Lighting is the Mars II 400w enough?

[greenjeans]

I have about $200 to spend and wonder if the Mars 2 400w light will be enough for 2 plants in a 3ftx2ft box.. Does anyone use this light in a small area like that? is it enough of a light? I want to put the 700w in there, but I just can't afford it yet. I also found a deal on two 300w(5wled) old-style lights.. Do those have decent heat sinks? Help me make a decision..

 

[namvet25]

I use the Mars older style 300 watt for two plants and it works fine.

 

[greenjeans]

So should I go with 2 300w for $140 rather than the 400w mars2 for like $190, then? That is my first thought, but I'm not sure about the quality differences. Do the older style lights have a good heatsink in them?

 

[namvet25]

Yes. they have a finned heat sink.They have been around for awhile a several members use them and I havn't heard a bad report yet.If you decide on the 300 w get it directly from Mars Hydro because you get a 3 year warranty and we have a rep called Tina on our site that can help if needed.

 

[greenjeans]

Mars doesn't sell them direct anymore. Just their Ebay stores. Thanks for the advice. I appreciate it. The 300ws are just sitting in my ebay cart waiting for me to decide to push the button.

 

[BII]

Two 300-watt lights, even if "old style," will do the job and rather well too, as shown by various AFN grow reports. I have one and it seems to work just as well as any other 300-watt range LED; and they do run relatively cool and quite (don't run hot or noisy).

Of course, 2x 300-watters is better than 1 400-watt, even if using 3 vs. 5-watt LEDs, or even 1 600-watt, with 2 allowing better placement, including from sides, beside simply providing more photons/light than a single 400-watt.​

 

[greenjeans]

Just to be clear, while these look like the old style lights, I found out that they are a new 2015 version. They have the 5w LEDs like the Mars II but in the older style housing. The old style lights have the 3w LEDs.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/221461932701?_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT

 

[BII]

Just to be clear, while these look like the old style lights, I found out that they are a new 2015 version. They have the 5w LEDs like the Mars II but in the older style housing. The old style lights have the 3w LEDs.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/221461932701?_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT

New or old style doesn't matter that much, as long as you buy at what you consider a good price (with Mars lights very competitively and fairly priced).

 

[greenjeans]

You say that, but I have no way of knowing what differences might be occurring on the INSIDE of the housing that may be different or inferior to the newer product. Heat sinks, and LED drivers and Power supplies and such. Seems like they have a real heat sink, and that was the big question for me, so I believe I am good to go with these lights. I think it is more than enough output for my box. Now I am going to build a lower "cool chamber" to keep res temps low while adding 2 feet in height to accommodate the LEDs. I don't think I have ever seen a box design like mine, and this lower chamber will make it a 3 chamber box.

https://www.autoflower.org/index.php?threads/finally-finished-my-box.42228/

 

[mad212]

Just to be clear, while these look like the old style lights, I found out that they are a new 2015 version. They have the 5w LEDs like the Mars II but in the older style housing. The old style lights have the 3w LEDs.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/221461932701?_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT

So did you end up buying these? I'm ready to pull the trigger but never used leds before and want to make sure these are ok.