Need more info

[Ace9137]

So, I have built PC's for years as a hobbyist. I am looking to build a LED light for my tent, currently, I am using the Meizhi 1200 watt(actual 568), I have two and I have had them for four years, one of them broke down a year ago. The one that has broke down, instead of repairing I wish to cannabalize for parts. The bad first, I know blind men who could solder better, when opened it up I almost cried at the shoddy workmanship, I spent three hundred and fifty bucks on just one of these, I felt violated. I was thinking of using the heat sinks and using the new driver less cobs with it, or something that can be used with my drivers that I have. Now mind you I do not intend to go through ebay for these driver less cobs, and I have been shopping around, the crees are 35 bucks a pop and really I am trying to save money and not have a build in which I could just go and buy one professionally made. I would love to have a black dog LED, it is the fifteen hundred dollar price tag that just makes me cringe, I have most of the parts already from my salvage, anyone know a reputable LED dealer that will be reasonable and not demand my first born child,(okay I do not have kids), still there has to be something out there that is not so overpriced.

 

[Dan789]

Get a Rapid led kit, least expensive way towards a quality light...

 

[Jimster]

I actually need a kidney and don't need any more kids... maybe we could work something out?
I looked into building my own lights, and it was actually pretty cheap. The problem is that no matter how cheap, China already has something bigger and cheaper. While it might not be as good (as you are seeing), it is cheap and works for most growers.
I used the 50W driverless/solderless COBs, and I was getting them for just a few dollars each, depending on the frequency/color. I found heat sinks for about $3 ea that worked well. All you have to do is apply thermal compound, mount COB on heat sink (already pre-drilled/threaded and screws included) and plug it into 85-240 VAC. I built 10 of them for about $50 and they work well. It's amazing how cheap these have become, especially the full spectrum that includes all PAR spectrums that I'm aware of. Bright as hell but fairly low heat. They might not be the most efficient lights out there, but light is light, and these seem to work pretty well for the money spent.

 

[Ace9137]

I actually need a kidney and don't need any more kids... maybe we could work something out?
I looked into building my own lights, and it was actually pretty cheap. The problem is that no matter how cheap, China already has something bigger and cheaper. While it might not be as good (as you are seeing), it is cheap and works for most growers.
I used the 50W driverless/solderless COBs, and I was getting them for just a few dollars each, depending on the frequency/color. I found heat sinks for about $3 ea that worked well. All you have to do is apply thermal compound, mount COB on heat sink (already pre-drilled/threaded and screws included) and plug it into 85-240 VAC. I built 10 of them for about $50 and they work well. It's amazing how cheap these have become, especially the full spectrum that includes all PAR spectrums that I'm aware of. Bright as hell but fairly low heat. They might not be the most efficient lights out there, but light is light, and these seem to work pretty well for the money spent.

That was my plan to get the solderless/driverless ones, I just heard some bad things about them, truthfully I am just going to do that, I can get ten of them at 50 watts for 35 bucks. I already have everything else.

 

[Ace9137]

Get a Rapid led kit, least expensive way towards a quality light...

Yeah, seen rapid led, to be honest, for the price they are charging for their kits, it should be assembled. Black dog led's are $1,500 and assembled, rapid led is way to expensive, I appreciate the time you took to suggest them, sincerely, it just way to overpriced.

 

[Burned Haze]

I’ve used HLG (QB), SPYRX PLUS’s (OSRAM) and TIMBER led’s (COB) in my room’s .
my top choice : durability, company support and overall end results = Timber Led’s


I own 4-6 each of those companies led’s ( wanted to test a broad range of tech’s and brands/ companies )

 

[Ace9137]

I do appreciate the responses, but I am not sure I was clear, I do not want to spend the amount of money that timber led's, hlg or any of the others. I am talking about actually building it myself, I have even checked some of these sites out, I am confused at how you would find them cheap, what is worse is that these company's actually use the same chips from the same sources that "cheaper" chips come from. I will not spend a grand on a 300 watt light, that is insane and defeats the purpose of being self sufficient. More so I love my country and value products that come from the US, yet, when we are being gouged in price and parts, it is a shame. Look I am not spending five hundred bucks on any LED, especially when I have to build it myself, maybe most of you do not have to work for your money, I do.

 

[Ace9137]

So I was smart and purchased a 400 watt HPS for 120 bucks, complete kit, I have been using this since the 14th of this month. I know three days do not seem like a lot, I have seen my Sativas grow so much better with them, the buds are slightly larger. Maybe I am bitter that I spent about $800 on something that did not last 50,000 hours, in I bought two at 350 a piece. Neither lamp lasted a year and a half, epistar LED's, true they are crap, MEIZHI brand. I originally started on fluro's , T-5's actually. I apologize if I was being harsh, I am just angry at the manufacturer, I know everyone was trying to help I truly do, I just feel cheated by the LED market as well as I felt at the end of the life of my LED's they were dimming, I even bought one that was a "300" watt meizhi, it lasted six months. I have gone back to the bulb, I have even tried growing with an HPS, I like my choice, and yes my hps is High quality magnetic ballast, I live near Canada, yet still in the states, so it does get cold up here, even the summers are mild. I am using my fluro's again, only for my mother plants. Maybe when LED's are more affordable and can get a better yield i may come back to them. Again, Thank you for your comments, and I do apologize for being harsh.

 

[420baby]

Maybe be you have a look at Mars SP250 if your budget is low. It is similar with HLG quantum board LED but it is cheaper.

 

[420baby]

Maybe be you have a look at Mars SP250 if your budget is low. It is similar with HLG quantum board LED but it is cheaper.

I have used this light for a while. The main concern is about the heat. Mars added a thick heat sink on the PCB board. But it still output a lot of heat.
Any one used HLG lights? Are their lights always overheated? I am very curious because their lights don't have heat sink.

 

[Jimster]

I would recommend on using a MH conversion bulb for the vegetative growth instead of the HPS. I have used both for decades and the MH are much better for vegetative growth, but the HPS made for much larger and tastier buds. I saw an article about HPS having a significantly lower THC content than those grown under LEDs, due to the lack of blue light. I don't know how true this is, but it seemed pretty reliable. I have had much greater success using a combo of HPS and MH, swapping them out during flowering. As for the potency claims, they all seem to work well, although I used a high color (High K) MH bulb for the entire process (veg and flowering), with the size and yield of the plant being lower than the HPS influenced plants. I don't know yet if the potency was affected or not...yet. I included a picture of the 50 watt cob with a heatsink. Driverless and hooks up directly to 85-240 VAC. Total cost was about $10...$3.75 for the COB and $6 for the heatsink. A fan would probably make a good addition to keep the COB cool... about $6 or 7 for a decent one that will fit directly onto the heatsink.