Chrome or go HOME!

Not having to send it back to china if it breaks is the main reason I did not go with Cidly or another company in China.

The BS chrome 4 spot outputs less than 700 PAR reading at 18 inch, and the real Apollo 4 from Cidly outputs more than 900 PAR reading at 19 inch. Not interested in any overpriced copycats.

Sending back to china and having down time does suck... But they do cover the shipping costs if you have to send it back.

It does say in their warranty that they don't cover damage due to acts of god. Lolololol

didn't know that... good to know.. and the advantage of the cidly ones of course is that they're modular they could probably send you a replacement part and you fix it yourself if they had to... also i believe if one light unit goes down it's not supposed to take all the rest out... i'm not too worried about it until i'm feeling like it's time to replace mine and they haven't broken yet they even survived a swarm of ladybugs living on them/dieing & falling in them

I had taped some screen on my BS 500, and will do the same for the new Apollo's i ordered Damn ladybugs get everywhere!

i didn't even think about that. good idea... luckily no harm done

wadz said:

So i just got done reading my email from blackstar about there new "chrome" series. I've seen a couple pictures floating on web but no real info. here is what ive discovered so far....


We do have the Chrome series in stock already but our programmers and graphic designers are still working on the listing (description, pictures etc). They come in 4, 6 and 8 spot configuration, each spot contains 15 x 3w Cree LEDs, 60 degree lighting angle (so the intensity and penetration are unparalleled). The Chrome 4 will therefore be 180w, the 6 - 270w and the 8 - 360w

^from Blackstar. the watts are actual draw.

Click to expand...

There is no way that is actual draw, it would be nice...but its just not possible. LED's do not run at full wattage, they have to leave room for an "overhead" or they burn out instantaneously.

I've never used Bstar but have been considering a BS240 for quite some time now, being an owner of the similar Pro Grow panels; and the new release of teh Chrome series has left me interested.

Example of what I am talking about... my Pro Grow 180 is 60 3watt diodes...180, but it's actual draw is 144-147w. Same for the BS240, I've read(no personal exp) that the actual draw is around 135, say 140 for number's sake... 58% please, someone correct me if I am incorrect; check this with a Kill-a-Watt meter and post it! Sounds a little low personally... as the PG's are 81% efficient, this means, in "broad LED law-" BS's diodes should last longer since they are driven at less watage.

Anyways!
So if this consistent trent among led's follows with the Chrome Series:
------58%---81%------
-180-104---146w------
-270-157---219w------
-360-209---292w------

Again, I have never used Bstar, have nothing against them in either direction. But am interested in the Chromes- the 60 degree lens worries me a bit....not a lot of wavelengths mixing with that..and too much concentrated blue can leave yah bleached. Would love to hear something from somebody running a 6 spotter or two.