Re: LED grow lights......any advice?

countrynaturals 1/29/2018, 2:42 pm

saganco wrote:And Country - it's SO not spring for most of us - you turkey!! LOL - don't make us in snow country hunt you down and rub your nose in the snow!

Ah yes. Just the effect I was hoping for. lights - LED grow lights......any advice? - Page 3 3787310120

countrynaturals 2/14/2018, 1:45 pm

sanderson wrote:Photo of your indoor garden?

I am the world's worst for planting seeds inside, then neglecting them, and winding up with leggy sprouts that eventually keel over and die. Same story this year about neglect, but take a look at these seedlings. LED grow lights get half credit for the results. (Beautiful, sunny days in the south-facing window get the rest of the kudos.) This is way beyond the best I've ever done with starting seeds inside. happy turtle

lights - LED grow lights......any advice? - Page 3 Seedli10

**sanderson** 2/15/2018, 12:08 pm

countrynaturals 8/20/2019, 12:25 pm

I'm at it again -- determined to have a pretty, fun, productive indoor, year-round garden! I've gotten excited, then failed so many times I feel like Charlie Brown and the football. blush

How about this one?

https://www.google.com/search?q=indoor+plant+lighting+system&safe=active&client=firefox-b-1-d&tbm=shop&source=lnms&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjYkbf76pHkAhUGLa0KHfyzAckQ_AUIDSgB&biw=1536&bih=728&dpr=1.25#spd=11259934833816970276

RJARPCGP 8/20/2019, 3:33 pm

plantoid wrote:

The reduction in electricity costs from using strips or incandescent lamps to me using the LED's should have easily paid for the two LED full spectrum lights I have as they are now two years old and have been used for about five months solid for each of the two years .

Reminds me of when Springfield, Vermont, who is one of the early-users of LED street lights! They had them since 2012 and some were installed in 2011, IIRC, LOL. I, later on, was thinking, "Yikes!" or similar, as they usually mean a severe loss of North American manufacturing jobs, I think my heart sank.

But in 2018 and 2019, I got LED'ers for indoors where the heart of them, should be made in California. (Soraa)

But LEDs are still much of the time, banned by me, I'm happy with Phillips Alto 48-inch T12s and of course the Phillips Alto II 48-inch T8s. (They're made in U.S.A., people!)

RJARPCGP 10/13/2019, 12:28 am

countrynaturals wrote: blue-painted Walmart regular grow lights.

I'm sorry to post related to an old post, but what do you mean by blue-painted? Do you mean the blue-frosted incandescent light bulbs?

countrynaturals 10/13/2019, 10:26 am

RJARPCGP wrote:
countrynaturals wrote: blue-painted Walmart regular grow lights.
I'm sorry to post related to an old post, but what do you mean by blue-painted? Do you mean the blue-frosted incandescent light bulbs?

They call them "grow lights" but they're just regular bulbs with a blue coating that peels off after a year. Now that the price of the full-spectrum LED grow lights has come down so dramatically, there's no reason to waste money on the other kind. I'm not sure they're even available any more. They were $6 each. Now you can get the good ones for $8+ for a 2-pack, so it's really a no-brainer.

BTW, never hesitate to bring up an old post. This forum is a goldmine of useful, timeless info. I just learned from (and bumped) a post from 2010. Razz

RJARPCGP 10/15/2019, 4:54 pm

countrynaturals wrote:
RJARPCGP wrote:
countrynaturals wrote: blue-painted Walmart regular grow lights.
I'm sorry to post related to an old post, but what do you mean by blue-painted? Do you mean the blue-frosted incandescent light bulbs?
They call them "grow lights" but they're just regular bulbs with a blue coating that peels off after a year. Now that the price of the full-spectrum LED grow lights has come down so dramatically, there's no reason to waste money on the other kind. I'm not sure they're even available any more. They were $6 each. Now you can get the good ones for $8+ for a 2-pack, so it's really a no-brainer.

BTW, never hesitate to bring up an old post. This forum is a goldmine of useful, timeless info. I just learned from (and bumped) a post from 2010.

