I’ve heard good reviews about this light on Facebook weed pages
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I have looked at those. Not a bad looking light.
https://solstrip.com/shop/solsheetz/solsheet-x. I really like this light. Love the way it’s made. Has a nice price. I will be getting some new lights soon. One thing that’s holding me back. Surgery next month. Nothing serious. But I’ll be out for a minute. I have started growing green hair. It really bothers people. Lol
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So does that mean the best bet dollar for dollar is just intense high output 3000k leds? That makes everything much easier than I thought.
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Would 2 of these for an 8 bar be a good start? Figure 2 drivers rated for either 320w or 480w ea? I just want to build something strong enough to flower a 5x5.
lmn/watt isn’t great there 130 vs 175 of Blux gen2, even considering the cri it is almost 20% less efficient with the electricity to light conversion. Also for $170 you get 180watts of leds, if you spent that $170 on blux 4ft gen2 3000k strips (about 21 of them) you’d have about 900-1000 watts of strips that already have a durable heat dissipating backing.
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Additionally someone was talking about heat destroying drivers above. An HLG at 90c lasts almost 3 years run time, at 70c it does ~12years. So easily 6+ and 24+ years if you run it 12/12. Fun from the spec sheet. A good efficient driver will make less heat(waste) for the watts provided.
Adding strips to the build until they are all cool enough to touch the back of without discomfort is my preference. ~40-45 watts ea for the 4ft gen2 bluxs, seems like what I recall working well.
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As @XtraGood said, if you’re new to DIY lights you’re better of using someone’s tried and true light build plan, rather than trying to reinvent the wheel. If you try to figure it out yourself, you’ll end up using crappy tape strip lights with an inefficient driver and spend too much money doing it. 
Take a build that someone’s already designed and use the 3000k version of the strips they recommend. That will get you everything you need for veg and flower. 
There are lots of very well planned and designed builds here in this thread, or people’s individual build threads, or at ledgardner.com and elsewhere.
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Hey everyone. So I am starting to get things ready to build a light for a one plant grow in a 2x2 or 3x3 grow area. Using extruded aluminum for the spinal frame work. I’m still learning about strips and drivers and I am having a hard time finding what I will need and part numbers and stuff. Want a light that will do both veg and flower and be dimmable. Also I would like to mount the drivers outside the grow area.
Would you guys be able to help me pick what I need for strips and drivers? I figure I would need 2 drivers. I go to digikey, future etc. But get confused and have a hard time navigating.
Budget is 400-700 for the light project :). Thanks everyone.
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An hlg-320h-42(a or b:onboard or wire-your-own dimming) with 16 or 18 2ft bridgelux 3000k strips. Wire pairs of strips in series, then put those 8-9 pairs of strips in series all in parallel with each other. Power with driver 
. Driver runs better with 235v but does just fine on 120v. That driver will draw ~350 watts at the wall so about 39 watts per square foot in a 3x3ft 
.
Gen3 “Thrives” are expensive, not cheap, but they sound fancy (haven’t used them). Gen2s are cheap and work.
You can make a fixture with two pieces of angle aluminum. Use locking nuts. Don’t remote mount the driver too far away, consider the dc resistance for the wire size. Outside the tent is fine, but no long runs in dc. Use appropriate wire gauges. Solid core thermostat wire works well for the strips’ push connectors.
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Something I learned later, you calculate the distance there and back. I used the length of the wire, 6’ not the length of the circuit, 12’.
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@DezmondG first decide on a tent size that will work for you then the rest can be worked out, as for Cost figure more in the $2-300 range if building.
@XtraGood thrives are high CRI lights aka 98+cri though efficiency lumens/watts is quite a bit less, ive tested and run a couple though just better to go regulars
Saying that with digikey the Gen 3 Slims and Gen 3 high output strips are worth while, though the gen 2’s are still best on bang for the buck till there out phased, though if i was building a new light i would go with the former gen 3 options myself.
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Since I’m not good at these things, what’s the max distance from driver to strips with 18g solid core wire?
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@Mr.Sparkle I am leaning towards a 2x3 or 2x4 grow space. I am going to one as well so I can customize it how I would like to have it laid out. Could you point me to 2’ strips that would work well for this size of an area? As well as driver(s) to use. I would like dimmable if possible.
Thanks,
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Hey DezmondG, please do a little key word searching on this site and a little reading. On the other thread I gave you the link to LEDGardener.com and hope you would go there. They have full builds with links to everything you need besides the frame material. And they give you a wiring diagram as well.
And Mr. Sparkle just told you which Bridgelux strips were the best to use. Gen 3 are fine (buy them at futureelectronics.com) or the Gen 2 are still really good too. Both generations can use the same drivers, but I wouldn’t recommend the High Output versions because they need much better heatsinking control.
For the frame, the cheapest material right now is the 8ft lengths of 1x1" 1/8" thick aluminum angle from Grainger. You can order online and pickup locally. You’ll have to chop it down to size and drill it yourself, and you want to mount the strips with plastic M3 screws or use plastic washers if you have metal screws or else you’ll get a short.
Look around a bit - every single one of your questions has been answered dozens of times here and at LEDGardener. We’re happy to help, but you also gotta help yourself a bit with the tools we give ya.
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Hey @nube. I have been doing a ton of reading… Maybe I am going to the wrong area on LED Gardener as the parts numbers are older no? I figured the Bridgelux strip are great and have been on futures site. I just have a hard time navigating on there… I can build the frame and have all the materials for that. I was just hoping to get direction as to the part number to order for strips and drivers. Nothing else. Sorry if I was asking for too much. Just having a hard time navigating the other sites to find what I need.
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This is the screen shot when I go to digikey. Ya I have no idea what some of the numbers mean etc. This is where I am asking for guidance.
What do I pick? I am not the greatest when it comes to figuring out voltages, amps, current, color temp, etc. Sorry 
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I don’t think you’ve said but are you building for a 3x3 tent or something smaller?
A 3x3 is a decent size, but I honestly think a 2x4 is easier to build for and grow in.
To know what size light we gotta know what size space.
Once you know the size of the space you want to light, this is the place you want to go on LEDGardener - it’s from the dropdowns on the top:
Scroll down to the 3x3 section if you’re building a 3x3, expand it, then scroll to the Bridgelux section and use my advice here and on the other thread for the different model numbers, but other than that they have all the deets.
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Thanks… Maybe it should be a 2x4? I could have some fun building one of those…
So whats the difference between
BXEB-L0560Z-35E2000-C-B3
and
BXEB-L0560Z-30E2000-C-B3
Ohhhhh I am getting excited now… Oh ya and one other question, could I go more than 12 strips? Could I build a 2x4 fixture with say 24 2’ strips and then dim down or??? Just to fill the canopy? or am I overthinking?
You can light a 2x2 or 3x3 for a whole lot less $ with stuff that’s ready made. Most of them are dimmable these days. 2x2 any 100w-120w led should do, 3x3 will take a good bit more power but still well below your budget.