Can I go seed to harvest with QB96's?

Discussion in 'Lighting' started by ms_sucks, Oct 30, 2019.

  1. Would love to hear from @Soil2Coco or @Tbone Shuffle on this if you have time.

    Planned
    :
    Tent: 4x4
    Lights: 6 * QB96s
    Drivers: not sure. 3-6 probably parallel. I only need 160w/ea @ 26" (using @Or_grow's map)
    Method: RDWC
    Plants: 2-4 photos

    These lights should be awesome for most of veg and all of flower I think. I know that I can and will have to turn them down. Can I germ a seed (either in a paper towel then into a rapid rooter or straight from a rapid rooter) under these lights, then just gradually increase their intensity over the course of the grow?

    Or do I need a completely separate seedling/early veg light? If so, will you recommend something inexpensive just for this purpose please?

    Thanks!
     
  2. Incorporate a dimer switch and use a light meter .
    you don't want those lights at full throttle on young plants nor seedlings.
     
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  3. Any light can do all stages of grow. Some do a better veg (6500K blue-cool white) some do a better flower (3000k reds warm white)
    But in the end either spectrum will do the entire job.

    BNW
     
  4. Qb96 is a great veg spectrum. There’s a good blue spike.


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  5. Great.

    Would you add anything to this supplementally? Seems like there's an additional red or two that might add to the spectrum (during flower).
     
  6. If you feel you must, go for it. I only flower with mine and I don’t supplement


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  7. I trust your advice completely. I'll stick with just the 96s then which will save $$$. Thanks so much.

    How would you divide this up driver-wise? What driver combo makes the most sense for this scenario. Do I need (6) 240h 54's? Or would 185h-54's work just as well providing enough power to still require diming?
     
  8. 3- Meanwell HLG-320H-54a
    Wire each 2 in parallel and build an aluminum angle frame


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  9. The K rating of the qb96v2 is 3500k if you average it out. That's a great veg spectrum like others have said. If you look at it there's a significantly taller blue spike on the qb96 readout compared to the rspec.

    If you use a constant voltage driver like the 320h-54a for each three you can use a combination of the current and then the voltage dimmer to get them to really low wattage. Under 20 watts each for seedlings.

    That driver will also give you a massive amount of potential power for flower if you want to max it. It would be about 720 watts wall draw.
     
  10. I see what soil2coco is saying about using 3 of the 320h drivers but that's just too much power for a 4x4 for flower. I use one. They only need about 650 max. That's pushing it. 3 of the HLG-320h drivers can do almost 1000 watts maxed. Enough for a 5x5.

    The 320h-54a driver is capable of running 3 qb96's in parallel with a max power of about 120 watts each. Remember Or_Gro's charts are with only 4 qb96's in a 4x4. If you run 6 you can run a closer light distance to hit your target numbers and you'll have a more even spread.
     
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  11. I would run 3 qb96's in parallel on an HLG-320h-54a. 120 watts each approx. I realize you're shooting for 160 but realize that was when running 4 in a 4x4 at 18". You'll be able to run 12-14" with only 120 watts and with 6 boards it will fill in the holes in the coverage compared to 4 boards without pushing them too hard.
     
  12. This is exactly what I do in my 4x4. I run 6 boards. Two 288 v2's in 3500k on an HLG-320h-c2800a in series. Two qb96 v2's on an HLG-320h-54a in parallel and two qb304 v1 boards in 3500k in series on an HLG-240h-c1050a. Also a qb18 red strip on an HLG-30h-24a I think.

    I have to run everything way dimmed. That's too much power but running dimmed gets you in a higher efficiency range of the leds. More boards then you need lets you run a closer light distance without burning or sacrificing coverage. The more efficient output also gets you better penetration in the canopy.

    The price of fixtures makes people lean towards running a minimal amount of boards for the space but pushing it a little with more boards is better. Just costs more to get started.
     
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  13. This is the PPFD map for 6 qb96s in a 4x4 that Or_Grow did. It shows 6 * 26" running 160w each. The coverage is nearly perfect. I do think there was an issue with the light in the lower left corner though in that 160w map.

    [​IMG]
     
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  14. You see he's still hitting 800-1000 at 18" at 120 watts. 900ppfd is the peak efficiency spot for growing with led. You get the highest g/watt at that level. Dropping to 800ppfd in the corner is unheard of even. Most fixtures drop way more then only 200umols in the corner.
     
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  15. What watts should I hit using 2 QB96s on a 320 driver for seedlings?? Would splitting 125w be too much?
     

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