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  LED growlights
From: bonaventure at optonline.net on 2007.03.11 at 18:23:39(15401)
Anyone have experience with LED growlights? From what I've googled, they appear low energy use and maintenence, low heat production and efficient wavelengths for photosynthesis. Down side is high initial cost and unnatural appearing color.
Any experience out there?
Bonaventure
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From: "StroWi at t-online.de" <StroWi at t-online.de> on 2007.03.12 at 10:06:46(15403)
Bonaventure,

scroll down in this site

http://www.succulent-tissue-culture.com/EN/news

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From: "Franck R." <fradnai at free.fr> on 2007.03.12 at 10:33:44(15404)
Hello,
I was also interested by this method but after some researches it seems
that this system is not ready to be the best in artificial condition as
defined. In fact it seems that for having a good result it is necessary
to multiply the led system to obtain a good power of light. It seems
too that there is a problem with the surface lighted and necessary to
increase the number of led then. All this remarks give a cost of
install by this system relatively hight.
So for the moment, and this system interested me, I have not choice it
and prefer some fluocompact lights ; It is easy to find some light with
special temperature of colour and the power is interesting too. I use
lights of 6500 °K for 23W and 1500 lumens. I have completed too my
system by a 2700 °K for 30W. I have not finished in totality the test
but for the moment the plants seem appreciate and for the moment all
the lights give an equivalent about 300W than in reality I use 76W. I
have recorded some data by sensor for PAR and 660nm and 730nm in
comparison with conditions in a greenhouse.
A problem, the red colour. This type of light has not enough. So I
think that it could be very interested to find a solution to complete
the spectrum of light by this ray to obtain a good quality of light.
For the moment I test some different plants under this artificial
lights and orchids, ferns do not present problem ; about araceae as
Anthuriums a small etiolation is present for certain species and more
for the young form, but I have some A.trinerve which have made their
first flower without problem.
I envisage to complete my system by grolux neon for the red colour in
waiting to find a good system of artificial light, and at the finish I
think that I will use about 100-110W for more than 340W in equivalence.
Franck

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From: Hermine <hermine at endangeredspecies.com> on 2007.03.13 at 06:29:34(15406)
for many years I grew just about everything under banks of plain cool
white fluorescents which I burned until they turned black and failed, at
which point I replaced them. I grew small desert plants only a few inches
from the lights, and in the ambient light the banks of fluorescents
created, (they were ganged one inch apart and went on for a space of 20'
x 80', and burned 12 hours on end, half of them, the other half, the
OTHER 12 hours, I was able to grow palms and ferns and aroids and other
plants like Hoyas and whatever else took my fancy. the one plants for
which they did not suffice were cycads actively growing new fronds. For
these plants I used a colour corrected mercury light with an inherent
incandescent bulb, (this was 35 years ago, i am certain much progress has
been made since then).
Just about the only bad thing about these wonderful lights is that since
secret marijuana growers use them, one was at one time, subject to the
scrutiny of DE LAW merely for having purchased these things by mail. I
wonder how anybody knew we bought them. I mean, this was before homeland
security.
At the time I had my light garden, i lived in Boston, and worked as an
architect. I had access to the specs of all the lights manufactured
commercially, and also access to the growth chambers at Harvard. Mike
Bayliss was a young student then.
additionally I will mention that I never found grolites or whatever they
are called, to be of any value, and neighter did Mike Kartuz who also
briefly tested them.
My light garden was in the deep dark basement of a Dorchester Victorian
house. without artificial lighting, NOT A MOTE of light got in
there.
Aye, twas a magical place!
I wintered some plants on my desk, the greenhouse being too cold for
them, under those circular swirly fluorescent bulbs which screw in like
an incandescent bulb, and they did just fine. These were South
African succulent plants.

hermine

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From: Steve Marak <samarak at gizmoworks.com> on 2007.03.13 at 07:06:11(15407)
On Sun, 11 Mar 2007 bonaventure@optonline.net wrote:

> Anyone have experience with LED growlights? From what I've googled, they
> appear low energy use and maintenence, low heat production and efficient
> wavelengths for photosynthesis. Down side is high initial cost and unnatural
> appearing color. Any experience out there? Bonaventure

This is a topic of interest to me also. There are a number of "growing under
lights" forums where I've found the usual mix of people and information (and
disagreement). I had a URL to someone who, true to their engineering
personality, just designed and built a case for their house - lots of useful
information. Unfortunately, I can't find it at the moment, but if I do I'll
post it.

