Choosing lights on a budget

[ItsTimmyMan]

Hey all! I'm looking for a little expertise in the lighting field. I've been looking at lights for a longtime and haven't really come to any conclusions. I've grown under HID lamps with great success in the past but now I've got a small space with minimal ventilation to put a light in so HID is a no-go due to the heat output. I've been looking at quantum boards, LED panels and a bunch of CFL options. Any input is appreciated!

I guess I can't post the options I've been looking at due to competitors being on the site

I'm looking at spending $200-300AUD (~$200 USD) although this can be raised.
The grow space is roughly 2.5'x2.5' and I'd like the light to be able to do both veg and flower reasonably well.

Thanks in advance to anyone who may be able to help

Cheers,
Timmy

 

[multiVortex]

LED Grow Lights Depot (forum sponsor)

HLG QB 135w R-Spec ~$200 US

Horticulture Lighting Group 135 Watt V2 RSpec Quantum Board DIY Kit (Full-Cycle / Flower)

135 Watt DIY LED Grow Light Kit with 1 x QB288 V2 R-Spec Quantum Board. Dimmable from 60-150 Watts. Flower Footprint 2' x 2' or 2' x 4'. Free Shipping in the USA. No Tax!

www.ledgrowlightsdepot.com

HLG QB 260w R-Spec ~$300 US

Horticulture Lighting Group 260 Watt V2 RSpec Quantum Board DIY Kit (Full-Cycle / Flower)

260 Watt DIY LED Grow Light Kit with High Efficiency 2 x QB288 V2 R-Spec Quantum Boards. Dimmable from 135-285 Watts. Flower Footprint 3' x 3' or 2' x 4'.. Free Shipping in the USA. No Tax!

www.ledgrowlightsdepot.com

Budget LED (forum sponsor @BudgetLED )

120w QB, R-spec ~$160 USD

Series 2+ Heatsink Free Full Spec 120 Watt Grow Light

Our Series 2+ Heatsink Free Full Spec 120 Watt Indoor LED grow light is designed to be the ultimate full cycle light. Each kit utilizes 1 of our custom designed & truly full spectrum LED boards with Samsung LM301B, LG UV, Osram Blue 450nm, Osram Deep Red LED 660nm, and Osram Far Red 730nm. This...

www.budgetgrowlights.com

250w QB, R-spec ~$285 US

Series 2+ Red Spec 250 Watt Dimmable Grow Light

Our Series 2+ Red Spec 250 Watt Indoor LED grow light is designed to be the ultimate flowering unit. Each kit utilizes 2 of our custom designed & full spectrum LED boards with Samsung LM301B, Osram Deep Red LED 660nm, and Osram Far Red 730nm. This unit is dimmable, with wattage output from 25 to...

www.budgetgrowlights.com

There are your quick QB options from forum sponsors.


While I listed a 135/120 option, in a 2.5x2.5 you really should look at something with a 3x3 flowering footprint. That would be the second option of each, which is a tick over your budget. However, still well worth doing right from the start, and either of those will do it well for that space.

 

[Pbass]

Hiya ItsTimmyMan lights are my favorite! Not sure it'll help but I'll put in my two cents...I got a 240 watt dimmable 4x4 veg/2x4 flower red/far red quantum board for $210 shipped. I have to turn it down. I bet you could do 2.5 x 2.5 with one 120w QB panel. What maybe 100 bucks tops? Cheaper if you shop around and don't need brand name stuff. Not heat free but certainly not terrible to cool.

I also grow great weed under oldschool mars hydro and viparspectra LED's of various sizes...you can probably pick one of those up off ebay for 30- 40 bucks. They work great and with built in fans aren't very hot. I run six in about a 4x6 enclosed area and with one fan don't have any problems keeping it cool enough.

I use CFL's to start clones and seeds but that's it, although you certainly can build monstrosity rigs and grow good weed under them to finish, they are hot and need to be close to the plants and aren't going to be anywhere comparable to yield of the other light sources you mentioned. Cheers mate, gl with your search!

 

[Elevated Lighting Company]

We also offer the forum discount 420MAG. And very little assembly !

 

[Elevated Lighting Company]

Our red spec has been showing very strong flowering! Here is a day 33 update picture!

