Lighting LEDs direct from china

[BigSm0]

but need a tried and tested light so I don't drop too much yield or waste a Cpl months to not make the cut.

I'm sticking with what I have for now but would like a summer option aswell.

Thanks

There is a lot of false claims and poor quality in the horrible lighting Industry. I have been here a few times doing my best to explain this. The red and blue peak LEDs do work but they have more chances of causing growth problems and leave plants desiring more. It is not necessarily a full spectrum light. Next the most over looked thing is the actually efficiency of the light itself. Photons to heat ratio, as energy is converted it gives off 2 things and unfortunately cheaper LEDs such as brigelux and epistar give off a lot more heat than light. They are in 20% light to 80% heat range. But the CLAIM of a 200w panel equaling 1000w hps is what makes people think they give off less heat. Yes a 200w epistar panel gives off less heat than 1000w hps but it also gives off much less light. Chips like Cree are a much better quality and can hit much higher ratings. Single Cree LEDs cost dollars per piece vs pennies on epistar unfortunately. That's why cobs have taken off so fast. The cost of a 50w in cobs vs 50w in LEDs is in favor of the cobs. Then again not all cobs are created equal. Cheaper Chinese cobs on eBay aren't worth the money or effort. I received some info on a $1695 dollar led light, winner if awards and all these fancy features but it uses the cheapest parts available. It came back at 22.5% light and 77.5% heat. That's much worse than hps by the way.

 

[BigSm0]

Guys and gals please head over to the DIY led section. Not saying DIY is for everyone or should be but there is some great info on lighting too. We are creating panels that more than double the light output at half the wattage. Citizen and Cree cob lights that don't cost much more than the cheap eBay panels. I just made a specific light that draws 55watts and has a higher par reading than a mars 600.

 

[Exotic Flower]

@BigSm0 -- thanks, really appreciate your expertise on the Chinese LED scene.

 

[diskokobaja]

See below picture: This model is our CF-Grow-400W led grow light with Bridgelux LED COBs. The price is 199USD/pc, including shipping fee(door to door...

but they dont say what bridgelux..

 

[BigSm0]

See below picture: This model is our CF-Grow-400W led grow light with Bridgelux LED COBs. The price is 199USD/pc, including shipping fee(door to door...

but they dont say what bridgelux..

View attachment 651035

I can tell open it but I can tell you that the older Veros are cheaper than a cup of coffee in bulk pricing. Then to slam them with 100w kills the efficiency. If you figure a $25 case, 20-30 in cobs, $40 driver and $20 in cobs someone is making money, just not real good lights.

 

[DarkGreen]

For your budget that's about it. Unfortunately epistar LEDs don't do the best job at converting energy into light and you will notice a lot more heat. Something I do need to correct is not all cobs are created equal. Cob is not magical but quality cobs like citizen and Cree do an excellent job and run between 50-60% efficient. Chinese knock off cobs are really a waste of money. They don't do anything spectacular efficiency wise and tend to burn out very fast.

There also a lot of variation in quality of epistar LEDs bro.

The 'high bin' epistar is what GrowNorthern made a respected company with, using their own spectrum and the generic Apollo casings, same with Kind LEDs (of which I have no experience but they seem very expensive) as I'm sure you know.


Standard epistar and epiled LEDs are what are found in eBay cheap unbranded lights and basic Apollo LEDs and I wouldn't pay £1 for these types of light.


Mars are a very good option for the less experienced grower on a budget in my opinion and while my Mars doesn't have quite as 'healthy' spectrum or the angled lenses of my GrowNorthern or Budmaster lights, at half the price, I'm very impressed.


I'd also like to see an unbiased side by side with a quality Chinese 'blurple' and a 'white' cob light of similar price, before I agree that one out performs the other consistently.


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[BigSm0]

There also a lot of variation in quality of epistar LEDs bro.

The 'high bin' epistar is what GrowNorthern made a respected company with, using their own spectrum and the generic Apollo casings, same with Kind LEDs (of which I have no experience but they seem very expensive) as I'm sure you know.


Standard epistar and epiled LEDs are what are found in eBay cheap unbranded lights and basic Apollo LEDs and I wouldn't pay £1 for these types of light.


Mars are a very good option for the less experienced grower on a budget in my opinion and while my Mars doesn't have quite as 'healthy' spectrum or the angled lenses of my GrowNorthern or Budmaster lights, at half the price, I'm very impressed.


I'd also like to see an unbiased side by side with a quality Chinese 'blurple' and a 'white' cob light of similar price, before I agree that one out performs the other consistently.


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I agree to an extent. Epistar is base line chip though. I know I always sound like I'm bashing companies that use and sell them but the truth needs to be out there for people who haven't spend thousands of hours researching lighting like I have.

I understand every budget is different, that DIY isn't for everyone and that every situation, grow, demand or even hopes are different.

To simplify this for everyone to understand in all levels of knowledge. If a car for instance is listed to get 40mpg and your repeated fill-up calculation has shown your getting 20mpg and you constantly see folks saying how great that specific model is kinda shakes you up a little. I am one of those to stand at the dealership with a sign saying tested results 20mpg lol. Who knows maybe I could save one or two people that rely on the fuel efficiency. In other words a small grower with heat concerns due to a tight space or a grower needing meds to help with chronic pain who is on a fixed income and really can't afford a 200-300 dollar electric bill now it gets serious. I do not have any info on mars or Apollo/eBay lights but I do have some info on Kind which also uses epistar and is much more expensive that shows the 768 wall watt draw is 22.5% efficient. Which is only 172 par watts. Compared to a Cree or citizen cob that's 50-60% efficiency that's absolutely terrible. Plants grow great under them but understand there is a lot of wasted energy. Which again most people can't afford to waste. I have seen very very impressive yields under the lights too which is not a shock but it's not getting 40mpg it's getting 20. Now the $1695 dollar panel with awards and all these fancy features is a light that I feel fully takes advantage of growers. It is not fair that people work hard for money they earn and purchase a panel they expect should equal 1000w hps and has the power of a 600w hps. It grows great but cost a lot more real money per minute it operates compared to a hps which is known to be a hot box and the least efficient.

 

[diskokobaja]

I think this is excellent choice!!!

http://ledideal.cz/www/led-grow-vero29/

that 700€ version..

 

[DarkGreen]

I think this is excellent choice!!!

http://ledideal.cz/www/led-grow-vero29/

that 700€ version..

160watts for €700....

Osram or not that's very expensive. And looks like it's constructed out of lower limb callipers.

But who am I to talk, I paid £350 for a 75w HS1.

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[diskokobaja]

160watts for €700....

Osram or not that's very expensive. And looks like it's constructed out of lower limb callipers.

But who am I to talk, I paid £350 for a 75w HS1.

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where did you find 160w? it clearly says its 340w fixture..