Why do growers buy Mars Hydro?

[rexxwood]

If you bought a Mars Hydro (MH) light from Amazon but sold by MH and have warranty problems, and tried to call, Then you know!
You are ShtOutOfLuck So you email and were told "Alice" will be handling your case. Well roll up your pant legs because the bs is going to get deep.
This is my experience with MH. Some of my My Amazon review included which they removed.
I paid $600.00 for a FC-E8000 Aug 2022. Relied on reviews to decide. I am new to indoor grows and auto seeds. My 1st grow Critical + 2.0 Auto (2 plants 4.54 oz) 2nd grow Orange Sherbert Auto (2 plants 8.00 oz) 3rd grow Banana Kush Auto ( 3 Plants 7.50 oz) 4th grow Orange Sherbert Auto (4 plants, .1lb 4.5 oz). As you can see I got progressively better. Grows 1&2 2 plants died rookie mistakes. The 3 rd. grow the plant in the top right died. I have had four grows of autos in my 5x5 AC Infinity tent. In every grow the plant in the top right area of the tent burns or dies, while the other 3 quarters are under the Ideal lighting level.
I contacted MH by email they do not have a working listed phone number. They redirected me to their Amazon customer service team, which I am 99% sure is in CHINA. 1 email per day and I mean 1 a day One day me next day her. I explained the issues I am having. And after being told how to adjust the light (turn it down and stop when the plant does not burn any more) I explained that would cause the other areas to be under lit. I was told to preform a light test and given instructions which I followed to the T. I sent many pictures of the light being centered, Plumb, and 16" from the floor in the tent. I even hung plumb bobs from the corners. It took a while to grid off the tent 100 areas to take readings from, Twice, once with the doors and vents and windows open and then closed. I sent the results and pictures, She (Alice) said I did not have the light centered (its a 4 ft. light in a 5 ft. tent not hard to center) I resent the photos showing it was centered plumb and level. Then she said the tent was not closed. Again I resent the photos. She then wanted a picture of the light turn on and facing the camera. I sent it to her between these events she was trying to put the blame on me some how. I asked for my case to be escalated to her supervisor 4 times even when I sent an email, just asking to speak to a supervisor, She gave no reply.
Each grid on the Right side of the tent is hotter the the corresponding grid on the Left side except 2. Some are 10, 20 lower some are 100, 200, lower . Adding up the results the par levels are.....Top Right is +1003 par brighter=hotter vs Bottom Right, Top Right is +1922 par brighter=hotter vs Bottom Left, Top Right is +1544 par brighter=hotter vs Top Left, for a total of +4469 divided by 3 = 1489.66 par brighter=hotter over all.
I think this is good proof along with every grow having burning issues in the top right area. This has been going on now for well over a month. They have ghosted me no response to my emails in the last week as of 7-19-23. My next coarse of action was amazon customer protection. If I knew then, what I know now, I WOULD NOT be using a MARS HYDRO light they do not HONOR their warranty. Alice was beyond irritating, asking the same questions two and three times.
They have a few growers that they sponsor who will lick the dirt off their feet and say anything to get free stuff and a couple bucks on each sale linked to their FB, YT, TWIT, or what ever account. Look else where for your lighting needs.

Response from the owner,

"We provide a 5-year warranty, if the LED has any quality problems, we can provide after-sales service, please contact [email protected]. We'll take care of it within 24 hours."

My response to their response

I jumped through every hoop your fictitious customer service person " Alice " put in front of me.
I spent hours upon hours performing tests providing pictures of the results. Receiving 1 email per-day only to told there was no problem with the light. Then your warranty department "Alice" ghosted me after 2 months of answering questions some as many 3 times and remember this is ONE email per day. You tried to ware me down but failed! Amazon made it right. After almost a year!
So you say you have a warranty. BUT YOU DON'T HONOR IT. Mars Hydro is a very bad Chinese rip-off company who pays American growers with free merch to give good reviews for bad products. Greed and Deceit.
Before you buy a MH grow light. Look at any forum reviews without sponsors, Stay away from U Tube you will be amazed at how different the reviews are.
Avoid going through what I did, $600.00 is a lot to give to a Chinese rip off co. just look at their claim below on the spread of the FC-E8000 A perfect light on paper But its a lie now look, at AC Infinity's claim A honest company who actually tested the light. Better diodes (Samsung LM301H) with true test results that are not as good Can you spot the lying China company?.

