Discussion about HPS To LED Conversions

[Mars Hydro Led]

Hey guys. In long-term, growers who invest in HPS to LED conversions are always pleased with the larger buds and easier maintenance. Converting to LED not only provides cost savings, but also offers many attractive features. Do you agree with this?

Replace or integrate grow lights? What should we look for when converting to LEDs? These are two questions that deserve to be explored in depth. Welcome to share your ideas.

 

[Brother Nature]

Converting from HPS to LED in even a small tent can be a pain, even if beneficial in the long run. There's the differing heat and humidity requirements, re-dialing your nutrients in, readjusting due to bud set and differing height requirements, etc... Where I'm at, converting a warehouse or other industrial sized grow isn't worth economically, starting LED or HPS yields better results, from experience. It would be interesting to see where this sits in a legal and larger market though, cool thread.

 

[CannaT]

LED's are hoax......They are 5 times more expensive,need more heater,
and dehumidifiers and more nutes compared to HIDS ?

when it all adds up I actually wonder where the savings are ?

LED are only better in 100% sealed room or micro grows, if they oparate without replacement for 10 years.
In all other forms they cant compete with HPS.

Thats my expirence with led....stll have 600w led that I only use during summer grows,its only time that it is better than hps...but also In that time need to add dehumifider and more vents in a box to move air from top to bottom of tent.


I believe that the LED tehnology will be better when it
reduced by 3 times from the current price when it is 0.5-0.75 eur per W.

 

[Mars Hydro Led]

Converting from HPS to LED in even a small tent can be a pain, even if beneficial in the long run. There's the differing heat and humidity requirements, re-dialing your nutrients in, readjusting due to bud set and differing height requirements, etc... Where I'm at, converting a warehouse or other industrial sized grow isn't worth economically, starting LED or HPS yields better results, from experience. It would be interesting to see where this sits in a legal and larger market though, cool thread.

I agree with you, buddy. It is really a pain to try something new at the beginning. It is like stepping out of the comfort zone and be open to new things.
The result might be worse or better. For me, i tend to try the new things although it might be worse. But i believe it will become better after many times failure.

 

[Mars Hydro Led]

LED's are hoax......They are 5 times more expensive,need more heater,
and dehumidifiers and more nutes compared to HIDS ?

when it all adds up I actually wonder where the savings are ?

LED are only better in 100% sealed room or micro grows, if they oparate without replacement for 10 years.
In all other forms they cant compete with HPS.

Thats my expirence with led....stll have 600w led that I only use during summer grows,its only time that it is better than hps...but also In that time need to add dehumifider and more vents in a box to move air from top to bottom of tent.


I believe that the LED tehnology will be better when it
reduced by 3 times from the current price when it is 0.5-0.75 eur per W.

thanks for sharing your idea! LED light was really very expensive with regards to the light efficiency about 3-5 years ago. But now, the price has decreased a lot and the light efficiency has been improving a lot. The latest bar LED can reach 2.8umol/J to 3.0umol/J now.
LED needs more nutes because of higher light efficiency that can contribute to faster growth.

 

[CannaT]

thanks for sharing your idea! LED light was really very expensive with regards to the light efficiency about 3-5 years ago. But now, the price has decreased a lot and the light efficiency has been improving a lot. The latest bar LED can reach 2.8umol/J to 3.0umol/J now.
LED needs more nutes because of higher light efficiency that can contribute to faster growth.

Hey MHL ,English is not my native so sometimes i use words that i know but they sound to rude...its not hoax but more of tehnology that will come and it will be better in years...just like E cars.
If I grow micro or 100% sealed room nothing is better than leds,I have semy open/and open setup so to much cost I need to put in for changing to LED's.

