Best cheap $100 light?

Arkitecht420

New Member
I'm sorry you think I'm THAT new to this... this is a off brand clone of the viperspectra right? Please dude. Please dont recommend a burple light. They are trash. Without exception, all burples are trash.
I didn't know that all of them are trash.I'm just starting after having taken off from gardening for over 12 years.Can't use HPS or MH where I live now,needed a low heat light,and one that doesn't consume mass Watts. Got lucky I guess.(Never used LED lights before) But They worked for me.
 

growingforfun

Well-Known Member
I didn't know that all of them are trash.I'm just starting after having taken off from gardening for over 12 years.Can't use HPS or MH where I live now,needed a low heat light,and one that doesn't consume mass Watts. Got lucky I guess.(Never used LED lights before) But They worked for me.
Yes they "work" but they dont work well. And compared to other lights on the market they are straight up bad.

A burple is about on par or a little under a hps, except a burple has no light penetration.

All lights grow plants. That isnt the debate. It's about money, heat, light quality, and yield. All these factors together make burples bottom of the barrel. You'll be really hard pressed to find anyone recommend them who has used them and also used something else, unless that person is selling them.
 

Arkitecht420

New Member
Yes they "work" but they dont work well. And compared to other lights on the market they are straight up bad.

A burple is about on par or a little under a hps, except a burple has no light penetration.

All lights grow plants. That isnt the debate. It's about money, heat, light quality, and yield. All these factors together make burples bottom of the barrel. You'll be really hard pressed to find anyone recommend them who has used them and also used something else, unless that person is selling them.
I promise you I am not selling anything. Just wanted to share my experience. I personally don't like the color of the light, I prefer natural like with Metal Halide.
 

nfhiggs

Well-Known Member
I promise you I am not selling anything. Just wanted to share my experience. I personally don't like the color of the light, I prefer natural like with Metal Halide.
Look into strip lights from Samsung or Bridgelux if you want efficient natural white light. You can easily get system level efficiencies of 2.4 uMol/J compared to ~1.6 you get with HPS. Most of the blurple panel type lights will be in the 1.4-1.8 uMol/J range by most estimates. Its difficult to pin down an exact number because these light makers don't publish any real specs beyond their actual current draw.
 

Arkitecht420

New Member
Look into strip lights from Samsung or Bridgelux if you want efficient natural white light. You can easily get system level efficiencies of 2.4 uMol/J compared to ~1.6 you get with HPS. Most of the blurple panel type lights will be in the 1.4-1.8 uMol/J range by most estimates. Its difficult to pin down an exact number because these light makers don't publish any real specs beyond their actual current draw.
Thank you for the first response from someone who is civil. To be honest, I'm New to the LED lighting and I have a lot of knowledge to gain in this department. For what it's worth I just wanted to let the OP know what I got. It's under $100,and it's low on Watts. That's all I know. I'm still learning. And it is a good light from my experience so far. And if you look at the video of what it can do,(go to the last couple of minutes and look at those Bud's..)
 

Olive Drab Green

Well-Known Member
COBs, QBs, or strips are probably the only viable route. Lights are an investment. If you want to grow good stuff, that is probably the most important thing after genetics. Efficiency and PPFD are biggest considerations with lights.

HLG 135w Samsung QB288 V2 QuantumBoard. 3000k.
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Timber Grow Lights 200w Vero 29C Gen 7 in 3500k/90 CRI.
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This was grown 11/13 from seed under the 200w COB kit.
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nfhiggs

Well-Known Member
Thank you for the first response from someone who is civil. To be honest, I'm New to the LED lighting and I have a lot of knowledge to gain in this department. For what it's worth I just wanted to let the OP know what I got. It's under $100,and it's low on Watts. That's all I know. I'm still learning. And it is a good light from my experience so far. And if you look at the video of what it can do,(go to the last couple of minutes and look at those Bud's..)
I've got a couple of cheap lights like that too. I got them when I first started. They are *ok* for what they are, but I would not recommend them to anyone TBH, there's just too many other options out there now.
 

Olive Drab Green

Well-Known Member
I've got a couple of cheap lights like that too. I got them when I first started. They are *ok* for what they are, but I would not recommend them to anyone TBH, there's just too many other options out there now.
Exactly this. The efficiency and power do not justify the cost, more often than not.
 

growingforfun

Well-Known Member
Attacking someone for a simple suggestion is ridiculous
Act like an adult be civil
So it's cool to let aweful advice fly? Just wondering..

What's the point of knowing better if you just let things slide? Next thing we know it's going to be burple this, burple that, mj12 this, mars hydro that.
 

growingforfun

Well-Known Member
I mentioned that it was priced comparatively to cob/qb rigs of equal(ish) wattage.

Why do you say this light is garbage?
Just have a low opinion of burples as a stand alone light. Being equal priced to a QBs, that's arguably much better, to me makes it trash.

Will the light grow plants, sure, all lights grow plants. Its it a good option for the money? I dont think so.
 

growingforfun

Well-Known Member
Yeah, it's a pricey little unit, but the SS 550 is a quality blurple.

I've seen a couple grow journals in the past where people had fantastic results with it.
That's basically my point thought too. You can get fantastic results with any light, much of it comes down to the user of the light, and training your plant to take advantage of the pros and cons of the light. However, generally speaking burples pail in comparison to the current generation of LEDs. Why spend a equal amount of money for something that doesn't work as well? Maybe those were the tits 2 years ago, but led is advancing fast! Even this current quantum boards may be trash in 2 years. Relative to what's being produced at that time.

It's all about selecting the best option for your money
 

Olive Drab Green

Well-Known Member
I’m not saying that panels don’t work, and certain panels are better than others. CLW is more honestly assembled, has mostly been one with good reviews, I think they use something like legit Cree or Osram diodes and are built in America? I will say, for the price, a QB might be a better route these days, though.

I got a good 3-4 ounces from 2 ViparSpectras before. They were a bit less dense, and I cut a bit early, but it was decent bud. They can work. I just think if people can skip that step and go to QBs, COBs, or strips, they probably should. 2.5-2.7 micromols per joule, particularly for relatively similar or better pricing, just seems a bit hard to pass up.
 
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