I've about decided to do that too. I'm going to take some measurements of light
intensity (foot-candles for the standard photometer and microE/s/m**2 for PAR,
since that's what the meter seems to use), and see what happens. If someone
knows a reliable supplier of high-output monochromatic LEDs with output
frequencies near the chlorophyll a & b peak absorption points, I'd appreciate a
note - I haven't done that research yet.

The cost, compared to fluorescents, will ensure that this is just an
experiment, but inquiring minds want to know ....

Steve

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From: bonaventure at optonline.net on 2007.03.13 at 13:50:37(15408)
Danke Bernhard,
I googled "led grow lights" and found a lot here in the States. Like I said, high initial costs, the rest is very attractive. I was wondering about the quality of the end product - the plants themselves after being under these lights for some time. I grow mostly orchids under lights. Most of my aroids thankfully follow a May to October growing season and can be placed or remain outdoors here in USA zone 7, although I start some seed and have some off-season tubers/rhizomes and indoor barely-kept-alive-in-the-livingroom Alocasias and Colocasias at this time.
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From: bonaventure at optonline.net on 2007.03.13 at 13:58:53(15409)
Thank you Franck,
You're technical expertise wowed me. Right now I just go with a mix of flourescent cool white and warm white tubes in one growing case, Metal-halide and high pressure sodium lamps mix in another growing case, and a smaller metal halide supplemented with new (experimenting with) compact flourescent bulbs. The light may make up in wavelength imbalance by its intensity. My worry is cost in utilities and heat produced, especially if I have to expand. It also appears the bulbs are weakening. This was apparent last winter to me about a year ago when I did replace them. I may opt to go compact flourescents or T3/T5 bulbs all the way.
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From: "StroWi at t-online.de" <StroWi at t-online.de> on 2007.03.14 at 08:11:53(15412)
Bitte Bonaventure!

It seem that the use of LEDs for tissue culture growth rooms is still in
the beginning or experimental phase. The dutch lab
(http://www.succulent-tissue-culture.com/EN/news) might have a first
impression now after they startet in January with their new culture
room.

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From: "Franck R." <fradnai at free.fr> on 2007.03.14 at 09:20:02(15413)
About Metal-halide and high pressure sodium lamps, Patrick Blanc a
French botanist who makes vegetable wall (translate not sure ???) use
sodium lamps of 3500 °K if my memory is good (I could see to confirm the
information if you want, and I think that I have the model of light).
He uses only these lights. But I think that the composition of the
spectrum is not complete because there is always the same problem, not
enough red colour (in the ray 660 and 730nm). The other problem is the
heat ; this type of light products lot of heat and you need to
ventilate to avoid problems.
The T3/T5 can be a good solution to replace but generally here is a
problem about the power that they can give in Lumens. They are a little
poor. It is also the reason for I have preferred to go to the
fluocompact lights. Now I make some studies and observations to choice
the best solution between full spectrum / power in Lumens / quantity of
red colour. The advantage of these lights is the long time life,
consummation of electricity, no heat or very very few, and the facility
to use them. About spectrum I have pictures of different for different
temperature of colour for tubs. So if you are interested I can give
them to you, tell me.
See you
Franck

