Converting from T5HO Fluorescents to T5 LED

[dshallpost]

I have the Active Grow LED's -- four 48 inch long fixtures with 4 bulbs in each. My cattleyas are flowering and I am very happy with the set up. I have them in an enclosed small room that used to be a sauna so I can control temp and humidity easily with fans and water in trays. One thing that surprised me is that these lights put out a fair amount of heat. With the lamps on about 14 hours a day, the room stays about 75- 80 degrees in winter (it would otherwise be about 60). In summer I have to be careful not to over heat -- even with fans running 24/7. This set up with T5 would have been an inferno. Very glad I went with the LED's.

[Ray]

Originally Posted by dshallpost

One thing that surprised me is that these lights put out a fair amount of heat.

All lamps generate heat, just differently.

►With incandescent lamps, heat is what generates the light.

►In fluorescents, heat causes the mercury vapor within the tube to ionize, emitting UV that excites the phosphors into emitting visible light.

►With LEDs, the light emitting diode doesn't generate much heat at all, but the driver that powers them does. Fortunately, technology is improving that, tipping the balance so that more energy goes to light than to heat. A few years ago, 50 lumens/watt was a good LED. Now the run-of-the-mill ones deliver 100, with some reaching significantly more than that - I've seen some Cree chips that push 150.

[emmajs243]

Hey! Dshallpost!!!

How big of a space are your lights covering from what distance???

I TOTALLY looked at these MONTHS ago and I contacted them asking if they thought it would be enough or how many bulbs I would need for a 1.5x4" area and they told me they didn't think they would be adequate even for SUPPLEMENTAL light and then suggested something like 5 times the price....Ya, I however did not know enough to be able to tell if it was them trying to just up sells or what. Very happy to hear your catts have been fine on these...I may need to give them a second look...

[dshallpost]

My little room is about 8.5 by 6.5 feet. I have two 48 inch fixtures side by side going east to west, and they are flanked on each side by one 48 inch fixture at right angles. They are at varying heights from the bench, so that I can accommodate various plant heights. (the fixtures can be easily raised and lowered so I can change the set up as plants grow or the mix changes.) I have the plants on rubber boot trays. These hold a fair amount of water to boost humidity. I have to refill them almost daily. There are two fans running, 24/7, one at each side of the space. I have the lights on 14 hours a day right now. 12 hours in winter. There is room for about 65 +/- plants, but of course YMMV depending on the size of your plants.