IT'S ALIVE!!!! ( version 1.2 )

[sdfoster22]

Had to do a double take and then I remembered you guys use commas as periods for numbers like that.

Haha. I thought the same until I realized the comma. I was like holy crap... Oh lol

[Complex]

Euhhh..yes sorry 'bout the metric system

Don't be, metric system is superior. lol.

[Complex]

IMG_20180528_2204072_rewind.jpgUPDATE version 1.2

after running the good old 4 288 v1's 3500k.... with slate 1 maxi pad heat sinks... on a RapidLED 4x4 substrate... using a hlg480h-c2100b driver for almost a year... I finally did a upgrade! I added 2 more boards. swapped drivers, and changed the framework. it's now version 1.2..

4 288 v 1 3500k boards in the corners. 2 288 v 1 2700k boards in the middle..

driver was swapped to a hlg-480h-54b

framework is now 3/4 x 3/4 x 1/8 T6061 angle aluminium.. with a 1/4 x 3" eyebolt in the corners and number 8# machine screws and nuts everywhere else.. the over all size is 38" x 40".. with the spacing so another slate 1 heatsink could fit in between.

it's lighter... easier to manage solo.... my poor little slate 1's don't run as hot... and my efficacy went up running them at 1500ma instead of 2100!! yeah.. same old poopy pictures from old p.o.s. tablet! I'm also sexing "tomato" plants atm!!

That is a real nice looking diy build man. Well done.

[Complex]

JGG,

You upgraded from 4 QB's on a 480h-c2100b, to 6 QB's on a 480h-54b. Now I'm wondering why not a 600h-54b seeing as you added two boards?

[sdfoster22]

Maybe he doesn't need the power of the 600h. More spread and better Effeciency means he can have more yield per watt used. My guess is that he was at the point of adding more watts would prove to be more harm than good? That's my take.

Also if you dim the driver it gets less effecient. Over time it can add up if your electric costs a lot per kWh.

[Jolly Green Giant]

JGG,

You upgraded from 4 QB's on a 480h-c2100b, to 6 QB's on a 480h-54b. Now I'm wondering why not a 600h-54b seeing as you added two boards?

sdfoster22 nailed it... the 480w driver is plenty in that tent.. and I get a better spread now...

my main focus for the swap was to get the temperature of the slate one heat sinks down.. I just felt they ran to hot at 2100ma each ( it's pushing max ) 1500ish range the 6 are running cooler than what the 4 did.

also I wanted to get the RapidLED frame out... it was just to bulky and a pain in the @$$ to move by my self when it needed to come out..

cheers complex

[Complex]

Ok, cool.

[VandalBee]

JGG, I love your build. It actually got me inspired to start my 1st build as well.
I'm in process of completing (still work in progress) my grow room 8'x10' and I need to cover a 6'x'8' area. Before I saw your thread I ordered 2xQB288 V2 & SLATE 2 TRIPLE kits and was thinking of a good way to build 2 separate lights. However looking at your build now, I'm leaning towards building a dimmable setup with 6x8 frame and attaching 9-12 boards.

Given your experience with the boards, frame, positioning and coverage, I wonder if you could give me an advice on the matter. I guess I could go with 2 hlg-480h-54b drivers and hook 6 boards in parallel to each. I'm still new to this.

Apologies if I hijack your thread.

Cheers,
Stan

[Jolly Green Giant]

JGG, I love your build. It actually got me inspired to start my 1st build as well.
I'm in process of completing (still work in progress) my grow room 8'x10' and I need to cover a 6'x'8' area. Before I saw your thread I ordered 2xQB288 V2 & SLATE 2 TRIPLE kits and was thinking of a good way to build 2 separate lights. However looking at your build now, I'm leaning towards building a dimmable setup with 6x8 frame and attaching 9-12 boards.

Given your experience with the boards, frame, positioning and coverage, I wonder if you could give me an advice on the matter. I guess I could go with 2 hlg-480h-54b drivers and hook 6 boards in parallel to each. I'm still new to this.

Apologies if I hijack your thread.

