LED Lighting - Budget options

**Atrix93** · 24-04-21, 02:07 PM

I was looking to start a small grow and was looking for alternative suggestions/experiences with any of the equipment located so far.
The grow will be in a 60cm x 60 x 180 (2 by 2 by 6). Will be opting for autoflower variants in a 3 gallon airpot.

Mars - greatly unliked but budget friendly, PITA if it breaks, TS1000 PPFD seems to mirror the invisible sun 100BR model:
Mars Hydro TS600 - £50
Mars - hydro TS1000 - £80 to £120

Invisible sun - Top of the budget, easy to replace parts should anything break:
Invisisble Sun LED - ISH100 BR - £129.95
150 sasmsung lm301h + 9 samsung LH351H

Beyond what I'd want to spend:
Invisisble Sun LED - ISH150 V2 BR board- £169.95
256 sasmsung lm301h + 12 x Samsung LH351H Deep red 660nm V2 + 4 x Samsung LH351H Far red 730nm

Vivid LED - HLG quantum board RB spec combo - £177.45

Rinseout LED - geeklight monster bboardd 240 watt - £185

**LewisR19** · 24-04-21, 02:44 PM

I’d personally recommend HLG, not that I’ve used them but they’re at the top of the LED game.

Saying that, I have a TS1000 and a Invisible Sun ISH150 pro and both are good lights if your looking for a budget light

**M_C** · 24-04-21, 02:53 PM

Let's just say that I really do not have a good word to say about Mars.

**Mac** · 24-04-21, 03:06 PM

HLG all the way

Kept my old blurple mars light a total of 6 weeks before I chopped it in for my HLG quantum boards

Well worth waiting for if you need to save a little longer to get it.

**Mr_Motion** · 24-04-21, 03:23 PM

Diy option with some sammies or bridglelux strips?

Sent from space with lasers!

**Cats** · 24-04-21, 04:27 PM

Originally Posted by M_C

Let's just say that I really do not have a good word to say about Mars.

Do you mind if I ask why please? I was planning on buying a ts600 =(

**M_C** · 24-04-21, 05:08 PM

Originally Posted by Cats

Do you mind if I ask why please? I was planning on buying a ts600 =(

I will most certainly tell

When I was Admin here, Mars were sponsors here. In that time, they had a huge issue with faulty diodes & wouldn't honour a 12 month guarantee period (as required by UK law) - instead they would send you new diodes & expect you to dismantle their light & fit them yourself - but you also had to beg for the LED array diagram so you knew which other ones would fail (FFS!)

Still thinking of buying from them? They were delivering them in retail style cartons with the contents clearly displayed on the box so anyone handling them (or taking delivery knew what they were!)

Still not convinced you? They released the tracking info of a light sent to a fellow Admin on open forum, allowing anyone to see the name & address of the recipient!

On other forums, they have also delivered to the wrong address (no, not a courier feck-up, they put the correct name & wrong house number on)

I had several conversations with their rep about the above... trust me, they don't care once they have your money!

Buy from a reputable manufacturer & keep Mars at an arms length!

**GEORGE** · 24-04-21, 05:22 PM

Check out our sponsor, they have 420 sales still going on, and great people to deal with.

**Cats** · 25-04-21, 07:24 PM

Originally Posted by M_C

I will most certainly tell

When I was Admin here, Mars were sponsors here. In that time, they had a huge issue with faulty diodes & wouldn't honour a 12 month guarantee period (as required by UK law) - instead they would send you new diodes & expect you to dismantle their light & fit them yourself - but you also had to beg for the LED array diagram so you knew which other ones would fail (FFS!)

Still thinking of buying from them? They were delivering them in retail style cartons with the contents clearly displayed on the box so anyone handling them (or taking delivery knew what they were!)

Still not convinced you? They released the tracking info of a light sent to a fellow Admin on open forum, allowing anyone to see the name & address of the recipient!

On other forums, they have also delivered to the wrong address (no, not a courier feck-up, they put the correct name & wrong house number on)

I had several conversations with their rep about the above... trust me, they don't care once they have your money!

Buy from a reputable manufacturer & keep Mars at an arms length!

Damn, thats a lot of good reasons to avoid! Thank you for this info, I've already bought two crappy lights so I really want the next choice to be right! I will have a look at the sponsor section like George suggested and make a new plan.