Hey. Appreciate all the input and ideas. I love what a “straightforward” question can generate here. I had noticed the 3x3 is not catered to much. A lot of “this will work.” I’ll sit down and do some figuring. See what makes sense both short and long term.
Goal…current 4x4 and light for veg. New 5x5 with HLG Scorpion Diablo. Steal the T6 out of the 4x4. Replace with T4 I have.
I think a few guys have similar setups. @JAWS you I think? That size is really geared towards where I want to be. Tent and light I can swing. Location is the real issue. Maybe by fall. I’ve got pots and saucers, lots of size and style choice’s. Pot risers so fabrics don’t sit in juice. Stakes so I can grow big heavy f5buds. Ha! Even have fresh soil and amendments.
Thinking about this stuff is a nice thing, compared to where some of my thinking has been lately.
All good. Peace out. CP.
ya run the diablo in the 5x5 and the rspec in the 4x4, only thing i never got was something for my closet area still using a couple 4foot led shop lights. there not the best but they work well enough i suppose.
very happy with both of my leds there just killing it.
very nice …
I have the viparspectra in my 3x3 and I love it. Really even wall to wall coverage in the tent. I like the space between bars to aim the taller plants in between, haven’t really noticed any bleaching with that plant nearly touching, and the short plants still get enough. I’ve since added another plastic tote to bring those on the left up higher.
Don’t hesitate to pull the trigger on any factory 
refurbishment HLG. They are one of the best and you will not be disappointed as they will stand behind there product and even try to help you out passed the warranty. Sono farm makes a good light too. Bar lights I think are better and you won’t go wrong with spider 
farm either!
Been running a factory refurbished 550 R-Spec for a few years now with no issues at all, I think I’ve got seven or eight flowering cycles under it so far, a few of those were using it for the full grow cycles since it was my only light at the time. They had specced the first run of them with a bad batch of Meanwell drivers and ended up slapping 485w Inventronics drivers on the returns for the refurb store while return customers got an upgrade, I think. That’s part of why they came out with the 600 R-Spec so fast, same panels with maybe the same heatsink and a bigger driver, so they could launch a new product without the stink of failure. Mines been flawless, no bad diodes and driver still seems to be kicking just fine, but I do need to get a multimeter from my friend and check some of the voltages just for my own peace of mind. Until now HLG is all I’ve used for grow LEDs but I’m about to try out one of the 2023 Viparspectra 1500 Pros and see if two daisy chained for a 2x4 is as good as I think it’ll be. Four in a 4x4 would be killer but I don’t know what I’d do with my 550 then, it would probably be fine in my 3x4 I guess?
I had to send back two light from Viparspectra and was not happy with having to do that at all. I did find a side king light (480W bar light) that had meanwell drivers and very good diodes. I am an electrical engineer and a master electrician so it is easy for me to look at what they are building them with and find a great light 
, but it does take a lot of research! 
Oh you must love the HLG then, it’s all raw electrical materials, my friend who helped me put together a kit from them was like “damn this is bare bones it’s like doing my house wiring”
It is a lot of fun to build the kits and is a good beneficial experience. You get an opportunity to see all the work that goes into the assembly and gives you a much better understanding of how it works and why. GR8 learn tool and the price is aways right plus the self satisfaction is rewarding.
I was looking for a led light for my 3x3 in April reached out to HLG and they suggested their smallest light. I asked about a larger light. If they suggested the diablo I might have gotten that. I ended up getting a Viparspectra KS3000. I’m happy with my choice so far. I’ll run it in the fall when I go indoors. I did go on a mind bending research hunt before I chose.
HLG is hard to beat. So much respect for them.
Lot of great options have been said already. I like using two 135 watt HLG’s in my 3x3. Same as my 4x4, I use two older 240 watt HLG lights. They might be a little more expensive, but it gives me a little more versatility in raising and lowering the lights and a place for my extraction fan in between the lights.
I appreciate any and all thoughts, input, rambling, etc. Decision made.
HLG Blackbird. Thank you @SmokinJoeMGF . I’ve been so happy with the HLG 600R Spec, once I decided I found you. Really stoked on many levels. I’ll go into specifics later. Details on what I’m up to. What light where, when, and why. But 3 tents, 3 HLGs. Poor lighting isn’t going to be something I can blame poor quality weed on, is it. Poor quality has not been an issue and I have no intention to start.
I’ve been using a 135w B-spec kit as my veg light for like two years now, works great sometimes I add a 23w shop light bar or two towards the flip.
Same. I have a 65 watt light for seedlings and I use the 135 watt b-spec in the veg 3x3. I am really happy with those 135 watt lights.