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Considering LED growlights

nightsky

Lover of Mountains
But I don't know a whole lot about them.

I've been looking on this site:

http://www.led-grow-master.com/

So obviously it is expensive. I would use them to light my growrack, which has 3 shelves, each 4 feet by 18 inches. Right now, each level has 2 fixtures, each with 2 40 watt t12's. They do work ok, but I have to keep the lights fairly close to plants, and they generate a lot of heat (there are 6 fixtures total in there). The whole rack is contained to control humidity, as I live in the desert and room humidity hovers around 15%.

I am not able to figure out how many or what type of fixture to use. I see a 3 light model and a 5 light model. Would I need two of those per level like I have now - which would cost an absolute fortune, or would 1 cut it? Also - how much humidity can they take. Right now it runs 65-85% in there. My flourescent fixtures so far haven't minded it - but they are very cheap so easy to replace.

If anyone has any tips or some informations let me know!
 
This is where I buy and build my own kits. A lot more light from these.

http://homegrownlights.com/

I use them on my high light orchids and have been happy with the results.
 
Hey Feedme, I just bid on some of these panels in white 6000K color. How much coverage can I get out of 4 of these 12" x 12" panels will they cover a 4 ft x 2 ft space if put into a reflector?

I have the original red/blue screw-in LEDs They are the ugliest things. Like growing CPs under a stop light! lol!
 
I too would like to hear of anyone's personal experience with LED grow lighting.

It seems like something that will eventually take off........
 
If you are using it for plants, don't waste money on the white ones. Most of the white light is not used by plants. You should get one that has only red/blue with a mix close to 75%/25% respectively. These are the wavelengths that are used by plants.

I grow orchids under LED's with great success. I can bloom Cattleya which require very high light, somewhere around 3000+ footcandles.

Reflectors are also not needed because the LED's are directional lighting. They are not like a regular CFL that puts light out in all directions.

Let me know if you have any other questions. :D
 
i use a red and blue mix led light and only notice that it doesnt color up the plants as well.
 
I haven't seen Dave post in a while, but he grows with LEDs and talked very positively of them when I met him at the NECPS show. Hopefully he will see this and chime in.

xvart.
 
I have been following all the trends in LED, CFL etc. Some very interesting developments no doubt. The LED's have progressed quite alot with some of the new bulbs being quite bright. My issue with all the alternatives to HID lighting, at least from my standpoint, is none of them can compare to Metal Halide with maintaining light intensity at a significant distance. For a hobby grower that can have the lights a reasonable distance from the plants on a shelf this probably isn't a big deal. For my needs to suppliment light and increase daylength in a large commercial greenhouse it is.

I think there is alot of promise with LED lights above and beyond even the CFL.. but they are not there yet in the performance and the cost. Except perhaps for limited hobby use under some circumstances.
 
i used some of Daves blue and red LED's on some nep seedlings while growing some of seedlings from the same batch under T8's........though the LED ligts looked quite dim i couldnt tell the difference between the seedlings as far as which was grown where when pulled out and put side by side.....however those blue and red LED's are horrible for viewing the plants.....i would also light them with some florescent lights just from a visual standpoint....

where i can see the LED's shining at the moment is if you have temperature issues using some other light source because the LED's put off minimal heat....however like Tony says doubt they will be very effective on tall plants, though i suppose you could surround the plant in LED panels but at the moment that would be quite expensive compared to usingT5's or metal halide....
 
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I currenly use the LED lights from LED Grow Master and I have had good luck with them. I am planning a pure LED light setup someday, but now I am mixing standard shop lights with the LED lights. I agree that the future looks very promising for LED lighting.
 
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