Thinking of buying HLG

[shroomhaze]

Anyone have any experience with them? I watched lots of tests and did a lot of research. At first was gonna get a mars hydro but decided to not do that and spend just a little more (where I live mars is double the price of the original so its just scamming people imo with crazy price tags for a budget light) I will only have to pay 200-400$ more to get HLG, what do you guys think about their lights? Also I cant get the newer Diablo versions that come with more diodes the rspec version is what I can afford

 

[PagingMrHerman]

I have a few hlg quantum boards and love them. After the first one (preassembled) i got another one and assembled it myself. (Lowered the cost) Then I made some more lights using Samsung diode strips to even out the canopy. Added some IR throughout the canopy as well. After 3 years and $$ I finally have enough light evenly spread over the canopy. It’s a mish mash but does the job.

If I could do it all over again I would go with a mixed spectrum of Samsung diode strips and build them out together. Aluminum angle, strips with heat sinks screwed together with the accompanied meanwell drivers. It’s the most cost effective only if you are comfortable with wiring and enjoy a project. It’s pretty straight forward if you have some experience with that sort of thing.

This site has a bunch of incredibly knowledgeable led gurus that can probably offer some even better insight.

 

[Rocket Soul]

Consider the hlg qb96 its a very good deal that allows you to spread your light out over rhe cannopy and for very little$

 

[pulpoinspace]

for a 4x4? either scorpion would be my choice of any ready to hang lamp on the market

HLG is solid either way, don't buy a mars

 

[coherent]

I think if you do a little searching you find plenty of feedback on the HLG lights. Most of it is very positive and I can only say with my personal experience of purchasing a turnkey led, the quality is good and the lights do what they are made to do... grow plants! I've dealt with their customer support and was very pleased with their quick response and assistance to correct an order issue.

 

[shroomhaze]

for a 4x4? either scorpion would be my choice of any ready to hang lamp on the market

HLG is solid either way, don't buy a mars

5x5 area I have to cover to cover that the light I can afford is 650v2 rspec although I dont know if it will pull off 5x5 as advertised but budget is the biggest issue, still think it will be fine in 5x5 tho

 

[shroomhaze]

I have a few hlg quantum boards and love them. After the first one (preassembled) i got another one and assembled it myself. (Lowered the cost) Then I made some more lights using Samsung diode strips to even out the canopy. Added some IR throughout the canopy as well. After 3 years and $$ I finally have enough light evenly spread over the canopy. It’s a mish mash but does the job.

If I could do it all over again I would go with a mixed spectrum of Samsung diode strips and build them out together. Aluminum angle, strips with heat sinks screwed together with the accompanied meanwell drivers. It’s the most cost effective only if you are comfortable with wiring and enjoy a project. It’s pretty straight forward if you have some experience with that sort of thing.

This site has a bunch of incredibly knowledgeable led gurus that can probably offer some even better insight.

I'm a little scared with building my own LED Im gonna look into to forum and research more to see if I can pull it off but never really done anything like this before

 

[Doug Dawson]

I am using an HLG 600 Rspec in a 4x4 and the plants love it. It will cover your 5x5. If you do decide on an HLG don't forget to use the RIU10 coupon code for 10% off.

 

[ricman]

HLG makes some great lights,,,cant go wrong with them.

 

[hillbill]

I'm a little scared with building my own LED Im gonna look into to forum and research more to see if I can pull it off but never really done anything like this before

HLG kits are easy. Hillbill is not tech savvy at all. No trouble and easy to follow videos are there.

 

[Rocket Soul]

If you want to cover a 5x5 well its preferable to have several smaller lights instead of a 4 board fixture with all the boards together in the middle; spread is not great as per hlg par maps and it would require a lot of hanging height which means you miss out on vertical growing space.

If your also on a budget then qb96 is a shoe-in:
6x69= 414. Add RIU10 for 10% discount and it drops to just over 370.

3x 240w drivers is about another 120-160. Youll need some wiring aswell, maybe some alu angle if you want to build a frame, another 50.
Youll have a light with better spread, lower cost and more appropriate wattage (30w per foot).

Diy is not hard with these, its basicly poke in connectors, + to + / - to -. Anyone can do it. I had no experience at all when i started and a day later we had built enough light for 60 sq feet.

But the main thing is that utter satisfaction when you first turn on your own built light and then when it yields big time. Its worth all the hassle.

 

[BBQtoast]

Need more watts than the Hlg's If you want to cover a 5x5, Hlg quotes are worthless, they don't do as well as others for that size.

 

[2com]

If you want to cover a 5x5 well its preferable to have several smaller lights instead of a 4 board fixture with all the boards together in the middle; spread is not great as per hlg par maps and it would require a lot of hanging height which means you miss out on vertical growing space.

