LED Growlights?

[SpoCannabis]

So yea...anyone using these LED grow lights or have experience using them? I recently heard about them, and heard many claims that they will soon replace other lighting systems due to their low wattage, low heat, and low maintenance. I had never even heard of LED growing lights before and upon doing a bit of research I found some interesting information that makes me want to jump on board...

Thoughts, comments, experiences??

Why LEDs? - HomeGrownLights.com

LEDGrowlights.com - Why LEDs

 

[moses224]

LED are the way of the future. Municipalities will switch due to lower energy cost and its the "green" way to go. For us growers the technology is still a little ways out. I would wait a year as I bet youll see a huge growth in the industry thus improving lights and ultimately lowering cost. I have done allot of reading and they are very promising but I think there day is still to come. Best of luck in your grows

 

[SpoCannabis]

Interesting...I am surprised no one is at least trying them. I am curious to see what kind of yields they will produce...

 

[SpoCannabis]

Testimonial...

Testimonial...

Hmm....found this on the GrowingEdge forum courtesy of 'GrowGuy'


"I have been using LEDs in our indoor garden for the past eight months and I am sorry 'hygron', but they DO work. And they work very well. Like anything, the key is to find a good product (admittedly it took me some time to do this)

I have been using the Sunshine Systems GlowPanel 45 and GrowUFOs and am very pleased. I have grown tomatoes, green peppers, wheatgrass (alot of wheatgrass!) and flowers for our table centerpieces. We also have an 18" lemon tree that is doing very well under the leds

There is a common misconception that LED grow lights should be compared to 'white light' (hps/mh/cfl) in terms of lumens. Nothing could be further than the truth. Lumens are a measure of light at the source not how much light is actually usable or hitting the target. A luminometer predominantly measures light in the spectrum humans see which is predominantly green and yellow. Plants on the other hand 'see' (for lack of a better word) almost the opposite. The two chloraphyll absorption peaks for plants (A&B) are in the red and blue spectrums and is the light plants need most. This is what LEDs provide.

Lumens allow us to compare light sources using a number as a reference point to determine which light is brighter to the human eye. But the real question to ask is what is the PAR (photosynthetic active radiation) value of the LED grow lights vs other grow lights? Again, this is where LED grow lights prove their worth. They provide light that is 100% usable for plant growth (100% PAR) whereas other grow lights are around 15-25% PAR. They waste alot of energy giving of heat (infrared), UV, and colors plants dont use.

Our plants exhibit strong thick stems, good internodal length and have an overall bushy appearance. There is nothing sickly or wanting about them.

This is not a third party testimony. I have used their lights personally and I happily recommend them."


Interesting?? I think so...

 

[error420]

I might give these LED growlights a try, http://shop.sunshine-systems.com/product.sc?productId=10 I think next week I will buy this light hopefully it is a reliable site. I am going to do more research but I am going to try LED growing.

 

[yamaha_1fan]

my local hydro store did a side by side test using HID versus LED. As my daughter would say, the LED got roasted, toasted, burnt.


I checked in when I was there and the plant under the LED never grew.


I dont think LED's are the way yet.

 

[Finklsteinshtkd]

I would say something else had to be seriously wrong if it NEVER grew...it would have done something...maybe thats what your grow shop wants you to think....grow shops get a HUGE markup on bulbs, and if we start buying LED grow lights then we'll never have to buy bulbs again...LED's are solid state and virtually never ware out ever..especially comparatively to HID bulbs...most of us buy new HID bulbs for each light every year whether we need it or not due to efficiency of crop. Not to hate on what you said, I totally believe you, I would just be highly skeptical..

 

[TheShroomDude]

I also have been reading up on the LED's and would be on board in a sec but am thinking 6 chucks for an UFO 90watts to replace a 400w HPS. I found many grows showing side by side LED vs HPS(like most am not sure what I am seeing is true) and the HPS won everytime. I also was thinking how hard is it to make a LED grow light. I remember in skool we made boards for power amp and signs using led's, so I am sure there is someone around here that could make 1 DIY style for a 10th of the cost.
Just a thought.
The Dude

 

[Kahl]

LED's are gonna be the shit. Very hard to break,super cool, last for dayz, low volts, no ballast, energy efficient.. i could go on... but until more time and money is invested into led technology its not worth it IMHO. im gonna stick with my good ol' HPS (actually trying to get a 400hps ballast for CMH) Definately keep me eyes and ears open in the future.

 

[motaloca]

Hi
Just got a 90 watt ufo led with the reds in the 660nm spectrum.(ordered it from the factory in china 320$) cant wait. we got lots of powercuts here, so I am running it of a battery system. Will post the results in 8 weeks.
leds work, theyre saving you alot of money, and with 90 watts a square meter....no heat... 10 years plus shelf life...
cheers

 

[SpoCannabis]

There is no question that they work and save money. The question is whether they are comparable to an HID in terms of growth, and lumen output.... it seems they still need more development...hopefully in a couple years

 

[DiscoBiscuit]

LEDs vary in output and angle. Ebay is still full of those 1st generation spots I got burned on several years ago. The newer types that cost out the a$$ might be a different story.

The old bulbs I tried were like a toy. They grew toy plants. I can't even imagine them in flower. These bulbs typically sell on ebay in the $30.00 range ea. A waste of time and effort.

 

[habeeb]

anyone try the new ufo led from HTG supply

it's a reworked version for the original UFO.


i think it would work as good as a 250MH for veg ??? for half the watts that would be great

 

[irconfused]

Well sorry to be the party pooper but if you want to grow mj with leds you'll have to build them yourselves at this point. The manufacturers are all up their ass with claims and every one that has a documented (mj) grow has been proven to be bs.

If you want to learn up on it I would suggest reading these, you can pretty much put together how to build a setup of your own
http://www.marijuanagrowing.eu/lr2-led-cf-guide-led-light-instructions-new-build-starts-t28041.html
http://www.thcfarmer.com/forums/f6/first-led-flowering-experiment-992/
http://www.ledgrow.eu/

I happen to be in the process of putting together a pretty big setup with the hypothesis that to get proper flowering they require a wide spectrum of light (not just 2 or 3 narrow ones) with total of 11 different types of leds from ir to uvb.


Growing with leds is still being figured out, anyone that says otherwise is just trying to get your money!