 

[flower~power]

is your LED still 4 times as $ expensive per 4 x 4 footprint when compared to HPS ? … Lets say a grower is currently running Nine one thousand watt lamps of HPS covering 144 square feet of growing space … If I switched over to LED how many years would it take to break even on the conversion expense before they become economically viable? Taking into consideration the expense of electricity and replacing bulbs? I’ve been running HPS for 25 years…send me your best LED for a single 4x4 footprint And I will do a dedicated side-by-side test thread for you … in all sincerity from “flower power” ( formerly know as Star Crash ) …peace

 

[f-e]

is your LED still 4 times as $ expensive per 4 x 4 footprint when compared to HPS ? … Lets say a grower is currently running Nine one thousand watt lamps of HPS covering 144 square feet of growing space … If I switched over to LED how many years would it take to break even on the conversion expense before they become economically viable? Taking into consideration the expense of electricity and replacing bulbs? I’ve been running HPS for 25 years…send me your best LED for a single 4x4 footprint And I will do a dedicated side-by-side test thread for you … in all sincerity from “flower power” ( formerly know as Star Crash ) …peace

I ran HID for over 25 years too. I moved my grow along, literally a stage at a time. Cuts then veg then half the bloom area, before all of it. Took a few years. Unbelievably, swapping an entire facility over, paid in just one go. Not a years. A grow. Though I had no labour costs and used very cost effective lighting.

On that scale, a few LED lights cost nothing. Just buy a few and dot them around. The whole world has not gone mad. LED isn't something to shun, it's something to try and any cost.

 

[flower~power]

^^^ I don’t understand ..if it took you a few years to completely to swap over >>> how could you say that it paid for itself in one grow?

 

[Mars Hydro Led]

Hey MHL ,English is not my native so sometimes i use words that i know but they sound to rude...its not hoax but more of tehnology that will come and it will be better in years...just like E cars.
If I grow micro or 100% sealed room nothing is better than leds,I have semy open/and open setup so to much cost I need to put in for changing to LED's.

that is totally understandable. buddy. just stick to the way that makes you feel happy.

 

[Mars Hydro Led]

is your LED still 4 times as $ expensive per 4 x 4 footprint when compared to HPS ? … Lets say a grower is currently running Nine one thousand watt lamps of HPS covering 144 square feet of growing space … If I switched over to LED how many years would it take to break even on the conversion expense before they become economically viable? Taking into consideration the expense of electricity and replacing bulbs? I’ve been running HPS for 25 years…send me your best LED for a single 4x4 footprint And I will do a dedicated side-by-side test thread for you … in all sincerity from “flower power” ( formerly know as Star Crash ) …peace

LED price has increased a lot, buddy. The latest bar design LED can reach 800W to 1000W true power now. Many commercial growers choose the 1000W light because they want to get higher yield. Generally, 800W LED is enough to replace 1000W HPS when we consider the light efficiency. LED can reach 0.82USD/W now.
I respect the tranditional grow lights. But It will never hurt to try something new. Some new scenery might be there.

 

[flower~power]

They are very expensive for a 4 x 4 (when compared to HPS HID)

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[f-e]

^^^ I don’t understand ..if it took you a few years to completely to swap over >>> how could you say that it paid for itself in one grow?

I did the trails at a test site.
I don't suggest you swap an entire room for a first go. It's a culture shock. Instead, mixing some in will show you how they compare, without a big environment change. You won't be able to feed ideally for both together, but will see the learning curve is worthwhile, and won't ever have a bad grow, as you move incrementally. Once you have gone all LED, you may walk onto another site and just swap the lot in one go, knowing what will happen regarding plant needs, in advance. The people that just swapped all their lights in one go, with no prior experience, generally had problems. Some even swapped back, as its quicker than learning to grow again. Which is how many people described the experience.

You have a good sized grow. Chuck 1000 bucks at some lights and call it expenses. Dotted between your existing lights, the plants will still get a similar environment. When you see the yield jump up in line with the lighting cost, you will be changing the lot as quick as possible. Looking at how much you didn't earn by resisting the change so long. Progress often demands losses along the way, but you are far from first along this path. It's time to take a dip.
The left side is using about 35% more power. Which would you rather have.

