Aussie High Lights – we're official

[lazaah]

For a 4x4x6ft space, do you guys recommend 4x single boards or 2x double boards?

 

[Scuzzman]

LEDS because they are improving so quickly year by year it seems like you can save a bit of coin and drop 10 - 20% efficancy or whatever and get older models, not as efficient designs etc.

I don't think the new highlights seem overpriced from a consumer perspective. I am someone who got an older highlight kit, and I would prefer not having to put it together, having everything plug and play is better for me personally. Also happy to support smaller Australian companies that are passionate as a fellow Aussie.

So true dude well said..

 

[Aussieaceae]

With the FORUM discount it's A$540 and this is what you get. The 470W double kits will be A$990 including the discount, which is more than twice the power and double the boards/heatsinks. There will also be a 340W double kit that will be around A$850 after the 10% discount. The new boards are 20% more efficient, which is 20% more light for the same wattage as the old boards.

You're entitled to your opinion, but I don't think that's bad value for what you get. Or you could try finding a better board that doesn't need supplemental far red and/or UV that runs off one driver and is the same 3 umol/j efficiency and PCB quality. We've used German Lapp cable, Italian slimline Techno connectors, waterproof TE SMD connectors and the boards and heatsinks are bigger than the original High Lights, too.

View attachment 4739803

Been keen to dig out a small tent next indoor season, for a 12-12 grow and outdoor starts. Tent is 900 x 600 and 1600 tall.

Something like this is perfect for an idiot like me. I'll make a mess doing it DIY.

Would the single kit be overkill for this space? (340w)
Already commited to purchasing one of your lights in the near future, just want to know your own recommendation.

Thanks very much.

 

[hybridway2]

Yeah I get what your saying but I’m not dropping Almost double the Bones on a light for a “20% increase” if that’s even what I’d get when I could run 2 lights for that price and get a 100% increase.

Well,I get it,but if you're a true led die-hard you buy quality & HE of 550w-740w/5x5 instead of 1200w of Amazon/E-Bay Burples hanging all abouts n failing every month. With NO Warrenty.
What you determine to be your cup-o-tea is totally up to you.

 

[reza92]

Well,I get it,but if you're a true led die-hard you buy quality & HE of 550w-740w/5x5 instead of 1200w of Amazon/E-Bay Burples hanging all abouts n failing every month. With NO Warrenty.
What you determine to be your cup-o-tea is totally up to you.

I’m not a die hard led fan. If I lived in Tasmania I’d still run hid simple, but I’m not in tas and majority of the year it’s 30 degrees plus here so leds make sense. I’m also not a fan of Pure junk leds Like blurples. The thing that originally drew me to highlights pannels over cutter solskins (I’ve got 1 of each for testing purposes) or hlg boards (Fucking expensive down here unless you buy full kits at an inflated price off quickbloom) was the quality product at a cheap price. The quality part is still there but the price isn’t any more and that alone will make me shop around for a cheaper product that accomplishes my end goals.

To put it in comparison I’m also building a still out of scrap copper which is a bit oxidised and dinted, would buying all new shiny materials be better? Yeah but it certainly isn’t worth the steep price increase.

Previously when people have asked me about eBay China boards etc I’d always steer them to gla because of the quality product for often the same price as those eBay specials but unfortunately I won’t be able to do that anymore.

 

[frizbee]

Can these new boards be run in parallel with the old boards?

I have a UV board and had planned to add a second board in the future, both powered from my current driver.

 

[Grow Lights Australia]

I’m yet to see any improvements in my crop from the uv boards vs a standard cutter board with no far red. I drive both boards at 150w and they produce the same amount of heat. For the increased cost the gains are minimal imo. Cost is the biggest factor for me (and many other growers) and the current cost just isn’t worth the extra few % of yeild (if that) I’d see. If you continue to offer the old boards or something at a reasonable price I’ll definitely grab some more until than I’ll continue to shop around or stop being lazy and go back to bridglux strips.

They will both produce the same amount of heat because they are both running at 150W – that's thermodynamics. The difference is in the light they produce. If you feel there is no benefit to running our boards, then we can hardly convince you otherwise – even though we have real-world tests that prove contrary.

