New LED Lamp

[butterfly_muse]

That is helpful thank you!!

[naoki]

The advantage of CFL is just lower initial cost. If you don't mind the initial cost, I think LED is more interesting for sure. Cree LED bulbs from HomeDepot seem to be interesting, too (with long 10 year warranty). I do like Ray's LED, and I recommend it.

Here is David's input:
http://www.orchidboard.com/community...tml#post554104
LED could save about 30% in electricity over florescent (for a given amount of light relevant to photosynthesis). So instead of 2x 54W T5HO, you can use 75.6W of LED. So you can calculate how long it will take to recover the initial cost with the price of your electricity. The last time I calculated with our expensive electricity, it did take a couple years of constant use (15h/day).

If you are interested in highly efficient one, this one seem to have pretty good performance:
Lighting Science - PAR38 LED Grow LightLighting Science – The world's leading maker of advanced LED lighting.
I think the larger version of this LED was used in the 2nd link I posted here: LED related links
It's not cheap, though.

[ALToronto]

Ray, my current challenge is adequately lighting vertical installations. My new living wall design has been generating a lot of interest from architects, and I need to resolve the lighting issue. So the lens on the lights is very important. The lights will be mounted a bit below the ceiling, a few feet away from the wall, and will aim downward. So the bottom of the wall must receive enough light to grow something, although obviously not high light plants.

What would be most helpful is several housings/lenses to choose from - some people need to have their plants grow on shelves, so in order to maximize space, the shelves need to be some minimum distance apart. Others grow on windowsills with supplemental lights, so they need to be able to mount the lights several feet up and still get the benefit. It would be great to be able to choose.

[Orchid Whisperer]

Thanks to everyone that has commented on my question!

For those that are wondering, I grow April-October outdoors, weather permitting, so as many as 7 months (to as little as 6 months) outdoors, the lights are for growing during the winter months. It sounds like 3 to 4 lights are needed, more probably better. My existing lights on the shelves I have now are all fluorescent daylight T8s. The lights I am asking about are for an additional shelf I am thinking of adding.

Thanks again

[Ray]

These come stock with 120° lenses. My only design options were the blend of chips - and with the white ones, they suggested that, to avoid heat degradation of the chips, I had to reduce the panel from 60 to 48 LEDS, even with active fan cooling built in.

[aaronsaxton]

If you are willing to spend all this money on LEDS and getting it just right, for the love of God buy a Light Meter.

F-U-N-D-A-M-E-N-T-A-L.

If you do not have a PH meter, all the formula in the world if bogus unless you can measure - your guessing the salts in the water, guessing the impact of this brand or that brand on your final PH.

and if you do not know the PH you can forget about being a pro grower.

Same with lights - get a light meter and worry about the intensity first and foremost.

Once you've got it bright enough or near enough you can start messing around with light formula.

And remember, light mixes are worthless if your feeding regime, light hours and temperatures are out of whack.

I can grow a Phal under 1000 foot candles or adjust the conditions to grow it under 3,000 foot candles.

Whats your CO2 level? Whats your temp? Day and night? Whats your feeding schedule at the salt readings? your PH?

If your asking what the best mix is for light without being a pro than go with just a regular fluro and some red and blue LEDs.

The mix ratio? watch the plant and it will tell you whats missing - give it a month.

[seaj]

Ray, can you tell me more about your T8 LED 4-foot Lamp? I was looking into T5 fixtures, but I like the idea of these. I want to set up a grow rack with shelves that measure 48" wide by 18" deep. How many of these would I need per shelf to grow phalaenopsis, and how high above the foliage should the lights be to light the space? What about for plants that need med/high light like mini cattleyas? I hope these questions aren't too specific. Thanks!

[Ray]

Originally Posted by seaj

Ray, can you tell me more about your T8 LED 4-foot Lamp? I was looking into T5 fixtures, but I like the idea of these. I want to set up a grow rack with shelves that measure 48" wide by 18" deep. How many of these would I need per shelf to grow phalaenopsis, and how high above the foliage should the lights be to light the space? What about for plants that need med/high light like mini cattleyas? I hope these questions aren't too specific. Thanks!

They are intended to be drop-in replacements (light wise) for T8 fluorecents, but I have no first-hand experience growing under either.

I would probably use two tubes per shelf, and 10"-12", maybe less.

[mojave]

I know these LEDs fit regular incandescent sockets, but what size does the lamp have to be? Is the LED the same length as a regular incandescent bulb? I'm trying to understand what kind of lamp to get.

[Gthumbz89]

Hey there guys! Does standard footcandle measurements apply to the white leds, or do they have higher par making these measurements ineffective. I am interested in growing with white leds but I don't know how effective they are at growing the more light demanding orchids. I have seen some people claim that high light levels are achievable using 7 watt screw in bulbs...Is this correct or just hype???