The Chinese Quantum Board Knock Off Builds

DukeFluke

Well-Known Member
Just a couple of my thoughts and opinions on the strips and boards.

I really like the strip lighting from Meijiu. It’s uniform across the canopy, I can bring them in close and no hot spots. Totally fill a 9x5 with light with two 800 watt 10 bar (2500 led) custom fixtures.

They also cost 3x per tray to light. (fixture cost)

I use two Bava’s in a 4x4. So like 500 watts basically. Lovely lights but I can’t bring them as close and the spread isn’t as uniform. I used to have three fixtures and dimmed them but it was a pain in the ass positioning three. I sold one.

Thing is. I like the spectrum from the Bava more. 2700 /4000 k with the 385/660/730 nm. Very nice.

My Meijiu are basically the same. Just 3000k. So I only use them for flower. The far red 660 is on the left and the right is the 380/660/730 version.

Still comparing them. Only two runs in.

So in summary. Go for strips and get a balanced spectrum. Expect to pay more. Get them custom. Don’t get a lame 4-5 strip for a 4x4. Get more strips. More uniform spread.

Interesting. That's how I was thinking the effect would be.

The thing about getting them custom is; I'm only lighting a 1m x 2m area with 2 of them. The pre built 4 bars are 480 watts each. 2 of them next to each other would be a pretty decent spread of light compared to what I was originally going which was 2 x 480qbs

Btw, are you running both those lights full power at 800w each?
 

DrKiz

Well-Known Member
Interesting. That's how I was thinking the effect would be.

The thing about getting them custom is; I'm only lighting a 1m x 2m area with 2 of them. The pre built 4 bars are 480 watts each. 2 of them next to each other would be a pretty decent spread of light compared to what I was originally going which was 2 x 480qbs

Btw, are you running both those lights full power at 800w each?
That would be pretty slick. You’d still get nice spread. Better than a HID... single point of light.

I actually ran them at 600 watts, and closer last run. I had to... I over veged and the lights were to the roof... lol.... suffice it to say I’m going with 600 each side again this run. I just put them closer.

I initially bought them so I could scale if necessary. I may take the fixtures apart in the future and space the 20 bars out a little more... run them at 1600 watt over a bigger area. Gives a little options.

Or, if I wanted to upscale more.. Each bar I was told could be pushed to 120 watts. So I’m underpowered already by 40 watts a bar.

Plug in new drivers and BOOM 2400 watts. Lol
 
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DukeFluke

Well-Known Member
Nice.

Yea I've got more fixtures to replace after this. I think I'll just pull the trigger on the two strip fittings and get a board up to go with it. Pretty sure the board will do a decent job for vegging the next lot anyway.

Here's another thing which has just confused the shit out of me...

Some of the sellers are recommending that the IR and even FR chips should be switched separately because, they say, it has a detrimental effect on the plant if used through the whole cycle.

Thoughts on that?
 

christopher jordan

Well-Known Member
Nice one Chris.

See those Umol figures, what's that all about? Are they using a different array of Leds or what?

Any idea about that company also? Anyone ever ordered from them?
Thanks. Ya they must be. The company sells over 1500 products, mostly in commercial lighting. The have a good rating on baba, and their boards seem legit. I'm looking at getting a couple of 3.1s. with my stim check.
 

christopher jordan

Well-Known Member
Nice.

Yea I've got more fixtures to replace after this. I think I'll just pull the trigger on the two strip fittings and get a board up to go with it. Pretty sure the board will do a decent job for vegging the next lot anyway.

Here's another thing which has just confused the shit out of me...

Some of the sellers are recommending that the IR and even FR chips should be switched separately because, they say, it has a detrimental effect on the plant if used through the whole cycle.

Thoughts on that?
Far red is used to initiate flower, elongation, and increase leaf size. Awesome for lettuce. You only need 15min of far red a day for initiating.
 

bk78

Well-Known Member
Went to order lights for my new room being built. Have ordered 10 different times through Rita over the last 2 years and looks like I will be buying legit North American lights finally from now on.

Hard pass on $1300 shipping for 2 lights

B5DA6E13-1402-41CB-AE99-0594337E4CC3.jpeg
 

bk78

Well-Known Member
So now that that’s said. Anyone know of any cheaper places to light up a 5x9 room?

