I chose the Vivosun AW200 Wings. They’re the same as the A100, but add two adjustable hinged wings on either side that double the power to 200 W. I’ll say more about them at the end of my post.
Both models use 5 different LEDs to cover the visible spectrum, plus UVA and NIR LEDs. So they’re “full spectrum” models (which used to be the latest thing), supplemented with UVA and NIR and offer your choice of three spectra, as described in my original post.
I should have realized that experienced growers are more apt to add UVA/NIR lights than replace their main units. I spaced on the existence of supplemental lights for this user group.
What benefits have you noticed since adding the UV light bar?
Thanks. I wish I’d thought to search for threads about supplemental lights before posting. On the other hand, I’m interested specifically in the latest generation of LED lights that include UVA and NIR and wonder what results others have noticed with them. Maybe some models don’t provide enough to make a difference. Maybe there are some that provide too much.
The threads @StonedCold13 pointed us to contain discussions about adding UVA and even UVB supplemental lights, and some about NIR. Several posts report that adding UV increased the amount of resin, trichomes, and/or terpenes. Those results confirm that the underlying science works.
What’s “frost?” I don’t know this term.
Black Dog is an example of the new type of LED light I’m asking about. They’re unique in that they don’t provide a way to switch the UVA and NIR LEDs off. Their website makes a case for keeping them on throughout a grow.
Have you been able to compare your results against a different light?
As for the AW200: It measures 13" x 26" when the wings are parallel with the central LED board. Like the A100, the central board has a fan at its center that blows down to provide circulation:
I tilt the wings down to reduce the length to 24", for reasons I’ll explain momentarily. Here’s the footprint I measured at a 24" hanging height, using a PhotoBio LGBQM2 PAR meter:
Here’s a graph showing PPFD at the hotspot at different light settings:
Here’s my reason for wanting a 24" length for my 2’ x 4’ tent:
Footprint and PPFD graph for all 3:
I was lucky enough to buy them during the recent Amazon Prime days.
I decided to be a pioneer and try this type of lighting. I’ve nothing to compare against, though, so I won’t know what results I’d get with alternatives.
