Er3
Well-Known Member
281 grows pretty good bud in my experience
The Chinese Quantum Board Knock Off Builds
- Thread starter zypheruk
- Start date
Rocket Soul
Well-Known Member
Its true that they have some very high top bins but also some very average stuff aswell. One of the baba suppliers quoted me 8ct for 301bs and 1 cent for 281bs; they may be a good option aswell, its pretty hard to argue against using 8 diodes instead of one.
Point im making: lm301bs : high end, most expensive
281bs : literally the cheapest diodes they offered me.
Both can in the end lead you to an efficient light. But i wouldnt go for the budget diodes unless they were absolutely massive diode counts/$.
Rocket Soul
Well-Known Member
Still rocking Fotops:
Went up to the grow for some work, taking down the crop and shuffling some lights around so we threw this together in order to retire some other Fotops. Old ones were lm561C, on around 120w a piece: seemed very hard to get the right intensity with this old combo. New lights are lm301bs, theyve lasted quite a bit better than the others, will be running at 180each: smaller footprint but better intensity.
This light is ready to take strips/monos next time we bring some in for uv/far red supp. Compared to strip based lights with many wires these are such a joy to work with.
Went up to the grow for some work, taking down the crop and shuffling some lights around so we threw this together in order to retire some other Fotops. Old ones were lm561C, on around 120w a piece: seemed very hard to get the right intensity with this old combo. New lights are lm301bs, theyve lasted quite a bit better than the others, will be running at 180each: smaller footprint but better intensity.
This light is ready to take strips/monos next time we bring some in for uv/far red supp. Compared to strip based lights with many wires these are such a joy to work with.
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my fotops 800 is still rocking as well. I can tell its getting closer to its last days but still working nearly 3 years after purchase. mine where from meijui on alibaba. They have some updated models that look really nice either using the vertical bar setup or they have one called hc 800 or 1200 that is a all encompassing inclosed unit like the old k5s. I was really happy with my meijui purchase and they have lasted longer than i have expected..think ill grab the hc one next.
also now that i think about it..have had to run the fotops at like 60 percent most of the time as they are so strong...
Rocket Soul
Well-Known Member
I found that the 301b fotops last a fair bit better than the V1s. We keep them between 150-200w usually.
they have like 50 sales reps that work for them... each rep will quote you a slightly different price based on exact specs and how many units ordered and where its shipped and whether they can ship it as a product sample or not. best bet is just to contact a few of the reps u see on alibaba and ask them same question and see what you get back. some of the emails i get from them from time to time quote really nice prices imo.
yeah thats what i have the 301b fotops..at really low settings small parts of the board dont want to light up so i can tell that she is getting on in age but she is still alive and kicking..thinking of replacing with the meijui hc 800 which looks really nice and is one self contained unit. i'm downsizing and the rectangle bars most new setups are pushing are a bit big for my needs.
Rocket Soul
Well-Known Member
Do you have a link for that hc 800?
Seems like pcb only isnt a very popular sale anymore with meijiu, unless you make a full production run. The new "fotop" is 281b and somewhat slimer, i think about 18cm. Its nice cause you would be able to do higher diode density.
Full Spectrum MEIJIU 800W Samsung lm351h HPS Replacement Led Grow Light (meijiuled.com)
they also have a 1200w version..
it uses the newer 351 chips..
Moflow
Well-Known Member
Just moved these 6 x White Widow x Sensi Star original under the Fotops in the hut
R2t boards on left, hlg v1 board on right. I've more lights to turn on yet, I'll do it tomorrow.
There's a uv light between the Fotops that I haven't used in a while. I think I'll turn it on tomorrow.
R2t boards on left, hlg v1 board on right. I've more lights to turn on yet, I'll do it tomorrow.
There's a uv light between the Fotops that I haven't used in a while. I think I'll turn it on tomorrow.
Rocket Soul
Well-Known Member
Thats a very different beast to the fotop; that light is optimized for much higher hanging height.
I like meijiu, but i gotta throw some shade on that light; i do not believe their numbers. Its around 600 diodes according to my count. Ok, fair enough its 3535 diodes, somewhat more efficient than midpowers, but that would depend on what power levels thyre run at: at over 1w per diode average i simply cant believe 3.2, including drivers. Hlg got to 3 something using around 4000 of the most efficient diodes money can get. Maybe 3.2 at low power and only board numbers. But i dont believe 3.2 including drivers.
