Best LED for 3x3 flowering

[kristoffolese]

Imo... Id rather have a veg tent using 4000k qb288's & a flowering tent using 3000k 288's & a far right initiator (like $25-$30). That way youre giving each set of plants get the light they want most. Plus, as an added benefit, you can toss a couple autos in the corner of your veg tent (they should receive at least 20 hrs of light/day) & pull harvests out of both tents.
If youre running just one tent, the 3500k looks the best on paper for a veg&flower light... but Ive never personally seen a side by side showing any benefit of using a 3500k over a 3000k light.

 

[Marky Bluntz]

Dude honestly that's a bullshit response. Like seriously. Here's what happened once I bought my unassembled kit:

-Learn that I had to have a specific blade and bit that saws and drills through metal.
-Go out and buy said blade and bit.
-Find out that you actually need a tablesaw to accurately cut aluminum. Tried both auto and hand saws and I was getting shit angled cuts.
-Go to Ace instead cause they cut it for free (another $20 for another cut of aluminum.)
-Make my drill holes, which is fucking hard and I have at least 12 incorrect holes on my fixture.

I'm a mathematically inclined person and I can work tools but this was not worth the effort remotely. You're honestly an asshole for talking shit about someone who would rather have professionals make theirs ahead of time for a small price.

Edit: Plugging in the COBs was by far the easiest part, misleading as hell to say thats the work involved.

C'mon man. You should have known you're going to have to cut and drill holes when making your own frame. It shouldn't have came as a surprise to you. Always know what you're up against before you take on a task. You def don't need a table saw to cut the aluminum. You can cut it with a hand saw if you know how to use it properly or with a Dremel. Not sure why you have so many error holes. Did you dry fit everything and take multiple measurements before drilling holes? It's a really simple build if you know what you're doing.

 

[kristoffolese]

I find it amazing that some people can't assemble a LED kit themselves.

I agree... I knew NOTHING of assembling LED's or even what components matched with what. By researching & increasing my knowledge on sites like this, I learned how to match up led components & how to assemble then. Even more helpful for the assembly aspect, are the HLG Quantum Board Review series videos on youtube. Led Gardener did a 3 part series & walks you through the build. Plus he shows performance specs & PAR footprints for a few different wattages at different heights. It doesnt require soldering (although it makes it a tad easier imo). It is ridiculously easy & requires basic, cheap hand tools only. Definitely the best light for MY situation - a small tent grow, with a low ceiling. Perfect. Produces enough PAR, that your co2 will REALLY mean something.

 

[SchweeDubz]

C'mon man. You should have known you're going to have to cut and drill holes when making your own frame. It shouldn't have came as a surprise to you. Always know what you're up against before you take on a task. You def don't need a table saw to cut the aluminum. You can cut it with a hand saw if you know how to use it properly or with a Dremel. Not sure why you have so many error holes. Did you dry fit everything and take multiple measurements before drilling holes? It's a really simple build if you know what you're doing.

Yep but the holes in the cob were uneven or something, I don't know. I thought it would be a lot easier than it was. I cut my own aluminum but the cuts weren't perfectly straight so I had my local Ace hardware do it for free. Connecting the aluminum pieces to itself went mostly well but then the power supply and cobs were just a giant pain. I can't recommend it unless you're planning on building something other than what Timber would provide you with.

 

[Marky Bluntz]

I agree... I knew NOTHING of assembling LED's or even what components matched with what. By researching & increasing my knowledge on sites like this, I learned how to match up led components & how to assemble then. Even more helpful for the assembly aspect, are the HLG Quantum Board Review series videos on youtube. Led Gardener did a 3 part series & walks you through the build. Plus he shows performance specs & PAR footprints for a few different wattages at different heights. It doesnt require soldering (although it makes it a tad easier imo). It is ridiculously easy & requires basic, cheap hand tools only. Definitely the best light for MY situation - a small tent grow, with a low ceiling. Perfect. Produces enough PAR, that your co2 will REALLY mean something.

My comment got deleted for some reason but oh well...

Research is the key to everything. Without it we would all be like a chicken running without it's head.

 

[kristoffolese]

C'mon man. You should have known you're going to have to cut and drill holes when making your own frame. It shouldn't have came as a surprise to you. Always know what you're up against before you take on a task. You def don't need a table saw to cut the aluminum. You can cut it with a hand saw if you know how to use it properly or with a Dremel. Not sure why you have so many error holes. Did you dry fit everything and take multiple measurements before drilling holes? It's a really simple build if you know what you're doing.

