DIY with Quantum Boards
- Thread starter robincnn
- Start date
MMJ Dreaming 99
Well-Known Member
Nice bro. 4 QBs? 4x4 or a bit larger?
Evil-Mobo
Well-Known Member
QBs run 332 watts max I'm down to 250 this run. My tents are 3x3 thanks for the kind words
You're only using 250w for a a 3x3? What're you expecting to yield?
Evil-Mobo
Well-Known Member
Yes 332 was generating too much heat and hurting the plants what would you have me do? I have no yield expectations here it's my first run with the light so any number would be a complete guess.
Too much heat, really?
mexgrowerr
Member
Hi, I am building a diy quantum rig for veg and flower in a relatively small tent (2.5ftx2.5ft):
I have added a dimmer so that during veg I can turn it down. My question is does dimming, say by half, reduce the quality of the light in some way ? does a dimmed light still provide what is necessary in veg ? This may seem like an obvious answer but I just wanted to be sure... thanks!
I have added a dimmer so that during veg I can turn it down. My question is does dimming, say by half, reduce the quality of the light in some way ? does a dimmed light still provide what is necessary in veg ? This may seem like an obvious answer but I just wanted to be sure... thanks!
StonerCol
Well-Known Member
The 260W kit is recommended for 3x3 flower/4x4 veg so I'm not sure what you think is wrong mate?
Oh I don't think anything is wrong, I own 2 x 260s which I've not yet started using and I'm surprised at how little wattage people use.
I know nothing as yet and am looking for any info I can get.
pop22
Well-Known Member
Dimming reduces the quantity of light, not the quality. It also improves efficiency.
Hi, I am building a diy quantum rig for veg and flower in a relatively small tent (2.5ftx2.5ft):
I have added a dimmer so that during veg I can turn it down. My question is does dimming, say by half, reduce the quality of the light in some way ? does a dimmed light still provide what is necessary in veg ? This may seem like an obvious answer but I just wanted to be sure... thanks!
mexgrowerr
Member
Good to know, thanks!
greg nr
Well-Known Member
I have 2 qb's in a 3x3, and I can't run them at max (320 w driver) either. Heat wasn't my issue. The plants were exhibiting light burn. I raised the lights and turned them down to ~250. I also have 60 watts of xm-l leds, so I'm about 320 at the wall.
It's a lot of light.
It's a lot of light.
Budzbuddha
Well-Known Member
Hi, I am building a diy quantum rig for veg and flower in a relatively small tent (2.5ftx2.5ft):
I have added a dimmer so that during veg I can turn it down. My question is does dimming, say by half, reduce the quality of the light in some way ? does a dimmed light still provide what is necessary in veg ? This may seem like an obvious answer but I just wanted to be sure... thanks!
My 2¢ .....
I havent had the need to MAX out boards ( although they are capable ) ... I use and stick to a power percentage type of growing - meaning adjusting power for best efficiency and plant response. As with TOO MUCH FEED , you can Stress your plants with TOO MUCH LIGHT.
I keep to a more controlled run - running at 60-70% ( max ) of available power.
By doing this , i KEEP A STATIC HEIGHT on my rig. No raising and lowering for me.
No light burn issues because i dont go beyond " light saturation " of plants.
You will know when you are " Too Much " ... You will see bleaching , leaf distortions , and other stress symptoms. It is too easy to go " balls to the wall " with these so find the SWEET SPOT in plant response and leave it.
I keep my rigs at a static 18" above growth and NEVER MOVE IT. All i do is some LST if needed but thats it. By increasing or decreasing light output WORKED BETTER than raising and lowering rig. You can start seedlings , clones , etc. with just a DROP in dimmer control. I prefer B-TYPE drivers ( Dimmable ) for just that reason.
A-TYPE drivers ( non dimmable ) are at max output which MAKES YOU RAISE LIGHTS.
I prefer more user control of light.
These are GSG CLONES ( that i cut from other plants ) and they are WEEK 3 going into week 4 monday. I let a plant keep leaves lateral to light ... That is my kung fu. I watch response to level of light and adjust. If they stay ( horizontal or pray up ) , i leave it.
I also added high reflective MYLAR ( 2 mil ) in tent - this superior to normal textured surface. This increases the available light by bounce and movement ( fan ripples sheet )
, so my power level can be dialed down because i am not losing light to shitty tent reflect and lose photons by absorption of tent material. Hold a piece of mylar to your tent material and see the obvious difference.
I just sprayed them with Optic Foliar OverDrive ( droplets ) and they smiled at me with their chunky nugs ..... Lol
StonerCol
Well-Known Member
Worth way more than 2¢ that info is dude!
That's what I think is the optimal, find the correct height and use the dimmer, rather than fucking about raising and lowering the lights!
Nice one dude
You can dim the A drivers, it just needs a screwdriver
wietefras
Well-Known Member
Exactly, you should not raise your lights to reduce the amount of light. That's just a waste of electricity to warm up your wallsWorth way more than 2¢ that info is dude!
That's what I think is the optimal, find the correct height and use the dimmer, rather than fucking about raising and lowering the lights!
Nice one dude
The height of your fixture is where you get "optimal" light distribution. This is independent of the amount of light you are using. If you want less light use smaller drivers or dim the drivers. No need to move the fixture up or down.
mexgrowerr
Member
Great advice ! seems obvious now but Id never thought of this... I hate messing with rope ratchets, and turning a dimmer dial seems much more elegant !
I guess you need to be good at identifying the early stages of light stress, something Ill need to practice.
and I must say, beautiful buds! lovely.
Budzbuddha
Well-Known Member
Yes you can , but a 100k pot is way easier , there is some indent pots which can be used too.
Budzbuddha
Well-Known Member
Also ... One could have a SWITCHABLE pot that can be switched off ( of line ) and dimmer controls left " open " for MAX POWER.
This will be something for my next rig.
Another 2 ¢ ...... I hate pennies ...lol
This will be something for my next rig.
Another 2 ¢ ...... I hate pennies ...lol
MMJ Dreaming 99
Well-Known Member
Yes - great info. His set up looks awesome. I think he makes a good point that these QB babies in a smaller space pushed too hard can be too much for the plants. The QBs may not burn them but I may just be too much and the plants get stressed.Worth way more than 2¢ that info is dude!
That's what I think is the optimal, find the correct height and use the dimmer, rather than fucking about raising and lowering the lights!
Nice one dude
One of my favorite pics is early in this thread. It was one board being pushed a little with a picture. The freaking little board was as bright as the sun.
There is a fairly recent GrowMau5 video before he got into QBs. I think he had a bunch of Cree COBs and red and blue leds too. The rig was beautiful but he said the light was too much.
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