Quick question

Yeah, look at modern LED boards for lights. There's stuff out there cheap that will push you along much better than a 'blurple' older style LED fixture or two. I'd be scoping some of the Spider Farmer/Mars stuff or Viparspectra, etc. For a couple hundred bucks you can get some legit lights that will help you out. I'd be looking at stuff that's got Samsung LM301B's or 301H LEDs on them. In the 'deals' thread in the grow room setup forum stuff gets posted pretty much every day.

Fahn2k said:

A 4x4! Dude your light is definitely the problem! No way a 100 watt light is gonna be enough. A true 300 watt bar light would just get the job done. When looking at Amazon lights start with lights with 4000 in the description. Your light is xx1000, you need xx4000 or higher. You say your plants are in flower? Here's a plant going into flower today. See the light up there? $539 of not enough light for the tent size, will blow your light out the water. And still not able to handle a 4x4. Not even close. You can buy cheap everything, but not a cheap light. By the time you grow, dry and cure you have 4 months of busting your ass for what? Low yield, low potency, possible bad taste. You may think the light is bright, but your plants will grow in a window sill. With enough light the plants don't stretch cause there getting enough light. The average foliar spray is food safe, not smoke inhalation safe. Plus you don't want to taste it. Avoid spraying anything on a flower plant that you may ingest through your lungs. It's safer to smoke the bug! It's ok, smile and laugh with me. You'll get it in the long run!

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This is the lights I have going also

LeastExpectedGrower said:

Yeah, look at modern LED boards for lights. There's stuff out there cheap that will push you along much better than a 'blurple' older style LED fixture or two. I'd be scoping some of the Spider Farmer/Mars stuff or Viparspectra, etc. For a couple hundred bucks you can get some legit lights that will help you out. I'd be looking at stuff that's got Samsung LM301B's or 301H LEDs on them. In the 'deals' thread in the grow room setup forum stuff gets posted pretty much every day.

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Thank you.. I'm new to this forum and growing. Do I search deals

Mikenliv said:

Thank you.. I'm new to this forum and growing. Do I search deals

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Lets make it easy.


When you see deals listed and the LEDs look like blue/red...don't go for 'em. Look at the ones that look like full spectrum (whitish yellow) LEDs.

LeastExpectedGrower said:

Lets make it easy.

The Best Deals Thread. Post Best Deals And Lowest Prices Links

Me too. I fucking love HLG. It was like… dicking around with Walmart shoes and getting some Nikes. Been a huge fan for years now. The QB132 are great for veg make a rack with 4 of them, can’t beat it. Qb96 are insane power for the size. HLG 600r spec is a huge stationary light. The HLG 100 is...

www.rollitup.org

When you see deals listed and the LEDs look like blue/red...don't go for 'em. Look at the ones that look like full spectrum (whitish yellow) LEDs.

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Got it. Thank you bro...

Mikenliv said:

This is the lights I have going also

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Yeah, that's another ~100w light, but note that again it's older LEDs and they're not as efficient in brightness (to your eyes) or PAR (the light that helps plants)...so a newer technology 100W light will trump these in a side-by-side comparison.

LeastExpectedGrower said:

Yeah, that's another ~100w light, but note that again it's older LEDs and they're not as efficient in brightness (to your eyes) or PAR (the light that helps plants)...so a newer technology 100W light will trump these in a side-by-side comparison.

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Bro. By trade im a electrician. I have these 120v 300w flat panel leds that I mount at my rock plants. Bright as hell with no fans tho. I'm about to mount one of those!

Whats your opinion on this light

Mikenliv said:

Whats your opinion on this light

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Doesn't look bad. The PPFD maps look decent for under 200$. It may add some noise to your tent since it has fans, but it also has a dimmer which is nice. Assuming the diodes are legit and all. The drivers are no-name but may be solid I don't know anything about the 'brand' but it could be one of many rebranded imports.

For a few bucks more, this is a company with a track record: https://www.viparspectra.com/products/xs-series-xs2000 and a Mean Well driver.

And this Mars supposedly hits 300w for the same ballpark and is a fairly well known and liked manufacturer for cheap LEDs: https://www.mars-hydro.com/led-grow-light/mars-ts-series-led-grow-light/mars-tsw-2000-led-full-spectrum-hydroponic-led-grow-light

I see you're searching HLG stuff though. Don't be afraid if you've got a bit of extra scratch. Currently using a 225 and soon should be adding a few more units to the tent.

LeastExpectedGrower said:

Doesn't look bad. The PPFD maps look decent for under 200$. It may add some noise to your tent since it has fans, but it also has a dimmer which is nice. Assuming the diodes are legit and all. The drivers are no-name but may be solid I don't know anything about the 'brand' but it could be one of many rebranded imports.

For a few bucks more, this is a company with a track record: https://www.viparspectra.com/products/xs-series-xs2000 and a Mean Well driver.

And this Mars supposedly hits 300w for the same ballpark and is a fairly well known and liked manufacturer for cheap LEDs: https://www.mars-hydro.com/led-grow-light/mars-ts-series-led-grow-light/mars-tsw-2000-led-full-spectrum-hydroponic-led-grow-light

I see you're searching HLG stuff though. Don't be afraid if you've got a bit of extra scratch. Currently using a 225 and soon should be adding a few more units to the tent.

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Yeah you clearly know your stuff and any info helps. I'll check out the ones you sent. Thank you

This as cheap as you should go. PPFD maps are BS when you don't know what your looking at and honestly you don't. Just a bunch of pretty colors and you try to see if one map has more3 humps than the other. Your in a 4x4, you need even light coverage and wattage. This is a cheap light with 400 watts. If I was on a budget I would seriously consider it. Those other lights in this post are smaller lights as far as size goes. They will focus their energy toward the center of the tent and the sides of the plants will suffer when you flower.