 

[Newty]

You have to be careful with a lot of companies like Mars Hydro, Vivosun is another one.
My situation not as bad as yours but I purchased 2 Vivosun VS4000 lights from Wayfair.
The VS4000 was advertised on Wayfair and Vivosun website with LM301H Diodes, 2.9 efficiency, 40,50,60,80,100 dimming.
The 2 VS4000 I received was LM301D diodes and 2.7 efficiency and a 25,50,75,100 dimming range. This information was right in the instruction manual.
I contacted Vivosun and they told me they use to have the LM301H diodes and different dimming range but they changed the light a few years ago and never updated the advertisement and that they would update it asap. To this day the advertisements have not been updated.
Vivosun seen no problem with this and offered no resolution, Wayfair came through for me and gave me a huge refund, after refunds I only paid $200 total for 2 VS4000, that's $100 per light.

The advertisements are wrong for all the VS series lights, not just the VS4000.

 

[rexxwood]

You have to be careful with a lot of companies like Mars Hydro, Vivosun is another one.
My situation not as bad as yours but I purchased 2 Vivosun VS4000 lights from Wayfair.
The VS4000 was advertised on Wayfair and Vivosun website with LM301H Diodes, 2.9 efficiency, 40,50,60,80,100 dimming.
The 2 VS4000 I received was LM301D diodes and 2.7 efficiency and a 25,50,75,100 dimming range. This information was right in the instruction manual.
I contacted Vivosun and they told me they use to have the LM301H diodes and different dimming range but they changed the light a few years ago and never updated the advertisement and that they would update it asap. To this day the advertisements have not been updated.
Vivosun seen no problem with this and offered no resolution, Wayfair came through for me and gave me a huge refund, after refunds I only paid $200 total for 2 VS4000, that's $100 per light.

The advertisements are wrong for all the VS series lights, not just the VS4000.

I'm glad it worked out for you I have never shopped at Wayfair.
I'm 65 and there was a time when this was Illegal it was called false advertising. in your case it sounds like "bait and switch" I complained to the BBB MH did not answer the BBBs request to mediate, so dead end. I even sent complaints to the consumer affairs fraud alert, I heard nothing back. I don't under stand why they let these companies get away with this. And the people who are sponsored and give BS reviews are selling out their brother Americans. And not only are they going to hell but they are running to get there.

 

[Mikedin]

Mines from Amazon… 2 years old… running right now in fact, I altered the frame from 4x4 to 2x8 it’s a FC-E8000

 

[Stokes]

i have a mars hydro in my 4x4. Buddy runs a grow shop and sold it to me at cost. Its ok. Not up there with HLG or Lumatek, but good enough. I couldnt imagine it being that much brighter to the point it would kill a plant. Ive never had a plant die in my tent, never seen one die due to light stress in flower on other peoples grows either. Im not even sure theyre capable of burning a plant in flower unless the light is right on top of them. Not saying youre wrong or lying, but you might want to get a geiger counter, because it sounds like it may be radioactive.

Mars has had some issues with quality and customer support, so i wouldnt be surprised.

Might want to check and see if you have a dead zone in your tent, check and make sure you have good airflow

 

[Stokes]

Mines from Amazon… 2 years old… running right now in fact, I altered the frame from 4x4 to 2x8 it’s a FC-E8000

Looking good in there dude

 

[Mikedin]

i have a mars hydro in my 4x4. Buddy runs a grow shop and sold it to me at cost. Its ok. Not up there with HLG or Lumatek, but good enough. I couldnt imagine it being that much brighter to the point it would kill a plant. Ive never had a plant die in my tent, never seen one die due to light stress in flower on other peoples grows either. Im not even sure theyre capable of burning a plant in flower unless the light is right on top of them. Not saying youre wrong or lying, but you might want to get a geiger counter, because it sounds like it may be radioactive.

Mars has had some issues with quality and customer support, so i wouldnt be surprised.

Might want to check and see if you have a dead zone in your tent, check and make sure you have good airflow

Are you trying to utilize UVC by any chance?

Or have pics of the damage?

 

[Stokes]

Are you trying to utilize UVC by any chance?

