LED Choices

So i posted in the sticky about what light to get, and i got one recommend for a light that i would have to preorder. or construct my own.
Im hoping by posting a new thread ill get some other thoughts then the A51 190

im needing a led for vegging only, 3 plants, hempy, 24" in height, better then a 4' 4 bulb t5.

A51 was what i was told first. I dont get spending 450 on a light ill only use half of.
Was looking at the EX-Veg from Advanced.
450 is over what i really want to spend, but for the right light, id fork it over.

I am pleased with my lights, advanced has never done me dirty. I have 6 of their lights and will try out the 2015 area51's as well. There are a lot of people here who bash on advanced for being so expensive and talk trash about their capabilities. I have yet to see any one of these people grow with one of their lights so I just disregard it.

You will find a lot of people here are stuck in their ways and beliefs, they will tell you their truth when in reality there are hundreds of ways to get to the finish.

I just pulled 2 lbs off a 2x4 tray with 800watts of advanced led. I would like someone else to come on here and show me how to do better.

m4s73r said:

So i posted in the sticky about what light to get, and i got one recommend for a light that i would have to preorder. or construct my own.
Im hoping by posting a new thread ill get some other thoughts then the A51 190

im needing a led for vegging only, 3 plants, hempy, 24" in height, better then a 4' 4 bulb t5.

A51 was what i was told first. I dont get spending 450 on a light ill only use half of.
Was looking at the EX-Veg from Advanced.
450 is over what i really want to spend, but for the right light, id fork it over.

Click to expand...

I'd build a cob array for your purposes. Use br idgelux vero 18 emitters 5000k 70 cri from digikey. How much space are you trying to cover?

a 2x2 or 2.5x2.5. 3 plants to 24 inches tall. no topping. Id pay someone to make me one. but as for DIY im out. I have found things like that to be money pits. and im not that electric savey.

m4s73r said:

a 2x2 or 2.5x2.5. 3 plants to 24 inches tall. no topping. Id pay someone to make me one. but as for DIY im out. I have found things like that to be money pits. and im not that electric savey.

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same here, im not qualified to make these electronic things work lolol. I like plug n play.

Just looking over some Advanced LEDs. They use a few XML whites which is a huge step up from "mystery" whites, BUT when it comes to flowering the XML is miles behind a COB. The rest of the lamp is made from mystery LEDs like this:
11+ Wavelengths of Color Output: 760nm, 740nm, 720nm, 660nm, 630nm, 615nm-480nm, 460nm, 440nm, 415nm, 380nm

For those unfamiliar with LED growing lamps that is not something you want to see. It means they are using no-name LEDs that do not exist in any form that you could call high efficiency. We do not want infrared LEDs running the entire time during lights on. They create heat and waste power. The end result is much more heat than an HPS Watt for Watt. I would not be surprised if some of these LEDs literally burn out, something you never see with Cree LEDs that are properly mounted. So Advanced is selling a 330W draw fixture for $1000. Actual dissipation is approx 280W so you would be paying $3.57/W. The smaller version is about $5/W. I am sorry to be so negative but I dare say this lamp is an example of what gives LED flowering lamps a bad name.

For comparison A51 charges $400 for 130W dissipation which is $3.07/dissipation W and they use actual Cree LEDs in the entire lamp including the Cree XPE 630nm red P3 bin which is the most efficient 630nm red LED available.

Anyway, you guys know my mantra, avoid mystery LEDs and especially avoid paying more for them than proven LEDs.

OP, these lamps use Cree XML2 for the entire lamp. Although they are driven hard and the company seems to have a few complaints with quality control, this is a very cost effective option for a veg lamp if you can get past those issues. $2.15/dissipation W
http://www.onyxgrow.com/veg.html

I'm using a 190 and I like it

m4s73r said:

So i posted in the sticky about what light to get, and i got one recommend for a light that i would have to preorder. or construct my own.
Im hoping by posting a new thread ill get some other thoughts then the A51 190

im needing a led for vegging only, 3 plants, hempy, 24" in height, better then a 4' 4 bulb t5.

A51 was what i was told first. I dont get spending 450 on a light ill only use half of.
Was looking at the EX-Veg from Advanced.
450 is over what i really want to spend, but for the right light, id fork it over.

Click to expand...

The new xt-e line from advanced is pretty good inside...the thing that gets me is the design/shape...too skinny/long to cover correctly. But I will say that they have stepped it up form the old xml skeem they were pulling. Now the xte line has solid emitters throughout, and osram reds in the flower model are good too. We don't know bins which sets the led diehards off a little...but it's a much better light than they used to make. And for veg will do you fine. But a51 is a better light, specially when it comes to flower...but that doesn't apply to your situation so the advance seems to fit your needs.

Thecouchlock said:

I am pleased with my lights, advanced has never done me dirty. I have 6 of their lights and will try out the 2015 area51's as well. There are a lot of people here who bash on advanced for being so expensive and talk trash about their capabilities. I have yet to see any one of these people grow with one of their lights so I just disregard it.

You will find a lot of people here are stuck in their ways and beliefs, they will tell you their truth when in reality there are hundreds of ways to get to the finish.

I just pulled 2 lbs off a 2x4 tray with 800watts of advanced led. I would like someone else to come on here and show me how to do better.

Click to expand...

How much did you actually pull???...VVVV

Thecouchlock said:

...I may have actually swung a whole unit from my 4 300w advanced led lights. If I did indeed obtain enough weight to take it to the collective that is what I am required to do because I signed an agreement. it also helps foot the bill for everything.

I know this has a lot of controversy surrounding it and that is why I am so troubled. I have been drying on racks because space has not allowed me to dry hanging up. I have been reading that leaving the sugar leaf on and not trimming at all will get you the best smell possible.

