HLG?CMH?

[TravisG13]

So I have been doing some digging around on this forum and reading a lot of your comments have made me really regret buying my two "blurple" viraspectra lights which have actually been growing some pretty good bud in my 2x4 tent but I have recently bought another 2x4 tent and I am considering upgrading my lighting...

The 315 CMH's seem like a pretty reliable choice...

Im also intrigued by all I keep reading about HLG boards and stuff of that sort, I seen these

Amazon.com: Horticulture Lighting Group 4X QB120 V2 Quantum Boards (3500K): Home & Kitchen

Buy Horticulture Lighting Group 4X QB120 V2 Quantum Boards (3500K): Flashes - Amazon.com ✓ FREE DELIVERY possible on eligible purchases

www.amazon.com

On amazon and was intrigued when I seen "qb120" thinking it was 120 watts per board (I remember someone on here saying you would want around 30 watts per square foot with a good led) but it says led pcb can be powered up to 70 watts max.. Are these a little weak for what I need? If so what should I be looking for?

 

[Lucky Luke]

Im running a 630W DE CMH and im loving it.

Before jumping in to a decision look at your environment and what light will work best for you. Leds do run cooler but benefit from more heat in the grow space for eg.
I like the HLGs but they wouldn't work for me for the majority of the year.
Both grow nice bud.

 

[rob333]

So I have been doing some digging around on this forum and reading a lot of your comments have made me really regret buying my two "blurple" viraspectra lights which have actually been growing some pretty good bud in my 2x4 tent but I have recently bought another 2x4 tent and I am considering upgrading my lighting...

The 315 CMH's seem like a pretty reliable choice...

Im also intrigued by all I keep reading about HLG boards and stuff of that sort, I seen these

Amazon.com: Horticulture Lighting Group 4X QB120 V2 Quantum Boards (3500K): Home & Kitchen

Buy Horticulture Lighting Group 4X QB120 V2 Quantum Boards (3500K): Flashes - Amazon.com ✓ FREE DELIVERY possible on eligible purchases

www.amazon.com

On amazon and was intrigued when I seen "qb120" thinking it was 120 watts per board (I remember someone on here saying you would want around 30 watts per square foot with a good led) but it says led pcb can be powered up to 70 watts max.. Are these a little weak for what I need? If so what should I be looking for?

i run 1 solskin 150+180w epi led i intend on upgrading to another solskin but atm they are creaming it i have come from a 600hps and i can tell you now with in a week they have gone berserk

 

[TravisG13]

Most of the HLG boards I am seeing people saying they are using are the 550 and 320 and stuff like that which I don't see for sale, I'm just a little conserned these 120's and 132's that I do see may be underpowered for my needs

 

[Lucky Luke]

You may want to ask Q in this section https://www.rollitup.org/f/led-and-other-lighting.124/. Its allot more used than this tucked away sub section.

 

[Hempire828]

I would say depends in the environment.. same as you, I started with blurples... same choice qb or cmh..I chose cmh and had to adjust to the heat.. at the time wishing I had qb’s... but now season is changing... my lil 315 throwing glitter out....

 

[TravisG13]

Ok so I have been looking into heatsinks for a while and it seems there is a lot to look into, and while it seems they may not be necessary most people are saying it improves efficiency and lifespan so I'm pretty sure I want some...

Thing is what to go with, a aluminum sheet might be adequate but would a

Slate 2

Pre drilled heatsink for QB304 Quantum Board

horticulturelightinggroup.com

Or a

1x BIG Aluminum Heat Sink Radiator (300 mm x 225 mm x 40 mm) Heatsink 2.3 kg | eBay

1x BIGGEST Soviet USSR Aluminum Heat Sink. (300 mm x 225 mmx 40 mm). weight - 2.3 kg. the weight - 2.3 kg. The thickness of the edge fins of the radiator - 4 mm. The thickness at the base of the radiator - 6 mm.

www.ebay.com

Provide enough better efficiency to be worth the cost?

I also live pretty close to heatsink usa apparently... Never knew it was there...

Its going to wind up costing more to put heatsinks on each of these light panels than the panels cost me themselves lol

Also it looks like the hlg one is pre-drilled for boards other than the ones I'm getting, didnt see any for the ones im getting but I have a drill press so it shouldn't be too big of an issue

 

[Airwalker16]

In a 2X4, you're gonna have some serious heat issues. Gonna have to pull that shit out constantly. The quantum boards produce MUCH LESS heat and along with keeping the driver OUTSIDE the tent, it's literally a 1/4 of the heat you'll deal with using Cmh. Highly recommend the LED. Especially when it's such a small space, price will be very similar.

