I bought a roll of reflective mylar from walmart for around $40
2 Likes
@MAXHeadRoom
Thanks for the info.
I really know nothing about these lighting components, but Iām sure I can put it all together as long as I have help selecting the correct componentās.
Would you go with the same stuff you got if building a 6 board system vs the 4 board that you built?
Not worried about the frame. I have a tig welder and can build something.
What about spacing for a 5x5 with 6 boards? Wanting to get 100% foot print coverage for Bloom.
1 Like
I didnāt weight it but my guess would be 40 45lb. Most of the weight is from the drivers. The boards are really light and everything else was made of aluminum. I use 90lb chain to hold it up
3 Likes
If I may, and surely get maxās opinion too. I would consider using 3 of the 3 board heatsinks. Mounting 2 boards per sink, and them spacing them evenly.
The reason is all the heatsinks have the boards oriented length wise, and the spacing isnāt great to use 3 of the 2 board sinks. Then probably run them about 100 watts a board hive or take.
1 Like
Could always remote the drivers with some extra so cord. Probably recommended if heat is potentially an issue.
1 Like
@dbrn32
But wouldnāt it be better to use 6 slate 3 boards and then space them out for 100% coverage? Like @MAXHeadRoom did with his 4 boards?
2 Likes
I could also build aluminum covers/shroudās for the heat sinks and put in fans to help with cooling if need be. I have a full sheet metal fab. shop here. Its what I doing for a living.
4 Likes
I would not go with the 3 board heat sink because the hole to attach the boards to are pre-drilled and the spacing is to close. I would get a separate slate 3 for each board. That will be all you need for cooling. These boards run very cool, at highest power my temp on top of the heat sink was 81 degrees. I was amazed but thats the truth
1 Like
I going to build another light with the 288 boards. you can run 2 boards with a HLG 240H-C2100B for around $200 so with 6 boards you could have a GREAT!!! light for $600.
Lets do it!!!
6 Likes
Looking at them, I thought getting 3 and leaving the center spot empty on each would just about do it. Then put each of the heat sinks about 15" on center.
Just dabbling the numbers in my head, that sounds pretty close to even to me, and a lot less fab work.
1 Like
@MAXHeadRoom the hlg 240 at 2100 for the 288, and the 240 at 1050ma for the 304 are the preferred driver configs?
1 Like
Max amp for the 304 is 1600 so could run the 240-1400 and the 288 max amp is 3000 so you could run the 240-2800 if they even make one. But I like to take the max amps and times by 75% to give you the best efficiency
1 Like
Sorry I was wrong you have to get the 320-1400 to run 2 304 at that amperage and thats a couple volts under spec
1 Like
The efficiency will go up as the current goes down, itās not limited to just a 25% reduction. But there would definitely be a happy medium between output and efficiency. The 288 looks like almost 10% more efficient at 1400ma than 2400ma. That pretty much comes down to wanting a more efficient 75 watt board, or less efficient 125 board. Or even splitting the difference at 1750 or 2100ma.
@Rugar89 if youāre going to move forward these are all things to consider. You can always go with a driver on the larger end and dim for efficiency too.
2 Likes
Oh Iām watching. Not understanding it all right now, but Iām taking it all in. Iām sure I will go this route and build my own. This will be like $400 cheaper then getting three more Mars Hydros like I thought I was going to have to do.
4 Likes
This video can help a super noob. If youāve seen it, or are beyond this level of info, check out some of his other videos.
3 Likes
So is it better to buy the QB304 with the lower current but higher Forward Voltage. Is this more efficient?
1 Like
Thatās not exactly what I meant. Itās probably more efficient, but you would really have to see how each string is laid out on the board.
On the 288 board Iām assuming there are just more parallel strings. Thatās what brings voltage down abd therefore current up.
Since thatās really out of our control, we really just calculate based on our application. Running at max current will be most power and least efficient. Each step you take down in power will increase the led efficiency. You could probably pull 200 lumens per watt from them at ridiculously low current, but the total amount of light would be really low. So we look for the drive current that gives us the most reasonable application.
1 Like
Iām 99% sure Iām going to go this route if you guys can help me with the components. Mainly the drivers.
Iām trying to price everything out, and the price on the drivers seems to be the only difference that will change the bottom line price.
What are my driver choices as far as what I should be looking for?
Can you give me the driver choices and the pros and cons of each as far as power vs efficiency that I need?
5x5x7ā Tent. I want 100% coverage for future grows using a scrog. Not sure if its best to go over kill on power, and then cut back with the dimmer for less power and more efficiency, or less power and run on max. output.