Or you can walk into a machine shop or home depot and have them cut your aluminum into whatever size u want

 

[kristoffolese]

My comment got deleted for some reason but oh well...

Research is the key to everything. Without it we would all be like a chicken running without it's head.

I think it got deleted because I edited my post shortly after posting it maybe?

 

[Marky Bluntz]

Yep but the holes in the cob were uneven or something, I don't know. I thought it would be a lot easier than it was. I cut my own aluminum but the cuts weren't perfectly straight so I had my local Ace hardware do it for free. Connecting the aluminum pieces to itself went mostly well but then the power supply and cobs were just a giant pain. I can't recommend it unless you're planning on building something other than what Timber would provide you with.

What I do is mentally visualize everything first and then I try fitting everything together. First cut the aluminum down to size. Then dry fit the frame and mark every spot where you need a hole. Drill holes on the marks you made and then assemble everything. You can literally build a frame within 30 min from scratch with the right tools and knowledge. I'm sure you would do better if you had to do it over again. It must've been the first time you had to do something like that. At least now you have some experience which is always good.

 

[Marky Bluntz]

Or you can walk into a machine shop or home depot and have them cut your aluminum into whatever size u want

That works too but you still have to drill your own holes. Cutting it down to size is the easy part. Dry fitting everything together and marking up the holes to drill takes more effort but it's still fairly easy.

I think it got deleted because I edited my post shortly after posting it maybe?

Who knows. It's not a big deal, just a bit strange. It's never happened to me before.

 

[SchweeDubz]

What I do is mentally visualize everything first and then I try fitting everything together. First cut the aluminum down to size. Then dry fit the frame and mark every spot where you need a hole. Drill holes on the marks you made and then assemble everything. You can literally build a frame within 30 min from scratch with the right tools and knowledge. I'm sure you would do better if you had to do it over again. It must've been the first time you had to do something like that. At least now you have some experience which is always good.

I essentially did that but I wasn't sure the right way to find the right spots to drill the holes for the cobs. Also I essentially miscalculated where the power supply would be so I had to redo that. It was a mess.

I absolutely do not recommend building your own if you're just going to create the exact same fixture they'd provide anyways.

 

[kristoffolese]

That works too but you still have to drill your own holes. Cutting it down to size is the easy part. Dry fitting everything together and marking up the holes to drill takes more effort but it's still fairly easy.

Yah, true there. I picked up a small, used tap & die set at a pawn shop for ~$10, & a center punch for a few bucks more. Mark where you need the holes, hit your mark with the center punch, the resulting dent will draw the drill bit in & help keep it from jumping across the surface of the aluminum, then tap the holes you drilled. It really is a lot easier than most ppl think. Especially with lighter. softer metals like aluminum.

 

[SoOLED]

did him buy a light yet?

I use 3500k for veg and flower, only on veg I turn them wayyy down to about 300-350ppfd.

 

[whitebb2727]

Dude honestly that's a bullshit response. Like seriously. Here's what happened once I bought my unassembled kit:

-Learn that I had to have a specific blade and bit that saws and drills through metal.
-Go out and buy said blade and bit.
-Find out that you actually need a tablesaw to accurately cut aluminum. Tried both auto and hand saws and I was getting shit angled cuts.
-Go to Ace instead cause they cut it for free (another $20 for another cut of aluminum.)
-Make my drill holes, which is fucking hard and I have at least 12 incorrect holes on my fixture.

I'm a mathematically inclined person and I can work tools but this was not worth the effort remotely. You're honestly an asshole for talking shit about someone who would rather have professionals make theirs ahead of time for a small price.

Edit: Plugging in the COBs was by far the easiest part, misleading as hell to say thats the work involved.

Its not that had. I was a structures mechanic in the military.

Aluminium is a soft metal. I can literally cut through a piece of L channel in a minute with a 5 dollar hacksaw.

I'm sure you are book smart. Its the practical knowledge.

Its really not that hard.

 

[SchweeDubz]

Its not that had. I was a structures mechanic in the military.

Aluminium is a soft metal. I can literally cut through a piece of L channel in a minute with a 5 dollar hacksaw.

I'm sure you are book smart. Its the practical knowledge.

Its really not that hard.

I don't consider myself a craftsman or carpenter or whatever but I've built things here and there out of wood and they always turn out as I'd hoped. It's not that the aluminum is tough to cut but its much stiffer and less forgiving. That plus finding the right holes for the cobs, considering when you place them you can't see through them to get the exact location. Also the heatsinks, for wahtever reason, looked symmetrical but actually weren't. So, I don't know what to tell you. I thought it was much harder than I expected.

