Quantum Board lighting 5x5 tent

notoriouscheech

Active Member
Looking to start my first tent grow. Working with a 5x5 tent hoping to do 4-6 plants. Ive got it set up but now comes the fun part where i need to figure out lighting and whatnot. From what i've been reading quantum boards seem to be excellent choices to take as they are lower power draw and provide great lighting. Is this pretty much the new go to now days?

Problems im encountering are im only working with 1 outlet currently, but it is connected to a 20a rated circuit and I believe is the only plug on that circuit. Will I need to run an extension cord from another outlet or will one outlet be enough for this tent?

What kind of lighting would you recommend for a 5x5 tent?
Anything else i need to keep in mind for the tent in terms of what to get. I have a fairly big carbon filter but may need to get a new one, have 2 inline fans i think I can use, assuming ill need a couple clip on fans.
Will i need separate lights for veg?
Will probably start with clones from dispo.
 

notoriouscheech

Active Member
Thanks for the reply and the info.

What do you think of the HLG 550 V2 480w QB from kingbrite on alibaba? Would you suggest that one, ALONG side another smaller one or strips? Thanks again for the reply. Very excited to learn more and get into all of it!
 

coreywebster

Well-Known Member
I would go for the 600w rspec version from growers lights in a 5x5. The official 550 would be better suited to 4x4 - 4.5x4.5ft

If your going to go down the Chinese route then 6 boards and 3x 240w drivers. Or whatever KB offer equal to that.
480w is not going to cut the mustard. But you could add strips around it adding in some UV and/or IR , not familiar with everything Jerry offers these days
 

notoriouscheech

Active Member
Seems to be sold out currently would you happen to know what it runs? Trying to stay around 700 for the budget but willing to work with it. Also do you think the chinese route is not a good one to go? Ive heard mostly good things about meiju/kingbrite bu theres always exceptions and I would like to not go that route if possible.

Also assuming i shouldnt have a problem running 3x240s on one 20A circuit. Thanks for the reply! Appreciate all the help i can get to figure this stuff out without asking " build my grow!" haha.
 

coreywebster

Well-Known Member
You shouldn't have a problem with a 20amp circuit.

The growers lights 600w option is substantially cheaper than the HLG550, two main reasons, its a kit and it has a 1 year warranty instead of 3 year.

The china route is up to you, plenty of folks I know on here use them.
Anything on Alibaba is buyer beware, meaning the warranty is probably not worth anything and even if it was it would cost a lot to send back to chain.
So you have to weigh up if the saving for you is worth it. In all honesty im not seeing many folks having reason to complain or use that warranty. If I were going down that route I would buy the heatsinks and boards and wiring kit and get the driver local because the meanwell driver has 7 year warranty. To use that you need to know where to send it back, like digikey for example.

All my lights are legit HLG and im a fan of there customer service and company in general so will always recommend them.
My plants cant read the logo though. :eyesmoke:
 
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h.h.

Well-Known Member
Thanks for the reply and the info.

What do you think of the HLG 550 V2 480w QB from kingbrite on alibaba? Would you suggest that one, ALONG side another smaller one or strips? Thanks again for the reply. Very excited to learn more and get into all of it!
I’ve heard good thing about Kingbrite. Their boards look decent.
Can’t say personally.
Mostly Samsung diodes. I would consider them if I were looking.
Chinese lights were bad news a few years ago, but I think that’s changed.
 

notoriouscheech

Active Member
You shouldn't have a problem with a 20amp circuit.

The growers lights 600w option is substantially cheaper than the HLG550, two main reasons, its a kit and it has a 1 year warranty instead of 3 year.

The china route is up to you, plenty of folks I know on here use them.
Anything on Alibaba is buyer beware, meaning the warranty is probably not worth anything and even if it was it would cost a lot to send back to chain.
So you have to weigh up if the saving for you is worth it. In all honesty im not seeing many folks having reason to complain or use that warranty. If I were going down that route I would buy the heatsinks and boards and wiring kit and get the driver local because the meanwell driver has 7 year warranty. To use that you need to know where to send it back, like digikey for example.

All my lights are legit HLG and im a fan of there customer service and company in general so will always recommend them.
My plants cant read the logo though. :eyesmoke:
That's refreshing to hear, thank you.

Ahh i should have been more clear with that. I was talking about the HLG550 knockoff from KingBrite on alibaba, 480watt. I take it the kit meaning i would be putting it together? I will keep an eye on the growers lights to see if they come in stock. Was hoping to make moves here within the next week or two!
Very good point about the warranty... Even though the alibaba has one im assuming it would be at least the price to get it shipped here($75-150) to ship it out for the warranty if something were to go wrong. Dont want to drop a stack on the legit HLGs as nice as they look...but if the growers lights come in stock soon and are around 500 i will pull the trigger. Thanks for all the help!
 

notoriouscheech

Active Member
I’ve heard good thing about Kingbrite. Their boards look decent.
Can’t say personally.
Mostly Samsung diodes. I would consider them if I were looking.
Chinese lights were bad news a few years ago, but I think that’s changed.
From my reading that seems to be the census... I havnt been hearing bad things per say but there is a horror story every now and then..as with everything. They are on the list...hoping to decide within a week. Want to get started and feel like the lights seem to be important..hahah
 

Roger A. Shrubber

Well-Known Member

h.h.

Well-Known Member
That's refreshing to hear, thank you.