 

[Johnny Lawrence]

In a 2X4, you're gonna have some serious heat issues. Gonna have to pull that shit out constantly. The quantum boards produce MUCH LESS heat and along with keeping the driver OUTSIDE the tent, it's literally a 1/4 of the heat you'll deal with using Cmh. Highly recommend the LED. Especially when it's such a small space, price will be very similar.

I'll also add that a cmh isn't the best light for the footprint you are planning on running. They put off a "square" light pattern that is better suited to a 3x3. With led boards like those from HLG, you can match them to the size of your tent. The 260 XL kit they offer would be great for a 2x4.

 

[Jonny Jetson]

In a 2X4, you're gonna have some serious heat issues. Gonna have to pull that shit out constantly. The quantum boards produce MUCH LESS heat and along with keeping the driver OUTSIDE the tent, it's literally a 1/4 of the heat you'll deal with using Cmh. Highly recommend the LED. Especially when it's such a small space, price will be very similar.

Yup. I'm running a 2x4x4 with a hlg320xl dimmed a little. No way I'd be able to run a cmh or hps in the small space with the door closed

 

[coreywebster]

Ok so I have been looking into heatsinks for a while and it seems there is a lot to look into, and while it seems they may not be necessary most people are saying it improves efficiency and lifespan so I'm pretty sure I want some...

Thing is what to go with, a aluminum sheet might be adequate but would a

Slate 2

Pre drilled heatsink for QB304 Quantum Board

horticulturelightinggroup.com

Or a

1x BIG Aluminum Heat Sink Radiator (300 mm x 225 mm x 40 mm) Heatsink 2.3 kg | eBay

1x BIGGEST Soviet USSR Aluminum Heat Sink. (300 mm x 225 mmx 40 mm). weight - 2.3 kg. the weight - 2.3 kg. The thickness of the edge fins of the radiator - 4 mm. The thickness at the base of the radiator - 6 mm.

www.ebay.com

Provide enough better efficiency to be worth the cost?

I also live pretty close to heatsink usa apparently... Never knew it was there...

Its going to wind up costing more to put heatsinks on each of these light panels than the panels cost me themselves lol

Also it looks like the hlg one is pre-drilled for boards other than the ones I'm getting, didnt see any for the ones im getting but I have a drill press so it shouldn't be too big of an issue

Bit of a late reply so maybe you've already bought your goods?

You can run the qb132s at 60w each (they come in packs of 4)without heat sink on a 240 driver which is enough to light your space, you should aim to be lower than other QB boards which are denser in diode count.
315cmh are great but not for 2x4 spaces as others have pointed out.

for an extra $50 you can get the hlg v2 twin set of boards and twin heat sink. Or for $64 each you can get two of the QB v1 with heat sink. Nothing wrong with the v1s.

Quantum Boards®

Quantum Boards® by Horticulture Lighting Group Quantum Boards® are our line world's highest efficiency horticulture light engines. Checkout our grow Lamps powered by these light engines.

horticulturelightinggroup.com

 

[hillbill]

CMH or HLG are both excellent choices, I grew with old Philips Retrofit CMH and even they produced superior buds.

 

[Horselover fat]

Yup. I'm running a 2x4x4 with a hlg320xl dimmed a little. No way I'd be able to run a cmh or hps in the small space with the door closed

A 2x4 is fine for a 315 cmh if it's a little taller than your tent. My 2x4 is 180cm tall and I had no heat problems.

I also used a dPapillon fixture that throws a rectangle instead of a square. Very nice combo. I do feel a bit more light would be better, but you can definitely get decent yields.

 

[Rocket Soul]

A 2x4 is fine for a 315 cmh if it's a little taller than your tent. My 2x4 is 180cm tall and I had no heat problems.

I also used a dPapillon fixture that throws a rectangle instead of a square. Very nice combo. I do feel a bit more light would be better, but you can definitely get decent yields.

Indeed. With batwing reflector you get a nice 4x2 throw of light.

 

[OneHitDone]

i run 1 solskin 150+180w epi led i intend on upgrading to another solskin but atm they are creaming it i have come from a 600hps and i can tell you now with in a week they have gone berserk

So in a week things were stellar. You should have harvested by now - results vs 600Hps?