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They would have to send me a panel so I can test it myself. I don't know what kind of PAR meter they used, and I typically don't trust LED company advertisements because most of them are misleading or flat out inaccurate. I would have to test the light myself, in the same aspect as I did with the others, so all factors would be consistant to how I conducted my test. Each par meter type has different error % which influences the readings. So depending on what they used, I wouldn't be able to fairy compare unless I tested it myself with the same meter under the same conditions.
So how does the par compare to the HPS? What is the height that is supposed to be used to grow and then bud? From what I've seen it will take two 700w models to grow my two plants (all I grow 2 at a time) in my 5x5x6.5 tent. And at the end of my grow, cut time, my tent is wall to wall to wall with buds and the Liberty Haze gets about 3 1\\2 foot tall I have to tie the tops over or they would hit the HPS. So how would the penetration go, I don't scrog I just LST and come off with 10 to 12 oz every 40 -- 50 days, I got a veg tent with clones so by the time I cut the clones are big enough to go straight to 12\\12. HD
Hey Icemud i want a par meter now. I have used ones that where "borrowed" from schools and companies but those where mad money. How much did you pay for yours? do you have any advise on what meter to get or the company to get it from? I have several lights and it would be great to do what you have done. I would love to have the light data with the dry weight data. i like your grow
Hey HardDrive... I haven't gotten around to testing my HPS and CMH bulbs/light setups yet....mostly due to me having a small apartment and not having room to set up an official test area.... I would assume that LED as in most cases puts out better PAR than HPS, mainly because HPS puts out a lot of light in the IR and Far red area, which is not very efficient in driving photosynthesis...vs LED which is customized to hit the peak absorbtion points. I hopefully will be able to test them in the near future, but as of now I have to find the time, and the space to do the testing.
The par meter I have is by Apogee...and retails for about $360 online. I happened to find one on Ebay for about 100$ off the retail price, in very good condition so I bought it. Apogee is probably the best "lower/mid end" par meters for accurate readings on grow lights.... there are other brands, but they have higher error percentages than the apogee. The only better models are the industry standard by LiCor, but for those you are looking at spendin a few thousand dollars for. For a good mid range but quality one, go for the apogee....or the ones by Sun System (which are made by apogee, rebranded by Sun system) I called Apogee to verify this and yes, exactly the same, just different color faceplate and logo.
I haven't yet... the problem is having a place to do it.. I have nowhere to hang the HID lights and test them, unless I did it in the tent like I did with the LED's. I would like to redo all the tests, in a room without reflective material to get even more accurate of a reading... maybe in the near future I will figure out somewhere to test them.. I am definitely curious.. I have a 400w Phillips Ceramic Metal Halide, 400w HPS Ushio Opti Red, and a 600w Ushio Opti Red and a 400w MH Ushio Blue waiting to be tested still.
Check the website of ecosunlite, they use Sun system of Sunlightsupply PAR Meter . http://www.ecosunlite.com/e_productshow/?56-ESL-CREE-CX-COB-LED-6-56.html How to know which led's Par is higher ? Anyone knows about it ?
Their par readings are not all that impressive for a 700w panel. My Advanced LED XTE panels are only 100umol/m2/s-1 less than their panel at 24" but the panels I use are only 250w... The thing with PAR readings, (properly termed as fluency rate) is most companies will only give the center reading, which only shows at the peak intensity what the panel is deliverying. (just like the ecosun site you posted) A laser beam can give an impressive PAR measurement, but could it grow crops? non unless it was 1 grass blade.. So what ALL LED companies should be doing is plotting their PAR measurements over a 4x4 grid. This will show the actual intensity of the light and how it carries across a light footprint. what you will find is most LEDs are like spotlights, very bright in the center, but the intensity falls off very quickly 1' outside of the center. This is why so many LED companies post only the Center PAR measurement because they are trying to sell panels to people who don't understand the meaning of what these measurements are. Generally the unknowing grower will say... X panel is 3000 umol, and Y panel is only 1800 umol...well X must be better because the number is higher...but yet it says nothing about how this light carries. For flowering at a 12/12 schedule, you should have AT LEAST (bare minimum) 510umol/m2/s-1, recommended would be above 800umol/m2/s-1 and optimal would be between 1000-1500umol/m2/s-1 (with added CO2). Now these numbers/par measurements should be across the ENTIRE grow area, not just under the middle of the panel.... This is how you properly judge plant lighting and cove