SO how do you explain the suncloak? Each of those diodes puts out a tiny amount of radiation, but cumulatively it is enough light to flower.
This is exactly why I know what I'm saying from experience.
Also, general rule of thumb when flowering with HPS is never use anything less then a 600 unless it's supplemental.
Any plant flowered should be to its fullest potential with what you have to work with.
Do not choose to not have enough if you don't have to. So, I will never buy any fixture as primary lighting that cannot cause a plant to be allowed its potential. Otherwise I'm only wasting space, plugs, soil, nutes, ect.....
4 , 600's will yield me just as much using 2400w as 3, 1000's using 3000watts. So, the spreading does work to your benifit in this case.
But spread out 250's or 400's & your plants simply cannot put out the bud they want to, need to, because the 250's & 400's simply do not put out enough intensity. Sure, you can put the fixtures right next to each other but what's the point of that?
There's so many promoting underlit spaces here whether it's a pre-made fixture or super-soft running COBs, everyone's getting confused. So much in fact that they'd rather save $4.00 a month on a fixture running cost then yield the extra 4 oz. and that really sucks for new led users trying to get a grip on this stuff.
Why buy or make any fixture that cannot do its job? Any led used IMO should be at least a 600watt HPS equivalent unless it's supplemental, side-lighting, or enhancing a spectrum. Why, because a 600watt HPS can yield a pound.