-
As of today ICMag has his own Discord server. In this Discord server you can chat, talk with eachother, listen to music, share stories and pictures...and much more. Join now and let's grow together! Join ICMag Discord here! More details in this thread here: here.
Off the shelf retail store screw-in LED and CFL bulb comparisons
- Thread starter blynx
- Start date
HuffnPufferfish
Member
i agree, not sure if it will be efficient with that size
a 90x90 can be used for 400+ watts, thats a shitload of bulbs if you wanna go that route
a 90x90 can be used for 400+ watts, thats a shitload of bulbs if you wanna go that route
HuffnPufferfish
Member
true you could fit 2 growrooms in 160cm (ive got my veg n bloom plus electronics/filter/fan in 180cm)
Thanks for the help! Might stick with cfl's till cobs come down a bit in price. Don't like the idea of running heaps of cobs soft to keep efficiency up. Heard heaps of mixed views on spending hundreds on cobs or using some cheap chinese ones. Seen some crazy results with the built in driver cobs lately from some friends. Have a couple on the way to test. I do have a 150w 3000k led bulb rated at 15000 lumen bleaches the hell out of the plants unless i keep it about a meter above the canopy. Might end up using all 3 kinds of lighting hahah
Now there's an idea. If you can separate the space in two, you could have a veg space and flower space in there, that could work.
I've been playing with that idea for a few days! Actually wanted to get two tents but the 90x90 was the smallest i could find in my country! Guess it's time for some duct tape skills haha. Got one nice big female and only 1 clone of her atm just starting up, really don't want to flower her. If i did split it up i could put a new plant in every 2 weeks maybe keep it going!
HuffnPufferfish
Member
seen it before, guy has some wood next to the support poles, supporting a frame for the 2nd story, had air connected in the back
i based my "2 in 2 out" system on that, but 4 will fit in 90x90
i based my "2 in 2 out" system on that, but 4 will fit in 90x90
I have the three systems, which I DIY'ed: an HML using 10W and 5W chips, COBs: 4 Cree CXA3070 COBs, and currently building a 20x SILs hood for the 80x80 tent.
Just finished a grow with an 400W HPS.
IMHO using the same HPS approach with LEDs is rather wasteful, i.e. using only COBs cranked up, as you need to keep distance from the canopy, versus the strategy that Terpene or Blynx followed with impressive results: shape your canopy instead for homogeneity. And provide that canopy with an equally homogeneous light "cover".
As measurements have shown, SILs can provide the same intensity as an HPS, but only on a reduced area just below it.
But... we can use as much SILs as space allows. Think on a "multi HPS" approach, but with less heat. that's the key point of using SILs IMHO.
Cost wise, I don't feel SILs would be more expensive than any of the other lightning but the contrary; try to source the bulbs from offers, even expending say $8 per bulb, savings in electricity, or the possibility of re-using them at home makes it the most flexible and cheap solution.
COBs vs SILs:
- You'll need a (good) driver for COBs, SILs don't need it.
- The driver will limit the number of COB and the power they can be run at. SILs don't have this constraint. You can swap for other temp colors, wattages, unscrew those not needed, etc. Total freedom.
- COBs require either expensive heatsinks to go full passive, or using fans for active dissipation (another supply). SILs don't. (COBs = 2 extra power supplies, the COB driver and the fans supply; SILs = 0)
- Distance: a CXA3070 run at 50W per COB requires similar canopy distances as an HPS 400W: no vertical space savings. 13 or 15W SILs can be 6in from the canopy.
- Heat. High power COBs heatsinks dissipate the heat into the tent air. Depending on how hard they are driven, this can mean a significant amount of heat.
Never tried chinese or subpar quality COBs... COBs require a level of precision and quality of materials that you cannot skimp on or will get subpar results.
Just finished a grow with an 400W HPS.
IMHO using the same HPS approach with LEDs is rather wasteful, i.e. using only COBs cranked up, as you need to keep distance from the canopy, versus the strategy that Terpene or Blynx followed with impressive results: shape your canopy instead for homogeneity. And provide that canopy with an equally homogeneous light "cover".
As measurements have shown, SILs can provide the same intensity as an HPS, but only on a reduced area just below it.
But... we can use as much SILs as space allows. Think on a "multi HPS" approach, but with less heat. that's the key point of using SILs IMHO.
Cost wise, I don't feel SILs would be more expensive than any of the other lightning but the contrary; try to source the bulbs from offers, even expending say $8 per bulb, savings in electricity, or the possibility of re-using them at home makes it the most flexible and cheap solution.
COBs vs SILs:
- You'll need a (good) driver for COBs, SILs don't need it.
- The driver will limit the number of COB and the power they can be run at. SILs don't have this constraint. You can swap for other temp colors, wattages, unscrew those not needed, etc. Total freedom.
- COBs require either expensive heatsinks to go full passive, or using fans for active dissipation (another supply). SILs don't. (COBs = 2 extra power supplies, the COB driver and the fans supply; SILs = 0)
- Distance: a CXA3070 run at 50W per COB requires similar canopy distances as an HPS 400W: no vertical space savings. 13 or 15W SILs can be 6in from the canopy.
