SANlight Q-Series LED Range: Eco Setup vs Expert Setup
On their own, each of the SANlight 2nd generation Q-Series LED grow lights are a technical marvel. Utilising cutting edge technology they’ve achieved an astounding fixture efficiency of 2.55µmol/W.
Apparently not content with aiming to dominate the market today, SANlight have built in future proofing which will allow the light modules to be upgraded as and when the technology is developed to replace what currently exists. It doesn’t end there, though.
SANlight have designed the Q-Series to be used in any space, from less than half a metre squared to a full-scale commercial operation. In this blog, we’ve outlined SANlight’s guide to making the most of your Q-Series LED lamps, along with an outlined explanation of the relative saving you stand to make over a standard HPS system.
Both the Eco and Expert setups can be achieved with any of the Q4W, Q5W and Q6W grow lights. Each of the two setups uses exactly the same components in varying combinations, meaning the very same light you use for you 1m x 1m tent today could one day be an integral part of that mammoth professional operation you’ve always dreamt of starting.
We advise you get everything you need to achieve the Expert setup in the cultivation space available to you; you can always use the dimmer function to scale back your light output until you’re ready to try maximising your yields to their full extent.
SANlight Eco Setup
The Eco setup is designed to achieve the same yields as a corresponding HPS setup, whilst saving significantly on running costs. If you’re new to LEDs, or to growing in general, the Eco setup has a greater margin for error, so it’s a good place to start.
An average 600W HPS lamp emits about 840μmol/s (PPF). It exposes an area of 1.44m2 to 580μmol/m2/s (PPFD).
A SANlight Q4W lamp emits 416μmol/s. Two Q4W units covering the same area of 1.44 m2 achieve an equivalent illumination density, or PPFD, of 580μmol/m2/s.
With their significantly lower operating costs, two Q4W LEDs can potentially save you 50% over running a single 600W HPS lamp, whilst producing the same PPFD. Since LEDs produce less heat than HPS, your ventilation/circulation system won’t have to work so hard to keep your growing space at a comfortable temperature for your plants, either.
SANlight Expert Setup
The Expert setup is geared entirely towards maximising your harvest, both in terms of size and quality. It’s a more expensive option, both in terms of how much it costs to setup and how much it costs to run, but the vast improvement in technology offered by the 2nd generation SANlight Q-Series means that you should still see a 35% saving in running costs over the equivalent HPS setup.
Where a single 600W HPS lamp produces 840μmol/s, two Q5W units produce 1025μmol/s. That’s 25% greater illumination density (LUX).
This setup is ideal for more advanced growers; higher returns come at the expense of a greater potential for failure. You’ll need to monitor your plants closely and regularly. Under such intense light, your plants will be performing at their peak and any problems that come up can spread very quickly. SANlight recommends you make use of the dimmers and only apply the full performance of your system in the last few weeks of your plants’ life cycle.
Setups and Layouts
The table below sets out the different fixture layouts recommended for both the Eco and Expert setups. We’ll outline everything you need for each setup below the table, along with links to all the parts you’ll need.
We would advise you to buy an M-Dimmer for each of your grow lights, as it’s always useful to be able to adjust light intensity, especially in the early stages of your plants’ life – particularly when you’re first introducing them to a new environment.
80 x 80 cm (0.64 m2) Growing area
ECO SETUP – 1 x Q4W
EXPERT SETUP – 1 x Q5W + M – Dimmer
100 x 100 cm (1m2) Growing area
ECO SETUP – 1 x Q6W + M – Dimmer
EXPERT SETUP – 2 x Q4W + 2x M-Dimmer + 2x extension cable + 1x Distribution block
120 x 120 cm (1.44m2) Growing area
ECO SETUP – 2x Q4W + 2x M-Dimmer + 2x extension cable + 1x Distribution block
EXPERT SETUP – 2x Q5W+ 2x M-Dimmer + 2x extension cable + 1x Distribution block
From here, you can scale up depending on the size of your space and number of lights you want to use. A single distributor block can take up to three light, all run off a single plug socket.
Remember: 2nd Generation Q-Series Luminaires don’t come with a power cable, so you’ll have to buy one at setup.
Four Grow lights requires two distributor blocks, connected to each other by an extension cable. Again, all four lights can be run off a single household plug socket, you’ll need an extension lead for each of the lights, and one to connect the two distributor blocks to one another.
If you have any questions, or would like to discuss custom SANlight layouts, please do get in touch. Email us here
