Quantum lights vs COB lighting??

Discussion in 'Growing Marijuana Indoors' started by Arcadian, Nov 5, 2017.

  1. I decided to take a look at the new citizen products and the stats since it's been a while. I didn't see any models above 150Lm/w. The qb304 board is 177lm/watt at full power and over 200 dimmed.

    I don't know why more of the cob builders haven't switched. I guess you get used to working with a certain product but the quantum boards are higher output then anything I can find by like 10-25% or better. No idea why I would pay more to run cobs that aren't as efficient?
     
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  2. I fully agree and it should probably be stated that when you move to these higher end cobs or quantum boards you should reduce your amount of watts per square foot to 25-35 max. Anything above that is really going to be a waste IMO. I ran 47 watts per square for a couple of years with platinum but there's no way I could even keep my bloom side cool with that much quantum light if I did. With two qb260's slightly dimmed I'm about 32 watts per square now.
     
  3. Im new to quantum boards. What exactly is the benefit of buying a 100 dollar 100w quantum board over say a 75 dollar 600 watt led light? Assuming that both have warranties for 3 years, what is the point of spending more money on lower wattage? ( I know LED lights are underpowered and why but they still use more watts than the QB's).

    Penetration? Spectrum? I can supplement missing spectrum easily enough. Penetration I can manage (giggidy) by lowering the light and tying back branches. I don't see a reason to spend so much money. If I were to do that, I could just go back to special hid's or 1500 watt LED pannels. (300 watt true draw of course). Also, why are they better than cobs? How?

    Thanks in advance as I have no idea about QB's yet.
     
  4. The leds in the panel you're using of unknown manufacturer and origin are probably half the output of the quantums if you are lucky. These aren't just good diodes. Their stats are 25-50% above top end cobs depending on what watt level you are talking about. They absolutely stomp epistar and other knock off brand diodes in efficiency of output.

    Nothing personal but you don't know penetration or spread until you have seen one of these boards run. You just think your lights are good. Wait until one of these boards blinds you when you think you can look straight at it.

    The spectrum is better as well. My plants have been much happier then under my burple lights and so will you be. Who wants to work in burple? It gives people headaches.

    Any quantum fixture you build or buy is going to be running a top brand driver for power. Do you even know what is in your led panel. Do you assume it is a reputable brand nice driver? If it's a bargain light I can guarantee you it's not. Is it going to be running in a year or two? Maybe. Show me a single top end meanwell driver that burned out on someone? Show me a quantum board that failed? There's a youtube torture test video where a guy tries to burn up a qb288. He puts over 600 watts through a 135 watt board and it ends up burning up his equipment instead of the board. If you DIY with qb120's you can hardly beat the price even with cheap panels. It's .80 cents a watt or cheaper if you're building over a 2 board fixture.
     
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  5. Quantums are the first led I know of personally that are capable of replacing HPS light with half the power and not sacrificing any production. In fact it increases it most likely.

    If that is no big deal to you then don't get any. I'm sure someone else will order the boards you don't want.. hehe. =)
     
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  6. So even though a cheap LED may have more power (even after being underpowered), you're saying that I can't get the same kind of coverage of a QB even with tying down branches and LSTing?

    Also, I'm here actually trying to learn information, not trying to undermine what you guys know or anything. Just throwing that out there before someone starts thinking it.

    I replaced my HID with 600 watts of underpowered LED a lonnnnng time ago and have never had anything but great results. Please dont be upset of my skepticism. I'm always looking for the best stuff for the money.

    I usually have the companies I order from customize my light order with specific wavelengths so my spectrums have never been an issue. I've always LST'd like crazy and tied brances back to get penetration.

    BTW where did you guys find cheap panels? I have no such luck.
     
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  7. Hopefully I'm not being offensive but I like to poke fun in my posts. The output of the quantums is something to behold. A 60 watt qb120 can put out as much light as near 200 watts of cfl's. I've seen the par measurements.

    The coverage area over a mars 300 for example is about the same as the qb120 and it's twice as much power. I feel like both lights have the same potential but one will be 10x as reliable, cost half as much to run, and generate less heat with no fans.

    The mars300 is like $60. I can build a qb120 fixture for the same price.
     
  8. I have like $1000 worth of these lights. I've also owned quite a few led panels including a $1000 platinum p900 so I'm not speaking from no experience. I've only grown personally with leds although I've been around other hps grows for a long time.
    IMG_0773.JPG
     
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  9. update: flowering at 30 watts per sq ft from wall at 20" and that seems to be where the plants are saying they are happy. At 39-40 watts I see a little light stress on the leaves. I noticed that with the cobs, I can really push the nutes(going organic soon take it fwiw) . I foliar feed more than ever. Maybe b/c these lights drive the plant more than the blurple LED--don't really know.
     
  10. got check in on the mother ship thread
     
  11. I've been having problems with my latest veg crop and it's been consuming like twice as much nutrients as normal. It's my first veg crop with the quantums and I'm getting cal deficiency in a few plants with really high dosages of calcium. They are sucking the ppm's down.
     
  12. bro be careful THAT is exactly what I am figuring out now after a couple go's. I am soil and they eat nutes like crazy. Most of my problem was too many watts. Cooled things WAY down. You aren't going to believe this but I went 30 inches at 15 watts a sq. for veg... They thanked me. I then hit em with Epsom salt foliar and followed by two kelp foliar apps and things turned around --all was fine. as well as double the conc of ferts in rez now at bloom. If you doubt me, I will not blame you. Its insane, I know.
     
  13. Me too. I'm running 24-36 inches. I had to put all those lights in there for heat but the plants can't take em unless they're way high up. 800 watts of quantums in a 4x8. 2.6umol/watt.
     
  14. I had to double my usual cal/mag dose and I have plants with calcium def.
     
  15. what wattage per sq are most of the guys using these lights running. umoles/watt too? obviously guys out there are killin it with these boards/lights
     
  16. dude that should have fixed it. so whats next?
     
  17. They're bouncing back slowly. I just topped them of tonight with about 1 1/2 gallons with floranova bloom, florablend, An budcandy, calimagic, and hydroguard with a pretty heavy mix between 4 plants since most were down to 250-300ppm range after a water change a few days ago.
     
  18. Whats up Quantum Board Brothers! :)

    I am looking to build a Quantum board setup for my 8x4 tent.
    Was thinking of 5 rows of 4 of these:

    ZEUS 308 XT High-Performance KIT 3500k -

    And running them at 50watts each for a total of 1000W.

    And i was thinking of running 8 boards per 480h Meanwell driver and the last 4 with a 240H driver.

    Was thinking when it is time if any of you guys who knows how to wire these could help me.
    also what is your thoughts on this setup compare to a Passiv Heatsink- Luminus CXM22 3500K 90Cri Cob setup with 50 Cobs on aluminum frames.
    Each cob dimmed to around 27 Watts for a total of 1080watts.
    10 rows of 5 cobs.

    Which setup do you guys think is superior?!

    Much love from overseas
     
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  19. They look good but never heard of that company. If you're in the UK or Europe I would talk to invisible sun. They make samsung led based boards in the UK. One of the partners is a GC member. Collections
     
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  20. a year later, what do you think is the best board?
    thanks again for your input, swapped to 135w QB's a month ago and i am liking them so far!!
     
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