Using chinese light, read this post now.

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drsaltzman

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I just ordered two Sonofarm 2000's.
They pull 225 from the wall each. I figured it'd give me more flexibility to have two as far as positioning, or rotating out into another tent.
(The 4000 pulls 450 from the wall).
Samsung diodes, Meanwell driver.
They're cheap ... $450 for the pair. Or is that cheap? I dunno.
It's an experiment. I can always throw them in the garage for an indoor veggie/chili garden.
Or use them as supplemental lighting. The unit is pretty small.
I was leery about the price, but not much to lose and they'll grow something at my place if not cannabis.
But I am hoping they will be good enough for 4 plants in a 4x4.
We'll see.
 

Renfro

Well-Known Member
I just ordered two Sonofarm 2000's.
They pull 225 from the wall each. I figured it'd give me more flexibility to have two as far as positioning, or rotating out into another tent.
(The 4000 pulls 450 from the wall).
Samsung diodes, Meanwell driver.
They're cheap ... $450 for the pair. Or is that cheap? I dunno.
It's an experiment. I can always throw them in the garage for an indoor veggie/chili garden.
Or use them as supplemental lighting. The unit is pretty small.
I was leery about the price, but not much to lose and they'll grow something at my place if not cannabis.
But I am hoping they will be good enough for 4 plants in a 4x4.
We'll see.
450 watts total puts you at 28.125 watts per sqft in a 4x4 so it's good for veg but I would want more like 35 watts per sqft for flower.
 

Millo

Well-Known Member
They might be using lm301b's, but they're not made at the same place HLG's are. The Mars ones are probably made in China, and they probably don't have the quality standards that the Vietnam ones have that HLG uses. Probably not top bin diodes either.

I'll buy American every time if I have a choice.
That, sir, I do not know. However the case, the price difference is justified
 

sf_frankie

Well-Known Member
I just ordered two Sonofarm 2000's.
They pull 225 from the wall each. I figured it'd give me more flexibility to have two as far as positioning, or rotating out into another tent.
(The 4000 pulls 450 from the wall).
Samsung diodes, Meanwell driver.
They're cheap ... $450 for the pair. Or is that cheap? I dunno.
It's an experiment. I can always throw them in the garage for an indoor veggie/chili garden.
Or use them as supplemental lighting. The unit is pretty small.
I was leery about the price, but not much to lose and they'll grow something at my place if not cannabis.
But I am hoping they will be good enough for 4 plants in a 4x4.
We'll see.
I think they'll do just fine. Might be a little low on power for a 4x4 tho. People in here spend too much time jerkin off over top bin diodes and what not. I bought my Chinese lights expecting them to last 2 years because by then there will be some new tech out that I'll wanna check out. There are plenty of people on here who have used lights just like the ones you bought with great success. My lights cost me less than $400 shipped a piece. They're fluence knockoffs and the fluence was close to $1500 when I bought mine. I'd rather pocket the $2200 I saved by buying from Alibaba
 

Hollatchaboy

Well-Known Member
What light is that? Looking for something for seedling through 30 day old for veg before throwing in another tent.
20210218_184620.jpg
Lol... this one. I got mine on sale from Amazon. I'm not sure it's still on sale, but it wasn't that much more. I've only had it about 3 weeks and I'm growing moms with it. I'm not exactly sure id recommend getting it.

20210218_184648.jpg

20210218_184707.jpg
 

drsaltzman

Well-Known Member
450 watts total puts you at 28.125 watts per sqft in a 4x4 so it's good for veg but I would want more like 35 watts per sqft for flower.
I've been growing indoors in a 2X4 tent under 300W Timber COBs at 37.5 psf with excellent results, two plants at a QP each.
That's why I ordered two units for the 4X4 ... I can position them to suit what's going on in the tent.
Like I said, we'll see. I'm very crafty in the garden. And I'm a pruner.

Sort of off topic, I never understood how a watt grows a plant. You get a lot more light per watt than the old days.
 

drsaltzman

Well-Known Member

Hollatchaboy

Well-Known Member
I've been growing indoors in a 2X4 tent under 300W Timber COBs at 37.5 psf with excellent results, two plants at a QP each.
That's why I ordered two units for the 4X4 ... I can position them to suit what's going on in the tent.
Like I said, we'll see. I'm very crafty in the garden. And I'm a pruner.

