MJBizMag February 2021 - 37

to deliver its photon payload as designed. Howard and his team at
The Grove do not just rely on the A3i for their high yields. In their
double-stack rooms they deploy Fohse's lighter, more nimble F1V
for its pound-for-pound power.
Just like the A3i, the F1V fixtures rely on industry-proven Samsung
LEDs for their photon delivery. While almost the same dimensions
as the A3i, at 38 pounds (17.2 kg) per fixture they are almost half
the weight of each A3i (70 lbs./31.75kg each). Like the A3i fixtures,
their power supply rating is +100,000 hours. Depending on the
needs of the grower and the ability of the existing systems, Fohse
offers 420W, 600W, and 800W versions of the F1V. In his own F1V
rooms, Howard has reported similarly positive results as in his A3i
rooms: 60%+ yield increases, increased utility efficiencies, and better
labor efficiency. The team now does not have to " chase canopy " by
raising and lowering the lighting fixtures to achieve late-flower PPFD
intensities like they did with the old LED lights that they were using
in those double-tiered systems.
Fohse lighting products outperform their competition not only
at the Grove, but anywhere they have been put to the test. So why
hasn't every cannabis grower switched over to Fohse? Growers
who have not yet seen the results firsthand still believe that LEDs
cannot keep up with the high lighting demands of cannabis the
way that HPS lighting traditionally has. The narrative had long been
one of incremental change and an acceptance that two pounds of
harvested yields per light fixture was the best one could expect. At
the turn of the century, there was chatter that this didn't have to
be 'good enough'. By 2015 growers both professional and amateur
alike had proven that three pounds per light was achievable based
on advancements up to that point, but no one thought it would ever
get better than that. Until Fohse set out to prove them all wrong,
and then did. They showed that higher light output does not have
to mean higher heat and that Diode technology had come a long
way in just a few short years. Mike Howard gives his take on this
phenomenon:
" Everyone looks at LED lighting as still kind of a novelty; not
something where it needs to be yet for cannabis growers.
Having seen the evolution of LEDs that the Fohse team has
created because of their cannabis mindset, it became obvious
that we could focus on producing healthy plants. A lot of
other grow lighting companies are still looking at making
and selling lights that can grow anything. Cannabis takes
a lot of light and many companies and even growers don't
put enough light into commercial setups. Many cannabis
growers never thought that LED technology was ever going
to make it, but the power that comes out of Fohse fixtures is
insane. Fohse lighting lets the grower focus on plant health
and our yields show that. With Fohse LEDs, overtaking HPS,
you can really push the limits of your grow. "
As Mike Howard said, Fohse fixtures are engineered with a " cannabis
mindset " . HPS Light output has plateaued because the added heat
load is both detrimental to the cannabis crop and uneconomical to
counterbalance. With Fohse fixtures growers can focus more on the
nuances of a high-intensity light environment instead of combatting
heat. Ever since that first time Mike Howard oversaw production in the
initial grow room where Fohse products were installed at the Grove,
he immediately saw the results. He is now vowing to keep replacing
The Grove's less efficient HPS fixtures and outdated LEDs with Fohse
lighting as they continue expanding.
Looking into LED for your cultivation facility? Find out how switching
to Fohse fixtures will increase your cannabis production, learn about
all of Fohse's record-busting lighting at Fohse.com.
http://www.Fohse.com
MJBizMag February 2021

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