LED Grows

[imsoborednow]

LEd's are OK but Ive found that they have a very narrow beam of light.....its not like a 'normal' white light...so you'll need lots and thier expensive...I dont think the technology is there yet.......However I know from my subsciption to LED magazine.......that companies are racing each other to produce efficent LED streetlights...very powerful LED's......probably worth a closer look next year.......Manufacturers should state the angle of the beam..........I messed around with them for a while but couldnt get the light intensity all over the plant......1.they need to be real close to your plant to
If I were to mess with them again...Id probably have them rotating somehow so as to spread the light more evenly..........The board that Laserkitten showed you requires ALOT of soldering...not worth attempting unless you have a pro soldergun and loads of patience....
My advice ....keep your money in your pocket and wait for some new technology....it wont be long.....

 

[LaserKittensGoPewPew]

They do make different LEDs with wider beam angles. Just remember that as the beam angle increases the light intensity decreases. So you really do want the smaller beam angle to give you the higher light intensity. But that's where you need many to fully cover the plant in light. That small board kit does require a lot of soldering. They do make them already finished for you for twice the amount of money, but it would probably be worth it going that way. No hassle.

I'll be waiting to see about these street lamps. I know you can get the bigger sized LEDs, but they're a few dollars per bulb...Adds up pretty fast.

 

[imsoborednow]

Hi Laserkitten.......how ya doing?

You know quite a bit about LED methinks.....

Check this out....
http://www.ledsmagazine.com/press/12960

Theres loads of info on this site if you feel like digging.......

 

[AlienBait]

Great link ISBN. I'm still studying up on LEDs. I bought a few more and will do some more experimenting this fall.

LEDs Magazine!! LOL!

Guess they have publications for everything.

 

[booradley]

So what about these? They seem inexpensive and easy to use.

http://cgi.ebay.com/40-Red-LEDs-1-8-Watt-Lamp-110V-E27-Base_W0QQitemZ120068667081QQihZ002QQcategoryZ94941QQtcZphotoQQcmdZViewItem

They are 1.8 watts so if 10 watts is like a 600 watt HID, theoretorically, they would be about 75 Watts of HID. If true, that aint bad. When my GF isn't mad at me for spending too much on my last set of lights, I might give it a try...:hubba:

Also found this: http://zgsm.en.alibaba.com/product/50107087/51597667/LED_Bulbs_lamps/White_LED_Bulb___7W.html

Claims to have only up to 420 lumens (not making that up!). Maybe they are using a different measurement?

 

[LaserKittensGoPewPew]

Awesome site dude. Lots of good info there that I'm starting to read through.

boo, don't believe everything the companies say about lumen output. The measurement for normal bulbs compared to LEDs is much different.

 

[imsoborednow]

The lumens they measure from LEDs comes from the very centre of the beam...trouble is the thin angle of the beam....if you look at wider angled LEDs youll find that the lumens drop away considerably.........or they get VERY pricey.....What we all want is a wide angle LED covering the spectrums we want with enough .....I did find a calculation that works it out more accuratley....I'll see if I can find it.....

 

[booradley]

I suspected that there was something I didn't understand. Too much hype for a measly 420 lumens. I mean, there is no way that street light has only 5000 lumens! (well, maybe it does, but they have to be more efficeint than the sun!)

Only one way to find out just how well LEDs work! Use them! Would be curious to know if AlienBait has managed to find a good system with LEDs? Read your 16 oz (cup) grow. You did better in a 16 oz cup with untested lights than I do under CFLs following the gallon per foot rule!

 

[LaserKittensGoPewPew]

Well, the LEDs seemed to have worked really well for alienbait. I think he just needed more. I've seen on ebay these 7 piece sets that are much bigger than the ones that he used. There are 6 red and 1 blue. I'm thinking if you put a couple of those kits around one of your plants, it would most definitely give you some decent bud. Still though, it would take a lot more to attain the yields you would get from an HPS.

It's too hard to say without doing our own testing. I would absolutely love to do the testing, but unfortunately I don't have the hundreds or even thousands of dollars it would take.

