Switching to LED from HPS

TacoMac

Well-Known Member
It's bullshit comments like that that are the problem.

It's simple math. No one light is any better than the other. They both do the same job. The only real things you should consider are:
  • Costs of fixture.
  • Costs of energy.
  • Size constraints.
That's it. That's all there is to it.

For a lot of folks (myself included) there is no real energy savings going from a 600 watt HPS to a good, solid 400 watt COB. Reason being, energy is relatively cheap (at .10 per kwh) so at best I would only save about 6 to 8 dollars per month.

6 to 8 dollars per month would take me 5 years just to pay off the cost of a decent cob fixture, which by that time would be at the end of its life anyway so it's pointless.

Somebody in Hawaii on the other hand would save closer to 50 to 60 dollars per month as power cost there are outrageous. That means the fixture would pay for itself in about a year at most and then go on to really save you some big bucks the next few years while giving you the same quality lighting that the 600 HPS gave you.

It's just whatever fits for you that is the answer. All of the other arguments are pure bullshit.
 

churchhaze

Well-Known Member
For a lot of folks (myself included) there is no real energy savings going from a 600 watt HPS to a good, solid 400 watt COB. Reason being, energy is relatively cheap (at .10 per kwh) so at best I would only save about 6 to 8 dollars per month.

6 to 8 dollars per month would take me 5 years just to pay off the cost of a decent cob fixture, which by that time would be at the end of its life anyway so it's pointless.

Somebody in Hawaii on the other hand would save closer to 50 to 60 dollars per month as power cost there are outrageous. That means the fixture would pay for itself in about a year at most and then go on to really save you some big bucks the next few years while giving you the same quality lighting that the 600 HPS gave you.

It's just whatever fits for you that is the answer. All of the other arguments are pure bullshit.
Value isn't the reason these arguments keep going on. The ongoing argument is always about whether LEDs can actually produce as well as HPS for less power, not about which has better value.

I usually recommend HPS for people looking for a flowering light, but like you said, it totally depends on the growers situation which is a better value.

These threads would end very quickly if everyone agreed on how the lamps actually performed. If it was about which is a better value, these threads wouldn't be longer than 2 pages.
 

Kushash

Well-Known Member
I just want a larger field in the comp regardless of lighting choice.
If I goad someone into playing that adds one to the field, good.
The comp is nice place to hang. Not like this or any other LED/HPS thread.
In 4 months I don't think there was one fight regarding the differences in lighting HPS/LED.
There were several fights and plenty of banter but no problems between HPS/LED.
I guess because everybody had something in common that was more important.
They all loved to grow and most probably could care less about lights.
Something not found on a thread like this, at least not the same %.

You guys can't take an LED joke but you have no problem when a new member disrespects HPS with some form of insult.
Many would give the new member a like for throwing in a jab.
Sign up and come play and hang with real growers and see that HPS and LED get along fine in the real world.
 

Flowki

Well-Known Member
It's bullshit comments like that that are the problem.

It's simple math. No one light is any better than the other. They both do the same job. The only real things you should consider are:
  • Costs of fixture.
  • Costs of energy.
  • Size constraints.
That's it. That's all there is to it.

For a lot of folks (myself included) there is no real energy savings going from a 600 watt HPS to a good, solid 400 watt COB. Reason being, energy is relatively cheap (at .10 per kwh) so at best I would only save about 6 to 8 dollars per month.

6 to 8 dollars per month would take me 5 years just to pay off the cost of a decent cob fixture, which by that time would be at the end of its life anyway so it's pointless.

Somebody in Hawaii on the other hand would save closer to 50 to 60 dollars per month as power cost there are outrageous. That means the fixture would pay for itself in about a year at most and then go on to really save you some big bucks the next few years while giving you the same quality lighting that the 600 HPS gave you.

It's just whatever fits for you that is the answer. All of the other arguments are pure bullshit.
I'm in no way being bias toward either tech, all I care for is facts, but also reality > ''the perfect op''.

What is the optimal bulb replacement on hps and how many actually follow it?. What are the best hoods to spread hps light evenly and waste less light, how many growers actually use them?. The closer to rounded stadium style growing you go the more efficiency and weight/quality you gain from hps, but how many people are doing it?.

These are not entirely rhetorical questions. In order to get the most out of hps you need to be doing parts or all of the above consistently in order to stay on par with cob for dry weight. Imo cob smoke quality wins regardless.

An overly defensive hps grower lashed out earlier and said in essence ''If you say X is better than hps it's because you suck growing with hps''. That works both ways.
 

TacoMac

Well-Known Member
You don't need shit to get good light from anything. Just plug the damn thing in. You can make a homemade reflector for 5 bucks that will work as well as any fixture.