 

[ItsTimmyMan]

LED Grow Lights Depot (forum sponsor)

HLG QB 135w R-Spec ~$200 US

Horticulture Lighting Group 135 Watt V2 RSpec Quantum Board DIY Kit (Full-Cycle / Flower)

135 Watt DIY LED Grow Light Kit with 1 x QB288 V2 R-Spec Quantum Board. Dimmable from 60-150 Watts. Flower Footprint 2' x 2' or 2' x 4'. Free Shipping in the USA. No Tax!

www.ledgrowlightsdepot.com

HLG QB 260w R-Spec ~$300 US

Horticulture Lighting Group 260 Watt V2 RSpec Quantum Board DIY Kit (Full-Cycle / Flower)

260 Watt DIY LED Grow Light Kit with High Efficiency 2 x QB288 V2 R-Spec Quantum Boards. Dimmable from 135-285 Watts. Flower Footprint 3' x 3' or 2' x 4'.. Free Shipping in the USA. No Tax!

www.ledgrowlightsdepot.com

Budget LED (forum sponsor @BudgetLED )

120w QB, R-spec ~$160 USD

Series 2+ Heatsink Free Full Spec 120 Watt Grow Light

Our Series 2+ Heatsink Free Full Spec 120 Watt Indoor LED grow light is designed to be the ultimate full cycle light. Each kit utilizes 1 of our custom designed & truly full spectrum LED boards with Samsung LM301B, LG UV, Osram Blue 450nm, Osram Deep Red LED 660nm, and Osram Far Red 730nm. This...

www.budgetgrowlights.com

250w QB, R-spec ~$285 US

Series 2+ Red Spec 250 Watt Dimmable Grow Light

Our Series 2+ Red Spec 250 Watt Indoor LED grow light is designed to be the ultimate flowering unit. Each kit utilizes 2 of our custom designed & full spectrum LED boards with Samsung LM301B, Osram Deep Red LED 660nm, and Osram Far Red 730nm. This unit is dimmable, with wattage output from 25 to...

www.budgetgrowlights.com

There are your quick QB options from forum sponsors.


While I listed a 135/120 option, in a 2.5x2.5 you really should look at something with a 3x3 flowering footprint. That would be the second option of each, which is a tick over your budget. However, still well worth doing right from the start, and either of those will do it well for that space.

Have you had some experience with either? Or know someone who has? I do really like the look of the boards. I've used a 130w ufo some years ago to keep some mothers suspended and while it performed better than expected it still was far from out performing the 400w or 600w HPS. Guess I'll bite the bullet and step back into LED's and see how far it's come.

Hiya ItsTimmyMan lights are my favorite! Not sure it'll help but I'll put in my two cents...I got a 240 watt dimmable 4x4 veg/2x4 flower red/far red quantum board for $210 shipped. I have to turn it down. I bet you could do 2.5 x 2.5 with one 120w QB panel. What maybe 100 bucks tops? Cheaper if you shop around and don't need brand name stuff. Not heat free but certainly not terrible to cool.

I also grow great weed under oldschool mars hydro and viparspectra LED's of various sizes...you can probably pick one of those up off ebay for 30- 40 bucks. They work great and with built in fans aren't very hot. I run six in about a 4x6 enclosed area and with one fan don't have any problems keeping it cool enough.

I use CFL's to start clones and seeds but that's it, although you certainly can build monstrosity rigs and grow good weed under them to finish, they are hot and need to be close to the plants and aren't going to be anywhere comparable to yield of the other light sources you mentioned. Cheers mate, gl with your search!

I've definitely been looking at the knock off lights online but it's obviously hard to believe their claims, just need to get my feet wet I suppose. I'm hoping a few hundred dollars will get a decent light, I'm not hoping for miracles!

Yea I usually used a cheap T5 for clones but I've seen a few DIY boxes with them, you'd just need a few I suppose

Cheers for the luck!

Our red spec has been showing very strong flowering! Here is a day 33 update picture!

How many actual watts are on those girls? They are looking lovely!

 

[Elevated Lighting Company]

Hey ItsTimmyMan:

The customer has 3 of our 250w Red Spec kits (3000k) in that space (750w actual draw). If you check us out on Instagram (we tag the customer in their photo submissions), you can ask him any questions you want regarding the lights. He is not a sponsored tester / grower.

Best,

Budget LED

 

[Elevated Lighting Company]

Have you had some experience with either? Or know someone who has? I do really like the look of the boards. I've used a 130w ufo some years ago to keep some mothers suspended and while it performed better than expected it still was far from out performing the 400w or 600w HPS. Guess I'll bite the bullet and step back into LED's and see how far it's come.