That's the beauty of free-market economies – you are free to purchase whatever you like. But we are also free to produce whatever we like.

The reality is that over the past 18 months the demand for assembled kits/complete lights has outstripped those who wish to DIY, and so we have responded to that. I think you over-estimate the number of growers out there who are happy to play with electicity and wire up their own boards – even though we all know it's only 48V and wiring is relatively easy. But we are not new to wiring, whereas most growers – in our experience – simply want to buy a light and hang it up.

Then there is the amount of time we spend each week explaining things to people and helping them out if they do something wrong – which happens, and we are always there to help. That's time we don't get back.

I'm sorry if you are disappointed – and I have already said we will look after existing customers (you are welcome to read betwen the lines on that statement) – but we have flagged for a couple of months now that new products are coming, and we discounted the old boards to move stock in preparation for them.

As for cost, perhaps it is the biggest factor for you (though many growers we know simply write it off as a couple of ounces, which is what it is), but you get what you pay for, and the difference in quality is obvious when you compare products side-by-side.

In the end, it is up to the user to decide whether it is value or not.

 

[Grow Lights Australia]

Well, I just wet myself (for future me)

Still want the current version, are we able to source the same heatsinks ourselves that you guys bringing @Grow Lights Australia ? I think I'll still push forward with another 2 high light boards (will email later) I love your trade in idea too. That's awesome

The new boards are 430mm long compared to 415mm for the old boards, but are the same width. So they will fit the old heatsinks – as well as the HLG double and triple heatsinks – but the holes won't line up and you will need to drill them out. Also, if you are using an existing GLA heatsink (444mm long) then you need to drill 4x holes in the fins – one at each corner – to hang them, as the new boards will overlap the corner mounting holes. The new heatsinks are 480mm long.

 

[reza92]

They will both produce the same amount of heat because they are both running at 150W – that's thermodynamics.

Said like someone who doesn’t understand physics at all. Energy in = energy out. Both light and heat are energy. So if they’re producing the same heat and consuming the same power they’re producing the same amount of light, spectrum might be different but the energy is the same.

 

[Grow Lights Australia]

LEDS because they are improving so quickly year by year it seems like you can save a bit of coin and drop 10 - 20% efficancy or whatever and get older models, not as efficient designs etc.

I don't think the new highlights seem overpriced from a consumer perspective. I am someone who got an older highlight kit, and I would prefer not having to put it together, having everything plug and play is better for me personally. Also happy to support smaller Australian companies that are passionate as a fellow Aussie.

You are not in the minority. Many of the growers we've dealt with both locally andf overseas have expressed concerns about putting kits together themselves. They are just average growers with no wiring experience. We spend a lot of time with these people explain hwo things go together and honestly, we felt that time would have been better spent designing a plug-and-play system that makes life easier for everyone.

Let's face it, when someone walks into a hydro shop or goes online, they are looking to buy a lightto hang up – they are not necessarily looking for another project.

 

[reza92]

You are not in the minority. Many of the growers we've dealt with both locally andf overseas have expressed concerns about putting kits together themselves. They are just average growers with no wiring experience. We spend a lot of time with these people explain hwo things go together and honestly, we felt that time would have been better spent designing a plug-and-play system that makes life easier for everyone.

Let's face it, when someone walks into a hydro shop or goes online, they are looking to buy a lightto hang up – they are not necessarily looking for another project.

Look I’m not saying that the new kits aren’t a good thing for a new grower etc but the appeal of the old boards was the quality product at a very decent price. Having both options available would probably be a good thing as you can cater for everyone so to speak.

 

[hybridway2]

They will both produce the same amount of heat because they are both running at 150W – that's thermodynamics. The difference is in the light they produce. If you feel there is no benefit to running our boards, then we can hardly convince you otherwise – even though we have real-world tests that prove contrary.

That's the beauty of free-market economies – you are free to purchase whatever you like. But we are also free to produce whatever we like.

The reality is that over the past 18 months the demand for assembled kits/complete lights has outstripped those who wish to DIY, and so we have responded to that. I think you over-estimate the number of growers out there who are happy to play with electicity and wire up their own boards – even though we all know it's only 48V and wiring is relatively easy. But we are not new to wiring, whereas most growers – in our experience – simply want to buy a light and hang it up.

