Lighting Grownorthern LED lights

[ograndeviado]

Thanks Muddy, you are right I should have just introduced myself and now fully realise my stupidity. unfortunately it was late at night, too much to smoke and i wanted an answer as soon as possible. Thanks for your strong words of support for the Blackstar it has eased my mind a lot. The main reason for my comments on the blackstar were based on one article where someone at the end of its warranty had set about about upgrading parts like the heatsink etc because they were not, in his opinion , as good as they could be and other mentions on the web about chinese stuff in general . Sometimes too much information is a bad thing.It is probably made in china but looks as i said (and is described on the website) like a professional horticulture lamp.
On the website they say they are going to post some test results after the new year ie NOW , so I will get in contact with them and see what else I can find out
Thanks to everyone for their help
OGV

 

[ograndeviado]

yes it is , as I said too much information is not always a good thing! Lots of people are scarred from buying crap stuff initially and of course you have the rather virulent response from the unconverted "traditionalists" amongst the community too. From the company's specs its 3w with the right angles on the lights themselves (no 120 degree ones) and using Bridgelux and Epistar LEDs (unlike many) seems to point in the right direction.
I see they now do 2 versions of the Blackstar, one for vegetative and one for flowering, do they do a dual one or will i be forced to buy two (one of each)?

 

[astronomy420a]

my 2cents, muddy makes it logical, he has one 240 watt panel from glh, and it outperforms the 240 watt blackstar cost $750.00 that is what you will pay for three blackstar 240w. now compare, will three blacktars out perform one glh panel?...... btw i have two blackstars.

 

[Muddy]

You'll only need the flowering unit. With the short veg period of autos it works fine.

Bear in mind that most of using the Blackstars have purchased them within the last year or so. We've yet to see if there will be any long term issues with them.

 

[ograndeviado]

Muddy -thanks for that information
Astronomy 420 - are both yours flowering or did you get one of each? .....and if so why?
If I do get the blackstar and a growtent, what else do i need in the way of equipment to make a start (leaving aside pots, nutrients etc). Obviously a timer and I presume despite there being no need for cooling I would need some airflow to avoid stale air and if there is going to be ventilation then I would need a carbon filter too.
Thanks very much for all your help everybody, i registered with THC talk and after spending 4 days waiting to be able to post and no discernable method available to contact an administrator , I gave up. So getting feedback, even if sometimes understandably negative, has been a godsend.

 

[lykaboss]

you will need cooling, common misconception that LED's put off no heat, they do. Just not nearly as much as an HPS or HID. you will need atleast a 4inch inline intake fan to bring in fresh air. Also get a PH meter. Knowning the correct PH of your water is crucial and will help you avoid alot of problems.

What size grow tent are you planing on getting?

 

[astronomy420a]

og, both are flowering models. definetly you want flowering models for autos. right now i have some four foot flowering photogirls from the beginninig
under flowering spectum they are doing well and just a few weeks from harvest.

 

[gtron]

you will need cooling, common misconception that LED's put off no heat, they do. Just not nearly as much as an HPS or HID. you will need atleast a 4inch inline intake fan to bring in fresh air.

My experience has been my Blackstar raises the temp about 12-14 degrees above the ambient room temp in my 48"h x 23"w x 36"l cabinet with no ventilation. With ventilation fans (intake and exhaust) it stays about 5 degrees above ambiet room temp in 60-75 degrees temps when the ambient room temp goes above 80 degrees, the temp in the box seems to be about 8 degrees above ambient room temp. Adding a 4 bulb T5 to the box with the Blackstar only added another degree or two to the temp in the grow box.

 

[astronomy420a]

i am not sure where everybody is in lattitude or climate, but i am in northern maine, it's friggin cold here my tent is two rooms away from the woodstove and i struggle to keep tent at 55 deg f. i dont need inline fans i do have one fan inside tent a tall 30" reciculating it draws otside air in one vent blows it out the other i guess it depends on climate and ambient temp of room.

 

[ograndeviado]

Astronomy 420 - they are looking nice!!!
Lycaboss - it will be a 90wx90dx180H a Secret jardin DS90II, so that will be an intake and an outake fan too I was hoping to get away with just an outake fan and a passive intake fan. I will be getting things like a ph meter etc anyway it was the large and more expensive items i was considering initially to see whether i could stretch to buying two!!!