No offense taken. Welcome to overgrow by the way.
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So what I here you saying is I should stick with my HPS until I can afford $600-$1000 for a LED? One Loveā¦
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I currently run a timber 250 watt cob cree 3590 led. Iāve had it a little over 2 years and itās a great light. What would you suggest I look into to up grade? Would like to diy to save some $, but Iām not the most mechanically inclined lol!
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Absolutely, yes, or build a couple of light fixtures from LED strips for around $500 USD all-in. Itās really like anything else in life - spending in the median price range, especially if you DIY, can get you top shelf results that the low end never will.
Those Timbers were very good for their time, two or three years ago. Technological advances have overtaken them and theyāre still GOOD if you own them, but theyāre no longer great for the money if youāre buying new.
Quite frankly, I wouldnāt upgrade for another 3-4 years if I were you. There was a pretty high capital cost associated with those Timbers a few years ago and, depending on where youāre at, theyāre just now starting to provide a ROI compared to HPS over that same timeframe. At least thatās what it looked like in my state - 2 or 3 year ROI when compared to similar coverage HPS, calculated from energy savings and no bulb replacements.
So yeah, squeeze a few more years out of those Timbers. They should have almost no output degredation after 5 years, and the honest truth is that these new mid-power diode strip builds, while good, are only about 15% more efficient than your Cree COBs. The big difference is that you get that 15% efficiency boost at about half the price of what you paid for those COBs 2+ years ago.
Lemme know if you have more questions. Happy to help! 
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Thanks @guest. Great information. I was considering a LED from the āChi-Comsā for an upgrade to a 4X4 flower tent w/600wt HPS. Iām totally sold on the Solstrips but Iām on Social Security and just canāt afford them yet. Thanks again for your convincing and valuable post. Much love and respect
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hereās my list of high-end LED fixtures that are mostly sold to professional grows, but home growers can buy them as wellā¦all of these have the best efficiency at ~2.7 umol/J except for Lumigrow which is slightly lower, theyāre all rated for use in wet greenhouses:
P.L. Light
Philips Greenpower (240v only)
Fluence
Illumitex
Lumigrow
Ge Arize
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Thanks so much for the help. I did pay close to $600 for the light fully assembled, but I had more money then, then I do now lol!
It seems like we come here a little later 
Mars Hydro now have some new lights, with white spectrum and 0 fan design
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I use a new brand, Buckstore 660W, which is suitable for 4X4 5X5 tents. It dissipates heat quickly and makes my girls grow very well. I think it is great this is my idea
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Iām always on Alibaba(Chinese Wholesale) looking at the new lighting technology availableā¦thatās where Iād go!
Alaskagrown
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https://m.alibaba.com/product/1600213964933/detail.html?King-Brite-UV-IR-Separately-Control.html
Has anyone tried the Winter 2021 King Brite lineup? They were all they rage in the Spring so I bought a room full, and had a room full of crusty lipped Angelina Jolie galsā¦ some real vein grazers:
Now King Brite has the UV that should have been there all along. Is it enough UV? Iām not nerdy enough to know. Iāll probably buy them. They offered me 2 dollars discount on bulk. What should my custom logo be?
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Has anyone seen the latest grow LEDs (IONGRID T series) from AC Infinity?
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Whenever it comes out, Iāll buy it.
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I am running grow light science 300s. Love them.
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Iād just stick with mars, they grow just as dank flower as any of the higher end lights and are really well priced.
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GrowlightsAustraila, 750 long boards, just hung my first of 4. The best LEDās Iāve ever used.
MIGRO review on the AC Infinity T22:
These look very well priced.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DEbI6GsxDak&ab_channel=MIGRO
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100% buying the 3x3 design when it comes out.
After alot of reading and review watching and me being a bargain shopper, i went with the medicgrow fold 8. Very happy with it so far and got it for a great price when on sale.
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Hey now,
I picket up the Smart 8 on the black friday deals.
TBH, the bells and whistles on the Smart 8 are not that much improvement over the Fold 8 now that I am using it.
-Although it is only a week or so. Time will tell.
The Fold puts out a lot of photons; enjoy the beast!
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