Again, it's just pure douchebaggery the crap people come up with to worry about when at the end of the day it's all a non-factor in the grand scheme of things.
 

a mongo frog

Well-Known Member
When an LED grower has unexpected explosive growth in a comp he gets accused of switching to HPS.
Not to single your post or you out. But the other day after seeing a few pics I started to wonder the same thing about some grows. There is an awesome grower named @greengrassgrower1 who has a thread about how he switched from HPS to LEDs and he's always showing beautiful bud pics and plant pics. So the other day he shows some supposed LED grown bud, but when you look above bud you will never guess what the fuck you see? Its post #325 in his thread. So i was just wondering how much of this lying actually goes on.
Again I'm not trying to quote your post like you said anything, i just saw that and said to myself what the fuck?
 

Kushash

Well-Known Member
Not to single your post or you out. But the other day after seeing a few pics I started to wonder the same thing about some grows. There is an awesome grower named @greengrassgrower1 who has a thread about how he switched from HPS to LEDs and he's always showing beautiful bud pics and plant pics. So the other day he shows some supposed LED grown bud, but when you look above bud you will never guess what the fuck you see? Its post #325 in his thread. So i was just wondering how much of this lying actually goes on.
Again I'm not trying to quote your post like you said anything, i just saw that and said to myself what the fuck?
IDK. I just went on a short rant thinking I was chatting in one of the LED section threads.
Don't mean to stir that up.
As far as the tournaments. I'd say most of the LED growers are quite comfortable competing with HPS now. Some want to keep it an LED only contest. Some like me want to compete where any light can be used.
 

Lucky Luke

Well-Known Member
IDK. I just went on a short rant thinking I was chatting in one of the LED section threads.
Don't mean to stir that up.
As far as the tournaments. I'd say most of the LED growers are quite comfortable competing with HPS now. Some want to keep it an LED only contest. Some like me want to compete where any light can be used.
Just asking for clarification. Are you talking about the party cup challenge and which one? And were they not both LED only? I know one of the contests had way, way , way to many rules.

Juts because a grower hasn't the space or time to muck about with a contest doesn't mean they cannot grow.
 

Lucky Luke

Well-Known Member
Not to single your post or you out. But the other day after seeing a few pics I started to wonder the same thing about some grows. There is an awesome grower named @greengrassgrower1 who has a thread about how he switched from HPS to LEDs and he's always showing beautiful bud pics and plant pics. So the other day he shows some supposed LED grown bud, but when you look above bud you will never guess what the fuck you see? Its post #325 in his thread. So i was just wondering how much of this lying actually goes on.
Again I'm not trying to quote your post like you said anything, i just saw that and said to myself what the fuck?
Looks like a heat lamp in a drying room?? I just asked the Q in his thread if you are interested.
 

Kushash

Well-Known Member
Just asking for clarification. Are you talking about the party cup challenge and which one? And were they not both LED only? I know one of the contests had way, way , way to many rules.

Juts because a grower hasn't the space or time to muck about with a contest doesn't mean they cannot grow.
LOL! To your last part. Of course I know many can grow excellent plants. I did say above if I can goad someone into playing then it adds a competitor. I'd love to see GGG play also. If comps are any light then there is no issue. Enough people play and you can learn a lot about a light because most will be honest.

You were one of the guys I know wants to play. How did the cup you showed early on turn out? Looked great at the time you showed it at what about 4 or 5 weeks from seed?

There were two comps.
One was LED only. You showed your cup in mine where any light was OK.
Both comps went well.
 

Lucky Luke

Well-Known Member
Its a DE hps for sure. 100 percent.

So its not a DE hps?
I cannot tell on my screen. That's why I asked the Q to him. Either way its in a drying room by the looks. You can see the plants hanging and the room is different than the grow area.

I have my summer veg LED strip light hanging above a work bench. It wont grow the drop saw to a larger model unfortunalty.
 
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Lucky Luke

Well-Known Member
LOL! To your last part. Of course I know many can grow excellent plants. I did say above if I can goad someone into playing then it adds a competitor. I'd love to see GGG play also. If comps are any light then there is no issue. Enough people play and you can learn a lot about a light because most will be honest.

You were one of the guys I know wants to play. How did the cup you showed early on turn out? Looked great at the time you showed it at what about 4 or 5 weeks from seed?

There were two comps.
One was LED only. You showed your cup in mine where any light was OK.
Both comps went well.
Ended up a hermie. So culled it early.

I don't mind a comp or a comparison grow (im in both of those ATM, I shouldn't be really as I have no bloody room) but im not a fan of to many rules.
 

Kushash

Well-Known Member
Ended up a hermie. So culled it early.

I don't mind a comp or a comparison grow (im in both of those ATM, I shouldn't be really as I have no bloody room) but im not a fan of to many rules.
I'm running two practice cups off to the side right now also. Mine comp was the one that had minimal rules compared to the other. I didn't like the one hole in the center of the cup rule for soil in the other comp along with the led only rule. Soil already has a disadvantage to other mediums, drainage should be at least 4 holes. I had 9 holes per cup.