Cheers,
Stan

welcome to the forum first off.. and thanks for the kind words!! to me your just bumping my build so people don't have to dig as deep to find it over hijacking

I have a few ideas.. first and simplest is grab 4 more of those 2 board slate 2 triple combos and run each triple with 2 boards on a 240w hlg ( for series use -c2100 for parallel use -54 ) covering your 8x6 would be 4 of them spaced evenly going with the 8' length.. then that extra 8 x 2 run the other two the opposite direction.. ( covering 4x2 like the others just turned 90degrees ) with this you could adjust the height and wattage of each 4x2.. in case you run a multi strain garden and something stretches more than the others or some girl stresses for too much light etc... starting out you could just mount drivers to each heatsink and have to go to each to dim.. down the road remote mount drivers and have dimmers in one spot..

the more hands on / time consuming build would be to evenly space a quantum board on a slate 2 single in each 2x2.. that would be two frames roughly 61" x 32" with 6 boards on each frame. ( I round the heatsink size to 13" x 8"... each board ran horizontally has 8" top and bottom.. and 5.5" side to side to fill that 2'x2' ) you could go with 480's or 600's with drivers.. I would lean towards the dual 600w drivers since it's not a tent.. that extra wattage will help..

builds are only limited by your imagination!! some will say budget.. but I'll say it again, it's the best part about DIY!! buy what you can now! you can always expand and upgrade later!! even if that means 1 qb and a driver while you use your hps or cheap Blurple... then add another and another.. before you know it that old light will be out of there!

again welcome and thanks keeping digging, ask questions, let your imagination run!!!

[VandalBee]

JGG, I love your build. It actually got me inspired to start my 1st build as well.
I'm in process of completing (still work in progress) my grow room 8'x10' and I need to cover a 6'x'8' area. Before I saw your thread I ordered 2xQB288 V2 & SLATE 2 TRIPLE kits and was thinking of a good way to build 2 separate lights. However looking at your build now, I'm leaning towards building a dimmable setup with 6x8 frame and attaching 9-12 boards.

Given your experience with the boards, frame, positioning and coverage, I wonder if you could give me an advice on the matter. I guess I could go with 2 hlg-480h-54b drivers and hook 6 boards in parallel to each. I'm still new to this.

Apologies if I hijack your thread.

Cheers,
Stan

welcome to the forum first off.. and thanks for the kind words!! to me your just bumping my build so people don't have to dig as deep to find it over hijacking

I have a few ideas.. first and simplest is grab 4 more of those 2 board slate 2 triple combos and run each triple with 2 boards on a 240w hlg ( for series use -c2100 for parallel use -54 ) covering your 8x6 would be 4 of them spaced evenly going with the 8' length.. then that extra 8 x 2 run the other two the opposite direction.. ( covering 4x2 like the others just turned 90degrees ) with this you could adjust the height and wattage of each 4x2.. in case you run a multi strain garden and something stretches more than the others or some girl stresses for too much light etc... starting out you could just mount drivers to each heatsink and have to go to each to dim.. down the road remote mount drivers and have dimmers in one spot..

the more hands on / time consuming build would be to evenly space a quantum board on a slate 2 single in each 2x2.. that would be two frames roughly 61" x 32" with 6 boards on each frame. ( I round the heatsink size to 13" x 8"... each board ran horizontally has 8" top and bottom.. and 5.5" side to side to fill that 2'x2' ) you could go with 480's or 600's with drivers.. I would lean towards the dual 600w drivers since it's not a tent.. that extra wattage will help..

builds are only limited by your imagination!! some will say budget.. but I'll say it again, it's the best part about DIY!! buy what you can now! you can always expand and upgrade later!! even if that means 1 qb and a driver while you use your hps or cheap Blurple... then add another and another.. before you know it that old light will be out of there!

again welcome and thanks keeping digging, ask questions, let your imagination run!!!

Thank you for your fast reply. I think I got lucky coz my order was still not shipped. I called today and canceled it, as I saw that the QB288 V2 & Slate 2 Single Combo is back in stock. So I ordered 9!
I will start with those and build a single light using your model. I will also order a HLG-600H-54B and do the parallel setup.
Below is the plan - I will have 3 in a row placed with the long side going along the 8' wall. The size of the space between each should be the size of another QB board.

Will keep the thread updated with the progress.