FlytrapCare Carnivorous Plant Forums

Does anyone have any alternatives that they use similar to yescoms as they've been discontinued. In similar I mean in brightness and price.

There are lots of decent LED grow-light panels. What's your maximum price?

MikeB wrote: ↑Sat Apr 06, 2024 3:16 am There are lots of decent LED grow-light panels. What's your maximum price?

I mean like around 30? Panman did show me a 2 pack one for 40 though.

I just looked at a panel on Amazon that was stated as being 600 watts. Uh, yeah. It was a standard ~12"x12" thin aluminum panel with a cheap plastic boxed LED driver. I started to make a "review" but Amazon had a warning pop up that said that there were some questionable reviews and it was limiting reviews to verified purchasers. Interestingly, all the reviews were from people who had received "free" lights to try and review.

First thing, I have an old 50" plasma "tv" (a Panny Pro Panel) fed by a Denon AVR and etc.,...it runs 600 watts (I'm "OCD-Me", so I calculated it long ago ). If you were to pull 600 watts through the plastic box driver of the little square panel I would have to make a wild-donkey guess that magic smoke would soon escape from that magical plastic box. In my opinion If you see a driver box that is made of plastic and looks about the size of a pack of cigarettes (maybe the extra-long kind) then I doubt seriously you're going to be getting 600 watts through it...at least not for long.

The white Yescoms that I've got are around 22-watts, if I recall correctly. The seller gave honest numbers in their ad...I checked them "back when". The small LED driver boxes (plastic) can handle that power. My Viparspectra XS1000s truly run at 100 watts, which they are listed as being...the LED driver gets warm-to-hot...the energy of 100 watts has to go somewhere and it comes out the driver assembly (metal boxed) rather than through the LEDS and onto the plants. I wouldn't want the power used to light the Viparspectras running through the Yescoms!!! Energy has to go somewhere. Running 600 watts through one of those thin panels and small plastic driver I'd be a bit paranoid about... *Know* what you're buying. If the specs are vague, they're probably vague for a (seller) reason. Sellers will want to share the specs of good lights and not be vague about them.

Now, don't get me wrong. There are some good lights out there that don't cost an arm and a leg. I've got some 80-watt three-panel, LED garage lights that I bought at Costco for something like $15 each (came in a 2-pack box) and I'm very pleased with them, though they wouldn't be a good "tent shelf" light because they run too warm (in my opinion). I've got those free hanging from the ceiling over my top shelf.

What I'm getting at is that when it comes to shopping the sellers for these 12" square, thin-paneled LED lights...."buyer beware". Also...."you get what you pay for". You could throw "There ain't no such thing as a free lunch" in there somewhere, too. Maybe even, "Hold my beer, Bubba, and watch this!!!" Just sayin'....

I can't recommend much in that price range. The really cheap stuff makes me nervous about shock and fire hazards. Here are some that I would consider:

FECiDA Clip On Grow Light -- $25.99
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BLBZJ51X

Barrina Grow Lights, 5000K, 1ft Lamps, 4-Pack -- $29.99
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BKPF8D8G

Grow Light, 2-pack -- $36.99
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09DSQYVSM

FECiDA 6000 Lumen LED Grow Light, Dimmable -- $49.99
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B093BLNT14

Yeah, I was considering that t5 4 pack. But I was wondering if you think it will be good enough for vfts and sarrs.

For flytraps: They should be okay.

For Sarrs: I don't think that any indoor light is really bright enough for these plants. They need to be outside in direct sun.

what about for growing sarrs from seed?

For seedlings, it should be okay, but I would still prefer the FECiDA panel: bigger, brighter, dimmable (if you need it), has active cooling (LED lights tend to get hot), can daisy-chain up to 4 units, easy to hang. It's a better value for the money.

I agree with Mike, the FECiDA panel ($50 one) would be my pick of the litter. According to cuirousplant.com's DLI calculator at 18" that panel should give you a DLI of 29 at the edges and a DLI of around 40 in the center. This is running for 16 hours a day. Both of those are good numbers for flytraps and sarrs seedlings should do well with it.

MikeB wrote: ↑Sat Apr 06, 2024 9:52 pm For seedlings, it should be okay, but I would still prefer the FECiDA panel: bigger, brighter, dimmable (if you need it), has active cooling (LED lights tend to get hot), can daisy-chain up to 4 units, easy to hang. It's a better value for the money.

Do you think I could use that panel for all of my plants together. Nepenthes and droseras too
the main reason I wanted the t5s were because of the amount.

I couldn't say for sure without knowing what plants you have. Can you post a grow list?

Carnivorous Plant grow lights
https://youtu.be/m4e77cscO4k?si=4JZZDY03p5eIb5He

I mean I just ordered them but I have 1 a lata and st Gaya nepenthes. And from the seed bank I ordered mixed sundews and mixed threadleaf sundews.But I plan on ordering sarracenia and vft seeds eventually.

Think these are alright? https://www.amazon.com/Barrina-Equivale ... th=1&psc=1