• 
  
  
  SZHLUX 4000W LED Grow Light 6×6ft Coverage Dual Switch Full Spectrum Grow Lamp for Indoor Plants, Sunlight Plant Light 864 LEDs for Hydroponic Seedling Veg and Bloom Greenhouse Growing Light Fixtures
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So even tho it doesn't have the Samsung leds this will be sufficient and bright enough for my 4 by 4 tent. Your absolutely correct. I have no clue about whats good and whats not. And def on a budget right now.

Here's another pick for those who dont want to buy another light for 5 years or more.
MARS HYDRO FC6500 LED Grow Light 5x5ft with 2688pcs Samsung LM301B Osram Diodes Upgraded Full Spectrum Commercial Growing Light for Plants Dimmable Daisy Chain 2.8 umol/J
Visit the MARS HYDRO Store
4.6 out of 5 stars 371 ratings

Yeah thats way out of the ballpark. Atleast right now. I might try the last one you sent me because of the coverage size.

Mikenliv said:

So even tho it doesn't have the Samsung leds this will be sufficient and bright enough for my 4 by 4 tent. Your absolutely correct. I have no clue about whats good and whats not. And def on a budget right now.

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Think of LED's and Drivers like you think about cars. Everyone wants a Mercedes, but a Chevy will get you to work and home just the same. Your budget will get you into trouble quick if your looking for Samsung LED's and a Meanwell Driver. Mainly because your budget is low so you'll run across more fake than good, or LED's that didnt pass the QC inspection. The two lights i posted for you are considered cheap Chinese lights. The only thing is, if you really don't have the cash go for the low priced one. It will be your Chevy, the higher priced light is your Buick. I don't know what country your in so look at the detailed spec's on these lights for reference and just try to get as close as possible. Another thing to consider is to build your own. I think HLG has Quantum Board kits that are pretty easy to build at a decent price, and you can expand them. Start with one and add it with the light you have and as money comes in add another until you have 4. Your light isnt useless, it just isnt right for a 4x4. Save it and throw it in a 2x2 for seedling, clones and veg.

Save your money and get the best light you can afford. HLG or equivalent. Light is everything, without good light nothing else matters.

Driver733 said:

Save your money and get the best light you can afford. HLG or equivalent. Light is everything, without good light nothing else matters.

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I agree, but the OP is in trouble now. With what he has he'll be still buying from somebody. A couple of BS lights were posted, so I recommended the cheapest light to get him to the starting line. Cheap enough to grow good enough erb and to stop buying and start saving the extra money. Then he can really appreciate what a good light can do and buy appropriately. With luck he'll one day have a Diablo Scorpion in his 4x4!

Fahn2k said:

I agree, but the OP is in trouble now. With what he has he'll be still buying from somebody. A couple of BS lights were posted, so I recommended the cheapest light to get him to the starting line. Cheap enough to grow good enough erb and to stop buying and start saving the extra money. Then he can really appreciate what a good light can do and buy appropriately. With luck he'll one day have a Diablo Scorpion in his 4x4!

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Well, the OP said he was an electrician by trade, so he should be able to assemble components by himself if he wants to do that. Certainly, as an electrician he can appreciate the difference in light fixture output and par quality. Personally, I bought the HLG-550 R-Spec with the UV bar and love it (The Diablo was not on the market yet). If I did it again, I would buy the Diablo. Cheers!

Fahn2k said:

Think of LED's and Drivers like you think about cars. Everyone wants a Mercedes, but a Chevy will get you to work and home just the same. Your budget will get you into trouble quick if your looking for Samsung LED's and a Meanwell Driver. Mainly because your budget is low so you'll run across more fake than good, or LED's that didnt pass the QC inspection. The two lights i posted for you are considered cheap Chinese lights. The only thing is, if you really don't have the cash go for the low priced one. It will be your Chevy, the higher priced light is your Buick. I don't know what country your in so look at the detailed spec's on these lights for reference and just try to get as close as possible. Another thing to consider is to build your own. I think HLG has Quantum Board kits that are pretty easy to build at a decent price, and you can expand them. Start with one and add it with the light you have and as money comes in add another until you have 4. Your light isnt useless, it just isnt right for a 4x4. Save it and throw it in a 2x2 for seedling, clones and veg.

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Well explained my friend. I'm in California. So everything here is expensive. But I get what your saying. I was thinking about getting 1 light and putting the 3 i have all in 1 tent. Until I get the lights that are right. Thank you for the help.

Mikenliv said:

Well explained my friend. I'm in California. So everything here is expensive. But I get what your saying. I was thinking about getting 1 light and putting the 3 i have all in 1 tent. Until I get the lights that are right. Thank you for the help.

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As with any 'hobby' field... take a thing that's not terribly expensive, mark it up a lot then label it special for the hobby! I've been involved in everything from this to brewing to beekeeping and they're all the same deal. Find a way to make people pay 50$ for a 3$ plastic bucket.

Two ways about it with lights...use what you have and add a few until you get where you need to be or drop the change right up front and get a solid setup. I've done the same thing. I had a few non-specific grow lights I've used for germinating vegetables/plants/roses for the plantings here at the LEG Compound, but I knew they weren't going to cut it since they maxed out at a cumulative 100w. I looked at my options and chose to spend a bit but get a decent light that I could supplement with the lights I had. That was a solid move, but now I can take that original light splurge purchase (HLG 225) and expand my lights around it now that I've saved a bit and have a better handle on what I need and what will work with my tent.

The real thing is if you're not going for a long term solution, pick something that you CAN make work with other lights as you go on rather than spending a couple hundred bucks now, then having to spend even more later to completely replace that and have a fairly new light on hand that you aren't using.