Thu, 2010/01/21 - 12:07am
I've been intrigued by the promise of LED grow lights for a while, and finally took the plunge. Ended up buying some 16W Triband LED spotlights.
Triband means that they've found that pure red + blue by themselves don't grow so well. The third band is full-spectrum white, to supply all the other wavelengths the plants need, but aren't as critical. (I've also run into mention of an award-winning 6-band design, including some UV LEDs. They said the UV suppresses fungus and algae. Interesting.)
One of my big problems with LED growlights was the hideous lurid magenta. (I'm so deep.) Plugged my first spot in and took some pictures. It's not so far off tolerable. To the human eye, super dim compared to a 14W CFL. They're fairly white in mid-spot of light, with a purple dominated rainbow fringe.
Anyway, thought Peat at least would enjoy the pix. 
Thu, 2010/01/21 - 1:27pm
#2
Yeah, currently plotting the test grows. The KRC lettuce is just growing a little bit before final harvest atm - it doesn't look good for much more. I'm thinking spinach + radish + mustard greens + romaine in soil for the first tests. Want to test a variety of quick species, head to head CFL vs. triband LED. Need better light socket arrangements first, tho. My two positionable desk lamps (used above) both face-dive from the weight of the pseudo-bulb. 
Thu, 2010/01/21 - 11:44pm
#3
Replaced LED spotlight photo above with a better picture - set EC to -2.0 on the camera.
The dishtub cuke has been inducted into exploring my new bulbs. But - only added light, not trying to grow a cuke under a single 16W LED spot. Just want it to hurry up and fruit.
Sun, 2010/01/24 - 6:56pm
#4
Just to complete the topic, here's the KRC lettuce after 3 days under the LED spotlight:
Healthy. Growing. But now eaten. End of LED light spot-check : did not kill lettuce with darkness. The light beam was so tight, only the middle plant appeared to be really lit. However, all the plants appeared to keep growing, none really straining into mid-beam.
Mon, 2011/02/21 - 9:29am
#5
LED Grow Lights(include UFO Grow light, Panel grow light, Plant grow tube) from 7w up to 1200w of power that are perfect for growing lights.
Another one bitten by the LED grow technology.
Your going to have to do a full lettuce grow from start to finish now, see how the light gets on which should be interesting. Time to retire the Pure KRC Lettuce and replant?
I would have preferred to have a few white in mine, they didn't do them so I'm stuck with what I have - can't complain too much though, the cuke grew really well until I damaged it. I seriously need to get a proper grow under my belt using my light!