Switching to LED's Soon Which is Best?

1weedz4

1weedz4

Well-Known Member
The great debate. I'm running 4500k watts with 40 plants in 5 gallon buckets. I have these ballasts dimmed down at 75% for 6 HPS air-cooled lights. This is a medical grow for our delivery in the Bay Area so electricity is crazy expensive costing me about $1,200 a month. Including a 24,000 BTU mini spit. I'm looking to veg and flower under the new lights.

I want to switch it up to LED's soon but there are so many models and different kinds I'm confused.

The room is 8'x11' which LED's and how many should I go with to maximize yield?

Thanks in advance.
 
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growingforfun

Well-Known Member
The quantum boards seem to be the best out right now. I'm looking at getting into them myself as a 8plus year hps grower. I've done led in the past but it wasn't worth it at that time, I'm hoping to tech has caught up. Know that your going to be building the fixtures yourself pretty much unless you go through timber. An from what I've seen it's about 1$ a watt ro build yourself or 1.50 a watt prebuilt, but that could be off by a small amount.
For every 1000 watts of hps I'd still personally want at least 500 watts of LEDs. Some people are claiming they replace 1kw with 300 or less of led but I dont personally trust it, but they can be dimmed so easily it's best to overbuild and underdrive em if it comes down to it. I'm sure this thread is gonna pop off.
 
1weedz4

1weedz4

Well-Known Member
Thanks for the reply. So you have to rebuild them once they're burnt out? So I was looking to get 4-6 600w so that would seem pricey.
 
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growingforfun

Well-Known Member
1weedz4 said:
Thanks for the reply. So you have to rebuild them once they're burnt out? So I was looking to get 4-6 600w so that would seem pricey.
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It is expensive for people who do this for a living.. most of the led crowds are doing this in a closet. That's not a diss, its what I've seen, and they need to find something they can use that wont really need ventilation. Most medium scale guys still go hps from what I've seen. It didn't really make sense for me to swap out 2x or 3x 1000 watt hps for leds because it would just cost so damn much. Power doesn't really run me that badly... I'm thinking hell, solor or wind turbines may be a smarter way to bring my power bill down if I'm gonna have to spend a few grand on leds... the solar panels will at least last 20 years..
 
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Ryante55

Well-Known Member
The best is the highest watts for the lowest price! If it sounds too good to be true it's not it really is that good!
 
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growingforfun

Well-Known Member
a mongo frog said:
Its super cheap to covert over to LED if thats your thing. Especially if its only 3 1000 watt hps.
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I'm sure I'll get on the v2 quantum boards or maybe what comes next and price continues to fall. But realistically solar power would lower my bill as much as led would, cost about the same, and would last longer. I know cost would be less if I DIY them tho.
 
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Ryante55

Well-Known Member
growingforfun said:
I'm sure I'll get on the v2 quantum boards or maybe what comes next and price continues to fall. But realistically solar power would lower my bill as much as led would, cost about the same, and would last longer. I know cost would be less if I DIY them tho.
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$2100 to replace that if you go with qb kits if you can get solar for 5x that much let me know who your solar guy is that's a steal.
 
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Ryante55

Well-Known Member
growingforfun said:
Google is you friend.. for 2k you can get 2000 watts of solar pretty easily. Or 4000 watts of wind.
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For 2k you can supply 2000w of power for 12 hours every day? Link me that system why would anyone ever use anything other than solar if that were true
 
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growingforfun

Well-Known Member
Ryante55 said:
For 2k you can supply 2000w of power for 12 hours every day? Link me that system why would anyone ever use anything other than solar if that were true
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... did you even Google it... jesus christ it's all over Amazon, dhgate.. ebay.. like honestly guy this isn't a low price this is average, you can find it for less even I just listed a medium price so I could hopefully avoid this exact situation..
 
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Ryante55

Well-Known Member
growingforfun said:
... did you even Google it... jesus christ it's all over Amazon, dhgate.. ebay.. like honestly guy this isn't a low price this is average, you can find it for less even I just listed a medium price so I could hopefully avoid this exact situation..
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I've seen rv ones for that but aren't they low voltage?
 
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growingforfun

Well-Known Member
I assume most people who dont have solar are renting and arnt able to use it. I honestly cant think of any other reason except the upfront cost. Even a 2000 watt solar system wont help the average home much though and a 2000$ upfront cost to save around 60 bucks a month isn't very appealing to the average joe..
 
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growingforfun

Well-Known Member
At least where I live 2000 watts 12 hours a day comes to 60-70 bucks. A microwave chews up around 1200 watts. a TV can be easily be 600-1000 watts too. Factor in a sound system etc... 1000 watt lights really dont affect the bill much, it's the lifestyle people live and choices they tend to make that are a bigger portion. Using a A/C vs simply moving more are with fans and aircooled hoods with INSULATED ducting. Little basics that everyone's forgotten lately..
 
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Ryante55

Well-Known Member
growingforfun said:
At least where I live 2000 watts 12 hours a day comes to 60-70 bucks. A microwave chews up around 1200 watts. a TV can be easily be 600-1000 watts too. Factor in a sound system etc... 1000 watt lights really dont affect the bill much, it's the lifestyle people live and choices they tend to make that are a bigger portion. Using a A/C vs simply moving more are with fans and aircooled hoods with INSULATED ducting. Little basics that everyone's forgotten lately..
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Yeah I totally run my microwave and tv for 12 hours a day... I never said electricity was expensive I was just calling BS on your solar idea
 
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growingforfun

Well-Known Member
Ryante55 said:
Yeah I totally run my microwave and tv for 12 hours a day... I never said electricity was expensive I was just calling BS on your solar idea
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Ok fine with more the world is literally full of dumbasses I run into em all day every day, meeting one more isn't a shock... -.-

It's not secret, it's all over the place. Solar is cheap now, wind is cheaper. Welcome to post 2010 life...
 
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Ryante55

Well-Known Member
growingforfun said:
Ok fine with more the world is literally full of dumbasses I run into em all day every day, meeting one more isn't a shock... -.-

It's not secret, it's all over the place. Solar is cheap now, wind is cheaper. Welcome to post 2010 life...
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Let's see some pics of your solar system
 
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growingforfun

Well-Known Member
1weedz4 said:
Lol nice. I'm gonna get an estimate on solar first.
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https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07CCH3YBQ/ref=sspa_mw_detail_1?psc=1

Here's 320 watts solar for 220, you'll have to buy a grid tie inverter, but those only run you a 400 bucks for a good one. Leaving a 2kw solar setup for
....

Under 2k. There's dozens of options out there. The companies selling these locally are charging massive markups to literally drive a few screws... shits already plug an play these days.
 
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