Nextlight 525 watt LED

Dorje said:
The 315W Phillips CMH/LEC are about as efficient as LED, better spectrum, less expensive and longer lasting. LED is not competitive yet.
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I would like to see some data substantiating that claim of longer lasting. Led life hours are often quoted as 50 -100k hours and when under driven I believe they will go even longer.

I have seen nothing suggesting the CMH/LEC can rival that, other your statement. But then again, I have not devoted as much time to the study of CMH/LEC. Do you have any way to back up this claim? TIA
 
A interesting read, wish I had more time to read some links info.
My LED system is DIY all the way, and a bit over built I am sure, but it is what I wanted. I am a week away from growing with it. I will find out how well it will do in this system I built. I do have a HPS system for back up reasons, but when all is enclosed and hooked up the HPS was to warm for the small grow design, so I feel this LED tower will do better for this reason, now I just need to get it going and see if it will perform as I need it to. I sure hope this 1500.00 investment will grow me some fine medicine.
 
real high congrats for getting back at it..

we wanna see that led panel..i have few myself..i have read up on the newest cob tech

i can dig your thread

game on!
 
Not all LED lamps offer a true grow spectrum. Many just try something and put it out there for us to buy off their claims.
As I learned more about LED lamps, I found a 2 page checklist one should use before buying any LED lamp. Of course I made mine, but this check list is helping me find my flaw's or what I lack, and of course exposing all the pro's to my DIY tower.

First you need a solid lamp, than you need to learn how to grow with it for optimum output, and LED growing is not like HID lamp growing. Still learning it myself.
 
I agree 100% with everything midsummer had said in this thread.

LED will be the future of indoor growing in the next 5 yo 10 years most likely using COB technology. The experimental guys now are kicking the pants off of HPS on a g/w basis running 60%+ efficient fixtures.
However, matching the g/sq ft of a HPS is a matter of good LED design and thats where almost all the companies fail.

If you're still shopping for LEDs and you don't wanna build one, try pacific light concepts or apache.

Hitting 2 GPW is achievable while still maintaining PPFD above 800 with current tech LEDS (not proven directly, a little bit of extrapolating here), good luck hitting that with gavita though. And like midsummer said, better spectrum, no infared heat, way better light uniformity (with proper spacing), reduced AC needs, quicker flowering (which could easily mean an extra cycle every 1-2 years).

So what if the upfront cost is 3x (today) HPS, when looked at the whole picture, I just don't see how HPS is going to remain the best light to grow the highest quality product in the most efficient way.

edit: another benefit to LEDS is they only need to be spaced 12-18" in most circumstances, some guys are doing 6-8" when driving the LEDs softer. The LEDS fixture are usually slimmer than HPS reflectors too.

LED-
~5" fixture height
12" spacing to canopy

1000w gavita
~10" fixture height
36" spacing to canopy
 
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One issue with companies who sell them is how they rate their units.

The tower, 132 led's of 3w and 1w size covering from 380nm to 750nm
The total watts the driver's are rated for is 623 watts
The total draw of the 132 LED's, at my est. is 449.48 watts
The total that all the LED's are rated for is 516.6 watts

So if I am going to market this what wattage do I claim it puts out ?
More important is how much wattage is being drawn at the wall outlet ?

I feel best going by what the LED's are actually using near their max rating, not max, I believe I was near 3/4 the max dimmer output when I wrote down the readings I took.
 
actual wattage

and leds are being trumped by 100 w....

3000-5000 cct LES/"cobs" if only for the fact they are less prob to DIY

nice normal light...

diodes are seeming to be old school for diy's
 
I have checked into them, if I want to make it hard to grow in my area, than I would have upgraded to the cob, but just to much heat from them for me and what I needed.

It is all about what the grower needs and providing what the plant needs.
 
Some information all need before spending their money.

UVA is from 320nm to 400nm, and used in Black lights, no real growth value for cannabis.

UVB is from 280nm to 320nm, and this is in Sun tan lamps, phototherapy lamps, reptile lamps and few LED manufactures sell them at $$$.
Most plants that benefit from this range have flavornoids and terpenoids which react positively to UVB rays...........Benefits the cannabis grower!

UVC is from 200nm to 280nm range, and is used mainly for Germicidal applications in medical field. NO mention of any plant growth benefits from this range, maybe just some bug protection from it (wonder if one of these hand held lamps would eliminate spider mites ??)

The better you educate yourself about what you need from your LED lamp, the easier it will be to find or make yourself. If you want to make your spent money count, do the research and gain the knowledge needed to make the wise decision and purchase of the new lamp.

Hope this helps a few people.

Also infrared wavelength is used near lights out period to jump start a process that is completed during our 12 hour dark cycle. If the plant is getting the Infrared in the right range, well the plant actually can receive more light hours while flowering and less dark period as long as it is jump started with the infrared wavelength. This alone will also increase yield and harvest time, so many claim it does.
Reptile heat lamp, ceramic, no light emitted from it, does give of this wave length also along with heat, but you can control this heat with a thermo switch.

There is so much to growing with LED's that I never thought of, I actually think I am going to truly enjoy growing with this LED tower.
 
midsummer said:
I agree. Look at the commercial stuff. Commercial will always lead what most folks are doing; just like the experimental will always lead commercial.

I will wager that in ten years LED diodes will be leading in commercial growing. Because I believe LED is now leading in experimental growing and efficiency studies.

Don't jump yet; unless you just want to feel what its like on the leading edge. The LEDS will stomp the HID's in time. Just be careful of the low quality units trying to ride the wave and take your money. Not yet...not yet..
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nope not yet hid technology is old as dirt so only a matter of time
 
The sooner people learn more about HID lighting, what is used and how much is wasted, compaired to LED lamps the HID have no chance.

The technology is advanced in LED lighting because of the demand for it. Like computers, with time all will cost less and you will get more for the money you spend.

For now the cost of a true complete spectrum LED lamp cost $$$ to make, so many go with the HID set ups, and on a large scale it is all about cost and profit and so HID are used again over the LED lamps, but this all will only last so long before LED is all that is used for lighting purposes.
 
well thats true if one gets the correct led/LES system..and most are not
otherwise hps is still the viable one
and as usual ...lets see the led outcome
 
I've had very good results using my aquarium LED array so far in veg. I use an Evergrow D120. Have one in a veg tent next to another that's got 8x T5's, the LED seems to outperform the T5's, but that's just my eyeballs and no science.

I'd be up for experimenting with LED's in flower, but not in the main tent yet.... Seems to me it's becoming more realistic though now with the higher wattage chips available 5, and 6 watters and the 10w double 5w chips in the multi hundred watt type configurations.

The D120 i use in veg has 3w diodes, and is doing the job at least in veg.

THC
 
Has anybody recently flowered out a successful LED crop?
I saw a bunch of vendors at Cannacon that had led lights - california light works had some interesting programmable products.
If I am going to get the tent going, I'm going to need the cool LED's to make it work.
peace
 
Just been reading a lot on these LED fixtures am thinking of getting the Next light Mega 650 watt LED or the Black Dog 800 phytomax 2 in a few days do any of you guys know much about these lights?
Any info would be appreciated am in kind of a hurry to replace my 600 hps

Thanks Peacebiscuit
 
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