But on the other hand dry trimming you damage the trichome heads and it may test at a lower thc... who knows.

If you know please let me know.

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As much as people seems to think an educated led builder/user is shouting witchcraft and propaganda...it's all science and reality based. We recommend the best...why waste our time on 2nd or maybe even 100th place.

Greengenes707 said:

The new xt-e line from advanced is pretty good inside...the thing that gets me is the design/shape...too skinny/long to cover correctly. But I will say that they have stepped it up form the old xml skeem they were pulling. Now the xte line has solid emitters throughout, and osram reds in the flower model are good too. We don't know bins which sets the led diehards off a little...but it's a much better light than they used to make. And for veg will do you fine. But a51 is a better light, specially when it comes to flower...but that doesn't apply to your situation so the advance seems to fit your needs.


How much did you actually pull???...VVVV

As much as people seems to think an educated led builder/user is shouting witchcraft and propaganda...it's all science and reality based. We recommend the best...why waste our time on 2nd or maybe even 100th place.

Click to expand...

900 grams

Thecouchlock said:

900 grams

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Got pics of the grow?

Only two pictures I have of it, I have like three pics of a couple dry nugs but the whole thing was taken the same day as these pictures. Person came in smelt it, we smoked a joint of the bud I took off it like 3 days prior. he squeezed the nugs and told me to chop them down he would take them all.

He took it wet to his house dried it and gave me the weight and now I am awaiting the donation.

having trouble with RIU's upload

m4s73r said:

a 2x2 or 2.5x2.5. 3 plants to 24 inches tall. no topping. Id pay someone to make me one. but as for DIY im out. I have found things like that to be money pits. and im not that electric savey.

Click to expand...

COBs are as easy to build as 1-2-3.

Vero 18($15)(digikey)
Molex connector ($2)(digikey)
Arctic alpine 11 GT plus CPU cooler($10)(amazon/newegg/ebay)
Arctic alumia thermal glue($8 (amazon/newegg/ebay)
Meanwell LPC-60-1400 driver ($18 (jameco)
a 4 pin molex, 12v/5v 2 amp power supply off amazon or ebay($5-10)
Small fan PCB ($12 http://www.amazon.com/Phobya-4-Pin-3-Pin-Splitter-Connection/dp/B007S3T4O0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1415653602&sr=8-1&keywords=fan splitter pcb)
Some 18-2 wire
and a small crimp kit from walmart.

1:Glue the LED to the CPU cooler, plug the molex connector into the led.
2:Connect the red wire of the driver to the red wire from the LED and do the same with the black using a crimp
3: Plug the cord from the CPU cooling fan into the above PCB
4: Plug the 12 v power power supply into the PCB
5:Hang the CPU cooler over your plant using chain or mason line.
Repeat steps 1-2 as necessary up too 5 times.

Each COB will be roughly 40w and around 30% efficient which will beat the pants off a T5. I'd recommend building 4 of these for your space. I'd very roughly estimate it would cost about $250 to build and output about 160watts of light with about 180-200W actual power draw.

Don't be intimidated, it's really quite easy now days. No solder gun required.

See, and for me, i look at that and think ok but for another 150 bucks id pay for someone to build me one +shipping. lol

I took a chance with CA lightworks SS440, it was spendy, however I do not regret my choice. It has UVB bulb for late stage flowering, haven't turned them on yet, runs fairly cool with circulating air. Have T5 50/50 backups, but with 3 yr warranty, as well as, lower bills. the results are pretty impressive. I will likely invest in another.

m4s73r said:

See, and for me, i look at that and think ok but for another 150 bucks id pay for someone to build me one +shipping. lol

Click to expand...

I look at it as more light per dollar spend and less heat. Plus the money saved allows for future expansion and a lower power bill.

J.Mike said:

It has UVB bulb for late stage flowering,

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Just an FYI: UVB can be added using a ReptiSun bulb for $20-$40 and an inexpensive fixture. I wouldn't let integration be a strong factor. It's a convenience but also a limitation in that it can't be deployed with other fixtures in plug-n-play fashion.

CLW is reported to grow well. But, I don't care for how they play the "proprietary spectrum" game which is more about marketing hype, leading customers to believe they're buying some mysterious "edge." They also inflate their PAR values with a fine-print, footnoted "adjusted PAR."

I try to avoid that stuff when there are other options.

az2000 said:

Just an FYI: UVB can be added using a ReptiSun bulb for $20-$40 and an inexpensive fixture. I wouldn't let integration be a strong factor. It's a convenience but also a limitation in that it can't be deployed with other fixtures in plug-n-play fashion.

CLW is reported to grow well. But, I don't care for how they play the "proprietary spectrum" game which is more about marketing hype, leading customers to believe they're buying some mysterious "edge." They also inflate their PAR values with a fine-print, footnoted "adjusted PAR."

I try to avoid that stuff when there are other options.

Click to expand...

Sorry, My option was a complete overhaul from 2 2x3x4 cabinets to an 8x12x7 partitioned grow room.
Yeah I started something like that, however, any upgrade was better than supplimental CFL's, then a bubble kit, kept nickel and diming everytime I needed another light, pump, etc. so 1 unit, low heat, low power, showing very good potential, those fan leaves are 11", and you can see the light through the canopy underneath. Due to Kind and other LED companies promoting the same proprietary BS, at that time, delaying shipments while waiting on imported chinese products, I went locally and was Sold.
Still not regretting my decision. I spent some time shopping. I have seen the builds, and, I took looks, convenience, availability, and price into consideration. I'd probably still be building, broke something, or frustrated with that kind of project as I would rather put the time into learning about growth, management and harvesting, I have a ton of unfinished crud already, its what I do in between taking care of my babies.