What's the interest in growing with retail store LED bulbs?

In CFL you need about 20 to 24W to get north of 1000 lumens.
I have only recently been able to get a 10W LED bulb, and unlike the 5W ones, I would say it works every bit as good as the CFLs.

Home Depot 15w ecosmart bulbs are what I am using now.

Those would rock, circa 1500lm if I had to guess?

most of the 14-15W bulbs are 1600-1700 lms

with the covers on

prob 1700-1900 without the difffusers

nfhiggs said:

The "equivalent watts" is no relation to HPS at all. It just the lumen equivalent of "old style" 60W incandescent bulbs. Do not even consider that number. Just go by the actual wattage (5W)

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Ok thanks. I just hope its good for starting 4 autos a week or 2

It is good for at least 6 weeks.
Yeah, it makes plants a bit stretchy, but nothing mad.

Poor plants in my box have so many bulb burns already, but I am busy building their new light.
Just taking a smoke break. Just have soldering and turning in a hundred screws left.

ANC said:

In CFL you need about 20 to 24W to get north of 1000 lumens.
I have only recently been able to get a 10W LED bulb, and unlike the 5W ones, I would say it works every bit as good as the CFLs.

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How good Watts of led compared to hps Watts?

ANC said:

It is good for at least 6 weeks.
Yeah, it makes plants a bit stretchy, but nothing mad.

Poor plants in my box have so many bulb burns already, but I am busy building their new light.
Just taking a smoke break. Just have soldering and turning in a hundred screws left.

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Thanks very much but how big you think I can get 3 think different autos and 1 ak-47 auto in 3 weeks and I use peat pots for starting after I place my leaf sprouts in peat pots how big a pot should I transfer from then? Their final 5 gallon since they don't like being transplants?

Flanigan said:

How good Watts of led compared to hps Watts?

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Also does that mean 240 led to 480 cfl?

Probably Watts input for similar output.
100W of LED gives me 17000 lumens.
That is equal to about 300W of 23W CFLs

The search function is broken at the moment.
When it works, just look for a thread called Roots started by myself to see how big your plant can get under CFL.

ANC said:

Probably Watts input for similar output.
100W of LED gives me 17000 lumens.
That is equal to about 300W of 23W CFLs

The search function is broken at the moment.
When it works, just look for a thread called Roots started by myself to see how big your plant can get under CFL.

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Okay I have 4x60 watt led lights so total 240 Watts. How big of a space would you use for 240 Watts led? I have heard 30-35 Watts per square foot but what do you think? Because at that rate that's 8 square feet.

NoTillPhil said:

Not really. A good HPS bulb will get more like 150/lm/w

It will also be a single source. Meaning, less lumens per watt is required with multiple bulbs because there is better distribution of those lumens.

I know I probably drive some guys crazy constantly referencing lumens instead of PAR or PPFD but when I started growing lumens were the only reference used.

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I don't think you drive crazy. I just think that's your way lol and I'm open to anything good and new

Maybe 1 over each square feet.
I have never used the high power CFLs so it is a guess.

Flanigan said:

Okay I have 4x60 watt led lights so total 240 Watts. How big of a space would you use for 240 Watts led? I have heard 30-35 Watts per square foot but what do you think? Because at that rate that's 8 square feet.

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Are they actual 60w or equivalent to 60w?

If equivalent, then that's going to be a total of under 60w.

The devil, as usual, is in the detail

Fubard said:

Are they actual 60w or equivalent to 60w?

If equivalent, then that's going to be a total of under 60w.

The devil, as usual, is in the detail

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Actual is 10 Watts or 40 for all 4 so does that mean I only have about a square foot or 2? For good growing potential? Like starting plants?

I would say maybe enough for one plant, others will know better, and that will definitely start a plant as right now I'm using a single 14w 6500k replacement above a seedling and the usual thing that happens is it grows short and wide, as in 5" tall and a foot across, in the space of 2 weeks.

At some point after that I have a habit of fucking up, but that's beside the point

Fubard said:

I would say maybe enough for one plant, others will know better, and that will definitely start a plant as right now I'm using a single 14w 6500k replacement above a seedling and the usual thing that happens is it grows short and wide, as in 5" tall and a foot across, in the space of 2 weeks.

At some point after that I have a habit of fucking up, but that's beside the point

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Are you saying my think different autos x 3 and 1 ak-47 auto will get 5 inches tall and 2 feet wide in 2 weeks using what I said which is 240 Watts of led?

I mint 5 in tall and 1 foot wide LOL

This one was 2 weeks old before there was a "snap" because she came out of the dirt at an angle and I got too heavy handed making sure she was staked as she started tilting to one side. That one had half as much wattage above it as one of your bulbs so, obviously, I can't say yours will do anything like that, and there's no way I would try to grow a plant under that one bulb.

You're proposing the equivalent of 4 with each one under less light than I'm talking about and the colour of the lights will make a difference too. I don't think your idea will do much beyond the first week or so, to be honest.

Flanigan said:

Are you saying my think different autos x 3 and 1 ak-47 auto will get 5 inches tall and 2 feet wide in 2 weeks using what I said which is 240 Watts of led?

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Also are you saying 6500 Kelvin and if so how or where do you get that reading? Thanks for all your help.in really good at outside production but never have did any indoor though in starting now