Lowest energy use

[Asentrouw]

With energy prices in Europe going through the roof, I'm wondering what's the most efficient and cheapest way to grow some greens for personal use?

So automatically microgrowing comes to mind.

I'd like to know what's the lowest wattage lights for say a 60x60 cm (23x23 inch) square possible, to have a succesfull veg run?

And what's the minimal required watts for good flowering?

What are other measures to lower energy use, while maximizing harvests?

Any ideas/advice is welcome.

 

[goingrey]

Windowsill! South facing prefered.

Otherwise, a tent or some kind of reflective walls are very important for efficient use of light from above. For flowering you want about 100W of LED with good diodes, something like a Spider Farmer SF1000 301H EVO. Veg you can get away with less.

 

[Asentrouw]

Ofcourse the great outdoors is the cheapest way to get some stash. However, I think with the grey winters here, a plant in the windowstill won't yield much, even if it survives.


I've come across pics of small cupboards or even PC casings with very small lights, with nice buds underneath. Not sure how realistic this is though and wether it will provide a gram per watt.

I just like to build something to play around in winters for personal use, but as energy efficient as it comes.

 

[Lumpy-Gravy]

Indoor growing is always gonna feel like yer being stung but when you’ve got jars for days full of weed it seems reasonable enough. A small grow should only run at the cost of a shit coffee a day. Just maximise the space and it’ll be financially viable rather than a liability.

I’m always ogling guerrilla spots. Never grown outside but I’d love to grow a right fuck off monster. I’d say grow outside for pence but then it’s all that graft only to leave it to Mother Nature to decide what you bring home. Without mentioning dirty rippers.

I say once you’ve used the lecky they can’t come n take it back. Grow some weed lad. When yer paying the bill with a fatty boom batty hanging out yer mouth it dunt seem all that bad.

 

[goingrey]

Ofcourse the great outdoors is the cheapest way to get some stash. However, I think with the grey winters here, a plant in the windowstill won't yield much, even if it survives.


I've come across pics of small cupboards or even PC casings with very small lights, with nice buds underneath. Not sure how realistic this is though and wether it will provide a gram per watt.

I just like to build something to play around in winters for personal use, but as energy efficient as it comes.

You would be surprised. I certainly was the first time I tried kind of as a joke. It's possible to get up to an ounce per plant of the most incredible full-spectrum sun grown but indoor clean flower even very high up north from the windowsill. This year you are late though but there's always next year. Also very suitable for vegging plants in the spring, autoflowers early summer.. It's insane that it is not more common, or maybe it is but that type of grower just doesn't post online.

 

[singlecoiled]

I'm using a Spiderfarmer SF-1000 for a 2x2 space and it uses less than 100 watts at full power. They also run quite cool which can be a good thing. It will do both Veg and flower very well in your small space.

Been in veg now with my current grow at around 60% power for 4 weeks... Thats around 60 watts, less than many light bulbs ! The only time I need full power is for flower.

Not expensive either around $100


Last thing, there is a new SF-1000 model that uses EVO diodes. The new version will be a little more efficient helping to tame your electric bill.

Pics below in late flower.

 

[DandAbc]

If you have a private spot outside maybe try a sunken greenhouse. No idea how far north you are or how deep to get under the frost line. Brushing off the snow would be a pain...

 

[Asentrouw]

I'm using a Spiderfarmer SF-1000 for a 2x2 space and it uses less than 100 watts at full power. They also run quite cool which can be a good thing. It will do both Veg and flower very well in your small space.

Been in veg now with my current grow at around 60% power for 4 weeks... Thats around 60 watts, less than many light bulbs ! The only time I need full power is for flower.

Those plants look great!

So the SF-1000 is dimmable?

Led seems more effecient as most other lights for this. Certainly worth to have a look into it.

In the past I had some good results with the Mars Hydro stuff and even Chinese burps in 60x60cm, but these ran a little bit more; about 135 watts.

 

[Asentrouw]

If you have a private spot outside maybe try a sunken greenhouse. No idea how far north you are or how deep to get under the frost line. Brushing off the snow would be a pain...

It's a interesting concept, but I'm in a densely populated area and lack the space to properly build something like that.

This is also a issue if I would want to grow in the windowstill.

 

[DandAbc]

There's freakshow and duckfoot varieties that could veg for a bit in a windowsill. Use a light for just flowering?

Freakshow was slow, I haven't grown supafreak. Auto duck from DP was faster. Both had the skunk smell to me.

 

[alvin88]

The 100w LEDs cover a 2x2 pretty nice and that's nothing, you could have all you equipment plugged into one power strip and draw less than a PC.

Although I'm thinking of picking up a new 150w, for better coverage and penetration. Can always dim it a bit if it's too much. And I'll move my 100w to the veg space.

