Veg light for 2.5x2.5 tent help!

I want to build a light for a 2.5x2.5 tent for veg only, not flowering, just veg. I've read endless threads and keep coming up with different answers, some people say 100w is enough, others say 250w, even read 300w. So I need to put this to bed, I don't want to buy some piece of shit light and end up messing around making it bigger later on, but also I don't want to throw money down the drain building a big light which I end up using a fraction of its capability.

I've got a flower tent with 2 315w cmh lamps in it, my plan is to veg under led for 4 weeks, then move to the flower room. I want a light which I can dim right down for the seedling stage, then ramp up for veg, being as efficient as possible, I'd like to achieve vigorous growth like I get under my cmh light during veg but not run at 315w!

There's so much I don't get about which things to buy, so if you can point at exactly what I need and how to wire it up ,that'd be top banana!
 

Jimdamick

Well-Known Member
I want to build a light for a 2.5x2.5 tent for veg only, not flowering, just veg. I've read endless threads and keep coming up with different answers, some people say 100w is enough, others say 250w, even read 300w. So I need to put this to bed, I don't want to buy some piece of shit light and end up messing around making it bigger later on, but also I don't want to throw money down the drain building a big light which I end up using a fraction of its capability.

I've got a flower tent with 2 315w cmh lamps in it, my plan is to veg under led for 4 weeks, then move to the flower room. I want a light which I can dim right down for the seedling stage, then ramp up for veg, being as efficient as possible, I'd like to achieve vigorous growth like I get under my cmh light during veg but not run at 315w!

There's so much I don't get about which things to buy, so if you can point at exactly what I need and how to wire it up ,that'd be top banana!
How many plants?
 

rkymtnman

Well-Known Member
i knowyou said led but a the 4200k cmh bulb is hard to beat for flowering. all you need is 70 bucks for a new bulb. oops,meant for vegging the 4.2K is hard to beat
 
Well not really, my two cmh lights live in the flower tent full time. I need an entire new light for the veg tent. My options are to either buy another cmh kit, or build an led. This thread is me trying to find a suitable led light.
 

rkymtnman

Well-Known Member
gotcha. figured that would save some bucks.

build a small cob light if you are good with diy. a few older generation cobs are dirt cheap. easy to build too.
 

nfhiggs

Well-Known Member
I want to build a light for a 2.5x2.5 tent for veg only, not flowering, just veg. I've read endless threads and keep coming up with different answers, some people say 100w is enough, others say 250w, even read 300w. So I need to put this to bed, I don't want to buy some piece of shit light and end up messing around making it bigger later on, but also I don't want to throw money down the drain building a big light which I end up using a fraction of its capability.

I've got a flower tent with 2 315w cmh lamps in it, my plan is to veg under led for 4 weeks, then move to the flower room. I want a light which I can dim right down for the seedling stage, then ramp up for veg, being as efficient as possible, I'd like to achieve vigorous growth like I get under my cmh light during veg but not run at 315w!

There's so much I don't get about which things to buy, so if you can point at exactly what I need and how to wire it up ,that'd be top banana!
6 Samsung F-series strips, 100W to 150W is plenty for that space. Cost you about 120 bucks to build.
 

nfhiggs

Well-Known Member
Which strips & which driver? What would 100-150w of led be comparable to HID wise?
F- series, single row, 22" 3500K, each one will put out ~4500 lumens at 25W. So thats about 27K lumens - comparable to a 250W HPS. Digikey has them in stock. I use the Meanwell LRS series power supplies, they are dirt cheap compared to the HLG's. A 150 watter is under 20 bucks. You can use angle aluminum, or U-channel, or even just an aluminum baking sheet to mount them.
 

Isawthelight

Well-Known Member
You can dim the LED strips. There is a variable resistor (SVR1) on the LRS 150-24 power supply. This pot is something you set and then leave it alone. Apply a drop of nail polish to the pot once you have the desired wattage.
Output voltage can be adjusted from 21.6 Vdc up to 28.8 Vdc. The SI-B8U261560WW strips like a voltage between 21.9 Vdc and 24.2Vdc.
 
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tincdink

Member
F- series, single row, 22" 3500K, each one will put out ~4500 lumens at 25W. So thats about 27K lumens - comparable to a 250W HPS. Digikey has them in stock. I use the Meanwell LRS series power supplies, they are dirt cheap compared to the HLG's. A 150 watter is under 20 bucks. You can use angle aluminum, or U-channel, or even just an aluminum baking sheet to mount them.
Boy that's a lot of lumens @ 25W. My question would be even on a baking plate you wouldn't need active cooling?
 
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