Like I can buy the new growcraft chilled 5 bar for $100 cheaper then meijiu currently.
 

Cptn

Well-Known Member
So now that that’s said. Anyone know of any cheaper places to light up a 5x9 room?

Like I can buy the new growcraft chilled 5 bar for $100 cheaper then meijiu currently.
If you spend enough time looking at the different vendors on alibaba, you will realize that there is never something with a lower price that isn't also giving you less of something or using some lower quality component.
You have to include shipping in the total cost also because that is the easiest way to trick customers into buying from them. Offer a lower price on the same product than competition, but have a higher shipping cost so in the end, the total cost is the same.

Count the # of diodes, the manufacturer and the quality.
Cree XPE2 diodes are expensive.
Heat sinks, ballasts, little extras like hangers and dimmers. If you try and spec it all out to buy separate components and save, you'll realize pretty quick it's not worth the hassle.

Comparing meijiu to kingbrite, I found them to be basically identical in price, with slight differences in the finned heatsinks used on the 1, 2, and 3 QB panel kits.

BTW: didn't know kingbrite had an instagram account. They are clearly shipping out product.
Turns out they are located in Shenzhen, just outside of HongKong. About 660 miles away from Wuhan. Very little covid down there according to Johns Hopkins University.
That said, anybody think that there might be some price increases in the future?
 

bk78

Well-Known Member
If you spend enough time looking at the different vendors on alibaba, you will realize that there is never something with a lower price that isn't also giving you less of something or using some lower quality component.
You have to include shipping in the total cost also because that is the easiest way to trick customers into buying from them. Offer a lower price on the same product than competition, but have a higher shipping cost so in the end, the total cost is the same.

Count the # of diodes, the manufacturer and the quality.
Cree XPE2 diodes are expensive.
Heat sinks, ballasts, little extras like hangers and dimmers. If you try and spec it all out to buy separate components and save, you'll realize pretty quick it's not worth the hassle.

Comparing meijiu to kingbrite, I found them to be basically identical in price, with slight differences in the finned heatsinks used on the 1, 2, and 3 QB panel kits.

BTW: didn't know kingbrite had an instagram account. They are clearly shipping out product.
Turns out they are located in Shenzhen, just outside of HongKong. About 660 miles away from Wuhan. Very little covid down there according to Johns Hopkins University.
That said, anybody think that there might be some price increases in the future?
Ok?
 

Barristan Whitebeard

Well-Known Member
So now that that’s said. Anyone know of any cheaper places to light up a 5x9 room?

Like I can buy the new growcraft chilled 5 bar for $100 cheaper then meijiu currently.
Are you looking for plug and play, or have you considered Bridgelux EB strips like @Gond00s uses?

Or have you looked at Cutter.Au? I know he's had a mixed experience with Cutter, but they do have a wide array of options that may work for you.
 

bk78

Well-Known Member
Are you looking for plug and play, or have you considered Bridgelux EB strips like @Gond00s uses?

Or have you looked at Cutter.Au? I know he's had a mixed experience with Cutter, but they do have a wide array of options that may work for you.
I was kind of looking at plug and play as I don’t really have the room or tools to build frames and such. But it looks like I may have to go that route possibly.
 

Barristan Whitebeard

Well-Known Member
I was kind of looking at plug and play as I don’t really have the room or tools to build frames and such. But it looks like I may have to go that route possibly.
With the ChilLED GrowCraft price comparison to the Alibaba lights, you were referring to the complete fixture with the 3 year warranty, right?
 

bk78

Well-Known Member
With the ChilLED GrowCraft price comparison to the Alibaba lights, you were referring to the complete fixture with the 3 year warranty, right?
I was basically referring to a light that has known top bin components to a mystery light that’s more expensive.

Don’t get me wrong I personally own 6 Meijiu lights and have grown pounds of dank with them but with their new shipping rates and prices it’s time for me to sink money into OUR economy now for the price.
 

Gond00s

Well-Known Member
tbh it wasn't bad making the frame took me a bit but I love the bxebs if I had to choose bxebs over cutters I think I would just because their cheap af and their good plus having 16 of them on a 240 driver is very nice but I do want to increase what driver their on because I got heatsinking for them I think I can run them about 20 a strip.
 
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