How many of us are using HIDs? LEDs? Other?

HIDs, LEDs, Other

  • HIDs

    Votes: 5 11.6%

  • LEDs

    Votes: 39 90.7%

  • Other

    Votes: 2 4.7%
  • Total voters
    43
sstressed

sstressed

Well-Known Member
the LEDs are nice and all, but i keep eyeing my 600w HID and wondering how much more i could grow using it vs using my LEDs. i mostly grew with 1000w HIDs, then down to two 600s.

right now I have three XX2000s side by side.


just curious.
1664124825727.png
 
Mix of 2 x 120w switchable FS burples, plus a 150w TS1000
Gives me maximum versatility in a 3' x 3' when arranged as 120w - 150w - 120w
 
i've used them all and come from a lighting background in non-related industry. completely led now, as is everyone i know with the same experience.
 
I am somewhat surprised that the vote so far is 13 (100%) for the LED lights. Before voting I was thinking that the LED would be up there but still some votes for the HIDs and Ohers.

Got me thinking that about 4 or 5 years ago the LED lights would have been maybe 50%, just a maybe with the rest of the votes for the traditional. Technology moves on.

Back in the 70s and 80s when we sat around and talked about growing inside it was the electricity cost and the heat that kept us from going any further than talking. We would mention the possible LED lights but the technology was not yet there. Maybe in the future the LED lights would be inexpensive, use even less electricity and make it easier to work around any temperature problems.

Looks like the future is now!
 
I'm an LED user. Used MH / HPS in the past, but never again. Got about the same yield with either. The game changer is using SIP Buckets. You want indoor plants that yield close to a pound.... try the buckets. They're Amazing !
 
I have grown under both HID and LED. Smaller areas like 5'X5' tents and smaller, LED's are the way to go especially now that the manufacturers have gone to strip fixtures that cover very well. Larger areas with ample vertical space HID (MH, CMH AND HPS) are less expensive to setup and have good coverage.

Efficiency is debatable at this point with the standard wattage in a 4'X4' being 600watt HID or the newer 500-750watt LED's.

With HID you eventually have to figure in bulb replacement costs. The upside is when doing this you gain a fresh full power light source. These units are generally repairable and rebuildable where with LED's if individual diodes start to fail the average user is kinda screwed and left to replacing the entire fixture.

Overall I appreciate the versatility and the reduced heat of LED's and will not be going back to HID.
 
SamSmith said:
Overall I appreciate the versatility and the reduced heat of LED's and will not be going back to HID.
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Yep. What you said on the reduced heat and versatility. There was only so much that could be done with designing a light fixture using the HID and other traditional powerful bulbs.

Plus, the costs of the LED lighting fixtures does seem to be going down just about every week while the quality of the bulbs/diodes goes up.
 
SmokingWings said:
Back in the 70s and 80s when we sat around and talked about growing inside it was the electricity cost and the heat that kept us from going any further than talking. We would mention the possible LED lights but the technology was not yet there. Maybe in the future the LED lights would be inexpensive, use even less electricity and make it easier to work around any temperature problems.
Click to expand...
Amen to that, in the 70's just finding a bulb that would grow cannabis was a challenge. Most were just 150 watt incandescent spotlight type bulbs with a blue coating on the glass. Grew leggy, scrawny, plants.
 
sstressed said:
the LEDs are nice and all, but i keep eyeing my 600w HID and wondering how much more i could grow using it vs using my LEDs. i mostly grew with 1000w HIDs, then down to two 600s.

right now I have three XX2000s side by side.


just curious.
1664124825727.png
Click to expand...
Yikes!!! Ever thought about a mover?

IMG_20230210_075331.jpg


IMG_20230210_075343.jpg
 
sstressed said:
i mostly grew with 1000w HIDs, then down to two 600s.
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two 600s together are greater than a 1200 would do.





seaofgreen18 said:
Yikes!!! Ever thought about a mover?
Click to expand...

they are dangerous. we caught ours showering sparks all over the plants. that was the last time i used one. there was a spate of fires associated with them in the 80's - 90's. ours was about 10yrs old.

most hydro shops here stopped selling them. i'm not sure if they can get a csa rating which would keep the shops away. the sales simply moved online. they are still easy to get.
 
seaofgreen18 said:
Oh well I never had a problem with mine and I run it on the light timer so it shuts on and off with the lights I've had it for years a REALLY long time but thanks for the experience I hope I don't run into that problem
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does yours have a spiraled cord ? that was the fail point on ours. the UV / heat broke the cord down over time and it started shorting internally and against the rail.

make sure to inspect / replace them if you have one.
 
i used them before. i just won't ever again. now i just get enough light for them everywhere, and i've down sized from semi commercial to small personal.

plus ive gone to led entirely. never looking back. i worked with led in another industry and was an early white light adopter. you don't need a mover with led.

just stay safe and keep an eye on the cords. i'll never use a spiral cord for anything now.
 
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