Just starting out with a 3x3 tent and autoflower white widow seeds. Need to find the bang for the buck LED light. I see many here mentioning QB’s. Good choice for me? Size and K value? Bought seeds from another vendor (b4 finding ILGM) and a $100 1000w blurple on Amazon, and I’d say I’m off to a bad start…one OK plant at 1 month, several scragglers. All advice is welcomed. Thanks.
The xw 260 kit is light that’s designed for 3x3 space if you go with a qb kit. 3000k or 3500k, either will do fine seed to harvest.
Thanks so much. That would be the kit that’s currently unavailable, but that’s the way things usually go for me. Hoping they’ll be back in stock soon.
Email hlg and ask them. Seems like several times there are solutions. If you wanted to, you could buy 2 boards and 2 single board heatsinks and frame them up yourself. I can help you get all the correct components, would likely even save you a couple bucks.
Emailed, will await their response. Thanks for your assistance.
try GrowersLights…
https://growerslights.com/collections/horticulture-lighting-group/products/horticulture-lighting-group-260-watt-xw-quantum-board-led-kit?variant=8194580283493
2 of these would do great…
https://growerslights.com/collections/horticulture-lighting-group/products/horticulture-lighting-group-135-watt-quantum-board-led-kit
i like a lot of light and would go with…
https://growerslights.com/collections/horticulture-lighting-group/products/horticulture-lighting-group-320-watt-xw-quantum-board-led-kit-v2
Look at SP–150led, it is also white led, more convenient than QB, 2pcs can work for your grow size
First I want to " WELCOME YOU TO ILGM and to our ever growing community.
Before you buy check this this out first OK ?
Many suppliers sell 1000w led grow lights recently. It shows many growers are asking for 1000W led. But when you buy 1000W led, did you consider if your plants really need the leds with that high power? Is it real 1000w LED from the wall? If not, how can we judge how many watt lights is suitable for your plants and how to judge the truth of so called 1000W led on Ebay, Amazon…?
Firstly, let’ talk why many growers look for 1000W led?
Growers tended to buy 600W, 1000W HPS when HPS was dominant in the market. As leds becomes more and more popular, these HPS growers changed their lights to leds. They thought 1000W leds can replace 1000W HPS, that’ the main reason why they are looking for 1000W leds.
Many suppliers want to attract customers and sell mores lights, so they name their leds “1000W’’ led and told their customers they used 10W chips. In fact, the draw power of these lights is very low, 10W chips is not true. Usually when we change to LED, we need watt for watt replacement. That means we need 1000w LED (real power) to replace 1000w HPS in order to get the same yield. So it is not possible to let a 150W draw power led to replace 1000w HPS. The so called saving energy (around saving 75% energy) is not true, led tech hasn’t been that advanced yet.
For example:
Some growers complained the low efficiency and bad quality of leds of growing result, they said they bought 1000W BXXXVA and KxxxPxxx led on Amazon and used them in the tent 4x4. But the plants grows very very slowly even for veg, so they have to use their old 1000W HPS again. We asked them to check the draw power, the lights is only about 150~180W. It only can work for 2’x2’—2.5’x2.5’. And they even could not find the PAR test pictures, so it is really difficult to say the lights efficiency.
If you want to use led grow lights, the most important thing is to find a suitable and right lights.
Do you really need 1000W leds for your plants?
Usually when we use traditional led grow lights: 30–35W/SF (draw power) will be needed for veg. 35–50W/SF (draw power) will be needed for flowering if you want to get good harvest, so when you choose led grow light, you can calculate how many watt led you need.
What’s more, PAR is also very important, 300–350umol/s will be needed for growth, 700–800umol/s will be needed for flowering. It can help you judge your light coverage and light efficiency.
Conclusion: when we buy led grow lights, we can not only see the name of product, we also need to read specification “draw power” and PAR, coverage of lights.Hope everyone can find the suitable lightsfor their growing. 
If I understand the dimmer function, I could dial the 320 to the light and wattage draw of the 260, but if I choose to ramp it up, I’ve got an extra 60 watts, and more light is seldom a bad thing? $75 seems like a small price for extra 60 watts and assembly, although my wife might not see it that way.
I have the HLG 320 XW and love it. Currently set at 160 watts (only 1 plant) It will max out at 345 watts. The 320 XW also comes with an external dimmer knob already installed. I added 10’ of 16 awg wire between light and driver so I can keep driver outside of the tent, laying on the floor. VERY convenient!
(NOTE: They recommend 20 ga solid copper wire rated for 300 volts, however I’m not a fan of small solid wire that will be moved frequently…if it bends several times in the same spot, it can break.)
As far as the wife…remind her of all the times she came home from shopping with the “it was a great deal” and " it was on sale" comment…
Driver with external dimmer…
Board with 10’ of 16 awg attached with weatherpack connector attached to driver end for easy hook up and routing through tent port
Light inside tent
i suggest 30-40 wpsf of QB and CREE in flower,
3x3=9sq ft x 30-40wpsf = 270-360 watts,
a 320w QB would give u 35 wpsf, great for your 3x3 tent.!
does the wife smoke.? if so, she will be happy with more light also.!!
assembly is very easy, but GL’s build and test price is pretty dang good.!
I agree with the GL build and test cost, and will go that route. My time is worth more than $25/hr., especially if something doesn’t work, or gets left out of the kit. Since I’m new at this, could you explain the “and Cree” during flowering. Are you referring to additional COB lighting? Thanks.
different types of lighting need different wpsf to be at their best,
QB and Cree COB both need the 30 - 40 wpsf in flower.
with a 320w QB u will not need any additional lighting.!!