I see too many generalities used for ALL light sources.
Most are B.S. when reality kicks in.
MY GROW and use of what i have as far as a light source.
I came into a few bucks YEARS ago and decided I'd get more NM and Lumens AND be able to put more LEDS per sq. in. of a homemade panel.
I'm still told Lumens suck as a measure of LEDS.
Most ways to measure any light source seems to include Lumens as part of the equation,in whatever form that is cool to use at any given time.
For the most part,people THINK the rating of nm from an LED is all it puts out.
WRONG,it is only 50% + of what it puts out.
All the stuff needed by a lot of plants in smaller amounts of nm is probably there from the lesser NM an LED puts out.
I get better Lumens and mixes of Nm from 1 watt s tars and 10 mm 3/4 watt and 1 watt LEDS.
1 watt stars, I can put 50 on a, 8in. X 16in. sheet of aluminum (at 35 - 80 lm. each).
No heat sink,LEDs are spaced 1 LED apart.
I had pics of large plants I grew with 5mm,10mm and 1 watt stars.
Prices for LEDS have gone down a long time since I got mine.
3 watt leds back then put out a LOT less lumens,created heat/cooling problems and came in a LOT less nm.
As with ANY light source,you have to learn how to use it.
My 1 watters work best from 12-18inches above my starts.
I have the wire racks,4ft. x 18in. wide.I have my shelves 24in apart +/-.
I use 5mm for sprout lighting only before they go on my shelves.
10mm LEDS for vertical lighting in nm I can't get from stars.
I like short tight starts,most bud early indoors and don't need hardening off in general.
I found out that the quality of Chinese LEDS (or lack of it) is an advantage.
Ya ,it's a hassle having to test them out so I don't let the smoke out,BUT I think they do put out the 50% of nm. they need to be called whatever they are said to be.
BUT I think from experience , they actually put out enough of the stray nm that plants only need in small amounts.
All wavelengths seem to get covered as far as I can see for peppers.
I get pure pods from what people consider immature plant that are only inches tall.
Then after I get seeds,I put them outside.
I do or did grow some giant plants using 10mm and star LEDS just to post pics to piss off the experts. LOL
There are plans online to make a Spectrometer from easily obtained stuff.
Stuff that is supposed to be pretty accurate.
I ran out of $ so I haven't built one yet.
I really want to so I actually KNOW what my 1 watt LEDS put out and what the 3 watt ones I have too.
Actually a TRUE idea about what my LEDS put out would be great.
I'd bet my plants already told me what I think I already know.
Vendors create info that is favorable to their products OR for growing their specific plants,the way they want to.
Example is,5mm LEDS are GREAT for sprouts from above and on the side until they get over 4-6 inches tall (depends on variety A LOT.Some like a lot of light,some don't need it).
As a plant gets bigger 5mm work to a certain point for VERY early branching.
Then 10mm vertical LEDS and stars horizontally work best after that.
I go with as many nm as I can get in as many Lm as I can get.
It works for me.
I see a lot of stuff about wide angled LEDS sucking.
I look at my 1 watters as it being an advantage.
I get more overlap of more nm than other LEDS would provide my plants with.
10mm Leds put out a ton of Lumens and use a LOT less juice.BUT are or were really limited in NM.
I can put 125 10mm Leds on a 12in x 8in. perf board.
Most times I'm talking 35,000+lux,in nm stars don't supply.
My meter does both LUX or Lumens.
I do see a lot of higher Lm White LEDS doing better these days.
Using 6500k and 3500K white Leds seem to work better than red and blue LEDS.
There is NO white LED or Fuoro for that matter.
They combine red,Blue and green to make the K they put out.
Any light source has to need to fit the way you grow period!
I don't understand the Either or war between light sources going on these days.
Just like soil mixes or whatever,Try what you want,USE what you can afford and what works best for your grow.
EVERYTHING POSTED ON THE NET IS WORTH EXACTLY WHAT YOU PAID FOR IT,0.
If it sounds like something that fits your grow,COOL.
If not , it doesn't mean it's wrong.It just doesn't work for your grow of whatever.