Ahh i should have been more clear with that. I was talking about the HLG550 knockoff from KingBrite on alibaba, 480watt. I take it the kit meaning i would be putting it together? I will keep an eye on the growers lights to see if they come in stock. Was hoping to make moves here within the next week or two!
Very good point about the warranty... Even though the alibaba has one im assuming it would be at least the price to get it shipped here($75-150) to ship it out for the warranty if something were to go wrong. Dont want to drop a stack on the legit HLGs as nice as they look...but if the growers lights come in stock soon and are around 500 i will pull the trigger. Thanks for all the help!
It was brought up on another forum.
You an buy 2 x 240w boards from KB cheaper than 1 x 480w and the shipping is cheaper.
They use the MW drivers.
 

notoriouscheech

Active Member
Hey buddy, take a look on Spiderfarmer SF4000.
Thanks for the suggestion,looks great! Solid pricing too. What is this board equivalent too in HPS? Assuming around 1000w. Thanks again!

It was brought up on another forum.
You an buy 2 x 240w boards from KB cheaper than 1 x 480w and the shipping is cheaper.
They use the MW drivers.
Ooohh goood thinking this might be the way to go if i do choose KB. Seems like multiple boards would be better than just one. Wonder if there are any experiments with that...going to have to search around.


14.70 each if you buy ten,
meanwell drivers at digikey run anywhere from 35 to 90 bucks, depending on which one you go with....
spend a couple of extra bucks and buy from a good company that stands behind what they sell.....
digikey is the mecca of electronic nuts, i've trusted them for years, and never regretted it
Hmm.. any grow threads that took this route or anything? Seems wild to have that many small lights but have never looked into a grow like that! Would love to see some results or thoughts on it.

Thanks for all the help!
 

mxer_kx

Active Member
Im personally running 2 of the kingbrite qb 550 and 4 of my old mars 400 upgraded with 6 citizen 1212 cobs each ...thoroughly happy with both thus far but it is only my first grow in this room so will see how it yields once dialed in and will likely post a log on it...but in regards to the China qb's no doubt a huge cost savings only downside is ive heard some bad feed back regarding returns/repairs but also people that have had issue but had no problem getting them resolved as well so guess just depends how big of an issue and which supplier you're buying from...regarding quality i tried to find if there was actually domestically made samsung led diodes or if they all come from China and then asembled domestically....personally couldn't find any factories/manufacturers in North America that made the Samsung led diodes but didnt look very hard and could very well be wrong...but either way im sure both offical qb and chinese qb are good products (can only speak of my experience with Chinese qb) but if cost is an issue may be better off with chinese.
 

notoriouscheech

Active Member
UPDATE

I ended up going with a kingbrite hlg 550 v2 480 watt. Probably will be buying more led strips in the future for extra lighting.

What cfl fans would be recommended for a 5x5? Carbon filter as well?

Thanks for all the help!
 

mxer_kx

Active Member
When you say cfl fan do you mean an inline/exhaust fan ? That would depend greatly on temps outside and how cool or warm the air your pulling in the room but you likely would be good with an 8 inch fan and filter combo but could always go bigger with a dimmer like controller if its too powerful better to have more exhaust and turn it.down then not have enough and be stuck with too much heat
 

notoriouscheech

Active Member
When you say cfl fan do you mean an inline/exhaust fan ? That would depend greatly on temps outside and how cool or warm the air your pulling in the room but you likely would be good with an 8 inch fan and filter combo but could always go bigger with a dimmer like controller if its too powerful better to have more exhaust and turn it.down then not have enough and be stuck with too much heat
Yes thats exactly what i mean. That's another thing I need to go over at some point. Im in Colorado so we hit some colder temps here during the winter, which will be the season im moving into with the grow. At first I was thinking of taking duct from the tent to a window that i can either suck/blow air into or out of. Assuming during the winter it'll be too cold if i have my lights on at night. But during the day with colder temps and lights on may be a good mix. Thinking night time will just be too cold some nights. What do you think?

Good point on that as well. Definitely alright with going bigger and getting a controller as well.
 

mxer_kx

Active Member
Well im in Canada and our winters get pretty crisp you can get a thermostat controller like this to run with it so basically soon as it gets too cold exhaust fan shuts off once it heats back up turns on And ideally you can exhaust your air out the window and with negative pressure duct in fresh air from the window as well. If that makes sense
 

notoriouscheech

Active Member
Well im in Canada and our winters get pretty crisp you can get a thermostat controller like this to run with it so basically soon as it gets too cold exhaust fan shuts off once it heats back up turns on And ideally you can exhaust your air out the window and with negative pressure duct in fresh air from the window as well. If that makes sense
Ahhh yeah i suppose with a controller it doesnt matter too much how cold it gets as it will regulate when it turns on and off. Do you run your lights during night when its coldest or during the day during the winter because its still cold enough?

Also do you mean to have 2 ducts connected to the window, one bringing air and one that will be pushing air out? The one pushing the air out has the carbon filter connected to it im assuming to get clean stale air out the tent.
 

mxer_kx

Active Member
Ahhh yeah i suppose with a controller it doesnt matter too much how cold it gets as it will regulate when it turns on and off. Do you run your lights during night when its coldest or during the day during the winter because its still cold enough?

Also do you mean to have 2 ducts connected to the window, one bringing air and one that will be pushing air out? The one pushing the air out has the carbon filter connected to it im assuming to get clean stale air out the tent.
Sorry late getting back to you but i flower from 12 midnight to 12noon so lights are on at night but give me enough time to work on the plants in the morning before the day gets too warm and that's correct about the intake/exhaust got the window sealed woth black and white film then an intake with a light trap for negative pressure to pull fresh air in and then 8" exhaust fan attached tp carbon scrubberto pull stale air out..hope that helps buddy
 
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