This unpaid, independent video follows my
earlier one comparing “1000 model” grow lights. We’ll build on previous concepts, so be sure
you’ve seen the first one. What’s new in this update? Some lights from ViparSpectra. Third party lab tests for comparing in-house
reports. I’ll show things to watch for when sellers
list efficacy specs. And there’s a new arrival to the market. Could it be a new contender for the SF1000? Here’s an outline for this video’s content. First let’s tie up some loose ends. Mars Hydro hadn’t sent a TS600 test report. I estimated 1.8 to 2 micromoles per joule,
despite the sticker and website claims. My calculations were correct. They’ve finally sent this report showing a
PPE of 1.92. So it really wasn’t as great as they’d claimed. For the TS1000, I only had an old report. But finally I was able to get newer data,
showing a PPE of 2.2.
So it’s a decent option. These in-house reports are great, but not
always perfect. The best option, the gold standard, is independent
3rd party lab testing. Both Maxsisun and ViparSpectra were interested
in this to verify their product quality. So kudos to them! Maxsisun’s MF1000 in-house test report showed
a PPE of 2.14. They sent a unit to Light Laboratory (an independent
3rd party lab). And their testing showed a PPE of 2.25 micromoles
per joule.
This further verifies Maxsisun’s authenticity. ViparSpectra had provided a report for the
XS1000 showing a PPE of 2.2. They sent their light to the same lab which
reported 2.34 for the efficacy. A solid number. They also tested their budget grow light,
the P1000. That LED’s efficacy is 2.19. So both of ViparSpectra’s lights are efficient
and worth consideration. But certainly not as high their website originally
claimed. You know, the nice thing with independent
lab testing is that any seller’s light could get tested. If a company falsifies their reports, a reviewer
or even competitor could check to see if fraud is going on. It’s an excellent way to keep the market honest
and hold sellers accountable. I sent a couple units to Light Laboratory
as a bit of an audit. Was Mars Hydro’s TS1000 report accurate? The numbers were extremely close. What about the SF1000? The in-house report showed 2.46 and Light
Laboratory shows a PPE of 2.41. That’s pretty close. Yes, yes, yes, but… look at the Total PPF. Spider Farmer’s report shows 249 micromoles. But independent testing shows 222. That’s only 89% of the light output. What’s going on? Well, look at the actual power draw.
In Spider Farmer’s test, the SF1000 ran at
100 watts. But proper lab tests allow the unit to stabilize. As it warms up, the power dipped down. And the light output dropped. This power drop isn’t seen with all LED grow
lights. Some models are rock stable. Rated at 100 watts and running at a true 100
watts. In the end, some of the less efficient 100W
lights actually output the same PPF as the SF1000. Maxsisun’s MF1000 and ViparSpectra’s P1000
are just as bright. This brings us to our newest entry: Atreum
Lighting’s HYDRA-1000, a direct contender to the SF1000. Atreum sent a sample to CSA Group another
testing lab. At first glance the results were surprising. A PPF Efficacy of 2.7! Compare that to the SF1000 which is between
2.4 and 2.5. I was quite pleased. Something to point out though: So far, all
tests ran at 120 volts (the standard US wall plug). But the HYDRA-1000 was tested at 230 volts. The higher voltage reduces the current which
boosts efficacy. It’s not a massive difference, but the HYDRA
report isn’t a true apples to apples comparison.
More like apples to quinces? Just pay attention to a light’s voltage when
tested. If you miss that detail, it might appear more
efficient than it is in your application. Here’s another way sellers may boost specs. PAR photons fall between 400 to 700 nanometers. But the trend is to replace 1 or more diodes
with a Far-Red to boost growth. And so the light’s stats take a hit. Think about it. You lose some of the red photons that count
towards PPF and they get shifted outside of the counted spectrum as Far-Red. Shouldn’t those photons get counted too? Look again at the CSA Group report. There’s photosynthetic photon flux (400 to
700). But also that extended range including Far-Red. CSA Group designates this as Photon Flux,
from 350 to 1000 nanometers. They have the PPF efficacy but also the Photon
Efficacy derived from that broader spectrum range. This includes those Far-Red diodes. And the light specs get a boost. It’s something to watch for. Companies may list the larger photon efficacy
and photon flux stats without showing the spectral range.