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From: Philip Crabb <treetrustee at yahoo.com> on 2007.03.14 at 15:16:02(15415)
Hi, I grow under 4-tube T8 fixtures currently. My next move is to the 4-tube T5 fixtures, which are now down in price considerably compared to a couple of years ago. A 4-tube T5 fixture puts out the same lumen strength as a 400W metal halide lamp. I grow orchids, epiphytic ferns (primarily staghorns ), and Philodendron. Phil bonaventure@optonline.net wrote: Thank you Franck, You're technical expertise wowed me. Right now I just go with a mix of flourescent cool white and warm white tubes in one growing case, Metal-halide and high pressure sodium lamps mix in another growing case, and a smaller metal halide supplemented with new (experimenting with) compact flourescent bulbs. The light may make up in
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From: "Franck R." <fradnai at free.fr> on 2007.03.15 at 11:20:49(15419)
Hi Phil,
Can you give me the power/size of your T5 ? And also the measure
between the tubs and plants ? Or perhaps you have a picture of your
install ?
Thanks
Franck

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From: Philip Crabb <treetrustee at yahoo.com> on 2007.03.16 at 21:23:33(15427)
Hi Frank, Here is the link to the 4 bulb T5 fixture manufactured by the Williams Co. This is the brand of T8 fixtures that I use. They also have a 5 and 6 bulb fixture of T5. All the specifications are found online. Happy shopping! Phil"Franck R." wrote: Hi Phil,Can you give me the power/size of your T5 ? And also the measure between the tubs and plants ? Or perhaps you have a picture of your install ?ThanksFranckPhilip Crabb a écrit : Hi, I grow under 4-tube T8 fixtures currently. My next move is to the 4-tube T5 fixtures, which are now down in price considerably compared to a couple of years ago. A
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From: Philip Crabb <treetrustee at yahoo.com> on 2007.03.16 at 21:32:13(15428)
Frank, Here's the link: http://www.hew.com/flyout.asp?det=photo&seriesr4 Phil "Franck R." wrote: Hi Phil,Can you give me the power/size of your T5 ? And also the measure between the tubs and plants ? Or perhaps you have a picture of your install ?ThanksFranckPhilip Crabb a écrit : Hi, I grow under 4-tube T8 fixtures currently. My next move is to the 4-tube T5 fixtures, which are now down in price considerably compared to a couple of years ago. A 4-tube T5 fixture puts out the same lumen strength
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From: "Franck R." <fradnai at free.fr> on 2007.03.19 at 10:45:41(15437)
Thanks Phil for the information
Franck

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From: bonaventure at optonline.net on 2007.03.19 at 19:54:40(15444)
OK, nice. Whats the price on these? Are they available in the USA? Any local (NJ/NY/PA) distributers? With or without bulbs? Can they be fitted with T% grow tubes? I have a friend looking to immediately set some up over his orchids.
Bonaventure----- Original Message -----From: "Franck R." Date: Monday, March 19, 2007 10:14 amSubject: Re: [Aroid-l] LED growlightsTo: Discussion of aroids

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From: Philip Crabb <treetrustee at yahoo.com> on 2007.03.19 at 22:27:27(15451)
Here's the more general link: www.hew.com. Most wholesale electrical suppliers would be able to get Williams products. Philbonaventure@optonline.net wrote: OK, nice. Whats the price on these? Are they available in the USA? Any local (NJ/NY/PA) distributers? With or without bulbs? Can they be fitted with T% grow tubes? I have a friend looking to immediately set some up over his orchids. Bonaventure----- Original Message -----From: "Franck R." Date: Monday, March 19, 2007 10:14 amSubject: Re: [Aroid-l] LED growlightsTo: Discussion of aroids Thanks Phil for the informationFranckPhilip Crabb a écrit : Frank, Here's the link: http://www.hew.com/flyout.asp?det=photo&seriesr4 Phil-- ----------------------------------------------------- Franck RADNAI - Climate Zone 7 Web site : http://fradnai.free.fr/ Photos : http://fr.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/franckmilus/my_photos _______________________________________________Aroid-l mailing listAroid-l@g
izmoworks.comhttp://www.gizmoworks.com/mailman/listinfo/aroid-l

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From: "Franck R." <fradnai at free.fr> on 2007.03.20 at 14:55:26(15455)
Hello
I learn that there is a new light which seems interesting. Its name is
ENVIROLITE, I didn't knew it. 125W used and 11000 Lumens for 2
temperatures of colour : 6400 and 2700 °K
I don't know if you know it Phil, but this type of light is purposed
for indoor use.
Franck

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