Graytail's 4th Perpetual: 4x4 Samsung Panels

[FLFarmer]

Good to see you, Fluff!

I got my QBs a couple years ago, so things have probably developed further since then. Other companies besides Samsung are producing and marketing mid-power diodes now, and as with any tech, efficiency goes up with each new series. Mars-Hydro has just introduced a QB panel and I've talked to Sara and the efficiency numbers are very good, so that's an easy option, too. The company I got mine from is Meijiu, and they have a site on Alibaba that a few members have used lately.

Samsung brand strips using mid-power diodes are also a good flexible option. Shed recently built a panel of strips, for instance, and Fanleaf did a great journal a couple years ago on strips. They're available from several traditional suppliers.

The advantage is extreme efficiency and low heat, and white light - blurple really bothered me - couldn't see plant health well enough.

So I am completely new to those kinds of setups. What site would you recommend for reading so I can learn about which drivers I would need for certain lights etc... I feel I would have too many questions to bother anyone with. I have no issue doing my homework plus I will probably be able to learn more that way. Thanks for your tips and help!!

 

[dr.h00k]

...I'll be trying a couple of those new Mars TS 1000's in a few weeks in the little room out in the shed...pretty good value, if they perform well...cheerz...h00k... ...

 

[FLFarmer]

...I'll be trying a couple of those new Mars TS 1000's in a few weeks out in the little room out in the shed...pretty good value, if they perform well...cheerz...h00k... ...

I currently run a couple of Mars reflector series lights. I feel I have good results but agree with gray about being able to see plant health and also being able to take pics. I’ll look up the new mars lights too. I was just on their site a couple months ago and didn’t see anything like that so they must be real new. Thanks!!

 

[dr.h00k]

...https://www.mars-hydro.com/mars-ts-1000-led-full-spectrum-hydroponic-led-grow-light ...from there you can also check out their SP series...the SP 150 and SP 250...cheerz...h00k... ...

 

[Amy Gardner]

What site would you recommend for reading

Hi farmer, Im no expert at all. I get the basics only but did a bit of my learning at LED gardener - he has a you tube channnel and website. It’s a good place to start.

 

[TheGreenYeti]

You can also check out Growmau5 he has a youtube channel as well and breaks things down really well. He had a whole series for beginners at one point.

 

[Amy Gardner]

had a whole series for beginners at one point.

Yes! That too. I think it’s still there

 

[FLFarmer]

...https://www.mars-hydro.com/mars-ts-1000-led-full-spectrum-hydroponic-led-grow-light ...from there you can also check out their SP series...the SP 150 and SP 250...cheerz...h00k... ...

Hi farmer, Im no expert at all. I get the basics only but did a bit of my learning at LED gardener - he has a you tube channnel and website. It’s a good place to start.

I appreciate your help!! Thank you!!

 

[FLFarmer]

Time to become a light expert

 

[drift]

HLG QB's is great for info, mine are Fire, could use as a Tanning Booth. Plus as your name States you might need a cooler running light . Hope it helps, been great for myself. I have 20 135's in a 5X5 and stays around 80 during the day at 3/4 power.

 

[FLFarmer]

HLG QB's is great for info, mine are Fire, could use as a Tanning Booth. Plus as your name States you might need a cooler running light . Hope it helps, been great for myself. I have 20 135's in a 5X5 and stays around 80 during the day at 3/4 power.

Wow 20 of them!! I also run a 5x5 and I know I need more light but the few I’ve tried to add just make it too hot. After seeing people with these newer styles and the amount of light they’re getting I know it’s time to learn what they’re about so I can upgrade. Thanks for the info!!

 

[Jgrowlove]

HLG QB's is great for info, mine are Fire, could use as a Tanning Booth. Plus as your name States you might need a cooler running light . Hope it helps, been great for myself. I have 20 135's in a 5X5 and stays around 80 during the day at 3/4 power.

20???? Woah I think that would be more than enough for a 5x5. I have a Hlg 550 V2 in a 4x4 tent and deal with heat issues when the outside air gets above 75 degrees F. Do you use active cooling/AC? Because I'm sure I will have to soon

 

[Neiko]

Has anyone heard of migro? He's got a youtube channel and does light comparisons from all manufacturers and he has his own light setup that is extremely efficient. The lights mount on a squarish frame around the perimeter of the tent so there are no hotspots and excellent even coverage. The 600 has 6 lights that are adjustable in their position to get the absolute best coverage. I'm really intrigued by his design.

 

[Van Stank]

Wow 20 of them!! I also run a 5x5 and I know I need more light but the few I’ve tried to add just make it too hot. After seeing people with these newer styles and the amount of light they’re getting I know it’s time to learn what they’re about so I can upgrade. Thanks for the info!!

If you want to go with top of the line.....look at the Fluence Spydrx series. I run their older model, the Spydrx Plus, which is 660 watts and amazing coverage and performance. They aren't cheap....about 1500 bucks but they are worth every penny. My light paid for itself in increased yields within a year in power savings and great yields (1.7 gram per watt last cycle). Their newer model has increased its efficiency over the Spydrx Plus.

 

[Graytail]

My yield went up 50% when I switched from blurples to QBs. I hit 1.4 grams per watt without any special efforts - 2 pounds out of a crude 4x4 using 660 watts.

A couple metrics for you ...

40 watts per square foot is more than enough for bloom, unless your environment is dialed in and you're using CO2 etc.

You should be able to come in under under $1 per watt for QBs.

 

[Morglie]

They run cool. I'm still adding a bit of supplemental heat in my flower room and I have 6 288s running with the drivers right on top of them.

 

[FLFarmer]

Well in my 5x5 I’m running 2 400w wall draw blurple. My 2 biggest issues are heat and even coverage. Given my current situation I don’t have a way to dial my environment exactly. I’m in a basement and open air veg while I flower in the tent. I run the tent at night and make the veg dark period at that time also. Trying to keep overlap during the coolest parts of the day and evening. If that makes sense. It helps keep as much stability as I can. This is why I’m looking to learn about diy so I can customize my coverage and decrease heat. If I had a way to ac the space I wouldn’t care about it as much because I have 2 more blurples that would push me up to 50w/ft easily. I think after a little research I’m really interested in those Samsung light bar setups. I can make my own framework and be able to get great coverage and from what I’m reading if I go real high power I can dial them down and have virtually no heat while still being able to hit 40w/ft. I also want a setup that I could start with a couple but be able to expand upon as time goes on. The part that I’m needing to research more is the drivers and their relationship to the light bars or qb boards. I assumed it was pick this driver for this wattage etc but now I understand it’s a little more to it than that. I do have basic electrical understanding and am familiar with using meters and soldering etc.

 

[Graytail]

Ya gotta learn the rules of electricity, but once it sinks in, it's easy.

You have to match voltage as well as wattage. So if each board runs at say, 48 volts, you can run 4 of them in series on a driver that supports at least 196 volts. That driver may deliver a constant 700 milliamps, or 1050, etc.

Or you can run in parallel, with a driver that supplies a constant 48 volts up to a certain wattage, and then that's split equally between the boards.

So, you're dealing with 2 different numbers, and 2 different wiring arrangements. It can make a guy's head hurt until it sinks in.

 

[weenmeoff]

I just got electrocuted reading that post!

Luckily I'm set for lights. More than I need for now......

 

[Duggan]