- Heat. High power COBs heatsinks dissipate the heat into the tent air. Depending on how hard they are driven, this can mean a significant amount of heat.
Never tried chinese or subpar quality COBs... COBs require a level of precision and quality of materials that you cannot skimp on or will get subpar results.
Last edited:
HuffnPufferfish
Member
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]
bruh
[/FONT]
slevin_
Active member
Hi led420,
i've 80x80x160 (simil you're)
and this is the panel
+-50€ cost.
6 Bulb Led x 2700K x 12w x 1080 Lumen
6 Bulb Led x 3000K x 24w x 2452 Lumen
Next week i want to improve to 24 bulbs and arrive at 350-400w
I have 20 of these smart chips on the way. I plan to mount them to a 4 bulb fluorescent troffer fixture I gutted as a heatsink. I got ten pack eachof 3000k and 5000k @ 50w. So 1000w. They are running about the same lm/w as SIL. I'm going to use 600w on the troffer and incorporate the rest into my veg set up. I should end up with a true 600 watts for under $40. Pics when I'm done.
I have a couple 50w floods that came with these chips next to my SIL panel and think with a little ingenuity these will be the cheapest dollar per watt LED available.I paid $12 per ten pack and I'll wire them with broke down dollar store extension cords. They are capable of handling 1500 watts typically and I reuse the male and female ends on the fixture. This leaves me someplace to plug in fans and what not.
https://www.lightinthebox.com/p/50w...ping&msclkid=5835c22dfdc714d3c7509890dc10617c
I have a couple 50w floods that came with these chips next to my SIL panel and think with a little ingenuity these will be the cheapest dollar per watt LED available.I paid $12 per ten pack and I'll wire them with broke down dollar store extension cords. They are capable of handling 1500 watts typically and I reuse the male and female ends on the fixture. This leaves me someplace to plug in fans and what not.
https://www.lightinthebox.com/p/50w...ping&msclkid=5835c22dfdc714d3c7509890dc10617c
HuffnPufferfish
Member
i was looking into those, but found out the lifespan of many is shorter than it takes to flip to flower
HuffnPufferfish
Member
i think their purpose was outdoor flood/security lights, it works fine for that
We shall see. The floods I'm using with same chips are about a month old. The heatsink of the fixture I'm building will be more substantial than those used for the flood lights. I could also ad some fans if it seems necessary. I won't be out much coin if they do burn out prematurely.
Just finished building and installing the hood, More details in my thread.
Sized for a 80x80 or 90x90 area (32"x32")
Sized for a 80x80 or 90x90 area (32"x32")
Thrilled
Thrilled
I'm thrilling on the 100% SILs tent...
Stalks are ridiculous! Outrageously solid and hard, gonna develop my hand muscles while supercropping and shaping them!
I grew these same plants under a 400W HPS (100% Gavita) on previous run and stalks weren't remotely this thick and hard.
@Terpene: I recall reading stalks were this thicker, did you notice them being harder to crush too?
Plants are loving it, the homogeneous light overlap is helping a lot on keeping an even canopy, I'd say there's a great sinergy between grid-hood SILs and training.
2nd day flower Kalichakra, Beyond the Brain #2, Beyond the Brain #1 after training:
The front corners, less lush green plants are Krystalica cuts, gonna repot and flower them, one under a SIL, the other under a COB (both on big tent) for comparison purposes.
IMHO however there's simply no competition between COBs and SILs. SILs win in my book... I had the COBs purchased since 4-5 years ago but didn't assemble them as had to stop growing; back at that time SILs weren't a reality.
Loving how this hood turned out, I've built all kind of hoods (CFL, HML, SILs and a COB) but this so far is my most valued one. BTW: cleats aren't even warm, SILs mild warm.
Thanks to Blynx and Terpene for leading the way to SILs!
Thrilled
I'm thrilling on the 100% SILs tent...
Stalks are ridiculous! Outrageously solid and hard, gonna develop my hand muscles while supercropping and shaping them!
I grew these same plants under a 400W HPS (100% Gavita) on previous run and stalks weren't remotely this thick and hard.
@Terpene: I recall reading stalks were this thicker, did you notice them being harder to crush too?
Plants are loving it, the homogeneous light overlap is helping a lot on keeping an even canopy, I'd say there's a great sinergy between grid-hood SILs and training.
2nd day flower Kalichakra, Beyond the Brain #2, Beyond the Brain #1 after training:
The front corners, less lush green plants are Krystalica cuts, gonna repot and flower them, one under a SIL, the other under a COB (both on big tent) for comparison purposes.
IMHO however there's simply no competition between COBs and SILs. SILs win in my book... I had the COBs purchased since 4-5 years ago but didn't assemble them as had to stop growing; back at that time SILs weren't a reality.
Loving how this hood turned out, I've built all kind of hoods (CFL, HML, SILs and a COB) but this so far is my most valued one. BTW: cleats aren't even warm, SILs mild warm.
Thanks to Blynx and Terpene for leading the way to SILs!
Last edited:
