Lighting Grownorthern LED lights

[ograndeviado]

I want to start to do some proper indoor growing and am very interested in LED lights, I am not too keen on the usual chinese blackstar240 and worse types and didnt want to buy from the USA if possible . I was looking for a UK manufacturer and came across GrowNorthern which does 3w and 5 w versions and a modular system too and a good price. They look good and the specs seem ok

MODULAR SYSTEM - BASIC BUILDING BLOCK £239

( Deep Red 7pcs, Red 4pcs, Blue 2pcs pcs, Warm white 1pcs, Infrared 1pc )

Specification:
60pcs x 3w chip
15pcs x 3w LED Per Module
Epistar 630nm, 660nm, 740nm & Bridgelux 460nm, 2700k
Primary optic 120 degree, Secondary removable optic 60 degree
Isolated power drive
Intelligent monitoring system
Zener diodes for advanced ESD protection

Parameters:
Input Voltage: AC 85-264v
Output Voltage: DC 35-45v
Input Frequency: 50/60hz
Power Consumption: Limited:120 watts (Max 180 watts)
Working Environment: 20-40 °C
Dimensions: 283*283*85(mm)
Weight: 4.0kgs


STANDARD 240W PANEL £279
Full targeted light spectrum :
( Deep Red 60pcs, Red 6pcs, Blue 12pcs, Warm white 2pcs, Cool white 2pcs, Orange 1pcs )

FREE DELIVERY TO THE UK

Currently available in a Candy Apple red or a Matt black finish.

Specifications:

Quantity of LEDs: 80pcs of 3 watt LEDs
LED manufacturer: Epistar 660nm, Bridgelux 460nm, 615nm, 630nm, 2700k, 6000k
Wavelength: Deep Red: 660nm, Red: 630nm, Orange 615nm-620nm, Warm white 2700k, Blue:445nm-460nm, Cool white: 6,000k
Viewing angle/ Beam angle: 60 degree
Internal LED drivers and fan power supply
DC kettle lead input
Male & female click connection on all wiring
Detachable 3m power lead with UK standard 3 pin plug
Working environmental temperature: -20 to +40 degree
3 high performance in-built fans
Custom heat sink and venting
Primary PAR area 90cm²
Dimensions: 400x212x62mm
Lifespan: 50,000 hour

but does anyone use them or know anything about them?
they do a 3 year warranty and a 24 day returns policy which sounds encouraging. Any thoughts?
OGV

 

[Mellow Yellow]

Welcome brother.. I have a 240w Blackstar and it's awesome. I don't know much about LED's but I don't think you'd go wrong with one. I would send a pm to tshirtninja and pick his brain. He knows alot more than I ever will about LED's.

 

[lykaboss]

I can't speak for the one you posted but i can say that black star LED's are great units. I have six 240 watt panels currently. Here is a place where you can buy blackstars in the UK
http://ukgrowlights.co.uk/new-2012-lighthouse-240w-blackstar-led-grow-light-ultra-violet.html

 

[Muddy]

Are you sure those are built in the UK? The specs look about the same as the Blackstar and it's $427 US, so about $150 more expensive.

I also find it a little suspicious that your first post here is a detailed description of previously unknown LED. Is that spam I'm smelling?

 

[lykaboss]

I just wanted to add to this thread, muddy brings up a good point about this being possible spam of the product since (i assume) majority of the people on this forum ever heard of it. If in fact the Original poster is the owner of the company, then why not just say so, embrace the AFN community and offer up a light to a seasoned grower in the community to do a test grow with the product and have a detailed grow log. I think if more Retailers and or owners to new products that hit the market worked like this, there products might be more accepted into communities instead of filling the page with a ton of figures.

Who are you going to trust? The guy pushing the product or the guy who is well liked in the growing community and did a proper review?

 

[Captain cure]

I smell it.

