Please recommend a flowering light for my 3x3 tent

Hust17

Hust17

Well-Known Member
Hello all!

I want to thank any and all responses, I will look into all suggestions :)

That said, I want to stay under 400W from the wall, and dimmed is fine. Having a flowering spectrum is important, I have no need for veg with this tent.

So maybe an HLG 550 RSpec dimmed a bit?

Also heard a lot of really good things about the 315CMH lately and wouldn’t be opposed to trying one of those out... for like $1000 cheaper? PS I’m in Canada so the HLG looks like $1350.

I have some electrical skills and can also solder. I have experience with COBs in the past so DIY is an option.

Anyways please, have at it.
 
S

spek9

Well-Known Member
Is a straight-up 400W HID HPS a valid option? Personally, that's what I'd go with.

Any half decent ballast will allow you to dim to 75% and 50%.
 
Hust17

Hust17

Well-Known Member
spek9 said:
Is a straight-up 400W HID HPS a valid option? Personally, that's what I'd go with.

Any half decent ballast will allow you to dim to 75% and 50%.
Click to expand...
Ya maybe but I feel like I’d be paying a similar price to a 315? I don’t have experience with HPS but I’m not opposed.
 
LarsVegasNirvana

LarsVegasNirvana

Well-Known Member
Hust17 said:
Hello all!

I want to thank any and all responses, I will look into all suggestions :)

That said, I want to stay under 400W from the wall, and dimmed is fine. Having a flowering spectrum is important, I have no need for veg with this tent.

So maybe an HLG 550 RSpec dimmed a bit?

Also heard a lot of really good things about the 315CMH lately and wouldn’t be opposed to trying one of those out... for like $1000 cheaper? PS I’m in Canada so the HLG looks like $1350.

I have some electrical skills and can also solder. I have experience with COBs in the past so DIY is an option.

Anyways please, have at it.
Click to expand...
I used to run two 260w kits dimmed down in a 2x4 tent, it worked amazingly and I had no heat issues even in the middle of summer.

HLG also just came out with the 550 eco version which is cheaper and has a thinner heatsink, and is about the same price as the 260w DIY kits cost to build. They also have a pre-built version of the QB96 that they market as a 315cmh replacement.

https://horticulturelightinggroup.com/collections/all/products/hlg-550-v2-eco
 
Hust17

Hust17

Well-Known Member
LarsVegasNirvana said:
I used to run two 260w kits dimmed down in a 2x4 tent, it worked amazingly and I had no heat issues even in the middle of summer.

HLG also just came out with the 550 eco version which is cheaper and has a thinner heatsink, and is about the same price as the 260w DIY kits cost to build. They also have a pre-built version of the QB96 that they market as a 315cmh replacement.
Click to expand...
I’ll do some more digging on their options. I would prefer a 3 year warranty if possible :)
 
Chip Green

Chip Green

Well-Known Member
I have come to revere, the capability of 315 CMH.
The only time, that I can recall ever seeing an even remotely negative comment made, was in a conversation where a first time 315 user was under a false impression, that it would replace a 600HPS.

Pound for pound(pun intended) it's my absolute favorite. CMH, kicks serious major league, ganja growing ass.
And I got racks, upon racks, of high end DIY LED builds... which also kick ass.
 
S

spek9

Well-Known Member
Hust17 said:
Ya maybe but I feel like I’d be paying a similar price to a 315? I don’t have experience with HPS but I’m not opposed.
Click to expand...
A quick look shows that a 400W air-cooled HID (even a 600W which you can dim to 300W) appears to be a fair amount cheaper than a CMH315.

You stated you wanted the lamp for flower, but my understanding is that the CMH315 is a metal halide (4100k) lamp (typically used in veg), where HPS is 2700k for flower.

Also, most 400W/600W/1000W kits come with both an MH and HPS bulb.

Forgive my ignorance, I haven't done any research on the CMH systems as of yet, so I don't know many details about them.
 