Here is one of my practice cups taken a couple of days ago.
I have heat issues in the summer. Day 33 under 12/12.
For me it's no problem. They take up very little room.
Gotta run. Have a good one. :peace:

100_8861.JPG
 

Lucky Luke

Well-Known Member
I'm running two practice cups off to the side right now also. Mine comp was the one that had minimal rules compared to the other. I didn't like the one hole in the center of the cup rule for soil in the other comp along with the led only rule. Soil already has a disadvantage to other mediums, drainage should be at least 4 holes. I had 9 holes per cup.

Here is one of my practice cups taken a couple of days ago.
I have heat issues in the summer. Day 33 under 12/12.
For me it's no problem. They take up very little room.
Gotta run. Have a good one. :peace:

View attachment 4160633
My veg area is full atm. I need to repot stuff and don't have the room for them.
DSC01091.JPG
 

Flowki

Well-Known Member
You don't need shit to get good light from anything. Just plug the damn thing in. You can make a homemade reflector for 5 bucks that will work as well as any fixture.

Again, it's just pure douchebaggery the crap people come up with to worry about when at the end of the day it's all a non-factor in the grand scheme of things.
That isn't true at all, but the question is if the cost of a good hood is worth the increase in quality. Unless space is issue you can use a cheap hood angled up into a stadium canopy grow, increasing canopy size and yield while not impacting quality. A lot of hps growers here don't use good hoods while they also don't grow stadium canopy, check journals.

A stadium grow will make the most efficient use of horizontal bulb light while a decent hood makes the best of a bad situation. I can understand larger scale it is easier to hang extra lights in decent hoods higher up. Good results, yes. Could it be better in terms of lower W use and/or more yield, yes. Just because electric is cheap in some places it doesn't make efficiency a none issue. It becomes a ethical choice.

That's just hps vs hps, the right setup will reduce watts for same yield or increase yield by better use of light to canopy.

If you are growing optimal under hps you won't see much weight gained going to cob/cmh, W for W. Prob is I think.. some people who went over to led/cob were not growing well with hps, the spread of more light sources over a badly optimized canopy will have gave them a yield increase over hps I'm certain. No doubt they rave around forums how amazing X new tech is, to the point a decent hps grower made the switch, seen little yield increase and thought ''wtf''.. becoming an angry X tech hater.

Hps is still a good option but it's not the best. You have tech that is much easier to grow with yet gives the same or more yield depending on your hps skill. Imo Cob/cmh gives better quality regardless. I'd go out on a limb to say QB is doing the same.
 
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Kingrow1

Well-Known Member
Not to single your post or you out. But the other day after seeing a few pics I started to wonder the same thing about some grows. There is an awesome grower named @greengrassgrower1 who has a thread about how he switched from HPS to LEDs and he's always showing beautiful bud pics and plant pics. So the other day he shows some supposed LED grown bud, but when you look above bud you will never guess what the fuck you see? Its post #325 in his thread. So i was just wondering how much of this lying actually goes on.
Again I'm not trying to quote your post like you said anything, i just saw that and said to myself what the fuck?
Winning the internet and being right are two different goals here, the guys a fake all over! Need me to get those here that support him so we can rip them on their info too?
 

TacoMac

Well-Known Member
I'm running two practice cups off to the side right now also. Mine comp was the one that had minimal rules compared to the other. I didn't like the one hole in the center of the cup rule for soil in the other comp along with the led only rule. Soil already has a disadvantage to other mediums, drainage should be at least 4 holes. I had 9 holes per cup.

Here is one of my practice cups taken a couple of days ago.
I have heat issues in the summer. Day 33 under 12/12.
For me it's no problem. They take up very little room.
Gotta run. Have a good one. :peace:

View attachment 4160633
That's awful. VERY stretched out so you have nowhere near enough light for it to grow properly.
My veg area is full atm. I need to repot stuff and don't have the room for them.
View attachment 4160641
Less is more. It's very clear you can't handle multiple plant grows. Stick with one or two and do it right. That looks simply dreadful. What a waste.
 

Kushash

Well-Known Member
That's awful. VERY stretched out so you have nowhere near enough light for it to grow properly.


Less is more. It's very clear you can't handle multiple plant grows. Stick with one or two and do it right. That looks simply dreadful. What a waste.
STFU!
Plants are beautiful in all states, it's people that are awful.
I would never criticize anyone's plants like you.
I would love to hear your excuse for not playing in a comp because I'd love to replace MMG and Dawg with you as my new favorite opponent.
You would crash and burn and you know it unlike me or Lucky Luke.
Wanna show me yours?
I have pics of healthier plants in veg and better crystal than anything you can show.
You act like you are an authority. Lame!
I'm guessing if you show pics it's gonna be distant SCROG pics.
I have know idea if you can grow or who you are so impress me and I'll show you my best veg plants, best mid flower and best crystal but you 1st.
If your pics are lame I'll only show my mid grades as not to embarrass you.
 
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