The Cheap and Efficent LED Lighting Thread

So i’ve been feeling that a encompassing thread about LED lights has been needed for the good last while in order to condense some topics and have a rolling thread about the current thing, deals, discussions, help, ect.

What i want to encompass in this thread with the participation of the rest of you here is discussion on LED Lights

From:
Current Cheap Light deals and what to look for ?

Continuation on DIY builds from my previous thread for those that want to go down that route.

New Tech Discussion.

Light reviews.

Efficient vs Cost Metrics.

Efficacy of growing our plants of choice.

And all the likes.

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So to start things off as some may know for the last while ive been a proponent of DIY Led builds for the good last while and have been doing my own since about 2015, whether cobs, dismantled SIL’s, retailer strip options, or manufacturer strip options like bridgelux’s EB series strips, they have been good viable options from a Cost vs what you get metric.

With that said we are currently and have been for the last while been at a time where Commercial light options are now at a point where the cost and output of them is on par or comparable vs going the DIY route. To add to that is DIY dead no i don’t think so but the only thing the DIY route may have is the ability to build something to suit your grow situation and really that only applies in odd shaped grow spaces or limited height applications where one can build something to suit their needs, and sure one may be able to tune to some higher efficiencies vs the cheaper commercial options but is that added expense worth the cost ? thats for further discussion in this thread.

So if looking at commercial cheap light options where would one start and what does one look for.

First ignore all names and titles and look for the specs on what a light actually consumes wattage wise.

In this initial post Im not gonna say go for __watts/sqft when looking for a light as tech changes, efficiencies are increasing, and grows differ where one could be running lower light due to 20/4 autoflowers while another may need more light for their 11/13 photo grows of equatorial sativas for example, but knowing what the light actually consumes is a good starting point.

Next is what kind of chips is the light composed of and how many , first the more chips per watt the better.

Example
One light has 360 diodes and runs at 100watts and another has 240 diodes and also runs at 100watts, diode selection aside the first light due to having 50% more diodes will mean overall those diodes are run alot softer which in turn increases efficiency and longevity vs those that are run harder and hotter.

Next is diode selection whether they even list it or not, diode selection comes into play so here im just mentioning Samsung diodes but LM301B/H’s > LM561C > LM281B+, its roughly a 10% drop dropping down from a LM301B to lm561 chips or another 20-30% from the LM561’s to lm281b+ which is not insignificant now new versions of those chips aside or specific models of them, base of it is the new the chip tech likely the better which is easy to say, even still though a light could have a similar or maybe even better efficiency running more diodes of an older type and running them soft vs a light using the latest diodes but running half as many but running them harder.

Which makes this clear as mud lol.

From there see if their are any reviews out there on the web, a good example is Shane of the MIGRO youtube channel and manufacture of his own lights that beign MIGRO, but he reviews alot of other lights and is worth a check, but see if there is a review out there on the light your looking at, from someone who reviews lights, migro, cocoforcannabis, ect ect, those coming from people who test lights.

Next brand names have a weight to consider in that likely they may have a more reliable product vs some no name brand, but at the same time some aren’t and some use their name to tack on a bigger price tag when the exact same light can be had for 30-40+% cheaper elsewhere just without the name.

Avoid burples, lets just not go there.

And last it has to be said but if it sounds too good to be true it likely is.

Now we will start here until some discussions start happens or people want to go down different routes.

Say are Higher temp “5000k” white leds even needed or are they just their for efficiency of the unit :wink: .

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Viparspectra XS1500 Pro, the new 2023 model with the lenses- 150w at the wall, $83 shipped on Amazon with the $50 coupon right now and then DRMJCOCOPRO for an extra 10% off. They’re daisy-chain-able and I plan to get 2-4 in total to have a modular system for 2x2 or 3x3 with one, 2x4 or 3x4 with two, or four of them in a 4x4 or 5x5. Best price per watt right now for anything prebuilt that I’ve found, and Shane at MIGRO says it’s an incredible light, almost perfectly even PAR.

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i agree

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Just got mine in the mail today! Only downside is having to order them one at a time:

Excellent packing job:

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Nice! I’m loving mine so far

The plants loved them in veg, and you can drop them pretty close to the canopy if you have height issues. Just flipped to flower, looking forward to seeing how they do!

Light spread is ridiculously even testing it with a phone app

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For folks willing to do a little easy DIY, these Growcraft 140w bars are on sale, and have a code to take them even lower. The heatsinks are 3030 T-rail so you could assemble pretty much anything with these, that system is insane and awesome as an adult Erector set. All these need is a driver and some wires:

https://chilledgrowlights.com/our-products-services/chilled-used-refurbished/growcraft-40in-led-lightbar-b-grade

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This is a crusher for a 5x5 or a room, $540 (after CCFC10) for 800w of bars that are modular, movable and rebuildable, it’s a pretty cool system for Mars to pitch to commercial growers:

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And this is one of the only 2x4 specific lights I know of, almost got this instead of the XS1500 Pro and I don’t think it would have been the wrong choice. Mega powerful for 2x4, I would have used this in my 3x4 to flower with:

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There are still 2x4 options, most are the dual panel setups, other thing for coverage is one can go with two smaller lights to light up each 2x2 section and it adds a little versatility if one was wanting to adjust heights of their lights

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Great topic @Mr.Sparkle! I’m glad you’ve inspired the discussion. I’ll be following! :smiley::+1:

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So say i needed “wanted” a new light just to play with not that i need a new light as i have three bridgelux eb strip panels gen2 and gen 3 f90 strips and also have a MarsHydro TS1000 sitting in a box.

