Mars-Hydro LED Grow Light Discussion

[Old Salt]

So I'm currently growing in a 4*3 using two SP 250 lights but I'm planning on getting another 4*3 tent but instead of two SP250's would two TS-2-3000 would be better?

I'm growing specifically for yield this year so any help would be great as this is my first Led setup and don't know what the eventual outcome of the SP250's.

My target yield needed each harvest is 15-20oz.

Cheese Scrog

• HigherTheHigh
• Dec 22, 2019

Better depends on who you ask.

You won't be able to get two TS-3000s in the tent. One would fit and provide enough light but leave about a foot (30cm) at either end of the tent. There would be quite a bit less light at the walls, leading to lower harvests from the plants there. You can get two of the TSW-2000s in the tent, but the mounting poles will need to run front to back. You can get two TSL-2000s or SP-250s into the tent along the 4' (120cm) length. I like the TSL-2000 as I think you'll get more even light across the canopy as the LEDs are mounted on larger circuit boards.

 

[KingJoe83]

Tsl 2000x2 in 4x4 currently

IMG_20200105_193051.jpg

• KingJoe83
• Jan 5, 2020
• dark devil auto

Flash shot of dark devil she is coated in trichrome smell a bit of resemblance to a Chem smell ..

IMG_20200105_193044.jpg

• KingJoe83
• Jan 5, 2020
• dark devil auto

Dark devil auto day 39 flower

IMG_20200104_194654.jpg

• KingJoe83
• Jan 4, 2020
• kings tent

Few of the others auto getting closer I think check trichrome tomorrow and figure out what day...

IMG_20200104_194847.jpg

• KingJoe83
• Jan 4, 2020
• barneys farm pink kush barneys trying

Pink kush shot smelly girl fishy skunky tuna almost some pink showing seeing some signs of more...

IMG_20200104_194841.jpg

• KingJoe83
• Jan 4, 2020
• pink kush

Pink kush cola really trying to get the lower buds to swell up to top size.

I keep getting 20...

IMG_20200103_030941.jpg

• KingJoe83
• Jan 3, 2020

 

[Jack420]

Seems like I miss the big time! Congrats on the particial harvest Jack! I cannot wait to see the final harvest, and the next round surely will be better!

Still chopping ugh

 

[buzz62]

The TSL-2000 seems to make a bigger plant than the sp250 with those girls having a slightly bigger overall appearance to the sp250 vegged girls. could be down to space too so not 100% on that one yet

It does have 50 watts on the SP, and the Mars par charts show that the TSL 2000 series puts out quite a bit more light than you would think the extra 50 watts would add? The TSL 2000 has a third more light in the centre, and is about 10% higher at the 18/36 inch outline and yet costs less than the SP? So why the ad says that the PPE is higher for the SP @2.35-2.57 versus the TSL's2.1 to 2.35 really confuses me as the charts below seem to say the opposite when comparing at the same height?? I also had the same result at my local dealer, the SP250 was putting out less light on the meter than the TSW-2000, so I went with the TSW 2000 and love it!

Perhaps Sara can shine some light on this discrepancy?

mars_hydro_TSL-2000_recommend_par.jpg

• buzz62
• Jan 6, 2020

TSL 2000 Par Chart

MarsHydro_SP250_2x4ft_coverage_full_spectrum_high_par_2.jpg

• buzz62
• Jan 6, 2020

SP 250 Par Chart

 

[Ganjagrandaddy]

It does have 50 watts on the SP, and the par charts show that the TSL series puts out quite a bit more light than you would think the extra 50 watts would add? The TSL has a third more light in the centre, and is about 10% higher at the 18/36 inch outline. So why the ad says that the PPE is higher for the SP @2.35-2.57 versus the TSL's2.1 to 2.35 really confuses me as the charts below seem to say the opposite when comparing at the same height?? I also had the same result at my local dealer, the SP250 was putting out less light on the meter than the TSW-2000, so I went with the TSW 2000 and love it!

Perhaps Sara can shine some light on this discrepancy?

mars_hydro_TSL-2000_recommend_par.jpg

• buzz62
• Jan 6, 2020

TSL 2000 Par Chart

MarsHydro_SP250_2x4ft_coverage_full_spectrum_high_par_2.jpg

• buzz62
• Jan 6, 2020

SP 250 Par Chart

good point. I do think for my space that the tsl is well suited. the sp250 would do better with no height restriction to worry about in an even canopy.

 

[Old Salt]

It does have 50 watts on the SP, and the par charts show that the TSL series puts out quite a bit more light than you would think the extra 50 watts would add? The TSL has a third more light in the centre, and is about 10% higher at the 18/36 inch outline. So why the ad says that the PPE is higher for the SP @2.35-2.57 versus the TSL's2.1 to 2.35 really confuses me as the charts below seem to say the opposite when comparing at the same height??

Perhaps Sara can shine some light on this discrepancy?

mars_hydro_TSL-2000_recommend_par.jpg

• buzz62
• Jan 6, 2020

TSL 2000 Par Chart

MarsHydro_SP250_2x4ft_coverage_full_spectrum_high_par_2.jpg

• buzz62
• Jan 6, 2020

SP 250 Par Chart

It's not really a discrepancy. The SP-250 uses a Meanwell driver, while the TS series uses another brand. The Meanwell drivers are probably more efficient, giving them a higher PPE. PPE is a measure of the light output vs the power input. Higher efficiency driver = higher PPE.

 

[buzz62]

It's not really a discrepancy. The SP-250 uses a Meanwell driver, while the TS series uses another brand. The Meanwell drivers are probably more efficient, giving them a higher PPE. PPE is a measure of the light output vs the power input. Higher efficiency driver = higher PPE.

