Check this out

This is one of the oldest light in my collection still running. This was a phenomenal light for the first year or so then the clusters started dying 2 at a time. I fixed this light so many times over the years, Last time I fixed I got really mad and only got 12 clusters out of 16 going and I thought that's it, last time. That was probably around 8-12 months ago.

Then I ordered the kits from rapidled and I finally had something to take it's place in the flower room. When I took it down last night there was 6 clusters still working ... 6 out of 16 , pretty useless.

I use this light as side lighting so even when the clusters go out it's not a big deal. BUT, i told myself I was never going to attempt to fix it again.

NEVER SAY NEVER LOL!!

I sat down this morning with a cup of coffee and some Therapy CBD shatter, I was on fire!! I found an old driver that the company owner had sent me many moons ago (it was not the problem back then) Id say there is on average 2 dead diodes per cluster that I had to bypass over the years.

Look at it tonight!! 2 diodes per cluster out of 21, means 19 out of 21 diodes per clusters are still running, this almost 5 years old fixture is still running at 90%!! 90% of 540 watts is roughly 485 watts and 5 out of 6 fans are still running as good as new. 1 is spinning slow but still spinning.

So this light probably draws close 500 watts from the wall, almost 5 years old, and besides time (honestly probably 5 times I had to fix it and spend around 1-2 hours doing it each time) I have not spent a penny on this light since purchase, it's totally paid for, and it looks like it will grow some buds at least one more time

lol long story short, I am stoked!!

Damn! I like that. Looks like it cost you a pretty penny back in the day. Bet it gives you a buttload of yield though.

Here's my piddly light. Cost me about $380 with controller. 90w at the wall. Had it for a less than 6mths.

Yes I think I got it for something like $1200, reduced price because I did a grow journal. It was very popular at the time to get discount for doing a grow journal. I still remember my first grow with it in a 3x3 tent lol. yes 540 watts LEDs over 9 sq. ft. I was a total beginner but how can you not have great weed when you got 60 watts per sq. ft lol. One thing about that light is that it always always grew super heatlhy plants, super lush green, I think they love the blurple. As far as growing buds goes though, I think I do get nicer flowers when I use it as side lighting, not in the same league as COBs...

GreenSanta said:

Yes I think I got it for something like $1200, reduced price because I did a grow journal. It was very popular at the time to get discount for doing a grow journal. I still remember my first grow with it in a 3x3 tent lol. yes 540 watts LEDs over 9 sq. ft. I was a total beginner but how can you not have great weed when you got 60 watts per sq. ft lol. One thing about that light is that it always always grew super heatlhy plants, super lush green, I think they love the blurple. As far as growing buds goes though, I think I do get nicer flowers when I use it as side lighting, not in the same league as COBs...

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Is that a top shelf light?

Evil-Mobo said:

Is that a top shelf light?

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cheap fucking china light with 3 watts diodes, rebranded as a super expensive light for the canadian market back in 2012

GreenSanta said:

cheap fucking china light with 3 watts diodes, rebranded as a super expensive light for the canadian market back in 2012

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LOL got it.

Well I am glad you brought it back to life and it's working for you. I'm all for re purposing old gear.

I daresay if I weren't a total noob and did things right the whole way through. My plant would have been almost twice as tall.

I find it funny though. Because my friends use only hps and mh globes. And take the piss outta me for trying something new. Considering I could've had upwards of 600w if I'd followed their lead.

But I put to them like this. I don't need hefty fans to shift heat. I don't need to change fragile bulbs. And I don't need a bulky power brick to operate it. I can also set the light to mimic sunrise and sun sets. And can pick what spectra to have dominate the output.

Nugachino said:

I daresay if I weren't a total noob and did things right the whole way through. My plant would have been almost twice as tall.

I find it funny though. Because my friends use only hps and mh globes. And take the piss outta me for trying something new. Considering I could've had upwards of 600w if I'd followed their lead.

But I put to them like this. I don't need hefty fans to shift heat. I don't need to change fragile bulbs. And I don't need a bulky power brick to operate it. I can also set the light to mimic sunrise and sun sets. And can pick what spectra to have dominate the output.

Click to expand...

If I had one advice is try not to cheap out, if your friends use 60 watts per sq ft, show them what 60 watts per sq ft of LEDs can do. if they use 70, use 70. I can tell you most growers I know are always impressed with my flowers, half of them don't know I use LEDs, I always have. (ok except my very first grow... which was awful!!!)

This one cost me a little under $400 Australian, with the controller. Says it covers up to 4sq feet. But I've got around half that. So, 45w per sq foot.