LED's dirty little secret: The bases get very hot! I assume a combination of the built-in power converter as the power supply for the LEDs and the LEDs themselves!
(This is felt the most on the bases of Edison/American-socket-format-LED-light-bulbs!)

**Scorpio Rising** 10/15/2019, 8:41 pm

I just have 2 T12 fluorescent lights. Cheap, I have had them for years...they work fine. Plants get themselves up and out! I also add heat....depends

countrynaturals 11/3/2019, 2:05 pm

Okay, today's the day! We set the clocks back last night. Today I'm getting the lights set up for my 3rd try at an indoor garden (the first 2 failed). I'm really optimistic this year. (Just call me Charlie Brown.)

The first piece of good news is the price of LED bulbs. The one one the left cost $30, 2 years ago. The one on the right --$8+ plus at Walmart for 2.

lights - LED grow lights......any advice? - Page 3 Lights10

The 2nd piece of good news is that we now have a slider to a south-facing balcony, with a totally unobstructed view of the sun for over 6 hours a day this time of year. happy turtle

I'll post more pics, later, as I get my plants and seed trays set up. So . . . what is everyone else doing under lights this year?

countrynaturals 4/30/2020, 11:24 pm

I'm getting my grow room! happy turtle

Problems:

1) I'm a cheapskate

2) I'm clueless

This room is behind the garage. It's about 10x30, finished, with power and water. It faces west and has plenty of light. Early in 2019, we had a snow storm that made the roof leak. It's taken all this time to get a new roof. Now, it's time to renovate.

lights - LED grow lights......any advice? - Page 3 Room10

I want grow lights over the windows. This one is about 6' It will have bench in front of it, about 2' high, so I can put 3-5 gal. pots on it that will reach the light from the window.

lights - LED grow lights......any advice? - Page 3 Room210

This one is about 4'. The desk will stay and be used as a seed-starting table, again with lights coming down from the ceiling.

lights - LED grow lights......any advice? - Page 3 Room311

So, the burning question is what do I do for lights. I know I want full-spectrum, LED, but do I need 4 of these?

High End Plant Lights

This would really blow the budget. I'm not sure I could justify it. OTOH, if I go cheap, will I regret it forever? Any suggestions?

countrynaturals 5/1/2020, 9:33 am

This setup is much more affordable, but I've never heard of the company -- I'd really prefer Walmart, Amazon, etc.

https://www.wish.com/product/5e00244e428c803256b05f85?hide_login_modal=true&from_ad=goog_shopping&_display_country_code=US&_force_currency_code=USD&pid=googleadwords_int&c=%7BcampaignId%7D&ad_cid=5e00244e428c803256b05f85&ad_cc=US&ad_curr=USD&ad_price=40.30&campaign_id=7203534630&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIlqe9meKS6QIVEb7ACh17PAksEAQYAiABEgLx9PD_BwE&share=web

OhioGardener 5/1/2020, 9:40 am

Wonder why it is discounted from $130 to $40? Sounds suspicious....

countrynaturals 5/1/2020, 9:41 am

OhioGardener wrote:Wonder why it is discounted from $130 to $40? Sounds suspicious....

Desperate times, maybe?

How about this one?

https://store.toggled.com/products/4-ft-led-2-light-grow-fixture-led-g-series-tubes-included?variant=49383851732¤cy=USD&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIgK-e9uSS6QIVAr7ACh1XhwLMEAQYASABEgK2CPD_BwE

OhioGardener 5/1/2020, 9:43 am

CN, check this video on LED Grow lights. I like his description of the video:

"LED grow lights are some of the most confusing pieces of grow technology on the market, and made more so by LED manufacturers purposefully confusing consumers in their marketing materials. Learn how to TRULY evaluate a LED grow light's performance for its price range in this video."

OhioGardener 5/1/2020, 9:55 am

countrynaturals wrote:
OhioGardener wrote:Wonder why it is discounted from $130 to $40? Sounds suspicious....
Desperate times, maybe?