But boy do we all love playing with new things so here’s some examples on some cheap lights that would be good for 3-4sqft that would work for me with pros and cons.

First Price is in CND$

First is this Viparspectra panel, which they only show on amazon and not their site, it looks like a good base panel, 100w, 323 diodes, dimmer control, but no mention on what diodes and the driver is just a generic but likely decently solid driver.

For $80CND “$60USD” when using the “coupons” it should be something i would be willing to try.

Second we have a no name panel essentially, $62cnd “$46usd”, 100w using a meanwell xlg-100-h-a driver, with 256 diodes which are supposedly LM301b’s im not saying that they could just be using differnt diodes but saying they are using lm301b’s, but good diodes though 25% less than above so they are run a bit harder, a good driver but no standard dimming saying that if using a legit xlg-100-h-a, they have an internal IO potentiometer that would allow some control if you know what your doing, but thats assuming you just do turn your light to full and run it from that point from day one and allow your plants to grow up into the brighter light instead of playing the adjustable light height game.

Worth while yeah probably, consider my diy Bridgelux eb strip panels utilize a xlg-100 and me buying the driver alone is $50cnd before shipping, so like $15 more that the driver alone and i dont have to build a panel…

think you know my answer to that.

And say i had only a couple bills to spend and wanted to take a chance.

$41CND “$30USD”, for a 100w, 368 diode, non dimmable, no name driver generic light panel.

Cheap cheap light, saying that they say Osram diodes but that means nothing if they dont say what specifically and the generic driver who knows on longevity, but say you get a couple grows or a year out of it, heck a single grow it pays for itself as most 1/8’s at dispensaries around here are more than the light.

Do i need any of them no… do i want to play with them yeah why not.

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I have a Mars Hydro TSL2000 which is a dual panel 300w light for flowering a 2x4.

Per MIGRO it was 2nd best value for money out of all the lights tested.

This put it on my list.

Then I found one for 50% off new and that made my decision. It’s currently still more than I paid for it but not much. It’s been in 12/12 pretty much solid for 4 years and it’s still going.

An adequate workhorse but dated and I wouldn’t buy it now. I wish it didn’t get so hot. The panels should have a gap between them. The power supplies should be beefier because I don’t expect mine to last much longer.

I also have an HLG 100 at 96 watts. Sold me on the quality and the brand. The specs didn’t get much better at time. I think it’s 2 years old going solid either in veg or flower.

It’s a veg light. Although I do flower under it sometimes. HLG says it will veg a 3 x 3 which I believe but haven’t done. It will flower a 2’ x 2’ with small bushes no problem which I have done.

Also the 4000k is pretty easy on the eyes. A big bonus for tent working.

And it just looks sexy. It’s just warm to the touch.

I think I will keep it forever. Only thing I don’t like about it is there’s a hotspot that needs to be trained around but that’s probably because I need the light lower than spec to get best results.

Expensive but a quality unit.

I’m currently in the market for something new for my 2x4 and I’ll retire the TSL. But the new tech, with few exception, seem to be ignoring the 2x4 market but that’s maybe that’s just me talking.

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My post above has that light in it, its the first one I mentioned, and power is relative if one you can’t fit the larger light and two that extra power can’t be utilized , like buying a Ferrari to get groceries.

Also different prices here $150cnd after a $50 coupon so tack in a 8-10%ccfc discount and it’s still $55-60 more than the $80 the v1000 is.

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I have 4 of these GroPlanners. Just got done harvesting a 4x4 and I want more. Until the new bar styles go cheap I’ll run these to the ground. You can snag them for $50 at various points either in wifi or non wifi form snipping amazon coupons. There doesn’t look to be one in the US atm. But no joke they go half off all the time. Sometimes more. They went to I wanna say $30 at one point and I had to have my wife use her amazon account to snag the coupon because it was one per.

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$30 USD for 65W or $60 for 120W:

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So instead of just mass posting links with cheap prices and to have this thread a bit cleaner and discussion based, what would you consider are the redeeming qualities and cons of the multiple lights you posted above.

Just trying to put it nicely that we can all hunt for “deals” and post them here but unless one is specifically looking for something or asking for help maybe all these links with little discussion probably don’t need to be posted which causes clutter.

Now sharing what has worked for oneself and what one may be thinking light wise like @Foreigner and @DirtMcGirrt I’m all for discussion wise.

Let’s just keep this a bit more focused @Dirt_Wizard, links have their place let’s just keep it a bit more casual, not to have to call out and reign this in so early.

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I’ve got the ViparSpectra XS2000 (2021 model)
And it’s works fantastic!

I like the look of this new one as well. Under $200 CAD for that light is great :+1:

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I think the 2x4 market is going to have to get the 3x3 veg/2x2 flower lights and run 2 of them. It does seem like they’re moving away from that tent shape, though.

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