Pictures of fake boards and drivers please?

Cinco

Well-Known Member
Are these the ones running Epistar diodes? If not, what chips did you go with. $150 is a killer deal. Thats $300 for a 4x4 area
You can’t beat the prices, really. I think these are even better... $164 for lm301b with a 660nm red strip.


This is what I picked up, but with separate heat sinks.
 

Merkn4aSquirtn

Well-Known Member
Are these the ones running Epistar diodes? If not, what chips did you go with. $150 is a killer deal. Thats $300 for a 4x4 area
This one
 

Barristan Whitebeard

Well-Known Member
I bought lights from Ali and while they aren’t “fake” I didn’t not receive what was advertised. Seller claimed to use Samsung LM301b/h but the diodes on my lights are not SMD3030 class chips. When I called them out on it they claimed they shipped me the wrong order and that the lights they mistakenly sent have lm281 Samsung chips. An easy way to tel is to measure the diode. The lm301 is 30mm x 30mm, a perfect square (hence the 3030 in SMD3030). The lm281 chips are SMD2835, so 28mm x 35mm. They are rectangular. I honestly have no way of knowing if they are actual Samsung chips. I’m not that worried about it. I got some cash refunded and the lights are well constructed and throw down plenty of light. The lm281 is not a bad chip by any means. It’s just not the latest and greatest.

Ask the seller to send pics of the actual light you’re ordering and make sure the diodes are perfect little squares if you’re buying lm301 equipped boards. Here are some close up shots of mine for reference. Notice how they are ever so slightly rectangular?


They go by a couple names. SGL or Sungrow Lighting or the parent company Sundopt.
View attachment 4631213View attachment 4631219
Thanks for sharing your account man.

Looks like you just missed the decimal points on the diode sizes. The Samsung LM301B/H are 3.0mmx3.0mm. If your lights came with LM281B+ they are 2.8mmx3.5mm.
 

NeWcS

Well-Known Member
This one
Thats a mobile link. Im on a PC so it doesn't work properly. Not sure how to get the equvlent desktop site. But its all good. LM281B is good enough for me to look it up on their store
 

cobshopgrow

Well-Known Member
looks to me the offered light use epistar for the monos, thats not the best.
for UV they state epistar, for the red they dont state anything.
guess if they use cree or osram they would write it.

wont buy for that reason alone.
 

Cinco

Well-Known Member
Thats a mobile link. Im on a PC so it doesn't work properly. Not sure how to get the equvlent desktop site. But its all good. LM281B is good enough for me to look it up on their store
Here is a non mobile link.

 

NeWcS

Well-Known Member
If you are looking to buy a light, authentic LM301B/H diodes are significantly more efficient than the older LM281B+ diodes.
I'm not looking to buy. Just learn. I just found it interesting that this seller sells most of their models with either 301's, 281's or Epi. Prices are great for someone looking to get into leds IMO

Here is a non mobile link.

Thanks bro.
 

Cinco

Well-Known Member
looks to me the offered light use epistar for the monos, thats not the best.
for UV they state epistar, for the red they dont state anything.
guess if they use cree or osram they would write it.

wont buy for that reason alone.
They would indeed. They offer Cree and Osram on some of their other boards with a slight price bump. The ones I purchased were Epistar for 660nm and were listed as such so if they don’t list the LED manufacturer then it’s probably nothing to write home about.
 

K81.UK

Well-Known Member
Just spoke to the seller for over half hour. He’s offering a 2 year warranty on boards and driver. Not that I’m sure that’s really worth anything?

He seemed very knowledgable and answered every question I had. Guaranteed that they would be LM301H LEDs.

Admitted they were from China but said he spent months researching suppliers.
 

K81.UK

Well-Known Member
That exact light through Meijiu will be almost half the price shipped to you.
I think he might have even mentioned Meijiu? He did tell me who his supplier was.

In the U.K. we get hit with import duty, then 20% vat on the cost of the items and shipping.

If his 2 year warranty is worth anything it’s probably worth the extra £70, and I avoid having them shipped to my address.
 

Cinco

Well-Known Member
If I could have paid a few bucks more to pick mine up locally, I would have. Support a local importer if you are OK with the slightly increased cost and risk.
 

K81.UK

Well-Known Member
I was thinking the risk was decreased. He’s local and i have his number.

Seems like he’s looking to scale up. He said he has been talking to a company about producing his own boards and is very into micro greens.

To be fair he was knowledgeable and we had a good conversation. I was expecting the complete opposite. The kind of idiot who sells/buys iPhones, iPads etc on gumtree(our craigslist), thinks he’s a gangster, and knows nothing about what he is selling.
 

NeWcS

Well-Known Member
I'd do it if it's in your price range. Can't beat local if the price is fair.

If he is a legit, licensed business and you get burned just contact the attorney general of your state.(or w/e the equivalent is in your country(w/e=whatever))
 

NeWcS

Well-Known Member
Check these out; https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B08DF7Y82X same seller I got mine from. ~$300 is the cheapest Ive seen so far for a 480w. Great deal

cheaper version -----480w Flower Light Full Spectrum LM301B Mix RED660nm | led Grow Light | (3500k+3000k+RED660nm)

we use the none-brand driver and still offer 3years warranty on the whole light.

" No difference from the meanwell driver"
 
Last edited:
Top