Viparspectra LED Grow Light - KS3000 | True Watt 300W | KS Series

The ViparSpectra KS3000 is a great new 300-watt LED Bar light for 3’ x 3’ coverage. It is part of the new KS series of LED Bar fixtures from ViparSpectra. The KS series features top-end components with Samsung LM301h and Osram 660nm diodes. They are designed for uniform coverage with larger frames and algorithmically distributed diodes.

The ViparSpectra KS series feature state-of-the-art Samsung LM301h diodes. They also incorporate the leading Osram 660nm diodes to create an ideal spectrum for vegetative and flowering growth. The KS3000 has 4 LED bars. Each bar has 210 diodes. In total, there are 840 diodes or 2.8 diodes per watt. There are 816 Samsung LM301h diodes. 528 of them have a colour temperature of 3000k. The remaining 288 have a colour temperature of 5000k. There are also 24 of the Osram 660nm diodes.

The diodes on the KS3000 are driven by Lifud drivers with dimming knobs. ViparSpectra and the published stats describe the Lifud drivers as high-efficiency and high-quality. The Lifud driver performed well in my test, but this is my first experience with the brand.

The KS series is designed for uniform coverage. The frames are large, the gap between the bars is larger in the middle, and the diodes are algorithmically distributed toward the ends of each bar. These features combine to eliminate the hotspot and create a uniform distribution of PPFD across the canopy.

The ViparSpectra KS3000 can be run quite close to the canopy. In a 3’ x 3’ area, I got the maximum PPFD up to 1000 µmol/m2 at a hanging height of only 21.5cm (8.5in). The low hanging height is very efficient because it ensures that virtually all of the light produced by the fixture reaches the canopy. However, many fixtures that run this close leave the edges and corners underlit. That is not the case with the KS3000. Indeed, the highest PPFD values in the map are along the top and bottom edge. The lowest PPFD was excellent at 661 µmol/m2, and it wasn’t even in the corner.