Cheap grow lights: How so cheap? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: ocset
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 02, 2019, 06:30:29 am
content: Hi The following grow light is £55 for 800Whttps://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01HGQHBAM/ref=as_li_tl?slotNum=1&ie=UTF8&linkCode=g14&linkId=f68707c29abe2a05a1e08ee588136365&imprToken=ZRpaJ3JJJWYxZYzVHu61pQ&creativeASIN=B00PH1MQV8&tag=gugo03b-21&creative=9325&camp=1789How is it so cheap?....even if you designed a grow light in UK, and got it manufactured in China/Far East, you wouldnt be able to make it this cheap.So how is it this cheap?(bit surprised there are UV LEDs in it...arent they dangerous?)

author: Jeroen3
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 02, 2019, 07:01:36 am
content: Lie about the specifications.

author: BBBbbb
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: December 02, 2019, 07:19:41 am
content: That one looks like the standard growing LED panels from Aliexpress, just branded on the side.And growing LEDs are cheap, but still far inferior to HID lamps in terms of output quality, especially those aliexpress cheapos

author: AndyC_772
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 02, 2019, 09:10:14 am
content: Stoners are cheap, and lack the skills to check technical specifications.

author: nali
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: December 02, 2019, 10:35:18 am
content: Now at last we're starting to get an insight behind some of Treez's posts...

author: Brumby
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: December 02, 2019, 01:42:57 pm
content: Just my 2 cents on general reasons for "incredible prices" ....Quote from: Jeroen3 on December 02, 2019, 07:01:36 am^ ^ ^ ^ That's one.Then there's:- Cheap components- Crap design- Minimal safety considerations- Lack of warranty and/or after sales supportDid I miss anything?Then there's the simple reasons why theycando things cheaper where the product quality does not suffer... volume production and automation in manufacturing.The challenge is to assess each product to know just where it sits in the scheme of things.

author: ConKbot
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 02, 2019, 02:32:04 pm
content: 800W or "800W equivalent"? Which is generally 10:1 to incandescent, less to HID, but no reason to not stick with the 10:1 for marketing purposes. 128 LEDs in that 800W model. Use 1/2W LEDs, overdrive them to .625W, and there's "800W equivalent"

author: Jeroen3
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 02, 2019, 07:33:35 pm
content: So I googled a bit. And apparently µmol/m2/s istheunit for assimilation lighting.I have no clue what this means. Something photosynthesis probably. Also 400-700nm is the area to emit in.This Amazon light only says 300W. So it either gets really hot or it emits a bunch of light, on some unspecified spectrum.Go look around for yourself:https://www.lighting.philips.co.uk/products/horticultureI sometimes work on the generators at horticulture sites. And those pink lights aretrippydue to their very limited spectrum.

author: Domagoj T
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: December 02, 2019, 09:19:38 pm
content: Quote from: ConKbot on December 02, 2019, 02:32:04 pmThe description for the 300W version says:Quote

author: Zero999
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 02, 2019, 09:53:26 pm
content: Quote from: treez on December 02, 2019, 06:30:29 amUV spans a large part of the spectrum from 400nm violet to 10nm deep UV which is absorbed by the air. The longer wavelengths over 350nm or so are fairly harmless, at moderate intensities. Shorter wavelengths, such as those produced by germicidal lamps, around 250nm are very dangerous and can cause severe burns and cancer.UV isn't essential for most plants, but a quick Google shows it may help., so I suspect this lamp doesn't produce any UV and it's just marketing wank. It appears to use cheap pink LEDs, rather than anything specialist.