 

[flower~power]

If she lets me do a test thread I’ll certainly do it

 

[Mars Hydro Led]

@flower~power. It is samsung chip light. As you can research, most of other samsung lights are more than 1000USD.
If samsung chip is not a must thing, there is a cheaper option. https://www.mars-hydro.com/fc-8000-co2-commercial-led-grow-light/

 

[Mars Hydro Led]

I did the trails at a test site.
I don't suggest you swap an entire room for a first go. It's a culture shock. Instead, mixing some in will show you how they compare, without a big environment change. You won't be able to feed ideally for both together, but will see the learning curve is worthwhile, and won't ever have a bad grow, as you move incrementally. Once you have gone all LED, you may walk onto another site and just swap the lot in one go, knowing what will happen regarding plant needs, in advance. The people that just swapped all their lights in one go, with no prior experience, generally had problems. Some even swapped back, as its quicker than learning to grow again. Which is how many people described the experience.

You have a good sized grow. Chuck 1000 bucks at some lights and call it expenses. Dotted between your existing lights, the plants will still get a similar environment. When you see the yield jump up in line with the lighting cost, you will be changing the lot as quick as possible. Looking at how much you didn't earn by resisting the change so long. Progress often demands losses along the way, but you are far from first along this path. It's time to take a dip.
The left side is using about 35% more power. Which would you rather have.

Totally agree with this. Most of commercial growers would like to mix firstly. If there is good sign, they might decide to all in.

 

[CannaT]

Totally agree with this. Most of commercial growers would like to mix firstly. If there is good sign, they might decide to all in.

True, every time you try a new dish you take a small bite.

 

[flower~power]

@flower~power. It is samsung chip light. As you can research, most of other samsung lights are more than 1000USD.
If samsung chip is not a must thing, there is a cheaper option. https://www.mars-hydro.com/fc-8000-co2-commercial-led-grow-light/

They exorbitant $ and way way way out of line … Nothing personally against you , you’re a paying vendor & here to make money … In my world even the top shelf is only fetching $2400 USA dollars at best & with legal dispensary’s just around the corner the Price is only going to drop … I’m certainly not going to shell out $10,000 to set up a room …that’s bad business..Even if you make it back in one grow …Which takes about three months to complete a cycle …Numbers just don’t add up for me

 

[skunk numba one]

I did the trails at a test site.
I don't suggest you swap an entire room for a first go. It's a culture shock. Instead, mixing some in will show you how they compare, without a big environment change. You won't be able to feed ideally for both together, but will see the learning curve is worthwhile, and won't ever have a bad grow, as you move incrementally. Once you have gone all LED, you may walk onto another site and just swap the lot in one go, knowing what will happen regarding plant needs, in advance. The people that just swapped all their lights in one go, with no prior experience, generally had problems. Some even swapped back, as its quicker than learning to grow again. Which is how many people described the experience.

You have a good sized grow. Chuck 1000 bucks at some lights and call it expenses. Dotted between your existing lights, the plants will still get a similar environment. When you see the yield jump up in line with the lighting cost, you will be changing the lot as quick as possible. Looking at how much you didn't earn by resisting the change so long. Progress often demands losses along the way, but you are far from first along this path. It's time to take a dip.
The left side is using about 35% more power. Which would you rather have.

How does the quality of the two compare?

 

[f-e]

How does the quality of the two compare?

Flavour is quite different. As pronounced as a feed or substrate change. The resin heads stood out in the light are cooler, so there is less evaporation of the smell. The kind of smells that leave at room temperature. Those bag smells stay around. The heavy oils that need some proper heat to get steamy are no different. It's the green and floral smells that increase. Flower market stuff.

With tighter buds and less evaporation, comes a higher chance of mold. If you are being tested for stuff that can't be seen, then their is going to be a greater chance of failing. I can't quantify this though. It's mild.

People really can't tell. Some don't know I use LEDs and treat my bud as an example of why we should use HIDs. Which is still the prevailing feeling where growers have used them for years and only hear talk of LEDs, their costs and that guys purple one's that didn't work, 10 years ago. It's only internet users that have the chance to see the latest advances in action, in more than one persons hands. Look at the huge indoor refits being done after trials. These convincing stories take a long time to filter down to folk law. Where stories have more value than current facts.

I prefer the LED weed as it tastes better and has a better appearance. I think HID can still produce that occasional gnarly bud in the Goldilocks zone though. While LED grows are more uniform.