New light ideas.

[Ikilledit]

So this year I’m looking to get a new light. I’m looking for something 800 watts to 1000 watts. 5x5 veg 4x4 flower. I’ve been looking at a few like Philips, HLG, Gavita or a Lumatek Zeus. Also Mars Hydro. Looking for a rail style. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. I’m probably going to run me a new line because I want to go 240 volts also.

 

[freezeland]

That's really not true. When you double the voltage, you use half the amps. The circuit to the light may run cooler, but 640 watts is still 640 watts and the light fixture temperature remains the same. For one light, it's a big expense for no realistic amount of energy saved.

I disagree. I’m not talking about the fixture running cooler. I’m talking about the ballast. There is also no added expense other then running the 220 line if it is not already available. I have it existing from when I finished my basement. As you said, a watt is a watt and Kw hours is what is billed so it doesn’t drive up the electric bill any more then a 110 would.

 

[MiGrampa]

Makes the ballast cooler with less amperage

Unfortunately it doesn't work that way. Your ballast is still consuming the same amount of electricity. With 240V, you have 2 120v hot lines each carrying half the amperages. Once that power hits your ballast or LED driver, the draw is still the same. Each line is providing half the amperage needed to drive the light.

What 240v does allow is "more stuff" to run safely on that circuit. The flip on that is the wire is more expensive and so are the 240v breakers and 240v plugs.

 

[freezeland]

Unfortunately it doesn't work that way. Your ballast is still consuming the same amount of electricity. With 240V, you have 2 120v hot lines each carrying half the amperages. Once that power hits your ballast or LED driver, the draw is still the same. Each line is providing half the amperage needed to drive the light.

What 240v does allow is "more stuff" to run safely on that circuit. The flip on that is the wire is more expensive and so are the 240v breakers and 240v plugs.

I still disagree. I do agree the main advantage is it allows more lights to be run on the same circuit.

 

[Ikilledit]

Unfortunately it doesn't work that way. Your ballast is still consuming the same amount of electricity. With 240V, you have 2 120v hot lines each carrying half the amperages. Once that power hits your ballast or LED driver, the draw is still the same. Each line is providing half the amperage needed to drive the light.

What 240v does allow is "more stuff" to run safely on that circuit. The flip on that is the wire is more expensive and so are the 240v breakers and 240v plugs.

I still disagree. I do agree the main advantage is it allows more lights to be run on the same circuit.

That’s what I want to do. Run 2 lights on the same circuit safely. I have 250’ of Romex 12/2 with ground and a few double pole 20 amp breakers.

 

[SweetLeafGrow]

I would not recommend them at this time. They require an app to make the adjustable spectrum work and @SweetLeafGrow never got his working afaik.

I would recommend the lights, I am thinking it's probably my error in using the app, I just don't quite get the logic behind how the recipes work yet but I'm getting there. Their tech support has been super helpful when I have had time to call them, like I said, I do believe it's my error and not the light itself.

I will say this.... the app could be much more intuitive in the way it works and that would be my biggest complaint. Perhaps they need better training videos for their customers?

 

[MiGrampa]

That’s what I want to do. Run 2 lights on the same circuit safely. I have 250’ of Romex 12/2 with ground and a few double pole 20 amp breakers.

20 amp circuit x 120v = 2400 watts max surge so 75% of that would be your max continuous load which is 1800 watts. You can easily run 2 lights but might be pushing it with 2 lights + 2 fans and all other equipment you might try to run on that circuit.

 

[Ikilledit]

20 amp circuit x 120v = 2400 watts max surge so 75% of that would be your max continuous load which is 1800 watts. You can easily run 2 lights but might be pushing it with 2 lights + 2 fans and all other equipment you might try to run on that circuit.

This is only for lights. I’m just going to run a double 20 and use each side for a single light. I’ll have 2 circuits on one receptacle. My breaker box is upstairs. So I’m only 20’ away. I’d would take me less than an hour to run it, hook it up.

 

[MiGrampa]

This is only for lights. I’m just going to run a double 20 and use each side for a single light. I’ll have 2 circuits on one receptacle. My breaker box is upstairs. So I’m only 20’ away. I’d would take me less than an hour to run it, hook it up.

That's what I did. I ran 2 new 20 amp circuits so my 3 lights are each on a different circuit. Each circuit has plenty of available amps for all the extra equipment I run.

