I do like that Mars cree COB but for the price wouldn't I be better off with a QB setup? I also just read your thread about the QB120s, should I get a couple of those instead? Here's what I'm planning on getting now, what do you think? 135W QB LED Kit, maybe a 260W Kit or QB120s? Gorilla Grow Tent Shorty 2' x 4' General Hydroponics Waterfarm GH4120 NewAir 320 CFM 3-Speed Portable Evaporative Cooler and Tower Fan x2 VIVOSUN 6" inch Inline Duct Ventilation Plastic Fan w/ Speed Controller - 390 CFM ~35dB VenTech 6" Carbon Filter Phresh Intake Filter Canna Boost, Cannazym, Rhizotonic Hydroponic Nutrient Bundle 1L Some coco coir and perlite Am I missing anything or have anything I don't need? I am so ready to order this stuff and get started. Total is about $1200 but seems more complete and higher quality than any "kits" I've seen
So mars has the better all around footprint and that $100 mars cob is better than a 400 watt hps.. ?? Sent from my SM-S727VL using Tapatalk
The link states that the Mars CREE COB is equivalent to a 150W HPS, not a 400W.. It is a 100w lamp marked at $232, not $100
Consider Mars' reputation, I would bet they are NOT using Top Shelf Diodes from Cree etc.. I got burned once with Mars and no 2nd chances given here..Too much other good stuff to choose from..
That mars cob light is a side project they did. It has a cree 3590 cob along with reds and blues from osram. It's powered by a meanwell driver and has a heavy passive heatsink. It's actually a top quality led grow fixture surprisingly enough. There's a grow journal by M9prime or something like that. It may not outgrow a 400 watt HPS but it won't be far behind one. The par charts from each light fixture are very similar. It makes it look unimpressive since they built it off of a single cob as the main part but it's a decent led grow light for sure. No way it's only equivalent to a 150 watt hps. I don't know why they said that. Mars isn't the most scientific with their English language publications. They got a bunch of flack with their first few gens of lights for overblowing the estimates of what their lights can replace. They re-rated everything and pulled it way back. Look at the pro series. They have fixtures that are running over 720 watts rated for a 4x4. They're rated to replace about the same wattage of hps.
qb120's haven't been available for months. The newest design is the qb132. The 120's were 24 volts 60 watts. The 132's are 36 volts 75 watts and about the same price. They have 12 more diodes per board. A 4 pack of qb132's is about equal in output to a qb260. It would only take a single 4 pack to fill your 2x4. I can almost assure you that you don't want a 2x4 and you don't want a short tent. 5ft of headroom is difficult to grow in. You plants can only get a max of about 18" tall before you run out of headroom. Get at least a 6ft tall tent. I run an 80" tall tent and I run out of headroom. 3x3 is a smaller size that does typically come in at least 6ft tall. Get taller if you can. If you plan on a single room start to finish the 3500k spectrum would probably be a good choice. Wire 4 boards in parallel with one of the meanwell LRS-350-36's. If you want dimmer function and the capacity to run the boards at full output you'll want the 320h-36a. There's other lower power choices for drivers if you don't want to be able to run the boards up to their full 300 watt capacity. arrow.com is the best place I've found for drivers.
