Mars Hydro - FC-1500 EVO

The FC-1500 EVO is the smallest bar fixture in the FC EVO range: 150 watts, 427 µmol/s of light output and an efficiency of 2.85 µmol/J, meant for a 60 × 60 cm growing area in flower.

Buying bigger does not buy you efficiency

With most equipment the larger model is the more efficient one. Not in this range. The FC-1500 reaches 2.85 µmol/J, and the 480 watt FC-4800 reaches exactly the same. Even the largest of the family sits barely above it. Check it yourself: divide the light output in µmol/s by the wattage and every model leaves you the same number.

That happens because all of them use the same diodes driven at the same current. There are simply more or fewer of them, spread across more or fewer bars. Move up a size and you are not buying a more economical lamp, you are buying more light.

Why that is worth knowing: it makes the choice much simpler. Work out which tent you have, pick the model that belongs with it, and leave efficiency out of the comparison because it is identical throughout. A larger lamp in a small tent gains you nothing in running cost, only light you then have to dim away. For 60 × 60 cm this is the model, and you use every one of the 150 watts you paid for.

Technical Specifications:

• Model: FC-1500-EVO
• Power: 150 W
• Light output: 427 µmol/s PPF
• Efficiency: 2.85 µmol/J for the complete fixture
• Flowering coverage: 60 × 60 cm
• Current: around 0.7 A at 230 V
• Dimmer: built in
• Linking: up to 30 fixtures in series
• Cooling: passive, wave-shaped heat sink without a fan
• Weight: 5 kg

Frequently asked questions

Is the smallest lamp in the range less efficient?
No. Every model sits at the same efficiency. You choose on light output and tent size, not on running cost.

Which diodes does it use?
Mars Hydro changed the diodes during the life of this range and now fits a different brand from the one used at launch. We therefore name no brand, because we cannot guarantee what is inside the unit you receive. The stated light output and efficiency are unchanged.

Can I hang it in an 80 × 80 cm tent?
You can, but 150 watts is then on the tight side for flowering. For that size the FC-3000 EVO is the better look.

Do I need a controller to dim it?
No, the dimmer is on the lamp itself. A controller adds schedules and remote operation.