I am first time grower, which LED light do you recommend?
- Thread starter Jetgrow
- Start date
You will get many opinions on this, but at least you set a budget so that narrows the answers. My advice is always get the best light you can afford...so it's possible you can get the materials for a DIY QB setup to effectively cover a 3x3' space...but I think it will be close. Best person for DIY I have seen here is @PurpleGunRack so hopefully you'll find the right solution.
Stunned
Well-Known Member
agree with @Blew Hiller
Even if you get the QB kit assembled for you if you don't feel comfortable with diy,
a decent QB light will only come in at a little over your budget
Even if you get the QB kit assembled for you if you don't feel comfortable with diy,
a decent QB light will only come in at a little over your budget
My diy QB was right at $206
$133 for four qb133 bds
$65 for driver
Had everything else, andime $10 for alum for a frame
Best $200 I've spent
$133 for four qb133 bds
$65 for driver
Had everything else, andime $10 for alum for a frame
Best $200 I've spent
What was wattage/coverage area?
(Just found it: "with 4x QB 132 on a HLG-240H-C1750A you are looking at 260 watts and upto 10sqft flowering coverage".)
4 in a 3x3 would work great
I have 6 in my 4x4, works good, but will add two more before my next grow in 2019, on separate frames for a more even canopy
Love the 133s because you can have em 6" away if ya want
I have 6 in my 4x4, works good, but will add two more before my next grow in 2019, on separate frames for a more even canopy
Love the 133s because you can have em 6" away if ya want
I did a hlg-320h-2100b with the separate dimmer
Can run at 100% if needed, and the dimer is nice
Can run at 100% if needed, and the dimer is nice
PurpleGunRack
Well-Known Member
Firstly, for $200 you can't buy an off the shelf LED light that can compete with 400w HID.
So at that budget, I recommend DIY LED or a 400w HPS in cooltube
EDIT: It's a common mistake to start out by setting on an area or tent size and then skimp on lighting and ventilation needed to support that area/tent.
Avoiding this will save you a lot of trouble and money in the long run
Start out by calculating how much weed you use a month and add 50%, this is what you want to grow for.
Remember you also must have extraction fan, carbon filter, circulation fan, medium, pots, nutes, seeds etc. and it all adds up pretty quickly.
4 high yield plants in 11L pots under 400w HPS, topped at 4th node with 6 weeks veg and 10 weeks flower, should net you at least 200g if you don't do any major fuck ups
You can build LED yourself, a little over budget if it has to be easy, and on budget if you're not afraid of DIY'ing from scratch.
Or you could get a 135w QB kit from HLG and save up for another.
Parallel board build:
2x Atreum LM301b boards 3000K with heatsink = $150
1x Meanwell HLG 185h - 54A LED driver from Mouser = $50
Driven at ~80% of the 2 boards max rating and max draw should be around 215w.
Then there's some shipping and you need to spend $10-20 on wire, wagos and AC plug.
It would be a lot better to do a build with strips though, and 4x Samsung H inFlux L06 on a HLG 185h - 24A, with aluminium U-channel for heatsink, wire, wagos and AC plug should be within your budget.
So at that budget, I recommend DIY LED or a 400w HPS in cooltube
EDIT: It's a common mistake to start out by setting on an area or tent size and then skimp on lighting and ventilation needed to support that area/tent.
Avoiding this will save you a lot of trouble and money in the long run
Start out by calculating how much weed you use a month and add 50%, this is what you want to grow for.
Remember you also must have extraction fan, carbon filter, circulation fan, medium, pots, nutes, seeds etc. and it all adds up pretty quickly.
4 high yield plants in 11L pots under 400w HPS, topped at 4th node with 6 weeks veg and 10 weeks flower, should net you at least 200g if you don't do any major fuck ups
You can build LED yourself, a little over budget if it has to be easy, and on budget if you're not afraid of DIY'ing from scratch.
Or you could get a 135w QB kit from HLG and save up for another.
Parallel board build:
2x Atreum LM301b boards 3000K with heatsink = $150
1x Meanwell HLG 185h - 54A LED driver from Mouser = $50
Driven at ~80% of the 2 boards max rating and max draw should be around 215w.
Then there's some shipping and you need to spend $10-20 on wire, wagos and AC plug.
It would be a lot better to do a build with strips though, and 4x Samsung H inFlux L06 on a HLG 185h - 24A, with aluminium U-channel for heatsink, wire, wagos and AC plug should be within your budget.
Mayne
Well-Known Member
dang PGR, u forgot the PH meter Bro.
good post man, I like those Atruem boards,
good post man, I like those Atruem boards,
Mayne
Well-Known Member
man, HLG is so over priced, once you know how to piece things together yourself, your saving 60%. easy
Mars Hydro
420 Sponsor
Agreed with Blew, get the best light you can afford
If you get four QB132s for $133, or four QB120s for $124 at Amazon, you can power all four of them with the LRS-350 driver for only $30 more (LRS-350-36 for the QB132s, or LRS-350-24 for the QB120s), for a total of $154-$163. You will have to spend another $20 on wire and Wago connectors, so $174-$183. Those are top of the line lights that will flower a 3x3 beautifully for less than $200. Nothing else compares. COBs would be twice that price.
Gala420
Well-Known Member
Ive been looking at these 4K QB's for a few hours now... Forgotten about all the others.. Gone..
