Lighting Need help deciding which LEDs to buy

[Death The Cultivator]

Here's my 480 watt 44x44 Bridgelux EB2 strip build in 3000k

CobsCocoDTWMxPScrog Watch Me Mess Up

 

[NCgrower95]

If you had more than 5’ I’d vote single cob fixtures all day long. Just for plug and play ability and they can definitely get to 2gpw once your environment is sorted ( in DWC). But with a short tent of that size I’d vote cheap and easy DIY QB132s. You can easily build a 300 watt for $225-250. And since it’s only 3” thick you can run that thing right up to the top.
I keep my LEDs tight to the plants and the plants stay short. Most of my plants are well under 2’ and I run good sized strains. Even with the DWC I’m still under 4’. And consistently bang out 5 zips per. You could run a fixture like this at 200w and kill it in the 2by4. The plant in the corner is finished stretching and the light is still below 5’. That light is COBView attachment 1028395View attachment 1028397View attachment 1028398
Unless I totally screw that plant up in flower she will hit 5 with ease. She’s just starting to build flower.

300 watts of guaranteed flowering goodness for $250. And no soldering, if you can hold a drill and tighten a bolt you can make these. Tutorials everywhere
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thanks man im definitely considering it now, seems a lot cheaper for just a couple hours of effort. nice plants by the way!

 

[bakEQuatorial]

Get strips or QBs. For your height/ space, I'd get dimmable lights for whichever light you decide on.

 

[bakEQuatorial]

Here's my 480 watt 44x44 Bridgelux EB2 strip build in 3000k

CobsCocoDTWMxPScrog Watch Me Mess Up

Beautiful strip build! [emoji106][emoji106][emoji106][emoji106]

 

[Frenjamin Banklin]

Here's my 480 watt 44x44 Bridgelux EB2 strip build in 3000k

CobsCocoDTWMxPScrog Watch Me Mess Up

I think that’s my next light build, very cool. My progression was COBs the QBs and next I’d like to figure out strips. Seems like the natural progression over the last few years. Crazy how for years HPS was standard and then in a fairly short period of time the homegrown market has made leaps and bounds with lights. I think commercial was able to afford before we were.
FB

 

[Death The Cultivator]

I think that’s my next light build, very cool. My progression was COBs the QBs and next I’d like to figure out strips. Seems like the natural progression over the last few years. Crazy how for years HPS was standard and then in a fairly short period of time the homegrown market has made leaps and bounds with lights. I think commercial was able to afford before we were.
FB

I was going to get the QB132' s but 8 or 9 doesn't offer the coverage I really want especially when I plan to do a scrog. Thanks.

CobsCocoDTWMxPScrog Watch Me Mess Up

 

[Frenjamin Banklin]

What I would like to really dig into in my next couple of grows is with the QBs or strip lights how can I save as much money as possible while still maintaining quality. The the coverage is even why run lights at 300w at 18”, can’t I run them st 12” at 200w or 6” at 100w. Does wattage even matter any more in some respect. We have come so far from massive single point heat sources with huge BTU waste conversion why are we even trying to use them as s benchmark or baseline.

I guess technically I want some sort of understanding of the actual degradation of light over distance. How close and low I can run these lights. I assume at some wattage under optimal efficiency I may lose some aspects of spectrum possibly also.

Along with growing great weed my other motivation for growing is an insane need to perfect things and do them the best I can. I really want to become as insanely efficient at growing as I can be. That and looking at a plant a hearing it speak to you is a real cool thing. I hope I’m not the only one that hears them talking.

FB

 

[Death The Cultivator]

What I would like to really dig into in my next couple of grows is with the QBs or strip lights how can I save as much money as possible while still maintaining quality. The the coverage is even why run lights at 300w at 18”, can’t I run them st 12” at 200w or 6” at 100w. Does wattage even matter any more in some respect. We have come so far from massive single point heat sources with huge BTU waste conversion why are we even trying to use them as s benchmark or baseline.

I guess technically I want some sort of understanding of the actual degradation of light over distance. How close and low I can run these lights. I assume at some wattage under optimal efficiency I may lose some aspects of spectrum possibly also.

Along with growing great weed my other motivation for growing is an insane need to perfect things and do them the best I can. I really want to become as insanely efficient at growing as I can be. That and looking at a plant a hearing it speak to you is a real cool thing. I hope I’m not the only one that hears them talking.

FB

I think wattage is still important but we should be looking to PAR and PPFD for the numbers that really matter. Fluence has a nice write up on the subject.

CobsCocoDTWMxPScrog Watch Me Mess Up

 

[bakEQuatorial]

What I would like to really dig into in my next couple of grows is with the QBs or strip lights how can I save as much money as possible while still maintaining quality. The the coverage is even why run lights at 300w at 18”, can’t I run them st 12” at 200w or 6” at 100w. Does wattage even matter any more in some respect. We have come so far from massive single point heat sources with huge BTU waste conversion why are we even trying to use them as s benchmark or baseline.

I guess technically I want some sort of understanding of the actual degradation of light over distance. How close and low I can run these lights. I assume at some wattage under optimal efficiency I may lose some aspects of spectrum possibly also.

Along with growing great weed my other motivation for growing is an insane need to perfect things and do them the best I can. I really want to become as insanely efficient at growing as I can be. That and looking at a plant a hearing it speak to you is a real cool thing. I hope I’m not the only one that hears them talking.

FB

Thats actually what I plan on doing next, which is using loads of diodes run softly at close distance. A lot of trial and error I would expect. 2400pcs Samsung diodes (V1+V2) 2:1 ratio of 3000K and 4000K. In addition to that, 36pcs of Osram 660nm and 730nm red supplements thrown into the mix for flowering.

But looking at PPFD would be the way to go imo. I don't think we are supposed to exceed 1000 or so. As far as my knowledge goes, the best light would be one that gives you an EVEN spread of not more than 1000ppfd across your grow area, with the right spectrum. I would go down that road in search of that perfect light! Lol

 

[Stone420]

@NCgrower95, you have a fairly low celling (5') considering your tent size (do what you gotta do to get in that closet), so you'll be a master of LST and/or Scrog soon enough. Once you hang lights, exhaust fan and carbon filter to keep the landlord off your butt, there goes a foot of space already. LST is fine for many strains.

I have a 2x4x7' Gorilla, and my light is an ideal match for the tent configuration. Horticulture Lighting Group (HLG) 320W XL QB with dimmer knob. This LED light came from Growers Lights dot com and you can buy it as a kit to assemble (not hard) or pay an extra $30 and they assemble and test for you. This light has 3 LED panels (XL version) so it effectively lights your 2x4 floor space in the best and most balanced way possible way. The dimmer knob on the power driver can reduce light output so you don't burn or bleach your plants since your light height is limited. I'm not in the equipment selling business, but if I was, this is the light I'd be selling. Awesome and then some!