Then there is the amount of time we spend each week explaining things to people and helping them out if they do something wrong – which happens, and we are always there to help. That's time we don't get back.

I'm sorry if you are disappointed – and I have already said we will look after existing customers (you are welcome to read betwen the lines on that statement) – but we have flagged for a couple of months now that new products are coming, and we discounted the old boards to move stock in preparation for them.

As for cost, perhaps it is the biggest factor for you (though many growers we know simply write it off as a couple of ounces, which is what it is), but you get what you pay for, and the difference in quality is obvious when you compare products side-by-side.

In the end, it is up to the user to decide whether it is value or not.

Well said! Welcome to my world brother.

 

[hybridway2]

Look I’m not saying that the new kits aren’t a good thing for a new grower etc but the appeal of the old boards was the quality product at a very decent price. Having both options available would probably be a good thing as you can cater for everyone so to speak.

Agreed ! They should keep the others too. But that's expensive to sell & produce an inferior product. Diy answering is a bitch too.

Although This new spectrum will increase quality as well as yeild. The increase in IR alone will increase the yeild over the last spectrum or a regular HE spectrum. You are currently comparing to a very similar specs expecting different yeilds when most likely only quality went up. The blues were there but the DLI dedicated to the green was to much imo. For humans in that region. Lab test to tell to probably too. Different animal imo. But if you want some colored boards cheap, I gotchu!

 

[Scuzzman]

all I can say these boards( version 1) are the bees knees, my plants have never looked so good and healthy , looking forward to trying out the double boards in same configuration with the long heatsinks for a 1.5 x 1.5 , really like been able to adjust height independently that way tall plants 1 side the short plants the other side......

 

[Grow Lights Australia]

For a 4x4x6ft space, do you guys recommend 4x single boards or 2x double boards?

There will be a 470W side-by-side kit (2 boards) that will measure about 510mm x 480mm (20" x 19") that will cover up to a 4'x4' area and will effectively replace a 630W CMH-750W HPS in the same space with better efficiency and coverage. Or there will be an option to run 4 boards in there on two long heatsinks (960mm x 206mm) similar to what we currently recommend with each pair driven by 320W drivers (340W kits) – effectively replacing 1000W of HIDs

The two long boards will offer better coverage and will obviously put out more light and are what we would recommend for a max-effort grow in a 4'x4' or 4.5'x4.5'. For a 5'x5' we would recommend the same configuration with 480 drivers for a total 940W (2 x 470W).

Results will deopend on each configuration, but the 470W square kit will suit a single-plant style grow or a scrog that does not fill the entire 4'x4' tent, whereas the 680W (2x long board) kit will suit a wall-to-wall scrog. Some growers like to keep their plant numbers down and do minimal training, so the 470W kit will suit that style. Others prefer to fill their tents and try to maximise yields for their area.

 

[reza92]

Agreed ! They should keep the others too. But that's expensive to sell & produce an inferior product. Diy answering is a bitch too.

Although This new spectrum will increase quality as well as yeild. The increase in IR alone will increase the yeild over the last spectrum or a regular HE spectrum. You are comparing to a very similar specs expecting different yeilds when most likely only quality went up. Lab test to tell to probably too. Different animal imo. But if you want some colored boards cheap, I gotchu!

I don’t want cheap coloured boards. I know how to order from China vendors. I want what I was getting, a quality board at a decent price even if I need to put in a little work to get them that cheap. Gla accomplishes that for me, they weren’t the cheapest board but Hit the sweet spot of quality/cost/work for me.

Personally I could see the old board design being a good budget option than having options for the new boards as plug & play, diy kit, board only etc. catering for more people’s budgets and tastes. As for the time spent on answering diy questions? For legal reasons at the top of print in the biggest boldest lettering “THIS PRODUCT MUST BE ASSEMBLED BY A LICENSED ELECTRICIAN”, any emails asking assembly questions reply with something similar but polite and pointing people to the plug and play boards.

 

[Grow Lights Australia]

Said like someone who doesn’t understand physics at all. Energy in = energy out. Both light and heat are energy. So if they’re producing the same heat and consuming the same power they’re producing the same amount of light, spectrum might be different but the energy is the same.

