to start i dont see how leds can even compare to hps. they use alot less power which i suppose is cost effective, but do they rely work as well?
Good point. From what i see LED's are perfect for stealth grows or the seedling early veg stage but to get a good solid veg and those potent Buds its either hps or MH all day long. Peace
Agreed i use x2 air cooled 600w hps's and there i no way on this earth the equivilent LED system could even come close to what results i can get.
I also use 2 1000watt MH/HPS air cooled ocho xxxl 8" hoods and it blows my dinky 2 400 watters out of the water
HPS are less expensive then LEDs What I mean is if you try to get, lets say the equivalent of a 150w HPS @ around 100$ w/ delivery The LED will run you from 300$ plus Unless you are a DIY type of person and choose to make your own LED panels You will be shelling out more money for the LEDs Start up cost is the kicker here In the long run years down the road I can see your electric bill being lower but lets be real Do you really care about the electric bill in 2016 or do you want to buy the least expensive and more powerful light for your money
Lower energy consumption is the whole point of LEDs, so don't discount them on that. It's all about the light they put out, and that is where LEDs fall short of HID. LEDs seem to work well for veg but have had mixed results in flower. It's a technology that's not ready for prime time IMO. And if/when it ever is, it probably will already have been supplanted by an ever better technology at that point, probably plasma.
yep. LED ights just dont have the mojo, i think they are more spectrum specific but i may be wrong. By the time you can complete a grow with the led`s i bet plasma lights will have already phased the led`s out
i had no idea they were good for veg stage. it might be worth the while to use them up till before the flowering stage then. or even better if someone got motivated put all there lights on timers to simulate the morning noon and evening sun with both leds and hps's. or maybe they are just good for side lighting im sure someone out they're has found that atleast useful.
theres quite a few grow journals with led lighting here on gc, you can look them up, im not ruling them out all together, your plants will just be much happier with HID lighting
If you go with LED lights make sure it is from a reputable source/brand. There are a whole lot of terrible led lights out there.
the thing is the 1 watt bulbs just dont have the pop...i've seen pretty grows using 3watt home made led panels in correct ranges but cost was still really high..let the tech catch up but theres other lights on the horizon..ie plazma
wow i wish i knew about plasma lights a month ago when i bought a 600 watt hps. what wattage of plasma would be the equivalent?
Plasmas are here and my god the make a statement over hps check this out!! i want 1 now!!!! [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=atrKO1tnNBY&feature=related]YouTube - Gavita Proto plasma growlight @ High Times cup 2009[/ame] Peace
IMO I think led is definitely here to stay. The advancements made in the last 2 years alone are cause for excitement. 1w, 2w, 3w, and now 6w led units are starting to be produced. They keep getting better and better. I also believe that quality LED units, watt for watt, will beat hps. I also think plasma is NOT the future. Induction lighting is the future.
I have to disagree. there is no way 300 watts of LED's could even come close to the pwer of that 300watt plasma. Just think a 1000watt plasma would be x3 more bright than the one shown above the light would be blinding...
i totaly agree with this guy leds arnt even good enough to keep the plants alive in my fish tank. i dont think id trust them with my weed. just looking at the plasma lights on you tube it deff shows it's a hell of alot brighter.
I was not debating whether plasma is better than LED. What I am saying, IMO, is watt for watt LED will beat HPS. Also, last I checked brightness has nothing to do with how well a plant grows. If brightness was the definitive variable in growing then incandescent lighting would be a viable choice but we all know it isn't.