 

[singlecoiled]

Windowsill! South facing prefered.

Otherwise, a tent or some kind of reflective walls are very important for efficient use of light from above. For flowering you want about 100W of LED with good diodes, something like a Spider Farmer SF1000 301H EVO. Veg you can get away with les

Those plants look great!

So the SF-1000 is dimmable?

Led seems more effecient as most other lights for this. Certainly worth to have a look into it.

In the past I had some good results with the Mars Hydro stuff and even Chinese burps in 60x60cm, but these ran a little bit more; about 135 watts.

Thanks, yes the SF-1000 is dimmable. Its a great feature as at full power it can still burn seedlings and plants in early veg. As a reference, I am in week 5 of Veg now using only 75% power at 16 inches.

I bought this light to start learning to grow and figured I'd buy a more expensive/powerful light later on if all went well. Well everything has gone so well I just dont see any reason to buy a more powerful light. In my space, this light has more power than I need and I can still burn my plants if I'm not careful. Bottom line, for a small space, 2x2 or so, this light has all the iuice you will need.

Here is a veg shot with the SF-1000

 

[singlecoiled]

In the past I had some good results with the Mars Hydro stuff and even Chinese burps in 60x60cm, but these ran a little bit more; about 135 watts.

Ohh, It sounds like you already know the ropes, Mars Hydro and Spiderfarmer are in the same basic price bracket. I'm sure either would work well to keep the electricity down.

AC afinity has a light that goes up to 150 watts that I've considered, but I'm not sure more wattage will help my small space. As I say, the SF-1000 and 100 watts can still roast my plants especially dead center. My only complaint is that the light is very strong directly in the center (too strong).

Going up to something like the Spider Farmer SE 3000 has been tempting, but I think it will run hotter, use more electricity and dimming it seems silly if I'm not able to use all the power. I do like the bar technology though, this would help spread the light a bit without a hot spot in the center... No worries ! I just mainline my plants to be off center. Works like a charm.

https://www.spider-farmer.com/products/spider-farmer-upgraded-se3000-full-spectrum-led-grow-light/

 

[chilliwilli]

I would say as much led panels as the budged can support. The less amp the run the more efficient they are. Imo the driver should be close to max workload to run efficient(info in manual)

 

[mike-or-ozzy]

never underestimate single led bulbs in sockets/clamp lamp fixtures, with the right color for veg 5300K and flowering 3000K.

Color temperature	Light color	Description	Rooms
2700 K	Warm white	Comfortable, warm, cozy light	Living room, bedroom
3000 K	Bright warm white	Homey light, slightly brighter than warm white	Living space, exterior, restaurants
3500 K	Natural white	Objective, friendly mood	Corridors, offices, showrooms
4000 K	Natural white	Brightly appealing light	bathroom, kitchen, basement, garage
from 5300 K	Daylight white	Similar to daylight, with high proportion of blue	Industrial areas, classrooms

Lighting moods with different color temperatures

 

[albertgriffiths]

The most energy-efficient would surely be to mix natural light and supplemental artificial light, as they are doing now in commercial greenhouses. But yeah of course you would have to figure out how to fit it in your house, as it would condemn a window... A roof window, maybe?
It's hardly applicable if stealth is a concern, though...

Then another thing I was thinking about would be to better spread the light you're using between the top, sides and bottom.

Like maybe 100 watts above the plants and 25 watts below would be more efficient than 125 watts above. Might be a good use for these single socket lamps we all already have...

However, I did the maths for myself, and energy is still cheap enough that most of the time your new light would cost more than one or two years of electric supply to your current one... Personally, If I had to cut my expenses, I would start by buying less seeds and useless nutrients...

 

[plutiot]

Ofcourse the great outdoors is the cheapest way to get some stash. However, I think with the grey winters here, a plant in the windowstill won't yield much, even if it survives.


I've come across pics of small cupboards or even PC casings with very small lights, with nice buds underneath. Not sure how realistic this is though and wether it will provide a gram per watt.

I just like to build something to play around in winters for personal use, but as energy efficient as it comes.

i mean yall probably already done arguing, but for electricity, start auto flowers inside, we got some pretty white winters here, but one summer we popped a bean in the forest here, wich is pretty sea side on a hill, so it helped having the sea as pretty decent reflector, plant got fucking huge too!,

 

[Gunter]

Ofcourse the great outdoors is the cheapest way to get some stash. However, I think with the grey winters here, a plant in the windowstill won't yield much, even if it survives.

No but next year you can at least use good windows facing south, possibly roof windows to grow some seed plants and/ or grow mothers out over the summer and be able to turn a veg tent off during that time.

The cheapest may actually be the 100w or even 50w to keep some plants happy in veg but for the flower I'd say you have to go higher, depending on the tent and so on.