Also, adding blue diodes to a white light seems a bit daft, just go for a colder shade of white and your sorted.
yeah i'm rethinking it now that i realize its meant to be hung from higher heights..prob end up getting something more along these lines
i mean maybe there numbers are a little fudged..i always thought everyones pretty much was to be fair. However, i will say that i have never been able to run the fotops boards at full strength as that is too much for my plants so i'm pretty happy with the boards overall as i run them at about 60% power. also after 4 years of usage, i cant really complain. they paid for themseves a long time ago.
Rocket Soul
Well-Known Member
The fotops when run at full power start getting a bit of a hotspot in the middle, this increases as with higher hanging height. 140-200w seems to have been what worked best for us, with around 8-12" hanging height.
Barlights work really well, only that raising and lowering is a bit hard in tents.
MidnightSun72
Well-Known Member
1000000% agree. 3.2 umol/j my ass.
Cptn
Well-Known Member
Hey @Rocket Soul or others 
Hoping you can suggest something to use to clean a QB288 quantum board (with no waterproof film.)
I have a few diodes that are dirty from where a plant grew into the lights.
Thinking some 91% iso on a clean cotton cloth, but worried about how the built-in lenses in the 301b diodes will react.
Any advice? Thanks in advance
Hoping you can suggest something to use to clean a QB288 quantum board (with no waterproof film.)
I have a few diodes that are dirty from where a plant grew into the lights.
Thinking some 91% iso on a clean cotton cloth, but worried about how the built-in lenses in the 301b diodes will react.
Any advice? Thanks in advance
Rocket Soul
Well-Known Member
Hey, Cptn always got time for old timers. Thx for reviving my "home thread", its been life less since forever. Yes, isopropyl alcohol. Cant remember the concentration but pretty sure its fine, the outer protective layer of these white diodes is not a lense but a protective layer of silicon. Alcohol shouldnt dissolve it. Waterproof film would be another acrylic/silicon mix over the entire diode, not just the LES. Try searching for "how to clean leds" or some variation of these words, im sure there was a thread with a lot of peeps pitching in. How old are your boards? How are they working out for you? Alibabas? Nobody passes thru my advice without paying the price of a few questionHey @Rocket Soul or others
Hoping you can suggest something to use to clean a QB288 quantum board (with no waterproof film.)
I have a few diodes that are dirty from where a plant grew into the lights.
Thinking some 91% iso on a clean cotton cloth, but worried about how the built-in lenses in the 301b diodes will react.
Any advice? Thanks in advance
Best vibes and sweet smoke?
Cptn
Well-Known Member
This thread has been really valuable for me in my projects and I have a lot of respect for you and all you've done to try to help people here.Hey, Cptn always got time for old timers. Thx for reviving my "home thread", its been life less since forever. Yes, isopropyl alcohol. Cant remember the concentration but pretty sure its fine, the outer protective layer of these white diodes is not a lense but a protective layer of silicon. Alcohol shouldnt dissolve it. Waterproof film would be another acrylic/silicon mix over the entire diode, not just the LES. Try searching for "how to clean leds" or some variation of these words, im sure there was a thread with a lot of peeps pitching in.
How old are your boards? How are they working out for you? Alibabas? Nobody passes thru my advice without paying the price of a few question
Best vibes and sweet smoke?
My panels are alibaba Kingbrite. I've had very good luck with the gear I got from them. Both the boards and the meanwell drivers.
I have a mixture of different versions of their QB288 boards.
At first, I resisted getting the "waterproof" versions because I didn't want to lose .001% light output (or whatever it is) but in later orders, I always went for it.
I think I've seen you on ICmag now. I wasn't surprised as I noticed this thread went idle.
Most people over there don't know how much great info has been shared here in this thread. I'm sure you are gonna generate some epiphanies over there
Silicone bubbles over the diode sounds right. I knew it was a soft compound which made me worry about what I used to clean. I'll let you know how the alcohol works.
Thanks brother :tiphat: