Buy it or DIY it?

diggs99

Well-Known Member
Last edited:

ANC

Well-Known Member
6 x 4' F series +600Wdriver 180+6*52=+-$500
6x 4' 1x2 rect Alu tube At $25 =$150
=+-$650

This gets you playing, you can still add strips later.
 

Major Blazer

Well-Known Member
do i require heatsinks with this light setup?
You'll only need heatsinks if you choose to run them hard. Most people run strips at low to moderate currents so that they can keep the lights real close to the plants while providing an even spread. You can also crank those fuckers up provided the lamp sits further from the canopy. You'll sacrifice some efficiency for total output but that's the name of this game. HLG lamps are a good example of the latter - they stuff lots of leds into a more compact space, crank out some high-ish numbers, and sit them 16" + from the canopy for an even spread - nobody would argue that HLG's are inefficient though. On the contrary, you can space out strips, have them run at nominal or less currents, and have them hovering over the plant canopy by 6-8" heatsink free. H-influx have a thermal advantage here with their aluminum backing.
 

Airwalker16

Well-Known Member
that drops the price quite a bit, they are alot cheaper than the f series.

10 x strips 415.00
hlg 600 driver 251.00
hlg 600 driver 251.00
918.00



obv i know theres other costs, frame and wire etc

do i require heatsinks with this light setup?
Those drivers should only be $220CDN.
But heatsinks aren't needed as much as just some metal. U Channel aluminum 1/8" thick, 1/2-1" high and wide enough to back the whole strip is all you need.
 

Airwalker16

Well-Known Member
that drops the price quite a bit, they are alot cheaper than the f series.

10 x strips 415.00
hlg 600 driver 251.00
hlg 600 driver 251.00
918.00



obv i know theres other costs, frame and wire etc

do i require heatsinks with this light setup?
These are 2' strips that only handle Max 1600milliamps. 46V.
Which is fine.
10 on an HLG600 puts each one at 60watts and a lower than Max current of 1,350MA to each strip.
 

diggs99

Well-Known Member
6 x 4' F series +600Wdriver 180+6*52=+-$500
6x 4' 1x2 rect Alu tube At $25 =$150
=+-$650

This gets you playing, you can still add strips later.
Thanks, I will actually be buying enough strips and drivers to build 2 of these Or I will buy 2 of the timber fattys or 4 of the 4vls

I can build 4 x 600w for roughly 2300cad.
Using 5x4' strips and 600w drivers from what I've been told and looking at my shopping cart lol

Where as 2 x fattys is 2300
4 x 4vl is 2200

I'm really leaning this way now to be honest.
 

Airwalker16

Well-Known Member
Seems to me though, the $56USD 4' strips would be cheaper of a route and they put out 17,000luminous flux compared to these 7.5Kish.
 

Airwalker16

Well-Known Member
Thanks, I will actually be buying enough strips and drivers to build 2 of these Or I will buy 2 of the timber fattys or 4 of the 4vls

I can build 4 x 600w for roughly 2300cad.
Using 5x4' strips and 600w drivers from what I've been told and looking at my shopping cart lol

Where as 2 x fattys is 2300
4 x 4vl is 2200

I'm really leaning this way now to be honest.
Fatty's as in the CXB3590 900w cob fixtures? They're like 1700USD..
 

Airwalker16

Well-Known Member
Thanks, I will actually be buying enough strips and drivers to build 2 of these Or I will buy 2 of the timber fattys or 4 of the 4vls

I can build 4 x 600w for roughly 2300cad.
Using 5x4' strips and 600w drivers from what I've been told and looking at my shopping cart lol

Where as 2 x fattys is 2300
4 x 4vl is 2200

I'm really leaning this way now to be honest.
There are considerably cheaper driver options if you're willing to have either more of them, or .more open less bulletproof cased one
 

DangerDavez

Well-Known Member
Don't want to derail this or anything but are EB2s and F series still the efficiency kings? Looking to add to my current cob array and build a small veg light.

Oh yeah, definitely build it. Save yourself some money
 

diggs99

Well-Known Member
This is what I'd do.
ya they seem like very nice kits

the HLG 600w kit will cost me 900+ cad plus tax

the parts list you gave me for the f series strips and 2 x 600w drivers is 1137.06 cad taxes included....but not including frame,wire etc

So then adding in the wire,frame and other misc stuff ill need, prob another 3-400ish? puts me right around $1400-1500 for 2 x 600w right?

Whereas 2 x the hlg kits is gonna run me 1800 cad plus tax, so like 2gs all in. so approx $500ish in difference.
 

rob333

Well-Known Member
I have bigger plans ahead rob

eventually my room will have 4 x these lights running, maybe more depending on circumstances, right now my 600w hps costs me 100.00 a month

4 x 1000w hps will cost alot more to run than 4 x 1000 led.

yes the upfront cost will hurt, but if i go diy route i can cut that down and then make up that difference after a few crops running the more efficient leds/cobs.

Thats my reasoning any, not that you care, just thought id share it with you anyway.
i live in the highest price power country in the world my mate refitted his whole grow room with leds only saved 83.80$ off his power bill from hps to led and now his out of pocket cant sell his lights and losing about a pound every 3 months ;)
 
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