 

[moe.red]

Folks, my first degree was in electrical engineering. So I feel a little qualified to stick my nose in the 120 vs 240 debate.

Truth is, both sides of what have been said are right, but only if you like picking fly shit out of pepper for fun.

Theoretically, 240V is more efficient but has nothing to do with the light. It's the resistance of the wire between the box and the outlet.

240V has less losses due to wiring resistance. 2X voltage, 1/2 amps = 1/4 resistance.

But at the distances we will see this inside our houses, I doubt it would even be measurable.

Once the power is at the LED, as Grampa said the wattage is identical. It's an Ohm's law thing. The LED couldn't care less how you got that wattage there and will use it identically, producing identical waste heat for the amount of photons supplied.

Not trying to stir things up. Hopefully someone finds this useful.

 

[MiGrampa]

Folks, my first degree was in electrical engineering. So I feel a little qualified to stick my nose in the 120 vs 240 debate.

Truth is, both sides of what have been said are right, but only if you like picking fly shit out of pepper for fun.

Theoretically, 240V is more efficient but has nothing to do with the light. It's the resistance of the wire between the box and the outlet.

240V has less losses due to wiring resistance. 2X voltage, 1/2 amps = 1/4 resistance.

But at the distances we will see this inside our houses, I doubt it would even be measurable.

Once the power is at the LED, as Grampa said the wattage is identical. It's an Ohm's law thing. The LED couldn't care less how you got that wattage there and will use it identically, producing identical waste heat for the amount of photons supplied.

Not trying to stir things up. Hopefully someone finds this useful.

My argument against running 240v lines is the extra expense involved in running 12-3 wire as opposed to 12-2. You pay out the nose for wire anyway and that extra strand adds to the cost. Also the plugs cost more. The outlets cost more. The light also has to be wired to accept more than 1 input voltage. Most lights today will likely be wired that way ... but probably not all of them.

Both line voltages will work but 120v is cheaper to install.

 

[moe.red]

My argument against running 240v lines is the extra expense involved in running 12-3 wire as opposed to 12-2. You pay out the nose for wire anyway and that extra strand adds to the cost. Also the plugs cost more. The outlets cost more. The light also has to be wired to accept more than 1 input voltage. Most lights today will likely be wired that way ... but probably not all of them.

Both line voltages will work but 120v is cheaper to install.

And more flexible for future changes.

I've run 220 in several spots in my house. My grow space is all 120 purposefully.

 

[Ikilledit]

And more flexible for future changes.

I've run 220 in several spots in my house. My grow space is all 120 purposefully.

Same here. Had to run 240 for some baseboards a few weeks ago. Same with a deep freeze, refrigerator, microwave. House was all tied together kicking breakers left and right. Have to run a few outside outlets. One more dedicated circuit to the bathroom for hair dryer, curling iron. I just want to get these lights off my wall receptacles. Right now I have nothing on them but lights and 2 fans. So one run has 2 lights a fan. The other run has the same.

 

[Ikilledit]

Folks, my first degree was in electrical engineering. So I feel a little qualified to stick my nose in the 120 vs 240 debate.

Truth is, both sides of what have been said are right, but only if you like picking fly shit out of pepper for fun.

Theoretically, 240V is more efficient but has nothing to do with the light. It's the resistance of the wire between the box and the outlet.

240V has less losses due to wiring resistance. 2X voltage, 1/2 amps = 1/4 resistance.

But at the distances we will see this inside our houses, I doubt it would even be measurable.

Once the power is at the LED, as Grampa said the wattage is identical. It's an Ohm's law thing. The LED couldn't care less how you got that wattage there and will use it identically, producing identical waste heat for the amount of photons supplied.

Not trying to stir things up. Hopefully someone finds this useful.

Knowledge is Welcome.

 

[MysticEpipedon]

Mystic is running the raging kush as well!
I think lol.

The Raging Kush II is great, but it's expensive. I probably wouldn't have one, except they had a $400 off sale in late 2022 and I had to demand that they take my money. I use it in a 5 x 5.

I'm in organic soil and I've never been able to set it higher than 75% without seeing signs of light stress. Other growing methods allow higher light levels. The ability to adjust wavelengths of light is pretty cool, but I have not taken advantage yet.

