DIY with Quantum Boards

250 watt QB kit!
I would like to build it myself from scratch. I just need to get a list of top quality parts. This thread has way too many pages. It's hard to find the info you need here without asking for it. But if I can get a high quality kit then I'm all for that as well.
 

BobCajun

Well-Known Member
What are the PAR readings right under one of those things, like 6"? Maybe you only require very low current to get 600 or more at that distance. The reason I ask is that I noticed everybody has them about 2' from the plants. Well, it's a fact that when light beams collide they are at least partially converted to heat. So with the light is up that high there would be many collisions before reaching plant level. If they have to be that high up then maybe you're just using way too much current.

For instance, I grow clones in containers that are 13"x10", so a bit less than a square foot. The LED bulb I use is about 8-10" above the plants, depending on their size. If I use a higher wattage than 40w replacement, 5w actual, I get a lot of bleaching. Even with the 5w I still get some but not as bad. So point being, apparently all you need when the LED is up close is about 5w/sq ft. Sea of Green with small clones, maybe 50-60w/ sq m. 100w would be pushing it but might be okay. That's the beauty of these boards, you can put them up close, unlike COBs. How much canopy can LEDs penetrate anyway? Maybe a foot. I call this "microcurrent growing".

Maybe it's just because I used 24 hour light. Apparently you're supposed to have about 7000-7500 lumens /sq ft for good plant growth. One Samsung LED puts out around 300 lumens at 1000 ma, so I guess you'd need at least 20, which at 3w each would be 60w. Those are the lumens for fluorescent and HID though, maybe less would be needed for LED. Actually, why not just make boards about 1 sq ft with 20 LEDs on them, or 6"x24"? Running them at 1050 ma would give you full power required for optimal growth. You could just put snap together edges on them to make a solid light board. Jumper wires to daisy chain them.
 
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ChefKimbo

Well-Known Member
If they have to be that high up then maybe you're just using way too much current...So point being, apparently all you need when the LED is up close is about 5w/sq ft. Sea of Green with small clones, maybe 50-60w/ sq m. 100w would be pushing it but might be okay. That's the beauty of these boards, you can put them up close, unlike COBs. How much canopy can LEDs penetrate anyway? Maybe a foot. I call this "microcurrent growing".
I agree most are running overkill...180 watts max in my 3x3, dense, fragrant buds at 20 inches below the panels.
 

zypheruk

Well-Known Member
@ChefKimbo so are you saying you would harvest the same using 180watts in your space as you would running the boards at say 400 watts?.

I'm currently running 4 qb's at 400 watts in my cab 30 inches wide X 57.5 inches long x 71 inches high and I'm impressed.

Future plans are to:-
Add another 4 qb's at a later date, so that will total 8 boards.
My idea is to run them all at say 50watts per board and close to the canopy for sog and scrog growing so putting out 400 watts but this should give me amazing coverage no fall off to speak about all around with a higher ppf than using 4 X boards at 100 watts each. All I would require for the leds to do is penetrate the canopy by about 12 inches which is ideal for scrogs.
If this would work I could get away with putting another level in the cab and have 4 x boards per level. Running both levels at 180-200 watts would be great if viable.
Don't want to spend the money and find out I have gone backgrounds and end up with kit I don't need.
Maybe @robincnn @Stephenj37826 may have some input on this also. While I'm here HLG if you want some pics for your site give me a pm, be a pleasure to give something back.
Link to my current setup if it helps. https://www.rollitup.org/t/welcome-to-the-white-house.942762/
Cheers
 
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ChefKimbo

Well-Known Member
@zypheruk I would not venture to say I would get the same yield. Only way to find out is to run SOG with plants in the corners. Judging from my flowering plants right now I can expect great yields if running well vegged and trimmed 1-2 gallon pots. No popcorn on the single cola plants, lights almost 30" above soil. I'm only work 40" of height so I plan on running manifolded moms and well trimmed single cola clones. The QBs get great penetration even at low wattage. But everybody's situation is different. I already know they can flower well at low wattage, the next tests for me at low wattage is to track stem development and nutrient usage.
 
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