LED plug and play advice for 4x4x7 tent?

M

Mellow-fellow

Member
Hi All,

New here and I noticed a lot of unbiased respectable opinions, so I decided to ask for some help. Your input would be very welcome as there is a pile of scam info out there. (I almost got suckered into 2 of Platiunum's p300 till I did a lot more digging. Phew!!) I am going with a 4x4 gorilla and I'd like to get help with the lighting. If you have experience or are coming with independent knowledge, I'd love to hear from you. If your a rep - please let me build based on what the public has to say, posting here won't do you any favours. I will list my points to consider, to best outline my goals your insight will be valuable so thanks in advance!!

1) I want out of the box plug and play options only, I haven't grown anything yet and really want to be able to buy, set up and run. This is super important to me to minimize the focus while I learn to grow.

2) I am only expecting to grow 3 - 9 plants from seed to flower (might go to cloning eventually with additions, but for now I intend on learning this first). I prefer the extra elbow room. I'd like the lighting to functionally cover all of the space though even if I don't need it. 4x3.5 light coverage would be ok... 3x2.5 wouldn't meet my preference.

3) Budget is $600 to $800 but can be stretched if I had too... I am hoping this would put me into at least a 600w metal hallide equivalent??

4) I like the idea of a veg versus bloom switch option. I'll likely be starting in auto flowering though, again trying to minimize learning curve during first grow but I don't think I will stay with auto flowers. Thought or considerations that I might need on this point?

5) I am open to hanging two units to cover square footage, but only to cover square footage. I don't want to have one set for veg and another for flower. I want to use this as the singular lighting throughout the grow.

Really looking forward to your wisdom!! Thanks so much in advance!!!
 
Danielson999

Danielson999

Well-Known Member
If you can stretch your budget a bit Timber makes a great light for a 4'x4' seen HERE

You don't have a 'veg' or 'bloom' button but you don't need one. This light can be dimmed or run with half of the lights turned off for early veg type strength. This light is pretty much as good as it gets for the money. 600w of premium cob love.
 
M

Mellow-fellow

Member
Danielson999 said:
If you can stretch your budget a bit Timber makes a great light for a 4'x4' seen
You don't have a 'veg' or 'bloom' button but you don't need one. This light can be dimmed or run with half of the lights turned off for early veg type strength. This light is pretty much as good as it gets for the money. 600w of premium cob love.
Click to expand...
Thanks for the post and advice!! Forgive my ignorance - what's COB stand for? Couple of questions does it need a fan? How hot will it get, is that something I need to think about or control? If I went this road, would you get a dimmer, if so what type? Or would you turn off individual lights if it were up to you (do they all have shut off switchs to turn them off?)
 
Danielson999

Danielson999

Well-Known Member
Mellow-fellow said:
Thanks for the post and advice!! Forgive my ignorance - what's COB stand for? Couple of questions does it need a fan? How hot will it get, is that something I need to think about or control? If I went this road, would you get a dimmer, if so what type? Or would you turn off individual lights if it were up to you (do they all have shut off switchs to turn them off?)
Click to expand...
The splayed-pin heatsinks are good for passive cooling up to 100w which is what the cobs on that light run at when maxed out. Of course it's good to have some ambient airflow to help keep them a bit cooler and running slightly more efficiently but it's not mandatory. This light is made up of 2 separate 3 cob bars. Each bar of 3 cobs has it's own power supply and dimmer. You can independently control both bars for total control over how much light you put out. You can dim all 6 cobs down to 10 or 20 watts each or crank them all up to 100w each. You can shut 3 of them off and only use 3 cobs. Lots of flexibility. Correct me if I'm wrong @RainDan
Cob stands for 'chip on board'. They are simply a number of tiny led chips bunched together.
 