 

[Pipecarver]

Folks, my first degree was in electrical engineering. So I feel a little qualified to stick my nose in the 120 vs 240 debate.

Truth is, both sides of what have been said are right, but only if you like picking fly shit out of pepper for fun.

Theoretically, 240V is more efficient but has nothing to do with the light. It's the resistance of the wire between the box and the outlet.

240V has less losses due to wiring resistance. 2X voltage, 1/2 amps = 1/4 resistance.

But at the distances we will see this inside our houses, I doubt it would even be measurable.

Once the power is at the LED, as Grampa said the wattage is identical. It's an Ohm's law thing. The LED couldn't care less how you got that wattage there and will use it identically, producing identical waste heat for the amount of photons supplied.

Not trying to stir things up. Hopefully someone finds this useful.

voltage drop happens a lot fast with DC than with AC current, as you said it wouldn't be a measurable loss in a house on AC 120/240/V. 220/240 just balances the load better

 

[Pipecarver]

voltage drop happens a lot fast with DC than with AC current, as you said it wouldn't be a measurable loss in a house on AC 120/240/V. 220/240 just balances the load better

I've seen no one mention SpiderFarmer lights. WTF....they seem like good lights to me.
All this talk about wattage is more of a Sq/ft issue isn't it? the more wattage the larger the lights foot print. I have a 900 watt SF light........you say BS they don't make a 900 watt light... right you are....I have 3 se3000's arranged to fit my 5x5. I have 12 - 75 watt bars giving me full coverage at only 75watts /bar.

Are not all lights the same thing with an X amount of low watt bars making up an array of lighting? My bars are 2ft long making up 75watts..wouldn't that equal a 4ft bar at 150 watts?

Then there are the diodes with their various designations and different specs each claiming to be better than the other...wtf to me its too much data to worry about.
Shit some of you guys & granny's can grow with fridge lights and grow better than me even with good equipment......

I bought the same fking golf club as Tiger Woods had and its bull shit that club I have didn't hit it nearly as far as its supposed to and the ball went into the bushes. I took it back and complained the guy just laughed at me.....

 

[MiGrampa]

I've seen no one mention SpiderFarmer lights. WTF....they seem like good lights to me.
All this talk about wattage is more of a Sq/ft issue isn't it? the more wattage the larger the lights foot print. I have a 900 watt SF light........you say BS they don't make a 900 watt light... right you are....I have 3 se3000's arranged to fit my 5x5. I have 12 - 75 watt bars giving me full coverage at only 75watts /bar.

Are not all lights the same thing with an X amount of low watt bars making up an array of lighting? My bars are 2ft long making up 75watts..wouldn't that equal a 4ft bar at 150 watts?

Then there are the diodes with their various designations and different specs each claiming to be better than the other...wtf to me its too much data to worry about.
Shit some of you guys & granny's can grow with fridge lights and grow better than me even with good equipment......

I bought the same fking golf club as Tiger Woods had and its bull shit that club I have didn't hit it nearly as far as its supposed to and the ball went into the bushes. I took it back and complained the guy just laughed at me.....

Ok, Spider Farmer ... I had their SF4000 and I didn't like the light. It was a quantum board and I found that the board was too hot to use in its center. I got the light for free on the "other" site so I gave it to my son-in-law. I have plenty of light already and it really wasn't of any use to me.

Was it a bad light? No, it worked just fine ... It just didn't work very well with my grow style. I have a whole stack of unused quantum boards that I no longer use. Eventually my son will be taking some of those lights off my hands.

 

[growsinse79]

AC infinity just sent me a free replacement light on a 20 month old light that the timer stopped working on. New light and postage paid return in 3 days. I didn't even know it was still under warranty.

 

[Pipecarver]

Ok, Spider Farmer ... I had their SF4000 and I didn't like the light. It was a quantum board and I found that the board was too hot to use in its center. I got the light for free on the "other" site so I gave it to my son-in-law. I have plenty of light already and it really wasn't of any use to me.

Was it a bad light? No, it worked just fine ... It just didn't work very well with my grow style. I have a whole stack of unused quantum boards that I no longer use. Eventually my son will be taking some of those lights off my hands.

I had their SF1000 but it was a bit too small for me, I used it for 2 grows then gave it away to a friend, He's still using it as far as I know. In Canada there's no tax or shipping cost.......and I got mine free.....lol