You might assume they mean standard PAR until
you dig into their reports. The Light Laboratory reports make less of
a distinction. But by labeling the expanded spectral range,
you see the resulting boost. Often this isn’t a massive difference. But if it matters to you, be sure to pay attention. Three takeaways are this: Take note of a light’s
true operating wattage in case it dips lower than expected. When looking at reports, check to see what
voltage was used. And pay attention to spectral ranges as some
sellers inflate their stats by counting photons outside of PAR. Let’s look into each light. Previously we saw 3 budget models. Maxsisun’s PB1000 was the best value having
a good power factor, basic dimming and more light output. That model’s been upgraded to the “Pro” which
features a Far-Red diode, a remote control for dimming and daisy chain power. So this thing is an even better option than
ever. And now I have good data on a fourth budget
model: ViparSpectra’s P1000. It’s rather efficient with a low price tag. It includes Far Red.
The dimming knob is easy to access and feels
sturdy. The general design is solid with a finned
heat sink for improved thermal management. I took standard PPFD readings and ViparSpectra’s
P1000 performed well. Compared to the others it was just slightly
behind Maxsisun’s PB1000. So it’s also a great budget option. Certainly better than the SF1000D or TS600. At this point, those two should just get dropped
from the line up. I only recommend the PB1000 Pro or the P1000. Technically, the P1000 had the highest scoring
lab tests so, depending on the price, it could possibly get you the best bang for the buck. It’s nice to have a couple budget options
to choose from. What about the premium models? ViparSpectra’s XS1000 is more efficient than
their budget model. It draws 20 extra watts which yields 28% more
light output. So while the design is very similar, this
a premium LED.
My PPFD readings seemed to match well with
the lab reports. These are some very respectable numbers. Compared to their cheaper P1000, the premium
price is quite justified. If you need higher light levels in a small
footprint, the XS1000 is a great option. I like both light models and I’m glad I can
now share data on these systems as well. Our other premium contender is this HYDRA-1000. Atreum Lighting is an American owned company
that designed a direct challenger to Spider Farmer’s SF1000. One unique difference was the interesting
diode spacing. While Maxsisun and Mars Hydro offer lights
with reflectors designed to redirect photons to the center, Atreum has taken the opposite
approach. The center diodes are spaced out more. And diodes get tighter as they approach the
corners. The idea is to get more consistent light distribution.
Rather than a huge spike in center readings
with weak corner lighting, it’s meant to even things out. Ideal for broad open canopies or for grow
tents. This would have made the HYDRA-1000 unique
if Spider Farmer hadn’t done the exact same thing with yet another product revision. Wait they changed the SF1000 again? Yep. We’ll get to that. But let’s take a closer look at this HYDRA. It has top notch Samsung diodes and Mean Well
driver. The dimmer is a little different. The digital wattage display responds as you
dim it. It seems cool enough. But it’s not showing the wattage at the wall.
Rather, indicates how much power is going
from the driver to the LED board. As the readout displays 100 watts, it really
pulls 118 at the wall. So as you dim it, the display always underreports
the true power. Not a big deal as long as you’re aware. I’m more impressed with the detachable mounting
plate. The driver and dimmer blocks can be placed
away from the LEDs and outside of your tent. A more useful feature that Spider Farmer doesn’t
offer. Let’s look at my real world PPFD readings. These represent a typical 120V connection. The HYDRA ran steady at 114 watts. And this yielded some very nice light levels. The only brighter lights were the ones that
sucked up more power, the TS1000 and XS1000. So comparing the HYDRA-1000 to the SF1000,
I had trouble finding a single advantage that Spider Farmer offered.
Perhaps some beefier power connections? But photons are what grow plants. And the HYDRA generates a lot more. Back to the SF-1000. I purchased this revised unit in March 2021
for lab testing. I had no idea it was updated. I was happy to see they’ve added diodes! From 218 up to 270. Less current running through each diode should
help with heat management and efficacy too. But are these even the same diodes? At the time of publishing this video, Spider
Farmer still hasn’t updated their listing. So who knows which model you’ll get if you
buy one. When I tested this brand new SF1000, it had
lower PPFD values than the previous model. This light should be a step forward, but the
lower running wattage means less light output. Combine that with the premium price and I’m
not sure I’d buy this light anymore. I’m not saying it’s a bad light. But it doesn’t stand out as the most efficient. And it’s certainly not the brightest. Each light in this video can do a decent job. They’ll perform much better than lights from
a few years ago.