M

Mellow-fellow

Member
Danielson999 said:
The splayed-pin heatsinks are good for passive cooling up to 100w which is what the cobs on that light run at when maxed out. Of course it's good to have some ambient airflow to help keep them a bit cooler and running slightly more efficiently but it's not mandatory. This light is made up of 2 separate 3 cob bars. Each bar of 3 cobs has it's own power supply and dimmer. You can independently control both bars for total control over how much light you put out. You can dim all 6 cobs down to 10 or 20 watts each or crank them all up to 100w each. You can shut 3 of them off and only use 3 cobs. Lots of flexibility. Correct me if I'm wrong @RainDan
Cob stands for 'chip on board'. They are simply a number of tiny led chips bunched together.
Click to expand...

Thanks bud, help me with a bit more? I am new to this so I want to insure I ask the right questions. If I am missing any or you can see where I might go astray offer your insight please.

My goal is to run as close to "set it and forget it" with out actually "forgetting it" (cause that would be foolish). When it comes to lighting am I correct in thinking that I should be able to hang it at a certain hieght and leave it or do constantly have to adjust?

When it comes to dimming or adjusting for veg the reason I was intregued by the switchs for veg vs flower was the no muss no fuss idea, but I.d be willing to learn a bit as this sounds like a much better variety for the plant. How do you gage the dimming option for veg stage? Is there a recommended setting?
 
frica

frica

Well-Known Member
Mellow-fellow said:
My goal is to run as close to "set it and forget it" with out actually "forgetting it" (cause that would be foolish). When it comes to lighting am I correct in thinking that I should be able to hang it at a certain hieght and leave it or do constantly have to adjust?
Click to expand...
In a growbox with nice reflective walls, it doesn't matter too much if you hang the light 12 inches or 18 inches away.

Closer is still more intense, but it isn't the end of the world if you hang it a bit higher..
And the marijuana grows taller anyway, so it's going to get closer to the light either way.
 
M

Mellow-fellow

Member
If I go with the timber I would like to figure out the electrical cost can some one check my math?

At a full month of 18/6 lighting ratio with an average of 30 days is this right? Help me figure out the running cost please.

.4 (400 watts at wall) x $0.10 (kwt/hr price) x 18 (max hours per day of running time on the lights) x 30 = $21.6 a month
 
Danielson999

Danielson999

Well-Known Member
Mellow-fellow said:
Thanks bud, help me with a bit more? I am new to this so I want to insure I ask the right questions. If I am missing any or you can see where I might go astray offer your insight please.

My goal is to run as close to "set it and forget it" with out actually "forgetting it" (cause that would be foolish). When it comes to lighting am I correct in thinking that I should be able to hang it at a certain hieght and leave it or do constantly have to adjust?

When it comes to dimming or adjusting for veg the reason I was intregued by the switchs for veg vs flower was the no muss no fuss idea, but I.d be willing to learn a bit as this sounds like a much better variety for the plant. How do you gage the dimming option for veg stage? Is there a recommended setting?
Click to expand...
As someone else stated, just run your lights at about half power for the first few weeks then turn them up. You will see your plants respond by drooping if you are hitting them too hard with light so just back the power off a bit and they will perk up within' a day. It's pretty simple stuff. You don't have to worry about the height of your light if you don't want to, just adjust the power of them instead. Other guys like using as little energy as possible so they lower the light and turn the power down to save a few bucks. Each to their own.
 
ANC

ANC

Well-Known Member
That budget has your light covered.... Now for soil, fertilizer and electricity, extraction fan, odour filter, circulation fan....
 
M

Mellow-fellow

Member
Danielson999 said:
As someone else stated, just run your lights at about half power for the first few weeks then turn them up. You will see your plants respond by drooping if you are hitting them too hard with light so just back the power off a bit and they will perk up within' a day. It's pretty simple stuff. You don't have to worry about the height of your light if you don't want to, just adjust the power of them instead. Other guys like using as little energy as possible so they lower the light and turn the power down to save a few bucks. Each to their own.
Click to expand...
Ok now for the stupid questions, my apologies in advance... if I had the light hung at the ceiling I could run full power for flower and half power for veg, correct? If I cut the hieght to half would I start with 1/2 the afore mentioned? 1/2 power for flower and 1/4 for veg? I would worry I'd be shorting my grow of production capability....

The electrical wouldn't be huge but it seems like it would save a $100 every three months.. that's a few cases of beer and I have always been told not to waist beer . Got thoughts?
 
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