If your also on a budget then qb96 is a shoe-in:
6x69= 414. Add RIU10 for 10% discount and it drops to just over 370.

3x 240w drivers is about another 120-160. Youll need some wiring aswell, maybe some alu angle if you want to build a frame, another 50.
Youll have a light with better spread, lower cost and more appropriate wattage (30w per foot).

Diy is not hard with these, its basicly poke in connectors, + to + / - to -. Anyone can do it. I had no experience at all when i started and a day later we had built enough light for 60 sq feet.

But the main thing is that utter satisfaction when you first turn on your own built light and then when it yields big time. Its worth all the hassle.

I prefer the 320w drivers (three qb96 per driver), but two of those would be less power output; I guess that's why you suggested 3x 240w drivers(?), because it's a 5x5.

The qb96 is a great option, Rspecs would be good too (@shroomhaze), you don't *need* diablos.

If you're gonna make a frame and diy it, I might suggest using tslot aluminum instead of aluminum angle. It'll be easier, quicker, and less frustrating.
Figure how much power/wattage you need for your space (for whatever light you use, could/will be different). For HLG 288 stuff, it's still at about 30-35w per square foot for flower afaik. I've *heard* some people finding 35w per square foot being too much.

My experience so far has been very good with HLG; the boards, and the customer service. Any time there's been an issue they've promptly corrected it.

 

[Rocket Soul]

Another

I prefer the 320w drivers (three qb96 per driver), but two of those would be less power output; I guess that's why you suggested 3x 240w drivers(?), because it's a 5x5.

The qb96 is a great option, Rspecs would be good too (@shroomhaze), you don't *need* diablos.

If you're gonna make a frame and diy it, I might suggest using tslot aluminum instead of aluminum angle. It'll be easier, quicker, and less frustrating.
Figure how much power/wattage you need for your space (for whatever light you use, could/will be different). For HLG 288 stuff, it's still at about 30-35w per square foot for flower afaik. I've *heard* some people finding 35w per square foot being too much.

My experience so far has been very good with HLG; the boards, and the customer service. Any time there's been an issue they've promptly corrected it.

Budget seems important to OP, the xlg series is more watts for less.

 

[BBQtoast]

I prefer the 320w drivers (three qb96 per driver), but two of those would be less power output; I guess that's why you suggested 3x 240w drivers(?), because it's a 5x5.

The qb96 is a great option, Rspecs would be good too (@shroomhaze), you don't *need* diablos.

If you're gonna make a frame and diy it, I might suggest using tslot aluminum instead of aluminum angle. It'll be easier, quicker, and less frustrating.
Figure how much power/wattage you need for your space (for whatever light you use, could/will be different). For HLG 288 stuff, it's still at about 30-35w per square foot for flower afaik. I've *heard* some people finding 35w per square foot being too much.

My experience so far has been very good with HLG; the boards, and the customer service. Any time there's been an issue they've promptly corrected it.

5 x 5 = 25

25 x 30 = 750

750w for flower easy.

 

[Doug Dawson]

5 x 5 = 25

25 x 30 = 750

750w for flower easy.

You can get away with 25watts per square foot if you use good led,s IMO. Many do and the results are fantastic. 650 watts of good led's will cover a 5x5. Newer led's put out more light per watt then older ones did. You could use more but you don't have to.

 

[Cornfield Cultivator]

I'm a little scared with building my own LED Im gonna look into to forum and research more to see if I can pull it off but never really done anything like this before

I was too but just built a strip light from a kit little problem with wring but got it fixed.

 

[2com]

5 x 5 = 25

25 x 30 = 750

750w for flower easy.

Yes multiplication. Very good but, "I'm not impress wid yaur performonce".

Need more watts than the Hlg's If you want to cover a 5x5, Hlg quotes are worthless, they don't do as well as others for that size.

I should just ignore after this nonsense. I'm not sure if you're maybe drunk or something? Haha.

 

[BBQtoast]

You can get away with 25watts per square foot if you use good led,s IMO. Many do and the results are fantastic. 650 watts of good led's will cover a 5x5. Newer led's put out more light per watt then older ones did. You could use more but you don't have to.

Why would I want 25 if I could have 30 or even 35, seems like your telling me not to grow so much.

 

[Doug Dawson]

Why would I want 25 if I could have 30 or even 35, seems like your telling me not to grow so much.

No, I am saying that LED's are getting more efficient so you don't need the same watts per square foot you used to in order to get the same light output. I agree that they are better off with 35 watt's per square foot for flowering but I still think you can get away with less. You can always add more light down the road. The cost difference of adding that extra 100 watts can be difficult as most are on a budget.