help with lighting my 4x4

Canna.Capt

Member
Just gonna post my diy project. take a look at it if you’re gonna go with diy and i think diy is the only viable option with leds as plug and play is way overpriced compared to a diy fixture. I’m very happy with this and you can build something like this under 600 i think. I don’t know how much drivers cost these days. There are 18 cxb1830s driven at 700ma. 480w true draw.
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thank you
 

TreeFarmerCharlie

Well-Known Member
I'd like to keep the cost @ about $600.
Under $600 for a ready to go light from a US company just isn't going to happen. I just finished building my own lights for my 4x4 and I spent $500 on the materials alone. You can DIY a killer light for about $1/watt and you can get it down lower than that if you go with cheaper materials for the frame and heatsinks.
 

Boatguy

Well-Known Member
You can get the timber redwood for $830 with the forum discount. Pretty reasonable for a prebuilt 640w light.
Over your budget, but light isnt where you cheap out

The timber 4vs would almost cover your tent, and is under your budget. Would do fine in there if you cant swing the extra dollars.
 
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Canna.Capt

Member
550 v2 eco if you're lazy, QB 96 elite v2's if you want a better light. The $70 kit comes with a sstx heatsink. https://horticulturelightinggroup.com/products/qb96-elite-v2-quantum-board-engine

You'll need two cheap computer power cords for the drivers, and may want some wagos. You'll also want;
One of these meters per driver
These junction connectors
And some wire
Thank you Fluffy
the QB 96 elite v2 engine would work for me.
to run 6 of them, which driver would be best ?
 

Goodlandkush

Well-Known Member
Is Home Depot box type store good for frame stock or are there better options ?
I think you could hit up rapid led for something like these. But I would definitely email them explaining you want your rails to be able to fit the QB 96s
They’re awesome people and will help out as much as they can!
 

Rocket Soul

Well-Known Member
If you wanna go cheap and good:
Get 8 boards only, from KB (sometimes they carry 90 cri diodes which i prefer) or meijiu. Should be about 30 per board. Then get 2x alu sheet 1/8" about 3'x1', maybe even 3.5'. Mount the boards to the sherts, 4 per sheet. 2x 240 drivers bought more locally. Presto. If you want redsup or uv add some qb11 clones. Wanna be spendy? Same deal with HLG.

6 qb96 is good deal aswell, id upgrade tto 8 when possible.

4 High light booards with uv from @Grow Lights Australia ; creme de la creme. But theyre almost allways out of stock. This would be a very flower centred light, you may wanna add some blue strips to do full cycle.
 

Grow Lights Australia

Well-Known Member
If you wanna go cheap and good:
Get 8 boards only, from KB (sometimes they carry 90 cri diodes which i prefer) or meijiu. Should be about 30 per board. Then get 2x alu sheet 1/8" about 3'x1', maybe even 3.5'. Mount the boards to the sherts, 4 per sheet. 2x 240 drivers bought more locally. Presto. If you want redsup or uv add some qb11 clones. Wanna be spendy? Same deal with HLG.

6 qb96 is good deal aswell, id upgrade tto 8 when possible.

4 High light booards with uv from @Grow Lights Australia ; creme de la creme. But theyre almost allways out of stock. This would be a very flower centred light, you may wanna add some blue strips to do full cycle.
I just want to acknowledge the fact that yes, we have been having trouble keeping up with demand, but we're hoping to remedy that soon with the next run of boards due in a few weeks. There have been some issues with production and freight of parts (as we assemble everything in Australia), but mostly we just underestimated demand. :oops:
 

Rocket Soul

Well-Known Member
I just want to acknowledge the fact that yes, we have been having trouble keeping up with demand, but we're hoping to remedy that soon with the next run of boards due in a few weeks. There have been some issues with production and freight of parts (as we assemble everything in Australia), but mostly we just underestimated demand. :oops:
HLG was out of stock for like always when they started out and they didnt have corona. Victims of your own success is nothing to be ashamed of.
 

Rocket Soul

Well-Known Member
Is it okay to run the drivers outside the tent, long power cord, 8' ?
How much will 6 qb96's pull @ the wall ?
Its not really the right question as it depends on the drivers and current youre hoing to run them at, 110v/220v etc.

Best advice for all of this is checking the datasheet, and if you wanna nerd out really (why not??) and get the most real numbers:
Google "meanwell 'driver model nr' datasheet"
It should at least bring up a link to meanwwells web. Click and scroll down to find 'report'. The values here are actual measured values from internal testing of the drivers. You see many times meanwells drivers actually give a little (about 9%) more current than whats specified in datasheets. Here is where you find the most "real" values.
 
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