Conservartion of energy means energy (and matter) can neither be created nor destroyed. 150 watts is 150 watts. That energy is eventually converted to heat – if not in the first instance (thermal, conductive or radiated heat – which includes light), then eventually in the biomass that is produced with it. Biomass stores energy that is later released when it combines with oxygen (burns).

Clearly what I said is true: with similar efficiency LED fixtures both running at 150W, the amount of convective and conductive heat will be the same, but the difference will be in the spectral output.

What wasn't mentioned is that if the same amount of energy is conducted over a smaller surface area (Quantum Board/Solskin 272 footprint), then that smaller surface area will heat up faster and take longer to dissipate, meaning the fixture itself will feel hotter to the touch. It also means that heat will affect the LEDs, which means they will run less efficiently, which will lead to even more conductive heat.

The point is, you say they "both produce the same amount of heat" – which is a given – but you don't provide temperature readings for both fixtures, nor explain whether one fixture is larger than the other and can dissipate that heat more effectively, nor mention whether this affects the efficiency of either fixture, nor whether one fixture is emmitting a better spectrum and how that might affect yield, cannabinoid and terpene content.

If you are seeing no difference, then I would suggest that is a subjective observation until you provide actual figures to substantiate your claims. Regardless, as I have said, I doubt the facts will change your mind.

 

[Grow Lights Australia]

Been keen to dig out a small tent next indoor season, for a 12-12 grow and outdoor starts. Tent is 900 x 600 and 1600 tall.

Something like this is perfect for an idiot like me. I'll make a mess doing it DIY.

Would the single kit be overkill for this space? (340w)
Already commited to purchasing one of your lights in the near future, just want to know your own recommendation.

Thanks very much.

A single 220W will fill that area. Here it is hanging in a 750mm x 600mm tent. The lights were turned down for the photo and you obviously wouldn't have the driver inside the tent, but it is a nice fit. We are waiting on LED Teknik to produce some IES files for us so that we can start electronic PAR mapping, but the footprint of the new boards is similar to the old boards and the new LEDs produce 20% more light so we have a fair idea already of what the PAR maps will look like.




Here is a PAR map of the old boards in a 750mm x 600mm (2.5'x2') at 400mm hang height (16"). You can add 20% to those PPFD readings for the new lights, and if you hang them a bit higher at 500mm (20") you will have a more even spread. The 2:1 shape of the boards suits a 900mm x 600mm tent.



The 340W side-by-side (square) kits are really suited to a 90cm x 90cm up to 1m x 1m area.

 

[Grow Lights Australia]

Can these new boards be run in parallel with the old boards?

I have a UV board and had planned to add a second board in the future, both powered from my current driver.

Unfortunately not mate. The new boards are 48V/5A and the old ones are a 50V/4.5A. We made the decision to produce a <48V board so that it would be compatible with all 48V constant voltage type drivers, such as Mean Well B types and Inventronics etc.

 

[Grow Lights Australia]

Look I’m not saying that the new kits aren’t a good thing for a new grower etc but the appeal of the old boards was the quality product at a very decent price. Having both options available would probably be a good thing as you can cater for everyone so to speak.

Perhaps. But what you may or may not understand is that to produce the old boards at the current (discounted) price, we needed to assemble 300+ at a time. That takes time, money and resources we have needed to put into the new boards.

Of those 300 boards, how many people are going to buy them when compared to the new offerings that are much easier to plug in and work? And how much more time do we have to spend teaching people how to wire up the old boards?

And if people like yourself are so pissed off that we are no longer producing the old boards, why weren't you out there buying them up while they were discounted and knowing we were coming out with something new and warning people they would be plug-and-play and slightly more expensive because of it?

If we produce any more old boards then – because we are a very small company – we need to divert cashflow. And we simply do not have enough money at this stage to start mass-production of multiple products. We can only do one thing at a time. If/when we become a bigger company then things will be different.

If there is enough demand, then we would probably be silly not to produce the old High Light boards. But right now, it makes more economic sense for us to produce the best light we can for the majority of potential buyers. We don't have the luxury of HLG etc to produce and hang on to large volumes of stock.