Looking for new LED W less heat

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J

JamesVJ

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I have a 4x4 tent. I am looking for advice on new light.
This will be my first grow.
Slowly learning by reading posts here daily.
Do I need a light with a removable driver to keep heat down?
Please let me know.
T.I.A.
 
Blastfact

Blastfact

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Your going to get 1000 answers. A removable driver is always a good idea. But it's all in how you use your light and size them. I use HLG lights and they can be ordered with a removable driver option and a extension cable. My lights are all way more powerful than most people need or want. And my tents are very tall. And I keep the drivers on the light. In my 3 x 3 tent I have a 650R ( 640w tested ) in it. For most out there it's a 4 x 4 light. But the method to madness allows me to keep the dimmer down on low settings in the summer and keep my light close to the plant with near perfect light spread. Or come winter time I can raise it high in my tall tent and raise the dimmer up to higher setting and heat the tent with it and keep my office grow room comfortable and still maintain any PPFD level of light I could conceivable want and never tax the light at all. My 2 x 4 tent is the same with two 350R's ( 700w total tested ) in it bolted together. I don't think I have ever ran my dimmers above 50%.

There are a lot of good lights out there now days. I've even been thinking about picking up a couple of AC Infinity lights. A EVO 3 for the 2 x 4 and a EVO 6 for the 3 x 3 to just play with and see how they do. They have lots of functionality and control and through the Pro series controllers. But I don't like there published light spectrum. Not enough red with lots of green, yellow and orange. All useful but not what I want. Then it dawned on me,,, of course they don't have the red I want that's why you buy the submental lights. Then it's not such a entertaining purchase for me.

The most important things I can tell you is don't cheap out on your light. And get more than you think you need. You don't have to go overboard like I do. But the new norm in reality is 40 watts a square foot now days. So that's a 650 watt light for a 4 x 4. And get a light with a big footprint. You want the big footprint so you have even coverage in your tent/grow space. Enjoy and Good Luck!
 
Bubblegumyum

Bubblegumyum

44
18
It's probably a good idea to have a removable driver so you can take it out of the tent if you need to

I love my Spider Farmer SE7000 which I have in a 4 x 4. It's probably overkill in terms of wattage but it's dimmable, so you don't have to run it on full power, and if you run your LEDs on a lower setting they will last longer. And I'm confident that lack of light will never be a problem for me!

It also has an inbuilt timer, and you can control everything via an app on your phone and WiFi, from anywhere in the world!

Only downside is that it's expensive
 
SchweddyBawlz

SchweddyBawlz

49
33
I have the ACI EVO8. I have the driver mounted outside of the tent. My tent does not get above 75 degrees at setting 6 with the exhaust at level 2. Lung room is 65ish degrees and has a dehumidifier.

as others have said, getting a light that has a movable ballast/control module is probably the best thing you could do to control heat.
 
J

JamesVJ

66
18
Your going to get 1000 answers. A removable driver is always a good idea. But it's all in how you use your light and size them. I use HLG lights and they can be ordered with a removable driver option and a extension cable. My lights are all way more powerful than most people need or want. And my tents are very tall. And I keep the drivers on the light. In my 3 x 3 tent I have a 650R ( 640w tested ) in it. For most out there it's a 4 x 4 light. But the method to madness allows me to keep the dimmer down on low settings in the summer and keep my light close to the plant with near perfect light spread. Or come winter time I can raise it high in my tall tent and raise the dimmer up to higher setting and heat the tent with it and keep my office grow room comfortable and still maintain any PPFD level of light I could conceivable want and never tax the light at all. My 2 x 4 tent is the same with two 350R's ( 700w total tested ) in it bolted together. I don't think I have ever ran my dimmers above 50%.

There are a lot of good lights out there now days. I've even been thinking about picking up a couple of AC Infinity lights. A EVO 3 for the 2 x 4 and a EVO 6 for the 3 x 3 to just play with and see how they do. They have lots of functionality and control and through the Pro series controllers. But I don't like there published light spectrum. Not enough red with lots of green, yellow and orange. All useful but not what I want. Then it dawned on me,,, of course they don't have the red I want that's why you buy the submental lights. Then it's not such a entertaining purchase for me.

The most important things I can tell you is don't cheap out on your light. And get more than you think you need. You don't have to go overboard like I do. But the new norm in reality is 40 watts a square foot now days. So that's a 650 watt light for a 4 x 4. And get a light with a big footprint. You want the big footprint so you have even coverage in your tent/grow space. Enjoy and Good Luck!
Thank you for the info.
I like the idea of a light that is bigger more powerful than I need to run it a lower draw and still get the light I need.
I'm a retired industrial paining contractor and I always went with maximum vs. the minimum.
The equipment was never burned by my demands.
Excellent!
Thank you!
 
J

JamesVJ

66
18
It's probably a good idea to have a removable driver so you can take it out of the tent if you need to

I love my Spider Farmer SE7000 which I have in a 4 x 4. It's probably overkill in terms of wattage but it's dimmable, so you don't have to run it on full power, and if you run your LEDs on a lower setting they will last longer. And I'm confident that lack of light will never be a problem for me!

It also has an inbuilt timer, and you can control everything via an app on your phone and WiFi, from anywhere in the world!

Only downside is that it's expensive
This is great advice! I am definitely going to go big rather than buying the minimum.
Thank you!
Jom
 
LoveGrowingIt

LoveGrowingIt

Supporter
3,255
263
If your driver is on the light, position the intake for the exhaust fan above the driver so it can pull the hot air away from the driver and out of the tent.
 
Natep

Natep

1,774
263
If I was to to purchase a light for a 4x4 it would be a acinfinity evo 6. I currently run a luxx 645 led pro. But would love to be able to control it from my model 69 controller. I have a 2x4 with a evo 3 and love it.
 
Blastfact

Blastfact

1,324
263
If your driver is on the light, position the intake for the exhaust fan above the driver so it can pull the hot air away from the driver and out of the tent.
Always have a 6" fan in my tents above the light aimed to blow air at the driver, one between the light and canopy and one below the canopy with all gently moving air around in the enclosure. Exhaust fan above the light and set to come on by temp and just let it cycle.
 
Redneckx

Redneckx

741
143
Goooooood Morning!!
I'm in the process of ordering the Spider Farmer SE 7000.
It will be here Monday...
LOL
I have no idea what I'm doing but this will be fun!
Here goes!
Mooorning!
Sunshine here today, not common in my region for more then a couple of weeks...
Excellent choice on the light!
We all started with no idea one day, it's a process with a lot of failure just to get better😅
Starting with a heavy light is great, It will do the biggest job for ya!
Cheeerio 🧑‍🌾
 
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