First Grow: Apache Tech At200 W/ Light Rail = 4x4 Full Coverage?

[Homesteader]

Again Lumen aren't a perfect measure because certain colors near the center give off more lumen then reds and blues, but its just another measure for us to compare with as its an industry standard.

 

[TheHopper92]

And when you're talking your "typical" white leds, all lumens fall within PAR. Thus remaining relevant.

That's not technically true. That McCree curve has a height right. So you know when you see all of those blurples that have SUPER high red peaks... the plant can't absorb anything over that curve. So that's actually increasing the luminous output of the light without actually increasing the effective PPF. But yeah generally speaking the whiter the better, we like that full spectrum and so do our ladies!

 

[MW7945]

Do you have any recommendations for making sure you don't get ripped off when searching for a good custom supplier?

Know what you're looking for in a light/board. Go with companies that have been gold suppliers for multiple years.

 

[MW7945]

Welp, fuck this I've got better shit to do than argue small nuances and being politically correct about everything I say.

 

[Homesteader]

All my HLG Meanwell drivers are coming from China now. Is that a One China thing?

 

[TheHopper92]

Know what you're looking for in a light/board. Go with companies that have been gold suppliers for multiple years.

I have a pretty good idea of what I'm looking for as far as spectrum coverage is concerned. That being said I'm a Chemical Engineer by trade and not an Electrical Engineer so it'll take me a bit to see how the actual current runs through all the components and what not to pick out more than the lenses and diode composition. Those quantum boards are news to my ears this afternoon, they seem to be basically a rethought version of the COB lining the LED's up in series but without the excessive heat issue; is that the correct train of thought? (Don't seem very quantum in nature though... I hate that that word is fucking posh now).

 

[TheHopper92]

Welp, fuck this I've got better shit to do than argue small nuances and being politically correct about everything I say.

Well fuck you too then MW! :P

Sorry about the PC, I promise I have a personality; just trying to ease my way into the waters here. The internet can be vicious haha.

 

[brimck325]

there are plenty of guys/gals on this site that didn't graduate high school, but built their own lights…..as a "practicing engineer" i would think u could build a much better light with a $1000.

 

[MW7945]

All my HLG Meanwell drivers are coming from China now. Is that a One China thing?

Just how it is. I think their main supplier is in China or something, I've talked to a few manufacturers over there that complain it takes them too long to receive MeanWell so they use others.

If I had to guess, it's probably because China is the largest supplier of LED lights. Thus, the biggest consumer of drivers.

 

[TheHopper92]

there are plenty of guys/gals on this site that didn't graduate high school, but built their own lights…..as a "practicing engineer" i would think u could build a much better light with a $1000.

I'm not denying that I can do the task. It's the additional research that I would prefer to hold off on. Basically it's like I said in my original post, I'm just meh about that right now. As an engineer I have a research problem... an addiction if you will to optimization. Me building a light is gonna be at least another year out while I research for what exactly I want.

 

[TheHopper92]

Just how it is. I think their main supplier is in China or something, I've talked to a few manufacturers over there that complain it takes them too long to receive MeanWell so they use others.

If I had to guess, it's probably because China is the largest supplier of LED lights. Thus, the biggest consumer of drivers.

So is all the shit-talking on Chinese quality really just those running our American companies doing exactly that... talking shit?

 

[Toaster79]

Yeah, I had all of my lights custom made in China. Shipping sucks but it took 3 days each time and it's still cheaper than buying from a lot of "premium" companies I find out there.

Haha, now that goes against everything I've heard about buy USA! Are the Chinese components as long lasting as those made over here? Like I said, looking forward to building my own light down the road so I'm all ears.

I'm in EU. American made giving me same quality as China made at three times the price isn't really my thing. I do work for living and I get to pay customs for both.


I can get 3 96 chip boards for $22.50, that makes 1 288qb that costs $75. I can get any Cree COB cheaper from China then from US from a reliable source used by Americans for at least a decade. American made quantum boards and china made "quantum" boards are all populated with Korean Samsung LM561C S6 chip using similar if not same production technology.

Like mentioned before, Meanwell is Taiwanese company. And heatsinks sold in US are most likely made there too.

So what did you really hear about buy USA?

 

[GT21]

This thread is juicy

 

[TheHopper92]

I'm in EU. American made giving me same quality as China made at three times the price isn't really my thing. I do work for living and I get to pay customs for both.