So its more efficient but still puts out less light and costs more? hmmmm, I will be sticking with the TS line!

 

[buzz62]

good point. I do think for my space that the tsl is well suited. the sp250 would do better with no height restriction to worry about in an even canopy.

Curious, why would the TS series be height restricted? I yanked my drivers of the TS, and the top of the reflector while warm, is certainly not hot enough to be a hazard and could go within inches of the tent top. Or have I misunderstood what you meant?

 

[Ganjagrandaddy]

very good point. Never looked at the charts before this way.

 

[Ganjagrandaddy]

So I'm currently growing in a 4*3 using two SP 250 lights but I'm planning on getting another 4*3 tent but instead of two SP250's would two TS-2-3000 would be better?

I'm growing specifically for yield this year so any help would be great as this is my first Led setup and don't know what the eventual outcome of the SP250's.

My target yield needed each harvest is 15-20oz.

Cheese Scrog

• HigherTheHigh
• Dec 22, 2019

easily doable with 2 x TSL-2000 and some lst. The sp250 is slightly better penetration in flower but over a less wide area. I got just under 25oz from 10 barneys on my 1st run with them in tandem. rock hard nugs too.

 

[Ganjagrandaddy]

Curious, why would the TS series be height restricted? I yanked my drivers of the TS, and the top of the reflector while warm, is certainly not hot enough to be a hazard and could go within inches of the tent top. Or have I misunderstood what you meant?

Yes mate , I mean as in light reaching slightly deeper with the sp250 so can go higher from the top for vegging .

 

[Old Salt]

Curious, why would the TS series be height restricted? I yanked my drivers of the TS, and the top of the reflector while warm, is certainly not hot enough to be a hazard and could go within inches of the tent top. Or have I misunderstood what you meant?

Although both are the same height, the reflector (and LED boards) for the TS series can be raised closer to the top of your tent/grow space. The SP series have a heat sink mounted on top of the LED board about 50cm / 2" high. It's not much, but can be important.

 

[Ganjagrandaddy]

Although both are the same height, the reflector (and LED boards) for the TS series can be raised closer to the top of your tent/grow space. The SP series have a heat sink mounted on top of the LED board about 50cm / 2" high. It's not much, but can be important.

I meant better penetration at distance in hanging from canopy height.

 

[buzz62]

I meant better penetration at distance in hanging from canopy height.

I must be thick...If the TSW2000 is brighter, as the Mars par charts indicate, wouldn't it penetrate better than the SP250?

 

[Old Salt]

I'm not convinced that we'll get deeper penetration with the SP-250. Let's take a look:

At its center, the SP-250 develops 632umols, and 12" (30cm) to either side it's just about the same.
At its center, the TSL-2000 develops 972umols, and 12" (30cm) to either side it's about 110 umoles less, but still 860 umoles.

now lets look across their widths at the center...
At its center, the SP-250 develops 632umols, and 6" (15cm) to the front or back it's 524 or 17% less.
At its center, the TSL-2000 develops 972umols, and 6" (15cm) to the front or back it's 787 or 19% less.

and then at the corners, 9" to the front or back, and 18" to either side
At its center, the SP-250 develops 632umols, and in the corners it's 406 or 36% less.
At its center, the TSL-2000 develops 972umols, and in the corners it's 528 or 46% less.

In general, it can be concluded that the SP-250 has a more even coverage in an 18" x 36" area, and that the TSL-2000 provides more intensity across the same area. I wonder what the figures would be in the corners of the 2' X 4' area the lights cover in flower, and the 3' X 5' they cover in veg. Mars doesn't provide these figures, so we'll need to measure them ourselves.

I just winged it for this discussion.

 

[DeeCee112]

I'm planning on running two rows of 3 plants in my new 5x5 tent with a 1ft aisle down the middle for working space and fans and auxiliary equipment so I am essentially looking to light 2x 2x5ft spaces which is an uneven number for any lights out there.

Does anyone using the TSL2000 have any feedback on its coverage outside of the 4ft length in flower. I realize I'll likely have to run the light at about 18" through flower to get that extra length but I'm thinking it will be fine.

 

[Mars Hydro]

The data of our par chart is a little inaccurate now, because we have added more red light and UV to SP250, and there are more beads than before, so we need to test the par again, we will finish it as soon as possible.

 

[Old Salt]

It would be nice to have the PAR values from 30cm to 75cm at 15cm intervals, covering the veg footprint of the Mars Hydro lights.

 

[Mars Hydro]

In general, it can be concluded that the SP-250 has a more even coverage in an 18" x 36" area, and that the TSL-2000 provides more intensity across the same area. I wonder what the figures would be in the corners of the 2' X 4' area the lights cover in flower, and the 3' X 5' they cover in veg. Mars doesn't provide these figures, so we'll need to measure them ourselves.

I found the video of SP250 par test from Migro. He tested the par on the edge of 2x4. But his SP250 is not new upgrade model, His data can only be referenced. we will re-measure the par value of SP250, and I will ask my colleague to tell me what the par value is around SP250 (2x4 or even 3x5)

SP250.png

• Mars Hydro
• Jan 6, 2020

 

[Mars Hydro]

It would be nice to have the PAR values from 30cm to 75cm at 15cm intervals, covering the veg footprint of the Mars Hydro lights.

Generally, we tested the par with the height of 18, because our recommended Hanging Distance Above Plants is Veg: 18 "-24" Flower: 12 "-18", 18'' between Veg and Flower, which was better for customers to judge.