A51 RW-150 or ONYX bloom? Hmmm.....

I'd rather build a few units and save hundreds

Yeah all prebuilt lights are overpriced compaired to DIY lights, theirs a great amount of research on these forums if you were to DIY. A lot of people are using CXA3070 chips with artic air 11 rev. as a heat sink/fan and some type of a driver like a meanwell. Cheap to DIY getting like 75w light for around 100$

Yup, go ahead and build your own....if you want the hassle. I've read quite a bit about the DIY projects, (Supra posts some really good info if anyone desires to read btw) and for the onyx bloom you could build it and save yourself maybe $150, maybe. Go check the prices of the LED's you intend to use, and then the drivers, etc.

If you want to build your own it's because you want the knowledge and experience, and that is priceless so the money spent is of secondary importance. Did you accomplish your goal? That is the most important. I want to grow dank medicine with as little energy/material cost as possible, and each person chooses their path.

For example, here is some LED's to buy and make your own.

http://www.amazon.com/illumitex-Germination-Flowering-Connectors-Horticultural/dp/B00BF2P2R8

Just above you can see someone is selling a fixture of 24 of the same LED's ready to grow for $315.50. So for $106 bucks you get the driver/power supply, and the layout/coverage design of the heatsink. If the market was ripe for profit, it would be filled by secondary manufacturers, and it isn't, just filled with questionable chinese product.

Well show me a pre built fixture with top bin cree/bridgelux cobs in it atm? ........that may be another reason for the diy crowd.

Yodaweed said:

Yeah all prebuilt lights are overpriced compaired to DIY lights, theirs a great amount of research on these forums if you were to DIY. A lot of people are using CXA3070 chips with artic air 11 rev. as a heat sink/fan and some type of a driver like a meanwell. Cheap to DIY getting like 75w light for around 100$

Click to expand...

they aren't overpriced, the company just has to make money for their time
and investment, they don't do it for free. the price you see on digikey is the
price for businesses as well, you don't get wholesale pricing for owning a
business like most other industrial or growing supplies. the company has
to pay for the products, tools, labor for assembly, assembly facility, and
other associated costs with owning a business, such as licensing and
unemployment insurance. all of those expenses come out of the profit
margin, they don't magically manifest themselves from nowhere lol.

normally when you present your business license, you receive a price
discount of somewhere between 25-50% so that you can provide a similar
price as the wholesaler and remain competitive. for example, i can get FFOF
for about $7 a bag because i have a license for a garden supply store,
retail those go for $23.95. That is not the case with digikey and LED suppliers,
the public gets the same price as business.

indianajones said:

they aren't overpriced, the company just has to make money for their time
and investment, they don't do it for free. the price you see on digikey is the
price for businesses as well, you don't get wholesale pricing for owning a
business like most other industrial or growing supplies. the company has
to pay for the products, tools, labor for assembly, assembly facility, and
other associated costs with owning a business, such as licensing and
unemployment insurance. all of those expenses come out of the profit
margin, they don't magically manifest themselves from nowhere lol.

normally when you present your business license, you receive a price
discount of somewhere between 25-50% so that you can provide a similar
price as the wholesaler and remain competitive. for example, i can get FFOF
for about $7 a bag because i have a license for a garden supply store,
retail those go for $23.95. That is not the case with digikey and LED suppliers,
the public gets the same price as business.

Click to expand...

This is true

I don't think I can research that Psuagro, nor do I want to invest that much time. I am quite happy reading the very informative posts from all of you doing the DIY work. I am grateful for your sharing,,,,however, I do not feel the pull to build my own as of yet, however, who knows what the future holds.

When the technological advances slow a bit, I will be tempted to build my own. Even the Onyx Bloom has dropped in price to $400 now. Like everything else, as time goes by, prices will drop like a rock. I've seen people dropping $20 on a cree light bulb for their living room.

indianajones said:

they aren't overpriced, the company just has to make money for their time
and investment, they don't do it for free. the price you see on digikey is the
price for businesses as well, you don't get wholesale pricing for owning a
business like most other industrial or growing supplies. the company has
to pay for the products, tools, labor for assembly, assembly facility, and
other associated costs with owning a business, such as licensing and
unemployment insurance. all of those expenses come out of the profit
margin, they don't magically manifest themselves from nowhere lol.

normally when you present your business license, you receive a price
discount of somewhere between 25-50% so that you can provide a similar
price as the wholesaler and remain competitive. for example, i can get FFOF
for about $7 a bag because i have a license for a garden supply store,
retail those go for $23.95. That is not the case with digikey and LED suppliers,
the public gets the same price as business.

Click to expand...

Well said.

Yodaweed said:

Yeah all prebuilt lights are overpriced compaired to DIY lights, theirs a great amount of research on these forums if you were to DIY. A lot of people are using CXA3070 chips with artic air 11 rev. as a heat sink/fan and some type of a driver like a meanwell. Cheap to DIY getting like 75w light for around 100$

Click to expand...

I do think this is true as well. Businesses need revenue in order to operate but in Yoda's defense, there are plenty of companies out there that are charging ridiculous amounts of money for say 250true-watt models @ ~$1200. These companies of course have little reputation to show for in comparison to the promoted brands you see in the indoor growing forums, like A51, due to their obvious money making schemes.

Price gouging is common with new devices in the semiconductor industry. That's why vero29 dropped around 10 $ recently. Prices would be double again if it wasn't for competition from china. I never buy the latest greatest new tech thing