Would the Mars 1600 be an upgrade (worthwhile) over than the crap I use now? Currently using 10x 110 volt cfl 100w/23w 6500k for veg and at the flip I changed to the 100/23w 2700k. Just wondering if it is a worthwhile?
improvement. Thanks.
Yeah, it would definitely be an upgrade
I would not go with the Mars Hydro for an upgrade light. If you really are looking to upgrade your light and are looking for some help into what to get, that will be a good option for years to come. @Dbrn32 or myself can help you find a good light for you and your space. With a budget of ~500$ (going off the Mars 1600). There are plenty of options available to you.
Lets start with what size your tent is.
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Yeah it looks like your a DIY type Guy. For less than the $400 a mars would cost you can get a
https://www.amazon.com/Quantum-LEDs-Light-Board-2700k/dp/B07DF9K9HT/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1537019660&sr=8-7&keywords=horticultural%2Blighting%2Bgroup&th=1
$299
I’m not a HLG guy but I think the c2100b can handle 2 red strips too
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I use a 2x4x5’ tent with a 4" in line fan, carbon filter. Am in the 4th week of flower. Looking at a used one (Mars 1600 for 150.00)
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$150,Mars it is then 
I would have no issues with DIY, but it’s capital that I’m short on! LOL, ss recipient, I will eventually go to a qb board but, in the future, as I will have to buy it bit by bit over some time. Just thought this might be a “stop gap” for the meantime.
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If I grab that Mars would there be any problem with replacing during lights out time one evening? Or just during light on time and just do the switch?
I’m with @Aolelon. If you’re spending money, I wouldn’t spend it on budget blurple panel.
For $150, hard to do much in a 2x4. How would you feel about building 2-3 small lights one at a time? For $150 I’m pretty confident you can complete 1 light and have enough of some of the construction materials to do a few more.
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I would probably start it at about 20"- 24" and keep an eye on when you can lower it. " Plants will tell you"
Would love to do 4 100± qb’'s but (unless Im mistaken) cost would be several each Plus, could do over time (if could buy piece by piece).
You don’t even need that much light in something like a 2x4. 250-300ish watts of anything like that is plenty.
The light in link above I built for about $100. Matt pulled 5 and a half oz’s dry out of a 2x2 tent. You do something like 3 of those in a 2x4 and you’ll be solid. The price on parts has kind of fluctuated a little. But as of right now it’s about $45 in leds and a $23 driver. The wire, thermal tape, power cord and connectors will run you about another $40. The only other thing you would really need is some aluminum and hardware.
Dbrn32, I would love the parts list on the leds, drivers, ect. I do have the skills needed to build. Just not knowledgeable on the electrical design. And led/driver’s needed.
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BTW
THIS IS WHERE I’M AT AS OF THIS MORN. 29 day in flower.
This is a “DUTCH DOPE” from another vender as ilgm couldn’t process my ■■■■. Will try again as I like this forum, great info.
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The strips are BXEB-L0280Z-35E1000-C-B3. In that design there’s 10 strips matched up with a meanwell lpc-100-500 on a 12”x12”x.125 piece of aluminum plate.
The wiring is piece of cake. The strips are series connected and simple hot from power cord to acl on driver and neutral from power cord to acn on driver. You should read through that thread I linked, I think I did a pretty good job with parts needed and descriptions.
Building now, you can get 3500k strips cheaper, so I would go with them. And if you can wait for arrow electronics to run another discount code you can save a couple bucks. The driver a little more difficult to get now, but mouser usually stocks them.
Also, this layout is far from the only way to do it. You can select different driver or bigger strips, and even play with strip count and driver current to get a little more efficient or a bigger light. When I did that one the goal was simple and cheap while still providing a really good light.
If you have a source for cheap aluminum, I would see what you can get there first, and design around that. A bigger piece of aluminum would allow different strips or different strip count, and would likely require a different driver.
A quick aside… curious about the leds (qb) can they be used on both veg and bloom? Or do I need a 2nd build for the flip? I have read here that aprox 6500k for veg and 2700k for flower, and that’s what I’ve done here. Is this different with leds?
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Yep. If you get something like 3000k or 3500k leds with good intensity it’s the only light you’ll need.
That theory applies more to something like cfl’s where the intensity is very weak. If you try to veg with something like 2700k cfl’s there’s not enough intensity to take over the plant response of wanting to stretch to the red light. Hlg shows par levels of their hlg-65 (65 wall watts of this type of led tech) vs 8 23 watt cfls.
Read your build, excellently done. This makes more sense to me. Did I see that they were putting about 100w per panel? Howhat many should I have 2/3/4?
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After driver efficiency loss they come in about 105-106 watts. I think if you could get two in there you’d be doing pretty good, if you could get 3 you’d be kicking butt.