But which will you get? It can be hard to decide. So let’s compare specs, side to side. To see some finer details, this chart compares
the updated line-up. But there are a few key specs that are most
important. First up is the efficacy. Here are the models worth buying ranked from
lowest to highest. At this point, the HYDRA-1000 has become the
leader of the pack. Even when you account for the voltage, Atreum’s
light matches or even exceeds Spider Farmer’s. Of course, efficiency is important, but total
light output is what drives growth. So these are my more current PPFD readings
side-by-side. And here’s the average of those readings which
seem to match up well. Here’s the Total PPF from test reports. Mars Hydro still leads the pack with that
150W luminaire. But now we have the XS1000 and HYDRA-1000
which also push the wattage higher for boosted light levels. Higher light output is good, but at what cost? By overlaying those metrics, we can see where
the best values are. Prices have radically changed since my previous
video. Right now we’re seeing a price war! As we move to the right, the lights generate
more photons per dollar spent.
That SF1000 lags severely with less micromoles
per dollar and that’s after a major price drop. None of this accounts for coupons though. Let’s plug in some discounts. Currently, there are some crazy deals which
makes the Maxsisun and ViparSpectra units amazing buys! The P1000 and PB1000 Pro aren’t the brightest
or most efficient out of the pack. But for the price you pay, it’s hard deny
their value. Here are the leaders in each category. For efficacy, the HYDRA-1000 takes the gold
followed by the SF1000 and then the XS1000. For total light output, the winner is the
TS1000 then the HYDRA-1000 and XS1000 which probably tie for 2nd and 3rd. As far as value goes, the PB1000 Pro wins,
followed by the XS1000 and P1000. But that can change overnight, so run the
numbers as you plan your purchase. Which ones would I recommend? First, I think each light has something to
offer. It’s not like one is complete garbage while
another is vastly superior. But clearly some have an edge. If you’re a hobby gardener on a tight budget,
consider the P1000 or PB1000 Pro.
The P1000 is simple but just a little more
efficient and brighter. The PB1000 Pro is a little fancier though,
so it’s really a matter of preference. Both offer lots of light for a low upfront
cost. But these lights are less efficient than some,
so they’re ideal for seasonal growers or those who have low electrical rates. If you’ll have the light in your living space,
the hooded ones are nice. These are a little less likely to sear holes
into your retina as you walk by on your way to the kitchen. For a smaller area the MF1000 is a great option. The TS1000 costs a little more but is good
for larger spaces. These are fine in tents, but they’re nice
when you don’t have side reflection. If you’re growing year long, consider a more
efficient unit like the SF1000 or HYDRA-1000. They won’t take as long to see a payoff. And both are optimized for grow tents. At current pricing, they’re worth the investment.
And they’ll generate less heat per watt. For those high light medicinal crops, the
HYDRA is the better option though, having higher output. Or consider the XS1000 which has similar PPF. It’s a little less efficient though. But if you can get it at a discount, you’ll
get a great value. The TS1000 is still the brightest out of the
pack, but it sucks up the most power and is not as efficient. All three offer boosts in light output which
means higher yield. So any one of these is a great option for
those mari-tomatoes.
Previously, I graded these companies based
on their accuracy and transparency. Mars Hydro was quite a let down. After dealing with them further, they did
send updated reports. And they started to correct their listings. But I still saw multiple inconsistencies and
they do not disclose their reports on their site. So I’ll give them a C+ for moving in the right
direction. ViparSpectra removed false PPE numbers from
their site which is good. They haven’t posted their third party reports
though. And it’s hard to find any PPE or PPF specs. But they did reference the data on their Amazon
listing. So I‘d give them a B. Atreum Lighting has done better. They openly list the PPE. On their site they even have a direct link
to their test report. So you can see the data if you want. Nothing was falsified or inflated. Although it would be nice to see a 120V test
report for comparison, I would still give them an A. They used a third party lab and
shared the data. I hope this gives even more info on some leading
“1000” model grow lights.
The objective isn’t to bash any brand or unit. Rather, to get you the most complete and accurate
info. There’s more to selling lights than simply
assembling a social media army. I try to get companies to compete on honesty,
product quality and pricing. Competition is good for consumers and it fuels
innovation. Thanks for taking time to watch and for supporting
my channel. I hope this info helps you out. Please subscribe to my channel if you haven’t
yet. And I’d like to wish you happy gardening!.
