Equivalent wattages between LED and HPS?

[Brotherly Monkey]

Originally Posted by BigB

Judging by the lack of experienced responses, Brotherly Monkey probably has the right idea here. Perhaps I should be asking the pot growers for LED comparison info. They tend to be pretty much cutting edge when it comes to technology.

I totally agree with you littlefrog that claiming 300 watts LED = 2x 1,000 watts HPS is probably sales hype having little to do with what I can expect to achieve with the lights. My take on the 7 band and 9 band LED systems is that it may be complex past the point of optimal return.

The colour light these units generates looks approximately fuschia to the eye. The plants look pretty normal under LED light as of course they are absorbing the reds and blues while reflecting the green light. The rest of the room however, kind of glows pink.

Apart from the questionable claims of lighting salesmen, I am really liking my 90 watt LED light (the brand name is UFO). I've been using it for a little over 6 months now. I am growing paphs, phals, Dens, Blulbos, Paphinea, Promenea, Dendrochilum, and vanilla as well as Siningia, Streptocarpus, ferms and moss all together under this light. I figure that's not bad for one 90 watt light.

UFO is generally considered a very poor brand (it might be the wattage level on each LED that's the problem, or even that they are using the 7 band light to correct for color). So you might be able to find something new that blows your mind

Also, I'm figuring the point of the 7-9 band lights is to appeal to people that are using it for something more than purely utilitarian purposes. After all, there isn't much point in growing orchids under lights if you can't enjoy the blooms

[littlefrog]

What area are you lighting with that 90 UFO and how high above the plants?

I just went and looked for some lights to try out and I was whacked with sticker shock... Yikes. The fewer I can use the better. Although a good HPS or MH system will set you back $400, so another couple hundred for an 'equivalent' LED system might not be such a bad thing. Of course I already own several MH systems...

[BigB]

If UFO is a bad brand of LED light, what is a good brand name?

Just estimating the growing area by eye I would say my 90 watts is growing 4 - 6 square feet. Depending on which plants we are talking about, the light is between 1 - 2.5 feet from the plants. There is also ambient light from a 600 watt MH and a window over other benches. I don't use a track with the light.

[Brotherly Monkey]

Originally Posted by littlefrog

What area are you lighting with that 90 UFO and how high above the plants?

I just went and looked for some lights to try out and I was whacked with sticker shock... Yikes.

lol, yeah, that's where those equivalency ratings come into play. The problem is those equivalency ratings never hold up in real world tests

[Brotherly Monkey]

Originally Posted by BigB

If UFO is a bad brand of LED light, what is a good brand name?

Just estimating the growing area by eye I would say my 90 watts is growing 4 - 6 square feet. Depending on which plants we are talking about, the light is between 1 - 2.5 feet from the plants. There is also ambient light from a 600 watt MH and a window over other benches. I don't use a track with the light.

I can't recall off the top of my head (it's been years since I researched the topic). But everything I read on the UFO's wasn't flattering. But keep in mind where I'm getting the info and the fact that the wattage wasted on balancing the light, to make it more appealing, is completely wasted in their application

[littlefrog]

I was under the impression that UFO wasn't a brand, but a style (the blue/red hockey puck). Or perhaps it was once a brand, but is now a type (like 'JELLO'?).

Even if you limit yourself to just UFO style 90W hockey pucks, there are too many choices. Somebody tell me if this site looks reasonable: LED Grow Lights .

[BigB]

Currently I am considering this unit
LED 300W 300 Watts TriBand 7:1:1 Plant Lamp Grow Light on eBay.ca (item 170524284490 end time 04-May-11 13:46:06 EDT)
It costs about $200 less than the comparable unit at HTG and it comes delivered to your door for that price.

The UFO brand are plug and play. You just hang them up, plug them in and away you go. I'm a big fan of everything you need ready to go in one box. Of course if there's a better brand I would be very interested in giving it a try. And I would really like to know how the 300 watt unit compares to HPS and MH. Because the cynic in me just doesn't believe it can replace two 1,000 HPS lights. LOL

[Ray]

Rob, going with a white LED isn't missing the point at all...IF it's the right type.

The ones I have are actually UV LEDs with a phosphor that fluoresces bright white upon exposure to the UV, similar in concept to a fluorescent lamp. As such, the phosphor has been tailored to produce 6500°K light, which even though it's very much on the bluish side, gives a better rendition of color to the eye than do a mass of reds and blues, while providing lots of light in those ranges, as well.

I do not know the wattage, but as soon as I can find the light meter (buried on an extremely trashy desk), I'll take some readings.