Quantum board set-up efficiency

a2lute

Well-Known Member
So I upgraded my veg tent to QB's and I'm VERY impressed. I have an HLG-320-54B powering two 4k QB288v2 and I can max the dial out and get about 45-50K lux across all of my girls. Not running like that though.

So I'm considering upgrading my flower room to QB, but I have a couple questions I haven't seen answered on the net. It mostly involves setup of the boards. When setting up a 600w unit over 1 plant, should I look at using 4 boards or 6? With 4 boards I could drive them harder @ 150w, or would 6 boards at 100w be more efficient with better spread?

I'm hoping someone already tried more boards @ 100w vs less @ 150w and took some lux or ppf readings. I'm hoping to be able to get ~70,000 lux so I can upgrade to CO2 down the road.
 

Humple

Well-Known Member
So I upgraded my veg tent to QB's and I'm VERY impressed. I have an HLG-320-54B powering two 4k QB288v2 and I can max the dial out and get about 45-50K lux across all of my girls. Not running like that though.

So I'm considering upgrading my flower room to QB, but I have a couple questions I haven't seen answered on the net. It mostly involves setup of the boards. When setting up a 600w unit over 1 plant, should I look at using 4 boards or 6? With 4 boards I could drive them harder @ 150w, or would 6 boards at 100w be more efficient with better spread?

I'm hoping someone already tried more boards @ 100w vs less @ 150w and took some lux or ppf readings. I'm hoping to be able to get ~70,000 lux so I can upgrade to CO2 down the road.
Is it a 4x4 space? It would absolutely be more efficient to run more boards at lower wattage. Strips are an even better option if you don't mind the extra wiring work - you can achieve better uniformity with strips than anything else.
 

Humple

Well-Known Member
Its a 10'x16' room. I think I looked at strips early on and found them to be not as cost effective. Do you have any recommended sources?
Ahh, so are you planning multiple fixtures then? I've been out of the scene for a while, but DigiKey was the popular source for Samsung strips last year. Bridgelux EB strips are a good option too. I have seen some recent posts about how they're getting harder to find in stock these days. As for cost effectiveness - unless you're looking at grabbing the on-sale v1 QB288s (still an excellent and worthy option - just bought two more myself), I wouldn't think boards would be cheaper? Certainly easier to wire, though. But as I said, I've been out of it, and I'm just getting back up to speed. Hopefully someone who's current on the strip situation will post some more info for you. Good luck!
 
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a2lute

Well-Known Member
Yeah, I am planning on several fixtures. I have 4 600w HID's right now. I am planning on adding 2 600W LED's. I will phase out the HID's over time. If you're talking digikey, QB288v2's cost less per watt. I just double checked pricing, $330 for 6 QB , $601 for 30 4' strips. Those setups can both be maxed out at 600w. So I guess I'm going the QB route, with 6 ran @ 100w. Thanks Humple!
 

Moflow

Well-Known Member
Ahh, so are you planning multiple fixtures then? I've been out of the scene for a while, but DigiKey was the popular source for Samsung strips last year. Bridgelux EB strips are a good option too. I have seen some recent posts about how they're getting harder to find in stock these days. As for cost effectiveness - unless you're looking at grabbing the on-sale v1 QB288s (still an excellent and worthy option - just bought two more myself), I wouldn't think boards would cheaper? Certainly easier to wire, though. But as I said, I've been out of it, and I'm just getting back up to speed. Hopefully someone who's current on the strip situation will post some more info for you. Good luck!
Yea, those hlg qb 288 V1s are a great price at $29 and well worth a look at.
I'd buy some myself if I was US based. They'd cost me ~ £29 with taxes/customs
Better priced than the strips....... I think?
4ft double row F strip - 288 diodes would be $44 - £34
Strips are great, fantastic coverage of canopy, I love them and they are worth looking at too.
 

fragileassassin

Well-Known Member
That is an AWESOME setup fragile! I will have to keep some HID because I need the heat, but dang.
yeah I have one of them radiator heaters in there that keeps it up to 80F. I have even less heat in there because my drivers are all mounted outside the tent.
 

a2lute

Well-Known Member

fragileassassin

Well-Known Member
Are you running CO2 at that level of lighting?
no co2. That was just to show what they are capable of up close. Ive had plants that grew right up to them though and didnt get burned.
I have them lower power and further away right now. My ladies are sitting in around 45-50k right now. I just started 12/12 yesterday
 

1212ham

Well-Known Member
I was looking at the 4' strips with Samsung LM301B's so it would be comparable.


Those are low power strips, have a look at these. 600w of LM301B strips for $314.4 (10 strips) or $377.28 (12 strips).

 

Rocket Soul

Well-Known Member
That's on my 100% setting, which is about 75% max power per board, around 1 foot below a panel.
View attachment 4467245
When you say 75% of max; are you using 120w as max or the full 150-160w? Whats your actual driver/board setup? Not many people show their par levels of the ali boards, a bit interested.

Cant remember where but i think someone said their qbs were 1200@12" at 80w, just thought id compare
 

fragileassassin

Well-Known Member
I'm running 4x 320-2800s each one driving 4 boards in parallel. All verified to pull their full wattage at the outlet.
That would have been about 80w at my 100%
The ones I have are 561s and have the rows of red 660s in them. So it may be a little different than something with all white 301s

And it should be kept in mind that lux =/= par and these cheap lux meters dont play all that well with LEDs. I dont consider the numbers accurate and just use them to get a gauge of intensity at the canopy for the stage of the grow they are in.
 
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Rocket Soul

Well-Known Member
So 60ish watts 900ppfd at 12". Definitely same ball park as original. Its weird we havent seen more black and white comparisons. Thx anyways
 

a2lute

Well-Known Member
I went to a friends grow last night, he is hitting 90-70K lux with open 1000 single ended bulbs. Just a little part of my research but it tells me that LED's are definitely they way to go, he's pulling WAY more wattage than @fragileassassin while having comparable output.
 
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