I have seen 900 bulb panels called flowerforcers. There's some on ebay right now for $420. Go figure... but I'm thinking that would be the way to go. If you could line a grow cab with those, I'm pretty sure you would grow some pretty nice plants.

 

[imsoborednow]

Its just a lot of money for un-proven...(with marijuana anyhow)...results...
I watched Alienbaits grow and was impressed.....awesome dude..:aok:
Theres no doubt that the basics are right...I think its power and spread thats the issue....think of an LED like a pencil beam of light...youve either got to spread that beam diffusing its strength...or you got to have thousands...for our use ......I reckon to grow 1m sq you'd need 1m sq of LEDs say 200 x 200 sq = 40 000 LED.......

and as laser kitten said...it would cost

Or you got to have a big un....

 

[imsoborednow]

Maybe stronger lights are needed....ie....streetlight LED,s......

I found some.....in China....(where else!!!)

Warm light..(3/4000k).....12 600 Lm

Covers 1/2 sqm....(light is 1m x 0.4m with a 120deg beam)...

Costs.....$700 each.......thats a bit pricey.....

some cheaper ones.......cost $150.......2 300 Lm each size...10" x 3 1/2"
running at 38W produces 75 Lm per Watt of energy.
Available in a Warm light.....
Thats as good as flouros if not better...as the max operating temp of these lights is 40 deg C......thats also well cool..:aok:
take a look......

http://www.spark-oe.com/product.aspx?oneID=16

 

[AlienBait]

The problem with the warm-white LEDs is that it is really just a Blue LED with a phosphorus coating. The phosphorus will glow toward the red (peaking in the orange). Add that to the already existing Blue and you will get the "warm-white" color.

The reason this is a problem is that they lose 25% of the output because the phosphorus has to absorb part of the blue light, then re-readiate. It would be better to just have mono-color LEDs when making up your grow-lights (at least that I was told.... ).

That being said, I bought some warm-white and some other colors like UVA, and IR that I will add to my existing red and blue LEDs to see if adding extra colors will make a difference in the bud production.

Unfortunately I have to wait until the weather cools down in the fall before I can use them. It is just too hot where I live to grow anything right now.

 

[AlienBait]

Its just a lot of money for un-proven...(with marijuana anyhow)...results...
I watched Alienbaits grow and was impressed.....awesome dude..:aok:
Theres no doubt that the basics are right...I think its power and spread thats the issue....think of an LED like a pencil beam of light...youve either got to spread that beam diffusing its strength...or you got to have thousands...for our use ......I reckon to grow 1m sq you'd need 1m sq of LEDs say 200 x 200 sq = 40 000 LED.......

and as laser kitten said...it would cost

Or you got to have a big un....

Thanks for the kinds works.

When I did the 16 oz cup grow with the LEDs, I think I had enough light because the plant did not stretch. It stayed pretty compact. I think the reason it stayed small was because I used a 16 oz cup and it was root-bound. Also, I only vegged for about a week. Next time, I'll be using a bigger pot and I'll be using clones. In fact, I've revegged the original plant from the 16oz cup and will be taking clones off of her. I figure I will get a good comparison if I use the exact same genetics.

I'm getting pretty excited about growing with the LEDs again. With you guys talking about it, the anticipation builds.:hubba:

 

[imsoborednow]

I hear ya Alienbait.........

Just doing some costings out loud....

I agree with adding some more of the spectrum as the plants dont just use the blue and red colors in light even if its only small amounts.....

 

[imsoborednow]

Didn't know you was continuing with LED's........

I look forward to a good grow journal soon then?????.....

 

[AlienBait]

Didn't know you was continuing with LED's........

I look forward to a good grow journal soon then?????.....

I'll have something up at the beginning of September. Like I said earlier, it is just too hot where I live right now.

 

[trichnut]

id be interested in seeing a good sized board say the sized of a 40" flatscreen TV and instead of the 3 primary colors having white, red, and blue all as tight as can be and then with a dimmer nob to change the light spectrum for better veg and bloom, more red less blue and vise versa.