How about this one?

https://store.toggled.com/products/4-ft-led-2-light-grow-fixture-led-g-series-tubes-included?variant=49383851732¤cy=USD&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIgK-e9uSS6QIVAr7ACh1XhwLMEAQYASABEgK2CPD_BwE

That is similar to the ones I have. Mine are 4-tube, 48" LED lights like this one:

4-Tube LED Light

lights - LED grow lights......any advice? - Page 3 Select13

countrynaturals 5/1/2020, 10:18 am

OhioGardener wrote:
countrynaturals wrote:
OhioGardener wrote:Wonder why it is discounted from $130 to $40? Sounds suspicious....
Desperate times, maybe?

How about this one?

https://store.toggled.com/products/4-ft-led-2-light-grow-fixture-led-g-series-tubes-included?variant=49383851732¤cy=USD&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIgK-e9uSS6QIVAr7ACh1XhwLMEAQYASABEgK2CPD_BwE

That is similar to the ones I have. Mine are 4-tube, 48" LED lights like this one:

4-Tube LED Light

Thanks, OG. I found them at Home Depot -- $25 off with 1st order on new credit card, and free shipping, so I'm good to go. happy turtle

countrynaturals 5/6/2020, 9:36 pm

Got mad at Home Depot and canceled the order. Back to Amazon. Here's what I ended up with.

Grow Lights

The only complaint I found is that they're too weak. I won't have to worry about that until next winter. Then, if it's a problem, I'll just add my old lights back in. Razz

countrynaturals 5/7/2020, 9:14 am

Not about lights, but . . . I won't be able to a/c that room this summer -- especially since I want all the light coming in the windows, which means even more heat. If I keep an oscillating fan on the plants during the heat of the day, will that be enough to cool them down in triple-digits?

OhioGardener 5/7/2020, 9:19 am

Probably not. Probably just circulate hot air around the room. Can you use an in-room A/C unit, such as this one?

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Honeywell-8-000-BTU-4-000-BTU-DOE-115-Volt-Portable-Air-Conditioner-with-Dehumidifier-and-Remote-Control-in-White-and-Black-MO08CESWK/308919988

bgardner 5/7/2020, 9:27 am

If it's in the room, then where does the heat go? I'm no physicist, but I thought that air conditioners worked by cooling air taken in, and then discharging the heat outside your house.

Brian

OhioGardener 5/7/2020, 9:42 am

I'm not a physicist either, Brian, though I am an engineer... Very Happy

I installed quite a few of these in companies IT room to cool it. They use small 3" or 4" flexible tube to vent the heat outside.

countrynaturals 5/7/2020, 11:15 am

OhioGardener wrote:Probably not. Probably just circulate hot air around the room. Can you use an in-room A/C unit, such as this one?

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Honeywell-8-000-BTU-4-000-BTU-DOE-115-Volt-Portable-Air-Conditioner-with-Dehumidifier-and-Remote-Control-in-White-and-Black-MO08CESWK/308919988

Nope. Can't justify the $$. Already spending too much on the remodel and grow lights.

There is a little wall unit in that room. Don't even know if it works, but it's too old to be energy efficient. Maybe I could run that for an hour a day. Not a clue how hot it would get in there, with doors and windows open. It is a well insulated room, with lots of ventilation.

In the summer, I'll only have tomatoes and peppers in there. How hot can they stand it before they stop producing? (I'm gonna search that right now.) Rolling Eyes

YES! I just found an article that says "over 95 degrees, reduced fruit set." I think I can keep it under 95 in there. I thought it would have to be under 90, and that might not be doable. happy turtle

OhioGardener 5/7/2020, 2:28 pm

Our tomatoes quit setting blooms once it gets to 90°F, but as soon as it cools down a little they start producing again until frost kills them. But, that might be because of our high humidity, too.

RJARPCGP 9/2/2020, 5:00 am

I was at the Claremont, New Hampshire Home Depot on August 31, IIRC. I was of course wearing a mask.
Because it was fitting loosely, (looser than I like!) I'll now have to watch for symptoms of coronavirus! Shocked

Even when I stayed far away from non-employees! I would actually start inhaling with my face right in the shelves, so I can avoid inhaling stuff from strangers!

It's official, no more Sylvania light bulbs made over here anymore! What a betrayal!

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