Or have pics of the damage?

Sorry, ive never had significant light damage on my plants. Did you misquote?

 

[Mikedin]

Sorry, ive never had significant light damage on my plants. Did you misquote?

Yes I did I apologize! Ment to quote the OP @rexxwood about his setup

I’m assuming it’s just the light itself with no supplemental but I also run their UV / IR bars made for that exact light (the original set not the updated 2024 version) on that exact light, when I run those 100% of the time I did see some bleaching, even only being UVA, plus the IR, I run them now at 5 minute intervals 10 minutes after lights on, at plant time “noon” then 30 minutes before lights off

Also @rexxwood what was your fan directions and distance from the plants, bad wind burn could also be mistaken for light burn, and corners is where I usually see it, the variance in the light on the edges is to be expected in a 5x5, but as long as it’s not a 300 PPFD difference over optimal over the rest of the coverage I couldn’t see it doing any damage I never push mine past about 700w really, no need to even spread out in my 4x8, this current grow I haven’t gone past 550w so far

Not discounting anything or defending them @rexxwood I’ve seen issues in other forums about them before with them, but other ones praise them, I noticed it’s usually a trend, the lights that don’t sponsor that forum get bashed I stay away from peoples opinions and look at the grows, i paid outright for mine as well, just thinking what issues could be corresponding or compounding any issue you’re having

Hard to get honest reviews of lights anymore it’s all sponsorships, imo watch your favorite grower, either on forums or YouTube, and if you like what you’re seeing try to closely replicate that, watch people that focus on the plants and then just scope out the gear they use or hit them up in a PM

 

[Choppr]

Hot Spotting on a Bar Style Fixture? This was Common on older Board Style Fixtures. Fixtures/Ballasts are adjustable.

Power too high, fixture too close, plants untrained and growing into the fixture, not enough headroom in grow space, fans are too close/too powerful, low RH in the grow space, plants are under watered.

4 of My MH fixtures are 2 years past their 5 yr warranty and still rock, I have 7 of their fixtures, never seen one fail. All are the cheaper Bridgelux Diodes Versions.

You have a good light, You say your Growing Autos, they dont need a tent, mount it to the ceiling raise it all the way up and Crank It Up!

Im not throwing shade, but it seems like your stuck with lemons time to lemonade.

 

[RoosterMan]

Just bought a Mars Hydro 39x39 setup, complete with the supplemental lighting. Tent and ventilation fan seem nice enough. Supplemental lighting is very nice. The FC-3000 Evo is arriving today. I have two other, smaller tents, both of which have Mars Hydro lights. Haven't had a problem yet.

 

[Choppr]

Just bought a Mars Hydro 39x39 setup, complete with the supplemental lighting. Tent and ventilation fan seem nice enough. Supplemental lighting is very nice. The FC-3000 Evo is arriving today. I have two other, smaller tents, both of which have Mars Hydro lights. Haven't had a problem yet.

I have 2 of the FC-E3000's too, also a very good inexpensive fixture -

 

[Stokes]

I have 2 of the FC-E3000's too, also a very good inexpensive fixture -

What have you got going in there? Didnt you do some coco puffs a while back?

 

[Choppr]

Yep your lookin at'em @Stokes...(left and far right) I messaged you at harvest but you were MIA... and THC Farmer keeps wiping Pictures off my Profile? (wtf?) Ill direct message you, Ill dig for some Harvest Shots... they turned out great, no hints of Chocolate, straight up Lemon Thai. Did You run the Chocolate? or was it Darwohs?

 

[Stokes]

Yep your lookin at'em @Stokes...(left and far right) I messaged you at harvest but you were MIA... and THC Farmer keeps wiping Pictures off my Profile? (wtf?) Ill direct message you, Ill dig for some Harvest Shots... they turned out great, no hints of Chocolate, straight up Lemon Thai. Did You run the Chocolate? or was it Darwohs?

