Mars Hydro FCE3000 LED Unboxing

[Douglas.Curtis]

Bam!

Mars Hydro contacted me about testing an FCE3000 LED for them, and within a few short days of saying yes, I had a box being delivered to my door. A rather compact package, and one which was very well packed. Coming from someone who has worked shipping and receiving, I am impressed with the design and final result of the packaging.

The Meanwell ELGC-300-H-AB LED driver is the heaviest component in the package. The driver and dimmer switch are mounted to a frame with extendable mounting arms, so it can adjust to the variable positioning of the light bars. The frame and LED bars were very safely packaged and again I am very impressed with the engineering which created the end product I get to work with.

• The light bars and frame rail mounting design has the lights resting on the rails during assembly, while the fit is nice, flat and easy.
• Squaring the frame is stupid simple with the way the corners have been designed, almost didn't have to move anything at all.
• The light bars sit flush with the frame, and the diodes are kept safely a few mm off the flat surface you are assembling the light on.
• The wiring harness connections went together solidly, while the dimmer, driver and diodes worked as expected.

FCE3000 Specifications
1184 pcs high-quality BridgeLux chips
Meanwell ELGC-300-H-AB Driver
Adjustable, detachable light bars
3'x3' Flowering Coverage
Spectrum: 380-410nm 660-665nm 730-740nm 2800-3000K 4800-5000K
Outer Dimensions: 602mmx604mmx79mm

I have a 2'x4'x5' flowering box, and I will be hanging both this light and my Mars Hydro TSW2000 in it. Fortunately, both of my Mars Hydro LED lights have dimming capability, and they will be dimmed slightly to compensate for the smaller space. It will be rather interesting to see the visible plant differences below the different lights.

 

[negative37dBA]

Well very nice for you Douglas. That is looking to be sweet light. I will be following along to see how it goes. Be sweet to get something free in this growing gig. I have sent emails and tried calling different companies...zero luck. Part of the reason I try to build 90% of what I have DIY. Just finished a 2", 4 site undercurrent system build for me room. up and running today with a monocrop of GG4. Good luck and have a great day! Peace, negative.

 

[Mars Hydro Led]

wow, what a well-organized post! Cannot wait to see the comparison grow with TSW2000.

 

[exploziv]

Great post and great light! Can't wait to see it grow some plants!

 

[Douglas.Curtis]

Well very nice for you Douglas. That is looking to be sweet light. I will be following along to see how it goes. Be sweet to get something free in this growing gig. I have sent emails and tried calling different companies...zero luck. Part of the reason I try to build 90% of what I have DIY. Just finished a 2", 4 site undercurrent system build for me room. up and running today with a monocrop of GG4. Good luck and have a great day! Peace, negative.

Cheers, and may your current crop be stellar. I've sent many emails myself with little results, it's a mostly a numbers game. I won the TSW2000 light when they were a new Mars Hydro product, and being able to show side by side results is a big thing.

Keep at it.

wow, what a well-organized post! Cannot wait to see the comparison grow with TSW2000.

Thank you

I'll see if I can pick up a new camera before the first run with it, mine is getting a bit dated (and scratched!!). This is going to be awesome!

Great post and great light! Can't wait to see it grow some plants!

You and me both, this is definitely going to be interesting.

 

[Mars Hydro Led]

May i ask when the comparison grow could begin?

 

[Douglas.Curtis]

The last of the first run was pulled out yesterday, and I'm buying hardware today so I can get both lights hung up. I have 6 Femtorix seedlings which were transplanted yesterday (yes, it was a busy day. lol) and they'll be vegging under the LEDs as soon as I finish hanging them.

 

[Mars Hydro Led]

The last of the first run was pulled out yesterday, and I'm buying hardware today so I can get both lights hung up. I have 6 Femtorix seedlings which were transplanted yesterday (yes, it was a busy day. lol) and they'll be vegging under the LEDs as soon as I finish hanging them.

Cannot wait to see that here.

 

[Douglas.Curtis]

The inner dimensions of the cabinet are not quite big enough for both lights, so I've switched the lights out completely. RL disrupted my ability to work on it until just recently, but we've had a chat and they're behaving rather nicely at the moment. Further bulletins as events warrant.

 

[mack 10]

Watching closely. Great thread so far.

 

[Mars Hydro Led]

The inner dimensions of the cabinet are not quite big enough for both lights, so I've switched the lights out completely. RL disrupted my ability to work on it until just recently, but we've had a chat and they're behaving rather nicely at the moment. Further bulletins as events warrant.

If the space is limited, how about just using this new light?

 

[Douglas.Curtis]

Aye, the new light has the cabinet quite a bit brighter than the TSW it replaced. The sadly abused Femtorix plants are recovering well, and are vegging alongside some new Frankie's Church seedlings. They should be photogenic in a week or so.

 

[Mars Hydro Led]

Aye, the new light has the cabinet quite a bit brighter than the TSW it replaced. The sadly abused Femtorix plants are recovering well, and are vegging alongside some new Frankie's Church seedlings. They should be photogenic in a week or so.

That sounds good. Hope to see their first shot.

 

[Mars Hydro Led]

How's the plants recently?

 

[mack 10]

Frankies Church ey, that's gonna be interesting to watch. Good luck.

 

[Bueno Time]

Looks like a nice light, thanks for sharing.

 

[wvkindbud38]

Looks like you have enough cord to remove the driver/ballast and place outside the tent?? Or can you remove it ?? I'm sure I missed this probably already was ask. But I'm thinking of getting a 3000 for a spare tent I've got. Thanks

 

[Mars Hydro Led]

Looks like you have enough cord to remove the driver/ballast and place outside the tent?? Or can you remove it ?? I'm sure I missed this probably already was ask. But I'm thinking of getting a 3000 for a spare tent I've got. Thanks

The wire is long enough to remove the driver outside the tent.

 

[wvkindbud38]

Yes I'm probably gonna remove it and keep it outside the tent. Looks like plenty of cable to mount outside the tent. I gotta get the outter section put over the frame and im about ready!!! Let my seedlings get a tad bigger. Looks like it's gonna be a great Led

 

[wvkindbud38]

I'm gonna do a grow diary with my FCe3000. I've had some issues with seedlings that's slowed the start. But ive gotten things going now. I had to get my normal soil, I had some cheap stuff I used that was leftover from summer and had to culled about 10 seedlings I started. But I'll do it in Grow diaries sub forum . Once I get the seedlings big enough to transplant for Vegging. My tent should let me get 3-4 plants in 5gal buckets, probably 3. Can't wait to get going!!! Looks like a great Led!!! Man I've used up all my supplies on the outdoor season. Gotta get a bulk bag of Perlite and some more things, time to get a order to Amazon to restock for indoors. Hope you do well with your FCe, good luck!!! I'm looking forward to your grow. And very excited myself to see what kinda yields I can get