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07-04-2007, 11:23 AM
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Orchid Poor Member
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Join Date: Oct 2006
Zone: 6b
Location: Maryland
Posts: 380
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LED Lights
I am making a new light stand and I have been reading up on LED lights. The price is high but I am curious if they're an improvement over fluorescents. Do any of you or anyone know of anyone currently using them? I value all opinions.
Thank you!!! 
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07-04-2007, 01:44 PM
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Senior Member
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Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Aurora, Illinois
Posts: 441
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I an members of the Batavia Orchid Society tested LED's and found them not very good. I think the way to go CFL's. I've
been testing them and they are great so far. Hope this helps. Jim.
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07-04-2007, 02:04 PM
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Petal Pusher
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Join Date: Apr 2007
Zone: 8b
Location: Southern Oregon
Age: 54
Posts: 2,174
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My son works at a hydroponics store. They have tested the LEDs on various plants and came to the same conclusion as Jim. No big whoop, certainly not enough to justify spending that much money on them. While they may be super energy efficient they don't do as good a job as the HIDs or the CFLs. 
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Terri
Those are my principles and if you don't like them......I have others.
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07-04-2007, 05:55 PM
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Senior Member
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Join Date: Apr 2006
Zone: 5a
Location: Montreal, Canada
Age: 48
Posts: 150
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Very great comments, I was wondering about that too....
Thank you guys !
Phalguy
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07-04-2007, 08:17 PM
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Orchid Poor Member
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Join Date: Oct 2006
Zone: 6b
Location: Maryland
Posts: 380
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Thanx very much for the input!  I am mainly growing Phals under the lights, so I think the T5's will be sufficient.
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07-04-2007, 11:04 PM
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Roots are good
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Join Date: Sep 2006
Zone: 5a
Location: Cadillac, Michigan, USA
Posts: 7,327
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I was hoping for this sort of response because that has been my conclusion as well. LED's are great for flashlights, etc. But , while they appear very bright, the lumens are just not there. For the money, it's hard to beat T5's or CFLs in my opinion and experience.
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Ross
http://orchids-ross.blogspot.com/
I don't do most Dendros or large, "floofy orchids". For me it's minis (like Angraecoides), Paphs, and others that crept in somewhere along the line. See my orchid list for complete collection (usually not current.)
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07-06-2007, 04:26 PM
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Member
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Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Yellowknife, Canada
Posts: 72
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Quote:
Originally Posted by OrchidTess
I am making a new light stand and I have been reading up on LED lights. The price is high but I am curious if they're an improvement over fluorescents. Do any of you or anyone know of anyone currently using them? I value all opinions
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Depends on what you mean by "improvement". LED lights produce far less heat than other light sources and require less electricity for similar light outputs. Problem is, it is initially very expensive to pack enough LEDs under a hood equivalent to a few much more affordable CFL or T5 tubes. Unless you have a special requirement for low heat or you are absolutely committed to saving a few dollars on montly electricity bills, it's probably easiest to go with more traditional fluorescent tubes.
People are starting to use LED systems in heat-sensitive tropical reef aquariums. Perhaps orchid growers will eventually start using them with cool-growing terrariums.
Last edited by markr : 07-06-2007 at 04:37 PM.
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07-08-2007, 01:39 AM
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Member
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Join Date: May 2007
Location: San Francisco
Posts: 59
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Quote:
Originally Posted by markr
Depends on what you mean by "improvement". LED lights produce far less heat than other light sources and require less electricity for similar light outputs. Problem is, it is initially very expensive to pack enough LEDs under a hood equivalent to a few much more affordable CFL or T5 tubes.
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this is what i thought...
i know a few aquarium keepers who are switching over to LEd. the cost is crazy initially, but in the same area, the right make of LED produce far brighter light with considerably less heat.
in terms of dollar efficiency it is probably more economical to use t5 or cf (today), but they are not "brighter" lights.
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andrew yaros
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08-04-2007, 10:50 PM
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Jr. Member
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Join Date: Jul 2007
Zone: 6a
Location: Holland, Pennslyvania, USA
Posts: 17
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I have been using LED lights for about 4 months for my cool growers and I am very impressed with them. I have 15 masdevallia and all but one has rebloomed since I started with this type of lighting.
David
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08-11-2007, 10:46 PM
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Member
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Join Date: Jul 2007
Zone: 3b
Location: Minnesota
Posts: 36
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I bought a pack of 7 high intensity LED lamps (I think theres 128 LEDs in one bulb) about six months or a year ago. But I haven't had a chance to use them yet. I was enticed by their ad what can I say! However, they really are ugly (big screw in traffic light kinda things) and the colors are supposedly great for the plants but weird to look at.
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