I started a couple of the hazemans chocolate thai of drawohs line but culled them because it was still too cool in my basement. I still have plenty. How long did it take to finish? Im considering putting some outside even tho on paper they dont have time to finish


Hey, you seem like a man of culture. You ever run anything by Fleur Du Mal? Ive never heard of them, but goddamn this bubblegum looks tempting. Sorry to hijack thread

 

[rexxwood]

i have a mars hydro in my 4x4. Buddy runs a grow shop and sold it to me at cost. Its ok. Not up there with HLG or Lumatek, but good enough. I couldnt imagine it being that much brighter to the point it would kill a plant. Ive never had a plant die in my tent, never seen one die due to light stress in flower on other peoples grows either. Im not even sure theyre capable of burning a plant in flower unless the light is right on top of them. Not saying youre wrong or lying, but you might want to get a geiger counter, because it sounds like it may be radioactive.

Mars has had some issues with quality and customer support, so i wouldnt be surprised.

Might want to check and see if you have a dead zone in your tent, check and make sure you have good airflow

"Might want to check and see if you have a dead zone in your tent, check and make sure you have good airflow"

You obviously did not look at my test results. I have the opposite of a dead zone unless you mean dead zone in the literal sense. Try putting your plants under 1500 umols /per sq meter without CO2 and see if that doesn't turn your AUTOS crispy and kill them Yeah reading your reply you say you haven't had nor heard of plants die because of light? This makes me wonder I have see the California Sun destroy plants I even seen it kill trees.

 

[Stokes]

"Might want to check and see if you have a dead zone in your tent, check and make sure you have good airflow"

You obviously did not look at my test results. I have the opposite of a dead zone unless you mean dead zone in the literal sense. Try putting your plants under 1500 umols /per sq meter without CO2 and see if that doesn't turn your AUTOS crispy and kill them Yeah reading your reply you say you haven't had nor heard of plants die because of light? This makes me wonder I have see the California Sun destroy plants I even seen it kill trees.

Yea i dont know man if my environment isnt in check i usually wont spend 8-12 weeks under a known problem and hope for the best. Enjoy your harvest -1 bro

Also glanced at your results and its very colorful

 

[HerbalEdu]

"Might want to check and see if you have a dead zone in your tent, check and make sure you have good airflow"

You obviously did not look at my test results. I have the opposite of a dead zone unless you mean dead zone in the literal sense.

in larger tent with lot of plant it could happen the environnemental condition are not that homogeneous inside the tent locally, you may have a hot spot for exemple

wich would explain why your plant always suffer in that corner ....

 

[Mikedin]

I have 2 of the FC-E3000's too, also a very good inexpensive fixture -

What size tent is that? 3x6?

 

[rexxwood]

Yes I did I apologize! Ment to quote the OP @rexxwood about his setup

I’m assuming it’s just the light itself with no supplemental but I also run their UV / IR bars made for that exact light (the original set not the updated 2024 version) on that exact light, when I run those 100% of the time I did see some bleaching, even only being UVA, plus the IR, I run them now at 5 minute intervals 10 minutes after lights on, at plant time “noon” then 30 minutes before lights off

Also @rexxwood what was your fan directions and distance from the plants, bad wind burn could also be mistaken for light burn, and corners is where I usually see it, the variance in the light on the edges is to be expected in a 5x5, but as long as it’s not a 300 PPFD difference over optimal over the rest of the coverage I couldn’t see it doing any damage I never push mine past about 700w really, no need to even spread out in my 4x8, this current grow I haven’t gone past 550w so far

Not discounting anything or defending them @rexxwood I’ve seen issues in other forums about them before with them, but other ones praise them, I noticed it’s usually a trend, the lights that don’t sponsor that forum get bashed I stay away from peoples opinions and look at the grows, i paid outright for mine as well, just thinking what issues could be corresponding or compounding any issue you’re having

Hard to get honest reviews of lights anymore it’s all sponsorships, imo watch your favorite grower, either on forums or YouTube, and if you like what you’re seeing try to closely replicate that, watch people that focus on the plants and then just scope out the gear they use or hit them up in a PM

Its not wind burn its a defective light and please don't say CalMag. 1 large box fan above the light blowing down, 1 360 tower in the center and a AC vent blowing to the fan above the light through 4" duct, the controller was mounted outside of the tent with PC fans (2) blowing away from tent go back and look at the test results image 1 i think FYI I not looking for pointers I am pointing out if you need customer service from Mars Good Luck, and if you bought your light from amazon your sht out of luck and enjoy your time with Alice there is no alice. Im sorry but your fav grower on youtube is biased either they have or are looking to get a sponsor. not all but the majority