I've definitely been looking at the knock off lights online but it's obviously hard to believe their claims, just need to get my feet wet I suppose. I'm hoping a few hundred dollars will get a decent light, I'm not hoping for miracles!

Yea I usually used a cheap T5 for clones but I've seen a few DIY boxes with them, you'd just need a few I suppose

Cheers for the luck!



How many actual watts are on those girls? They are looking lovely!

Hey ItsTimmyMan:

The customer has 3 of our 250w Red Spec kits (3000k) in that space (750w actual draw). If you check us out on Instagram (we tag the customer in their photo submissions), you can ask him any questions you want regarding the lights. He is not a sponsored tester / grower.

Best,

Budget LED

 

[Scottsquatch]

Hey Timmy, I wouldn't neccesarily call Viparspectra a knock off light. They are a fairly good intermediate entry level light. The higher wattage lights actually produce some decent yeilds. I have some of the 900 watt (actual draw of 390 watts) R series lights and I'm quite pleased with them. They run pretty cool and seem very well constructed. The spectrum must be fairly decent because my lights grow circles around the cheap blurples being used by a friend of mine.

 

[Chris Scorpio]

Really comes down to budget

I started with hps. Too hot on the surface of the sun where I live

Got a couple Blurple for two small tents, one was a viperspectra, others GROWant...worked well

Then I got turned onto QBs, never looked back

I diy all but one of my QBs, I have 5 total now

If it's in yer budget, get with @BudgetLED and get a QB with Rspec

 

[multiVortex]

If it's in yer budget, get with @BudgetLED and get a QB with Rspec

Listen to this man.

 

[multiVortex]

John's Wicked Bloom Room: Powered By Budget LED

Hello all, welcome to my flowering journal and thank you @TinyBuds for coming up with the name. The main purpose for this journal is to showcase our new sponsor Budget Led. American made Quality Light's. " Built for grower's, by grower's" Smart Pot...

www.420magazine.com

 

[Elevated Lighting Company]

John's Wicked Bloom Room: Powered By Budget LED

Hello all, welcome to my flowering journal and thank you @TinyBuds for coming up with the name. The main purpose for this journal is to showcase our new sponsor Budget Led. American made Quality Light's. " Built for grower's, by grower's" Smart Pot...

www.420magazine.com

That is a great journal to read through. John Wick has done an awesome job documenting the lights and plant development.

 

[multiVortex]

That is a great journal to read through. John Wick has done an awesome job documenting the lights and plant development.

Yes he sure has! It’s an excellent read.

 

[ItsTimmyMan]

Listen to this man.

Haha! I'll listen to anyone with 2 cents and willing

John's Wicked Bloom Room: Powered By Budget LED

Hello all, welcome to my flowering journal and thank you @TinyBuds for coming up with the name. The main purpose for this journal is to showcase our new sponsor Budget Led. American made Quality Light's. " Built for grower's, by grower's" Smart Pot...

www.420magazine.com

He sure does make a case for them! One way to find out
I'd probably test out the "Full Spec 120".

One question, I'm not from the US. Can I just grab a cable from another appliance and wire the driver to that? Otherwise I'll buy a cheap converter online. The other thing is do I need a 240v socket to plug it in? I'm trying to figure out the alterations I'll have to make in order to get it working correctly and safely.

 

[multiVortex]

One question, I'm not from the US. Can I just grab a cable from another appliance and wire the driver to that? Otherwise I'll buy a cheap converter online. The other thing is do I need a 240v socket to plug it in? I'm trying to figure out the alterations I'll have to make in order to get it working correctly and safely.

For specific power options/requirement, @BudgetLED should be able to help you sort it out.

If they driver can handle it fine, then I think (don't hold me to that) you should be able to just get a converter plug from US to the one you need.

 

[Elevated Lighting Company]

Haha! I'll listen to anyone with 2 cents and willing


He sure does make a case for them! One way to find out
I'd probably test out the "Full Spec 120".

One question, I'm not from the US. Can I just grab a cable from another appliance and wire the driver to that? Otherwise I'll buy a cheap converter online. The other thing is do I need a 240v socket to plug it in? I'm trying to figure out the alterations I'll have to make in order to get it working correctly and safely.

The kit comes standard with with the 120v US plug. However, the driver supports the other formats as you mention and will work great with the light.

Since we build to order, we can leave the plug end unwired. We can also help you source the appropriate plug for your use and give you clear instructions and connectors to make hook up easy.