 

[ograndeviado]

Hi All ,
First of all I am NOT the owner or anything to do with the company who I enquired about. I am like everybody else a seeker after the best way to grow cannabis. I have smoked for 40 years and grown it on my balcony for many years in a haphazard way, but after having my contract at work terminated due to collapsing unconcious and being hospitalised 3 times in a year due to an as yet unkown affliction, I have decide to grow it properly indoors for economic reasons. When I started doing my research I came across LED lights which interested me but I found it difficult to get any coherent view on them, with opinion bitterly divided. For the last few weeks I have been researching LEDs on the net and come across various options. the Blackstar was one of them, but I was concerned after reading of QC problems and potential design problems as well as having to return them etc. I looked at and liked the US products like the 357 Magnum and the Penetrator series, but I would have ideally preferred to have them available in the UK. After looking through some local Hydroponic retailers in the south of england I noticed the lights I mentioned in my query. Unfortunately I could find nothing on the net about them and in my innocence decided to post on a forum to see if anyone could help me. I thought I was embracing the AFN community, but obviously not, for which I apologise.
I posted the technical blurb on the LEDs in a misguided attempt to make it easier for those who are more technically knowledgable on the subject to give me a considered answer. From the firms r website they have only been in existence for a year or so which may explain why no one has heard of them, if they are kosher then it would be a good thing for the AFN community (or those who are prepared to embrace new technology) to have a european based supplier of quality product. So once again I apologise if I have ruffled feathers with my first ever post on a cannabis forum, I can now see how suspicions could be aroused by my post , but that was the last thing on my mind.
OGV

 

[ograndeviado]

it is not a blackstar, it looks more like a 357 magnum or penetrator style of panel which may well explain its higher price! check the website yourself if you dont believe me!

 

[ograndeviado]

Thank you Thai Buddha Man, as you say they are untested, although the only other mention (other than the firm itself and their hydroponic outlet) is from a grower of Exhibition leeks in a horticultural forum, who had bought one of these and had contacted the firm about making battery powered ones, so he was obviously pleased with them. If I do take the plunge I will certainly make sure that the results are posted in the forum for the benefit of everyone.

 

[Muddy]

Sorry if my remarks offended you but as I'm sure you can imagine, spam is an ongoing issues on forums such as ours. Had you first gone to the Introduction forum and introduced yourself, perhaps I wouldn't have been so suspicious.

I would be surprised if that unit wasn't built in China. Even most of the top units here in the US are being built there, but often to the sellers specs. That may be the case with this one. Before purchasing I would suggest you contact the seller and see if they are interested in letting you have a unit for test purposes. The medical marijuana community seems to be the biggest market for these lights and often the sellers are willing to give a unit for testing purposes as long as it is featured in an on line grow log. It's cheap advertising for them.

Regarding the Blackstars, I've not heard of any of the issues you have mentioned. Many of us here are using them. Off the top of my head, I would guess that between all of us, there are probably 25 or 30 of them and I've not heard of anyone having issues or needing to return them. I'm using a GrowLEDHydro 240 watt unit in one grow space and two of the Blackstar 240s in another. The GLH is a better unit and does produce better results, but it is a $750 unit. I'm quite pleased with the results I'm getting from my Blackstars and am planning on purchasing a third one in the near future.

Hi All ,
First of all I am NOT the owner or anything to do with the company who I enquired about. I am like everybody else a seeker after the best way to grow cannabis. I have smoked for 40 years and grown it on my balcony for many years in a haphazard way, but after having my contract at work terminated due to collapsing unconcious and being hospitalised 3 times in a year due to an as yet unkown affliction, I have decide to grow it properly indoors for economic reasons. When I started doing my research I came across LED lights which interested me but I found it difficult to get any coherent view on them, with opinion bitterly divided. For the last few weeks I have been researching LEDs on the net and come across various options. the Blackstar was one of them, but I was concerned after reading of QC problems and potential design problems as well as having to return them etc. I looked at and liked the US products like the 357 Magnum and the Penetrator series, but I would have ideally preferred to have them available in the UK. After looking through some local Hydroponic retailers in the south of england I noticed the lights I mentioned in my query. Unfortunately I could find nothing on the net about them and in my innocence decided to post on a forum to see if anyone could help me. I thought I was embracing the AFN community, but obviously not, for which I apologise.
I posted the technical blurb on the LEDs in a misguided attempt to make it easier for those who are more technically knowledgable on the subject to give me a considered answer. From the firms r website they have only been in existence for a year or so which may explain why no one has heard of them, if they are kosher then it would be a good thing for the AFN community (or those who are prepared to embrace new technology) to have a european based supplier of quality product. So once again I apologise if I have ruffled feathers with my first ever post on a cannabis forum, I can now see how suspicions could be aroused by my post , but that was the last thing on my mind.
OGV