I can get 3 96 chip boards for $22.50, that makes 1 288qb that costs $75. I can get any Cree COB cheaper from China then from US from a reliable source used by Americans for at least a decade. American made quantum boards and china made "quantum" boards are all populated with Korean Samsung LM561C S6 chip using similar if not same production technology.

Like mentioned before, Meanwell is Taiwanese company. And heatsinks sold in US are most likely made there too.

So what did you really hear about buy USA?

What I heard was that clean rooms aren’t employed in the Eastern markets very well. That while they follow the same “recipe” for lack of a better term they don’t do it at the same standards of American processing and that this standards drop leads to two primary issues, inconsistency off the production line and shorter product lifespans.

I honestly don’t have a lot of general online purchasing experience though. I’m behind even by American standards. I have an inherent distrust in strangers unfortunately due to shitty life circumstances and didn’t even have an Amazon account till last year, not to mention it’s totally an American thing to convince the majority of our population that we do something better than everybody else when we don’t. Whether I like it or not that’s basically our image to the world is it not?

 

[MW7945]

I'm all for made in the USA, but if that means I'm paying double they can suck it. If the US wants me to buy US made everything products they can erase my student loan debt. Until then I'll remain a bargain shopper.

 

[Homesteader]

Osram is the largest semiconductor manufacturer of LEDs and they are out of Germany and Malaysia not China. Heatsink USA is out of Michigan although most use the pin fins which are most likely Chinese.
Cree manufactures everything in China now? or most like Toaster was saying.

 

[TheHopper92]

I'm all for made in the USA, but if that means I'm paying double they can suck it. If the US wants me to buy US made everything products they can erase my student loan debt. Until then I'll remain a bargain shopper.

Preach it brother! Fucking student debt is the worst part of being a millennial in this country. That shit is as big a deal as the opioid crisis but it’s like nobody cares. Crazy shit.

So barring any other suggestions I have looked into these QB’s and I love the base design principles. It’s basically like a souped up COB with waaaaay more room for thermal diffusion which is exactly what I meant when I said early to market. I didn’t realize people were making these bad boys. I’ll definitely be inching my DIY timeline and plan to start out with the aforementioned HGL 550. That’s what I came here for. Love this shit.

 

[MW7945]

Preach it brother! Fucking student debt is the worst part of being a millennial in this country. That shit is as big a deal as the opioid crisis but it’s like nobody cares. Crazy shit.

So barring any other suggestions I have looked into these QB’s and I love the base design principles. It’s basically like a souped up COB with waaaaay more room for thermal diffusion which is exactly what I meant when I said early to market. I didn’t realize people were making these bad boys. I’ll definitely be inching my DIY timeline and plan to start out with the aforementioned HGL 550. That’s what I came here for. Love this shit.

Nothing like starting out your adult life ten's of thousands of dollars in debt.

"Damn millenials, get your shit together!"

 

[Toaster79]

What I heard was that clean rooms aren’t employed in the Eastern markets very well. That while they follow the same “recipe” for lack of a better term they don’t do it at the same standards of American processing and that this standards drop leads to two primary issues, inconsistency off the production line and shorter product lifespans.

I honestly don’t have a lot of general online purchasing experience though. I’m behind even by American standards. I have an inherent distrust in strangers unfortunately due to shitty life circumstances and didn’t even have an Amazon account till last year, not to mention it’s totally an American thing to convince the majority of our population that we do something better than everybody else when we don’t. Whether I like it or not that’s basically our image to the world is it not?

You're right about that. I inspect every single part I recieve from China or USA or Germany. Chinese are gonna replace their bad product no problem. I ordered 50 boards and some came damaged through transport and some were simply sloppy made. They replaced every single one with a new flawless one. They also put an extra on top of it. And they also give 5 years warranty for their product.

US made doesn't mean it's from another planet.

 

[TheHopper92]

Osram is the largest semiconductor manufacturer of LEDs and they are out of Germany and Malaysia not China. Heatsink USA is out of michigan.

I can’t recall the source but I directly heard Osram in connection to the inconsistent production lines. It was from a rival manufacurerer I’m sure so I’ve taken that with a grain of salt.

And what’s this about CREE being manufactured in China? My understanding was there diode tech was strictly developed in the US? Maybe that’s the big difference, Eastern market gets the specs once it’s developed and then puts it in their pre-existing supply chain whereas USA manufactured is probably on an optimized from scratch production line.

I feel like the term binning comes in here somewhere?