They are extremely easy to build (as I did 
) and the advantage for me is that you can add more if you go big. The leds are Samsung, quality materials in comparison of those cheapo chinese leds, a good option indeed … 
2 Likes
I dont know if I’d trust having a frigile LED light shipped half way across the world, I’ll have to see if those lights are sold in the USA. I been looking at them. They only have white leds. Arent They supposed to have the blue and the red diodes? For the veg and flowering? As far as the kits go George I’ll need to really read up on them. Do they come as a complete kit? Or do you have to order each individual part? That I have no understanding how they work
v2 and v3 quantum boards do have added red 660nm diodes. Not a lot though bc plants benefit from a full spectrum. That’s why the industry has gotten away from blurple. I know kingbright has had stock in the US but idk if they currently do. I’ve had equivalent of 8 kits shipped with no issues. Won’t hurt to ask them. Here’s another option that you’d probably prefer. It’s not what I’d suggest yet it’s better then most and is fully assembled. https://www.amazon.com/Spider-Farmer-Commercial-Greenhouse-Hydroponic/dp/B07TVD1Y3K
1 Like
Wow these are cool lights!!! I’m going to have to really look at these before I order one. Theyre just so confusing on how to pick them! HID lights have been configured perfectly space for light, there was no guess work what setup to build. But I dont want to deal with the excessive heat and elaborate exhaust systems to maintain. These LED lights just seem to be the way to go. Guys thanks for all this info! Any other info is great and will greatly be appreciated and I will gladly post and document this for all to enjoy! Man I missed this stuff so much!!
3 Likes
The blues and reds are in the spectrum produced by the white leds. The ratios may not be perfect but it does the job.
A little bit of green (our eyes are particularly sensitive to green) will quickly shift blurple (red+blue) into a whitish hue.
Take a look at this thread for some different spectra produced by some LED fixtures. Particularly look at the Fluence Vypr and Spydr spectrums which are mostly white LEDs and looks like white light.
Don’t be afraid of LED fixtures that produce a white spectrum.
3 Likes
Hey Northern, I just noticed 90% of the lights that pull up all have that purple color, I didnt know if that is because that’s whats best, or if thats just the bandwagon all these companies market off of. I do feel much better about being able to start again amd choose a better light. So those lights you shown me I could just get a handful of them and rig fixtures and use those?
2 Likes
The lamps in that thread with the spectrum plots are relatively pricey but the point being made is that the thinking today goes beyond simply targeting the chlorophyll-a and chlorophyll-b peaks.
The idea behind the blurples (red and blue) is to target the peak efficiencies in the above curves. Which will work and is based on some of the original work by McCree. McCree had shown the absorption of light as measured ex-situ the plant following the above plots have peak efficiencies in specific blue and red wavelengths. E.g. measuring the absorption on light by chlorophyll in a test tube (at a fairly low intensity).
Research over the years has strongly suggested that the matter is somewhat more complicated in-situ including the suggestion that green penetrates deeper into the leaves and further into the canopy. Same with far red (sometimes considered near-IR). There has been a significant amount of research since McCree that delves into other factors related to the use of a broad spectrum that could be beneficial. And, then there is the matter of the effect of overall intensity which can cause a whole host of other effects that “might” show additional benefits due to a broader spectrum. This is stuff that is being researched now.
This, along with the cost and the efficiencies in modern white phosphorescent LEDs, has led to fixtures that tend to target a more broad spectrum with some enhanced peaks around the blue and red. As a matter of fact, if you were to look closely at some of these “white” only fixtures, you’ll note that many of them have two different “color” temperatures of white LEDs. That is, some LEDs will be weighted towards producing a more red-ish white while the others produce more blue-ish white. Combine them together in a certain ratio and you’ll get something similar to the Fluence spectrums.
So some of the suggestions such a HLG, even if white, is actually closer to the current thinking and trends in the industry. Realistically, there is probably an even better/more efficient spectrum that might be more “pinkish” in color but those fixtures tend to be more pricey and harder to source (e.g. look at the Heliospectra plots, they’ll have a more pinkish white hue).
Just was trying to illustrate that you’ll still have the peaks in the blue and red regions (higher efficiency) along with some filling in of the broader spectrum on a horticultural white fixture. They just don’t look as purple to our eyes.
So HLG is a good options for a DIY situation. Solstrips also another DIY options. Fluence for a commercial or ready to go fixture is a good option. Albeit a bit more pricey. The MARs SP-250 actually appears to be a decent lower cost option as well although perhaps (as a single unit) a bit underpowered for the flowering stage. Blurple can be fine too but you’ll find that the more moderns fixtures that are more “white”, have the more modern LEDs, and as a whole tend to be more electrically efficient overall (without reviewing some of the available units, I’m kinda taken a swag on this last point). Much of this will come down to what budget you’re looking to put into your fixtures and other desires (some folk demand to DIY everything).
