Do LED Lights Really Improve Yield?

[inlilisimage]

Hello all,

I've watched a few friends used HPS for years, but I'm considering using LED. There’s a lot of hype about higher yields and better energy efficiency. Is it worth the investment? Would love to hear real-world experiences.

Inputs would be appreciated.

 

[emkee_reinvented]

Without being in the position to do it. The HPS were un-handleable,
in the beginning heavy, energy sucking and heat creating.

LED been bettered and bettered. In my house on a spot no plant will grow.
As it way to dark, 3 Ferns grow fine under a 5 Watt, white grow LED.
And as they been there about a year, i can state it work s.

Essentially the white light has the whole spectrum from blue/ red.
Its programmable, so intensity can be adjusted. And you in theory.
I rather be lazy it are Ferns not Weed, start em on blue-ish.
Via white ending orange like. But i can say the light keeps em growing.

 

[Egzoset]

Would love to hear real-world experiences.

Keep your cotyledons at a low-height to help promote thick stalks, especially if dealing with autofems which won't provide 2nd chances after starving for light, e.g. in the blue spectrum during the 1st few weeks. But i notice you didn't mention how many plants that's for anyway. One problem with « hands-on » experience is that it often works like a cult once inside it, while experimentation implies that alternative scenarios are attempted then compared. It's about getting out of the box...

In my $a¢rifi¢ed canuck province we got our right to home-growing confiscated unless one abides to support unjust bigot laws with a legal signature and admission of being chronically "sick", suffering from some incurable disease renewable every year. So all i personally observed was that my few specimens (before 2018) did like CFLs starting from day 1. Another lesson was to make sure the surface soil stays free of colonizing pathogens, which is why i'm curious about the project's size.

Yet, generally speaking, successful grows based on « it works » still don't explain everything. For example you'll rarely read about the dual-peak photosynthesis pump depending on 2 light colours for performance. Much less hypothetical situations where the length of day is shortened so to perform odd schedules like 12/4, trying to find out how a cut of 8 hours per 24 hours period will actually affect the harvest: it's heresy just to evoke such idea so nobody ever tests it and hence nobody really knows.

When it comes to questioning knowledge maybe a good place to start is here:

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[ https:// www.youtube.com/watch?v=dXkYPN3HD6A ]​

Toward an optimal spectral quality for plant growth and development (2019-Oct-19)​

 

[Them Witches]

Yes they produce a better product and higher yields. I do not know the data on the light off-hand, off 5 plants my buddy ends up with 1lb of cured/dried flower every 3 months. The plants are not tall either. He is what would be considered a "master grower" and has dialed in all steps including curing/drying. He had the curing/drying dialed in before the Cannatrol machine hit the market.

He said he will never return to HPS. And ordering ladybugs online is another game changer.

 

[elaineverse]

I've used both HPS and LED. LEDs run cooler, use less power, and can give great yields if your setup is dialed in. Not all LEDs are equal some cheap ones lack power or spectrum. If heat's an issue or you're upgrading, good LEDs are worth it. HPS still does the job.