Hust17

Hust17

Well-Known Member
spek9 said:
A quick look shows that a 400W air-cooled HID (even a 600W which you can dim to 300W) appears to be a fair amount cheaper than a CMH315.

You stated you wanted the lamp for flower, but my understanding is that the CMH315 is a metal halide (4100k) lamp (typically used in veg), where HPS is 2700k for flower.

Also, most 400W/600W/1000W kits come with both an MH and HPS bulb.

Forgive my ignorance, I haven't done any research on the CMH systems as of yet, so I don't know many details about them.
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Ya you’re right a bit cheaper. The cmh I checked on a couple had 3000/3100/4000/4300 options for bulbs.
 
2

2com

Well-Known Member
Hust17 said:
So maybe an HLG 550 RSpec dimmed a bit?
Click to expand...
You don't mind diy, I'd go that route if led (such as hlg).
Hust17 said:
Also heard a lot of really good things about the 315CMH lately and wouldn’t be opposed to trying one of those out... for like $1000 cheaper? PS I’m in Canada so the HLG looks like $1350.
Click to expand...
Lol! But yea, CMH kicks ass from everything I've heard and seen, and is perfect for a 3x3 footprint/canopy. Great spectrum. You're in canada, so that warmth could be a benefit for a large part of the year I'd say - but you'd know based on your situation - might be a non-factor.

Three QB96 Elite V2s on a hlg-320h-c2800 or 320h-54. Or on a 480h dimmed. Or four of them on the 320h-54 (I think, double check voltage etc.), or the 480h - dimmed. There's a lot of options to power them actually. A single QB96 can be driven pretty hard with that heatsink and active cooling scroll down on the product page for some driver suggestions. https://horticulturelightinggroup.com/collections/all/products/qb96-elite-v2-quantum-board-engine
Or_gro did tests and par maps linked somewhere on riu, and also grasscity I think it was.
Edit: To add to the "they can be driven pretty hard", both the "elite 360 led kit" (now it's a kit) and the newer "hlg 225" fixtures were "designed" to "compare" to a 315cmh specifically. Just for example. But yea, a 315cmh is supposedly ideal for a 3x3 :)
 
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PadawanWarrior

PadawanWarrior

Well-Known Member
Chip Green said:
I have come to revere, the capability of 315 CMH.
The only time, that I can recall ever seeing an even remotely negative comment made, was in a conversation where a first time 315 user was under a false impression, that it would replace a 600HPS.

Pound for pound(pun intended) it's my absolute favorite. CMH, kicks serious major league, ganja growing ass.
And I got racks, upon racks, of high end DIY LED builds... which also kick ass.
Click to expand...
I second that. A 315 in a 3x3 will kick ass and give you some really frosty nugs. Quantum Boards are great also, and I have some of those too. I've been using them together and have been impressed with the results in my 3x8 closet. A 315 would be a lot cheaper too than quality LED's. You could always add a couple LED strips in there if you wanted later, so I would vote CMH. Either will kick ass though.
 
Hust17

Hust17

Well-Known Member
2com said:
You don't mind diy, I'd go that route if led (such as hlg).

Lol! But yea, CMH kicks ass from everything I've heard and seen, and is perfect for a 3x3 footprint/canopy. Great spectrum. You're in canada, so that warmth could be a benefit for a large part of the year I'd say - but you'd know based on your situation - might be a non-factor.

Three QB96 Elite V2s on a hlg-320h-c2800 or 320h-54. Or on a 480h dimmed. Or four of them on the 320h-54 (I think, double check voltage etc.), or the 480h - dimmed. There's a lot of options to power them actually. A single QB96 can be driven pretty hard with that heatsink and active cooling scroll down on the product page for some driver suggestions. https://horticulturelightinggroup.com/collections/all/products/qb96-elite-v2-quantum-board-engine
Or_gro did tests and par maps linked somewhere on riu, and also grasscity I think it was.
Click to expand...
Thanks that’s very solid info, I appreciate it! I’ll look into those boards, I haven’t seen the 96’s yet :)

Honestly the CMH seems pretty enticing... Anyone got options on a good CMH?
 
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