Sort of off topic, I never understood how a watt grows a plant. You get a lot more light per watt than the old days.
I got the 400 watt timber in a3x3. I got 12 ounces off 1 plant, but I could've gotten more. It was my first time using led and dwc and I made mistakes. I'm getting ready to start that tent back up. I'm pushing for "about a pound" this time... lol :bigjoint:
 

Hollatchaboy

Well-Known Member
I'm not sure I would buy a light named Szhlux.
Don't the Chinese know that marketing is everything?
The price was definitely right. Even if it only ends up being for clones. So far though my plants are responding positively to it. I'm only using 4 of the 6 bars also.
 

drsaltzman

Well-Known Member
I think they'll do just fine. Might be a little low on power for a 4x4 tho. People in here spend too much time jerkin off over top bin diodes and what not. I bought my Chinese lights expecting them to last 2 years because by then there will be some new tech out that I'll wanna check out. There are plenty of people on here who have used lights just like the ones you bought with great success. My lights cost me less than $400 shipped a piece. They're fluence knockoffs and the fluence was close to $1500 when I bought mine. I'd rather pocket the $2200 I saved by buying from Alibaba
I looked at all the big names, Fluence, Gavita ... others I can't remember.
If I was growing commercially, sure.
But it's a hobby and I never run out of reefer, even with giving away to friends and family.
My outdoor grow is my big haul.
Indoor is more experimental and winter/
I got the 400 watt timber in a3x3. I got 12 ounces off 1 plant, but I could've gotten more. It was my first time using led and dwc and I made mistakes. I'm getting ready to start that tent back up. I'm pushing for "about a pound" this time... lol :bigjoint:
The Timber lights are great.
And DWC should get you more weight.
I would totally recommend them.
 

Hollatchaboy

Well-Known Member
I looked at all the big names, Fluence, Gavita ... others I can't remember.
If I was growing commercially, sure.
But it's a hobby and I never run out of reefer, even with giving away to friends and family.
My outdoor grow is my big haul.
Indoor is more experimental and winter/

The Timber lights are great.
And DWC should get you more weight.
I would totally recommend them.
Lol for sure. I still feel the ol cobs have their place. I'll never get rid of it.
I never run out either. It's great. There's something really fulfilling about smoking your own grow.
 

Renfro

Well-Known Member
Sort of off topic, I never understood how a watt grows a plant. You get a lot more light per watt than the old days.
Yeah with HPS we use 50 - 60 watts psf as a metric, with quality LED it's 30 - 35. Key with LED is the lack of the IR spectrum that HPS has an abundance of. For this reason we must run LED grows at a warmer canopy temperature than with HPS otherwise leaf surface temperatures are too cool and growth slows, yields are reduced.
 

Hollatchaboy

Well-Known Member
I love my COB lights too BTW.
My light has the vero 29 gen 7 cobs. I've never tried the cxb3590's but always wanted to, but then qbs and strip/bars came out, and now I'm interested in those. I still might get the cree's and see what they can do. :bigjoint:
 

sf_frankie

Well-Known Member
I looked at all the big names, Fluence, Gavita ... others I can't remember.
If I was growing commercially, sure.
But it's a hobby and I never run out of reefer, even with giving away to friends and family.
My outdoor grow is my big haul.
Indoor is more experimental and winter/
For me its a hobby that got way outta hand but turned into a pretty decent source of extra income. If I was growing commercial I'd probably go with one of the big names too. But at the same time, you could probably just order a few extra lights to have on standby if something goes wrong with an Alibaba light. I'm know that the Fluence is a better light than mine but I don't think its over $1000 better
 

PJ Diaz

Well-Known Member
I don't know much about either hlg or mars but I'm of the understanding that they both use the same Samsung diodes and drivers?
They're not the same.
They might be using lm301b's, but they're not made at the same place HLG's are. The Mars ones are probably made in China, and they probably don't have the quality standards that the Vietnam ones have that HLG uses. Probably not top bin diodes either.

I'll buy American every time if I have a choice.
Mars has openly admitted that they do not use top bin diodes over on IC Mag several months ago. Even the Meanwell drivers that they do use are the lower efficiency series drivers with shorter warranties.
 
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