Hello! I made a new account because my boss would like to remain somewhat anonymous. Anyways, we have a medium sized (25000 sq ft) legal megical grow all ran with HID, and my boss is getting a little sick of the heat/power and constant replacement of bulbs. So I was asked to help him set up a small test with something else. We were thinking something that can be equilivant to around 4x1000w hps's I have been trying to sort out opinion/facts/real world results, but am finding it a bit muddy. This small scale run, if successful, would result in us converting the current warehouse to the new lights. What do you suggest? He mentioned to me adout induction (igrowlights) as they have a store locally. I think they are just large flourescents and other people I mentioned them too said the same. (Most people I talk to are die hard HID freaks so I can't really count their opinion on other forms of lighting as they don't even consider anything other than HID's to be an option to lighting) We're not too worried about initial cost vs typical HID, but more the long term benefits, without sacraficing bud density and quality that HID offers. Any suggestions?
There is this new breed of high-intensity white LED lights that has been going around these forums. I recently purchased a see of 4x Solarspec 260w (1040w) LEDs to compare with the 1000w HID and a dual spectrum 2x600w MH/HPS. So far, the reduction of temperature has been a real treat. A comercial grower I know bought the same set up as an experiment to compare with the Gavita/ Phillips 400v 1000w HPS. We are all after the same thing... "Getting a little sick of heat/ power and constant replacement of bulbs". So far, we are both pleasantly surprised with the LEDs' performance. My grows are perpetual but my colleague veg and flower his plants in the same pot. His advantage is that they run less power throughout the early to mid veg stages because only one or two panels are needed when the plant is young. @ 260w from clone to 1.5 week. @ 520w from 1.5 week to ~2.5 week View attachment 147445 View attachment 147444 View attachment 147443 I hope this helps. -PG
At the moment I have a single SS 260 which is so intense in veg mode that I had to keep it >30" above my seedlings. Thats 1000w hps territory It has taken me awhile to get around to lowering the light, but the seedlings are more developed/acclimated now Since taking these pics yesterday, I have lowered the light ~ 12", and will likely lower it another 4-6" today * Pics were taken immediately at lights on. Within ~ 30 minutes all upper leafs were reaching up, praying to the Amare panel This is a 32 x 32 tent I also have a 50 x 50 that should be awesome for 4 @ 260s FYI all Amare panels have piggyback connectors, which in a commercial op should be most welcomed