Here's an interesting light I have been following, but have no experience with..For $100, it shows a 200w actual pull with a decent footprint..If it is a good light..the price is a killer..! Mar's reputation needs a few yrs of positive work, until I would purchase ANYTHING from them (Been looking at their tents too..BUT!!) www.amazon.com/LED-Grow-Light-Hipargero-Lighting/dp/B075XSFB5X
I just found a 2x4xSIX tent..I needed something this size, but didn't want a 5 footer (even for a breeding tent). I pulled the trigger on this today..we will see. www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00WM9KASY/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Which do you like better, the 120s or the 136s? I read that you really liked the layout/spread of the 120s, what do you think about the 136s? I realize the shorty is a little restrictive on the height side but I am going to be putting this in an attic.. I have about 3'x2.3'x7' space to use, but if I go shorter I have more options for placement upstairs. Even with scrogging you think that's too short? It does have a 9 inch extension, bringing it up to 5'8" as well. If you still think that's too short I will move up to the 6'11" with a 12" extension kit. I want to do a 2x2 scrog and use the rest of the space for the swamp cooler/tower fan, and maybe a small seedling/veg area, that's kind of why I wanted the 2x4.. Is that a waste of space? I don't feel like I'd be able to utilize the 3x3 as well. Sent from my HTC U11 using Grasscity Forum mobile app
I have no need for any more lights at the moment! 1x Nextlight Mini 1xUnit farm UFO80 2x meizhi 450s veg 1x Meizhi 300 veg 1 lightmetunnel 300 dimmable (Galaxyhydro) (soon to be converted to a COB) 1x QB288 3000k 4x QB132s 2700k Whew..I think I got them all..LMAO
My rave reviews of the 120 were before the 132 came out. The 120 is easier to source drivers for and run it near max output. The 240h-c2100a is a perfect match for 4 boards in series. That and it's only 60 watts so runs very cool if that's what you're after. If there's one downfall of the 120 it was that maybe for flower you could have slightly more intensity per square foot. That's pretty much where the 132 came in. It makes DIY with the boards a little more concentrated on intensity which should result in better buds. If I was planning on flowering with the fixture then I would get 132's over 120's any day. If I was going to veg and both were available then I may possibly buy the 120 because of the better driver selection and cooler operating temp. Since the 120's aren't available in individual boards there's not really a choice. I wouldn't wait until the 120 comes back. The 132 is capable of anything the 120 can do. I like headroom. I also don't use a scrog net but personally I would make the grow space as tall as I could. It's nice to have room just for distance when the plants are young. 2x2 is a single plant garden. You could do that with a single qb132 or two of them. If you want to confuse the options more there the photon sunboard 240 that is 100 watts and doesn't need a heatsink. Same leds as HLG's stuff. Sun Board 240
I've seen those boards and I do like the designs, the SunBoard is your recommendation? How hard are those to wire? I'm not completely illiterate when it comes to electronics but I'm more familiar with computer components, not household electrical work. And would would recommend the 3500K or the alternating version? EDIT: They are actually out of stock of the 3500K. Are the QB132s capable of running without heatsinks like the 120s?
Yes, no heatsink necessary on the qb132's or the sunboard 240. I don't own a sunboard but they're about 25 or more watt capacity then the 132's and also don't need a heatsink. For your size space I might try starting out with a 4 pack of 132's and maybe one of the smaller wattage drivers that's used for them like the meanwell 240h-c1750a. That won't run them at max capacity but close to it. It's 93% top quality driver with a built in current dimmer. https://www.arrow.com/en/products/hlg-240h-c1750a/mean-well-enterprises All you have to do is put a power cord on the driver input and wire the boards in series. Run the positive wire on the output of the driver to the first board in the series positive terminal. Negative output of the driver goes to negative terminal on 4th board in series then you run negative on first board to positive on 2nd board. Negative on second board to positive on 3rd board. Negative on 3rd board to positive on 4th board. You're done. They're pretty easy to hang in a tent with crossmembers on the ceiling. Just hang each board with trout leaders to a ratcheting hanger. Check out chillydan's setup in the qb120 thread.
Any idea where to find the QB132s right now? HLG is out of stock and that seems to be a common occurance for them. GrowersLights doesn't seem to carry the QB132s, and Fantom is out of the SunBoard in 3500K. Should I just get the SunBoards in the 2700K/4000K alternating? How many of the SunBoards would you recommend? And what do you think of the FusionBoard which uses 2700, 3500 and 4000k with reds?
Amazon carries them now.www.amazon.com/4x-QB132-Quantum-Boards-3500K/dp/B078P4K8J9/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1518411298&sr=8-2&keywords=Horticulture+Lighting+Group
Crap, they seem to be the only ones with them right now too, was really trying to avoid Amazon since they don't take PayPal but if I have to get those I will. What do you guys think of the Fantom FusionBoards or 2700K/4000K SunBoards, would two of those suffice in place of the QBs?
I know, I'm really interested in the Fantom boards, especially for the price. I'm thinking two of them, but I'm not sure whether to mix and match or get two of the same lights... Can you think of any benefits that one light has over the others, or the strong points for each type of light? Shop I know I read somewhere about the difference between the MeanWell drivers that have the A and the B at the end of the names, can someone refresh my memory as to what that difference is? I found a 2100ma but can't remember which one is easily dimmable without an external controller. EDIT:: Would this even be the right driver for the Fantom boards? https://www.arrow.com/en/products/hlg-240h-c2100a/mean-well-enterprises
I am running 4 of the 132s in Parallel..The A means internal dimmer screw and B has 2 dimmer leads for an external dimmer pot..Never tried the Phantoms (they are always out too and the alternating colored leds could keep me away unless they get the Wavy boards back.