000w hps setup for the first time in history. You can buy mini splits and fight the heat, the noise, the conspicuousness, and the energy bills, and you will be growing really respectable material. There is however, for the first time, an alternative that is producing the same par intensity as any double-ended HPS bulb without having to pull thousand dollar punches to get a stable environment.

People gave up buying records because there was an infinitely more conservative way to achieve the same end that would seem impossible ten years prior. But it took time and several bullshit ideas before one worked. Don't grow to be a badass and flex 7 pounds with 4 lights. Yeah, cool, I get it, but it's been done. Innovation requires you to bust your ass and take a piss on something far fetched. Build some panels and document it, if you're an established HID grower, you probably have the resources. You'll learn something and help a lot of people in the community grow cleaner, safer, and smarter. Remember, just because you have a really badass hammer doesn't make every problem a nail. Baleedat.
And that sums up why I'm going to build the mother of all COB LED arrays, because I think the tech is finally ready to go head to head vs HPS.

Most people outside the industry don't know this, but the only thing that uses more power than the lights in a commercial grow warehouse is the climate management system. All those Tons of AC and associated systems cost a fortune to buy and maintain and another one to operate.

Some of us are already answering the 'what if' questions. One thing is certain; HPS' day in the sun is about over.
 

gcrumpets

Well-Known Member
The guy who started this thread. Should probably share why he wants to switch to LEDs so badly. Imo the only time they are appropriate is when you straight up do not have a good way to move air around (personal grow in a closet, under the stairs etc, etc) they can work in a lot of places that it's impossible or just ridiculous to put a hps light. Or if yield per sqft is just not your main concern. Nor is ROI. You mentioned heat... But once you get past 6 or 700 watts those leds are actually putting out decent heat that can't be air cooled... Last time I talked to black dog thier biggest light, 750w, had like a 2400btu heat displacement, probably not much less than an air cooled 1000w, provided it's being exhausted outside the building.

Is there a specific problem that is trying to be solved via LED or do you just think they are cool and want to try one? nothing wrong with needing to see first hand to believe.
 

black jesus

Well-Known Member
From a price point I'm think I'm going to use t5 next time. No it's not as good as hps. But it gets so hot out here that using hps for me will not work. I'm not going to have my a/c on all day to drop my texts for a grow that I don't get paid from. Shit I don't even want money I would rather be able to trade for what I need. And if your able to make your own seeds or clones a weaker light is not a problem. The temps stay Dow and I will be able to pack a grow area
 

tallen

Well-Known Member
don't buy a prebuilt led panel, either build a diy cob led panel (spend a few days in the led section here and you can learn everything you need to know) or stick with hid. I built a couple cob panels and they're great (and they have better cobs now since I've built mine). You could also look into the 315 watt CDM lights, I heard they're pretty awesome too. I just got a couple to try in a vert grow but haven't got them going yet to give personal feedback.
 

HockeyBeard

Well-Known Member
DIY COB will stack up against HPS. Big ups to Queece for hitting the nail on the head. Just because the industry was flooded with sub-par LED lights, doesn't meant that every LED to come will be sub-par. The results are being shown with the COB lighting. The warm white in 3000K is not only a bit more desirable (less wasted spectrum than a 2000K), but being able to focus 100% of the light output at the canopy with no reflection necessary means all of your watts spent are going down, not being lost and turning into heat energy. HPS is growing with brute force, plain and simple. Yes, it works. But I don't want to have to worry about massive power bills from an AC that runs 12 hours a day and 6kW draw from the lights alone, not to mention the fans to cool them. And then replacing the bulbs as they age and output diminishes.... You will see a savings in the first year on your power bill, and won't have to think about replacing the LED for at least 4 to 5 years.

As everyone knows, there are countless ways to get from point A to point B, especially with cannabis. It's all about what your priorities, situation, and budget will allow.

My two cents - Build a COB LED array.
 

New Age United

Well-Known Member
DIY COB will stack up against HPS. Big ups to Queece for hitting the nail on the head. Just because the industry was flooded with sub-par LED lights, doesn't meant that every LED to come will be sub-par. The results are being shown with the COB lighting. The warm white in 3000K is not only a bit more desirable (less wasted spectrum than a 2000K), but being able to focus 100% of the light output at the canopy with no reflection necessary means all of your watts spent are going down, not being lost and turning into heat energy. HPS is growing with brute force, plain and simple. Yes, it works. But I don't want to have to worry about massive power bills from an AC that runs 12 hours a day and 6kW draw from the lights alone, not to mention the fans to cool them. And then replacing the bulbs as they age and output diminishes.... You will see a savings in the first year on your power bill, and won't have to think about replacing the LED for at least 4 to 5 years.

As everyone knows, there are countless ways to get from point A to point B, especially with cannabis. It's all about what your priorities, situation, and budget will allow.

My two cents - Build a COB LED array.
Ya I'm going led here pretty soon. I do have to run the ac when the lights are on and I'm only running 1 600w light.
 

Trippyness

Well-Known Member
Ok for LED you need a full spectrum light that puts out serious PAR.

What is your budget?

TOP of the line is BML Spyder 1200.
Second is Kind LED K5 xl 1000

If your on a budget MARS Hydro.

Just remember its all about PAR/umol and spectrum.
Thats what the plants need.
 
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