 

[whitebb2727]

I don't consider myself a craftsman or carpenter or whatever but I've built things here and there out of wood and they always turn out as I'd hoped. It's not that the aluminum is tough to cut but its much stiffer and less forgiving. That plus finding the right holes for the cobs, considering when you place them you can't see through them to get the exact location. Also the heatsinks, for wahtever reason, looked symmetrical but actually weren't. So, I don't know what to tell you. I thought it was much harder than I expected.

Ill give you a piece of advice. Every repair that I performed in the military I has to have a technical order open to that repair.

Later I taught myself how to mechanic by buying manuals on every car I ever worked on. Followed every step.

These guys recommended the growmau5 videos. Not sure if that's the right spelling.

Other people have created a manual via video.

Stop. Don't just jump in to it. Take the time to watch how others do it. Write down the steps. Make a plan and blue print.

Its no big deal if the holes are off on the L channel. If the heat sinks are pre drilled that's the hard part over.

Slow down a bit. Think it through for a bit.

The cool thing about the kit is its adjustable.

They also offer a kit with the frame pre drilled also.

 

[SchweeDubz]

Ill give you a piece of advice. Every repair that I performed in the military I has to have a technical order open to that repair.

Later I taught myself how to mechanic by buying manuals on every car I ever worked on. Followed every step.

These guys recommended the growmau5 videos. Not sure if that's the right spelling.

Other people have created a manual via video.

Stop. Don't just jump in to it. Take the time to watch how others do it. Write down the steps. Make a plan and blue print.

Its no big deal if the holes are off on the L channel. If the heat sinks are pre drilled that's the hard part over.

Slow down a bit. Think it through for a bit.

The cool thing about the kit is its adjustable.

They also offer a kit with the frame pre drilled also.

My fixture is already done (with plenty of mistake holes). I probably could have had a more accurate method to find where I should drill for the heatsinks but oh well. And yeah, that is what I am saying about the premade fixtures. Unless you have plans for a specific fixture that is something different from what they'd provide, just get it premade. It is worth the $20-30.

 

[whitebb2727]

My fixture is already done (with plenty of mistake holes). I probably could have had a more accurate method to find where I should drill for the heatsinks but oh well. And yeah, that is what I am saying about the premade fixtures. Unless you have plans for a specific fixture that is something different from what they'd provide, just get it premade. It is worth the $20-30.

I probably have the material laying around to build a few frames. I also have the tools to do it.

It can be done with hand tools. For the cobs you could have traced it out in paper and center punched the holes. Not sure exactly how you made it.

As long as it works.

 

[whitebb2727]

Don't take this to mean I'm poking fun at you. Its just the truth. You keep saying you are a mathematician like it quantifies your skills at other things.

It doesn't. It just means you are good at math. That's great. Math is needed for most everything.

Some people are very book smart but have a hard time putting it to use.

That doesn't make the person less. Its just the way they are.

I don't find it hard to build something. I work for myself and bud things quit often. I build anything from decks to buildings and can do so without writing things down.

I still do though for work I am doing for someone else.

Remember. Measure twice, cut once.

As with anything there is a learning curve. As your grow need change and you possibly might need more light or to rebuild to fit another area you will get more practice at it.

 

[Marky Bluntz]

Don't take this to mean I'm poking fun at you. Its just the truth. You keep saying you are a mathematician like it quantifies your skills at other things.

It doesn't. It just means you are good at math. That's great. Math is needed for most everything.

Some people are very book smart but have a hard time putting it to use.

That doesn't make the person less. Its just the way they are.

I don't find it hard to build something. I work for myself and bud things quit often. I build anything from decks to buildings and can do so without writing things down.

I still do though for work I am doing for someone else.

Remember. Measure twice, cut once.

As with anything there is a learning curve. As your grow need change and you possibly might need more light or to rebuild to fit another area you will get more practice at it.

Facts. My whole family is in the construction business and own multiple companies. I've been building and repairing things since I was 15. I can't say I'm book smart but give me tools and a blue print and I'll build whatever you need at a high level. I have framed drop ceilings on my own so many times in huge spaces so making a LED light frame is a piece of cake.

 

[newgrow16]

False. Kind and blackdog are BADASS leds... you dont see tons of grows using them, because they are insanely expensive - NOT because they dont work. Once you learn about diy lights or qb's, its hard to justify spending 2grand for a light. I would WAAAY rather spend half the money, on a ~750 watt diy light, using qb's with few cobs mixed in

Even though i am new, i have a hard time agreeing with this post. i have just replaced 2 bd and one kind with three timber 400 w vero29 3500k. Never felt that bd was intense enough for its 400w signature.