mickfanning
Active Member
Wanted to get a new light if anyone wants to share experience with 300-600w actual consumption systems. Which high power LED light do you use and how many inches away from the canopy do you keep it during veg and flower?
LED light distance from canopy
- Thread starter mickfanning
- Start date
PetFlora
Well-Known Member
Distance above depends on intensity/lumens per watt and lens angle.
Tighter lens angles <= 90 are said to penetrate deeper into the canopy. However, multiple small panels on slight angles are preferable to those in the know as they do a much better job of lighting under the canopy
Personally, I would avoid individual lenses as they tend to be cheap plastic, block valuable lumens and are pone to fading over time
The new tech combines COBs + parabolic reflectors
actual power ~ 330w
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Free-Shipping-600W-LED-Grow-Light-3W-LEDs-Flower-Veg-Integrated-COB-Lamp-Panel-/191034728466?pt=US_Hydroponics&hash=item2c7a8ea012
Tighter lens angles <= 90 are said to penetrate deeper into the canopy. However, multiple small panels on slight angles are preferable to those in the know as they do a much better job of lighting under the canopy
Personally, I would avoid individual lenses as they tend to be cheap plastic, block valuable lumens and are pone to fading over time
The new tech combines COBs + parabolic reflectors
actual power ~ 330w
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Free-Shipping-600W-LED-Grow-Light-3W-LEDs-Flower-Veg-Integrated-COB-Lamp-Panel-/191034728466?pt=US_Hydroponics&hash=item2c7a8ea012
Gaius
Active Member
This would bleach or cook your plants with most high-powered panels. 18-24 inches depending on the plant and the panel, unless you're using something like LED bulbs or a low-power unit.
mickfanning
Active Member
Does that COB eBay light that you posted have switches to run half power during veg? Do I need to look for specific color spectrum lights when shopping COB LED systems or are they all the same? Thanks
BigEasy1
Well-Known Member
Distance is going to depend on your light and maybe even the strain. When my light gets too close I end up with rusty browns spots all over the leaves if I don't catch it fast enough. Yeah I know, CalMag but............that only helps to an extent. I don't give a shit how much CalMag I use, if my light is too close I get rusty spots. I have found that I have to adjust distance as needed and I use 2 tsp of CalMag per gallon of water. If I keep an eye on it I'm good. If I go away for 3 or 4 days it's a crap shoot on what I'll have when I get back.
Chronikool
Well-Known Member
Yip agree with the 'depends crew.. 
...dependz on LED diode, how many mA/A's the led driven, angle of reflector/lenses....
mine can get to 3cm...driven at 600/700mA, wide angle (120 degree) reflectors (no lenses)..no ill affects and suits my small head room cabinet...
...dependz on LED diode, how many mA/A's the led driven, angle of reflector/lenses....mine can get to 3cm...driven at 600/700mA, wide angle (120 degree) reflectors (no lenses)..no ill affects and suits my small head room cabinet...
putangluv
Active Member
i use 2 blackstars chrome 270W not sure how many real watts but doesnt bleach or cook anything.
Yodaweed
Well-Known Member
How come never run a LED more than 18-20 hours a day? I don't run mine more than 12 hours a day but just wondering.
GroErr
Well-Known Member
Don't go too close (6-8" is too close, you won't burn them but the light doesn't mix or spread at that close a range so it's virtually useless and will bleach tops/bud sites).
My 2 cents for LED's:
Seedling/Clones: 26"-30"
Freshly transplanted seeds/clones: 26"-30" for first 3-5 days until you see new growth, meaning they've taken/rooted to the new soil/environment
Veg: Move to 24" after first few days (see above note), now let them grow towards the light until they get within 18"-20", then move the lights and maintain 16"-20"
Flower: 16"-18", depending on the spread/reach of your light, remember, the closer you get, the less coverage you have, including penetration down to lower bud sites
Any less than 14"-16" you will loose the mix of light spectrum and coverage, it's detrimental, just because you can doesn't mean it's a good idea to go too close...
Of course this varies with light/case/lens design but it should cover most LED panels.
Check out my current test grow (Chinese LED) in my sig below, following exactly what I've recommended above, last update with pics (Sunday), they were 25 days old from when I put the seeds into solo cups. Today they're 27 days old and an inch taller/wider...
Greengenes707
Well-Known Member
Link or show the lights you are thinking about and we can actually give you real advice...not just sometimes this...then sometimes that...this works for me, but not for him...
There is actual science behind where a light should be. The problem is that to get the correct and valuable info to figure out the positioning, it can be near impossible sometimes. Basically the point/goal of any lighting is to get you 600-1000µmols center and 200-400µmols edges during endveg/flower. Or for veg 150-600. So where the light can do that is where it will be in the optimal position for growth underneath it.
But PAR readings are not an everyday measurement/meter people have. If you show us the light we can estimate better or show you where the best info on the light is.
mickfanning
Active Member
Do you know anything about this light that petflora mentioned? http://m.ebay.com/itm?itemId=191034728466
Thanks
Smokenpassout
Well-Known Member
I use the Kessil H350 Led units. I find they veg plants great, anywhere between 12 and 24 inches. They flower well at 12" or less. However below 10" will start to cook and bleach a plant from intensity!
blowincherrypie
Well-Known Member
I believe that's called bleaching.. I guess there really are instances of hashtips, but what you're describing is simply bleaching. My understanding is the difference is bleaching pretty much ruins whatever is "bleached" whereas hashtips are still good to go just with a lack of color. I could be completely off, but I can speak from the couple times I've bleached a bud that it isn't even really hardly worth smoking.
Yodaweed
Well-Known Member
That light is the biggest waste of 400$ you can find. Just throw your money in the trash that is such a junk Chinese light...no warranty for 400 bucks? lol what a waste this petflora guy is clueless about LEDs
blowincherrypie
Well-Known Member
I think it says there's a 3 year warranty.. Also have you read anything about this COB stuff? Might want to give it a look.