@dbrn32, I bought the boards and heatsinks.
Is there a driver like hlg-240h-c2100a that has a dimmer or would I need to wire that in separately?
Also, is there any advantage to mounting these boards, etc. to a rigid sheet of aluminum verses L bracket frame?
Thank you for the help
@AAA I used a rigid 1/8 sheet of aluminum for my build. Works great. With the sheet I didn’t need the heat sinks. Also you can get the driver you describe at onlinemeanwell. HLG240H-C2100A (has the onboard pot for voltage adjustment)
4xQB304 build
@WickedAle darn, guess I could have saved a few bucks on the heatsinks.
So the driver you mentioned is good for 2 QB288 V1 boards?
Built this with an old fluorescent fixture, 4 qb120 V2 boards with the 301b diodes and a hlg-240h-2100a driver. This is for a 2x4 grow space with highly reflective mylar.
@smellthat nice repurposing!
Yes the 2x288V1 boards (in series) can be effectively driven with the HLG240H-C2100A. Great buy at $47/board at horticulturallightinggroup.
Is onboard pot a dial or do I need to add something?
The A at the end means onboard pot. B means you need a potentiometer. The onboard pot is easily adjusted with a mini flat head screwdriver. The pot is that black dot under the block box printing on my drivers.
Perfect
I bet if you send them back they will credit you. My heat is VERY little even using the sheet. The boards are very efficient.
Looks like wickedale has you set.
The thing about plate is that if you don’t already have it, its probably just as expensive as buying the heatsinks. Heatsinks are going to cool better per square inch, and they’re already drilled and tapped. If you have to go out and buy a piece of plate and tools there’s usually not enough savings to justify the labor.
Thanks @dbrn32 & @WickedAle.
Our shop is right next to a metal fab shop, so I’ve got plenty of aluminum, but if the heatsinks are superior and since I already bought them, heatsinks it is.
Next question:
My wife now wants an indoor herb garden, it’s probably over kill, but can I run 3 x 288 boards with a single HLG240H-C2100A Driver?
Negative. They won’t clear cc voltage region of that driver. Are you looking for a driver to work with the boards or boards to work with the driver?
Well, I’m contemplating 3 boards, I have 2 already. I have not purchased a driver, so I’m asking for a suggestion on a driver that will work with 3 288’s.
Also, I’m thinking that’s too much light for her.
Do you know which boards are the ones sold as a 65 watt kit on amazon? Maybe three of those would be more appropriate.
Qb 120, last I knew they were only sold in a pack for about $130. Coincidentally, exact same driver to run 4 of those as 2 qb 288. And you don’t need any heatsink material for the qb 120 either…
How big of an herb garden are we talking? I’m not really familiar with the lighting requirements for that, but I know leafy greens do better under a blue heavy light spectrum and don’t require near as much intensity as cannabis. If you had an idea of what you were looking for in terms of light intensity and spectral distribution, I’m sure I could come up with a build plan, and it wouldn’t cost near as much as doing an equal space for cannabis
Awesome!
Table/space: 72”” x 16”
Plants: Basil, Thyme, Cilantro, Chamomile, parsley, mint, for starters.
Medium: soil
Container: fabric pots
PH in: just kidding
PH out…
We have been using the QB120 65 watt for starting vegetable garden seeds and get orchid has been loving the side light as well as our fiddler fig.
Thank you for all your help.
The hlg-65 is usually sold in 4000k, if you’re using that and like results this would be a piece of cake.
You can get anything in 4000k. Bridgelux makes some rigid strips that are fairly inexpensive and not terribly less performance than qb’s. They’re available in 11", 22", and 44" lengths so you can kind of custom fit to your needs pretty easily. Quite a few members here using them actually.
I’ll check bridgelux and circle back. Thanks!