2 Likes
I run the HLG quantum boards. I have the 120’s and 132’s both of them work great for a 2x4 or 3x3 individually. Really easy to wire up and mount to some angle aluminum. They cost 2-250 each.
5 Likes
Hi Skiball,
happy new year to you ! I hope you started so smooth like I did…
I m looking for good quality LED s and have found this posting. Very useful informations !
Thank you for this…!
My growroom is 4x4 - how many of the above mentioned boards do I need ?
Thanks for your answer. Have a nice day !
Peace and flowers 
fill_watertank
Hi Georges,
happy new year, my friend !
My tent is 4x4 (120x120 cm)
How many of these boards would I need ?
Thanks for your answer !
PS. My tent is exploding right now… I need space. Have to trow out the males so the girls have more space to grow 
Wish you a good new year and a nice day
fill_watertank
.
1 Like
I’m no light expert but while the blurple I bought worked just fine, I wish I never bought it. The quantum boards are not only more efficient, they run cooler and it is so much nicer to work under a natural colored light.
The advice I got was 30 watts/sq ft and it’s been working great for me. I got a 4 pack of 120 v2 boards and buy drivers as needed. I was kind of afraid of diy but it’s hard to even call them that. You just have to buy the appropriate driver and plug then in.
5 Likes
Rapid LED with the growmau5 pucks are working great for me. Other than that only thing I have to compare to is Mars Hydro (lol). There is no comparison, the choice is easy.
You get what you pay for.
1 Like
So it’s not nessicaraly the visual colors needed to take into account really to make a choice? I’m really liking that spider farmer light that skiball linked. I tried ordering that kingbrite lm301h but they wouldbt take my credit card! I am unfamilliar with the payment suggestion they made so I’ll go ahead and get that spider farmer. Looks like it has the same samsung leds and has that 2.7 umol/J…which from my reading is what you need to know, not what the wattage is.(like what those mainstream blurples only tell you about it?) I still have lots to learn about these leds and will be reading alot here at the overgrow…btw I shouldnt be concerned about ordering a light online right? Or is that something the Gov looks into to try to find illegal grows?
1 Like
I remember buying mine’s because you recommended them to me and I am grateful for that, they work fine! 
@Fill_Watertank : Frohes neues Jahr 
. I first bought one HLG 100 V2, with the 4000K option as it was for my veg tent. The 3000K is more suitable for blooming, the light is more reddish simulating the sun in autumn, the other has more blue as the sun in spring and summer.
The area covered for vegetation is 60 x 60 cm and for blooming 90 x 90 cm, so it was fine for my veg tent, which is 80 x 80 cm.
Later on, I wanted to get rid of my HPS lamp in the flower tent and bought an HLG 135W QB V2 RSPEC LED KIT with red LEDs more appropriated for blooming period and covers a similar area. My blooming tent is 240 x 120 cm and actually I have the two lamps on there, covering a 120 x 120 area more or less. Perhaps as you have just one tent you can buy a double one like the HLG 260W QUANTUM BOARD V2 RSPEC LED KIT, check out your needs.
I was going to ask for an update of your grow diary, but as I don’t have any (so my dirty clothes are just washed at home 
) I didn’t, I must admit that I was jealous of your success 
, hope you will have a great harvest and health to smoke it 
, servus …
4 Likes
And thanks northern for all that awesome information! Honestly I think this site has far more information on grow lights then any regular home gardening website! I’ll continue to learn Northern! I’m surprised this site doesnt have a forum specifically for lighting, unless it does and I havent located it yet…
2 Likes
^ like @Hashtree says plan for 30-40W watts of actual power (not equivalent power) per square foot.
Boards that use the Samsung chip LEDs (eg. LM301) like the HLG quantum boards, or strips using those chips or bridgelux chips of similar efficiency are significantly more power efficient than the typical Chinese grow lights you find on Amazon.
Like @Northern_Loki says, don’t fear the white light. The white LED color temperature spectrum is regarded as superior to blurple these days.
4 Likes
Thanks George George george of the overgrow friend to you and me!
4 Likes
These (giixer 1000w)units looked like pure trash and are tiny. but they do put 32000-35000lux at 36" so they meet what they advertise. Cant speak on lasting. I didnt believe it til i put the meter under it but they are real solid at 24" far as numbers go. Havent put a plant under em. I would use 2 per 4x4