My DIY Quantum Board/SPYDRx fixture

I would just like to share my DIY fixture with you guys as a way of giving back to this community for the countless information I have learned here.


I'm currently on my first grow with my DIY cheap Chinese cob plus monos fixture. Planning to upgrade to 4*CLU048-1212 for my cab as I want it to be a cheap build. Then the Quantum Boards craze hit with results to back it up. But then it's always out of stock so I thought maybe I could do it myself.


(Also thank you to the HLG for bringing these diodes from the shadows, no one on their right mind would go from "high" power cobs down to these "mids", but you guys did all the hard work with your research proving that it's the bomb. So thank you!)


I was thinking if maybe I could source some Samsung LM561C diodes on a flexible LED strips the ones being used on mood lighting, maybe I could build one specifically for my cab. Then I searched and I did really found a supplier. Also saw The LED Gardeners blog and that's he's also going to DIY these QB's but with rigid led strips so that made me more excited for my upcoming project since it's really doable.


So my plan was to build a fixture with evenly spaced diodes compared to the QB's so that the light intensity would be spread out and that I could lower it further to the canopy. Then the Fluence SPYDRx form factor hit me. So that's what I built, a mini SPYDR measuring 21"x 28" for my 24"x30" cab.


I ordered 5 meters of 3000k and 5 meters of 3500k flexible LED strips with a Samsung LM561C 24V 80CRI S6 bin diodes. 60diodes/meter for a total of 600 diodes powered by 1 HLG-185-24A.
This strips has adhesive 3M tape at the back.




Reason for the mixing of spectrum was that on the spec sheets of the LM561C, combining these two would be the nearest to the PhysioSpec spectrum of Fluence minus the deep reds which they do have a separate diodes for those. Also 24V strips over 12V to lower the amperage and that it's less prone to voltage drop. As these LED strips voltage' drops after 5 meters. So I wired mine on parallel every 2.5 meters.





Look at the difference of 300k and 3500k of these Samsung diodes.



I bought 10 pieces of 0.5 meters in length of 1 inch square aluminum bar, glued and riveted them to a 4 inch wide aluminum C channel. Drilled some holes for the wiring, slapped two 0.5 meter strips for every bar and did hours of soldering.


At it's lowest amperage.


Currently I'm running them on full for testing and the bars are warm to touch and that's it's really bright.

Total Cost:
1*3000k 5m strip - $25.95
1*3500k 5m strip - $25.95
1* HLG-185-24A - $39.00
DHL Shipping - $30.31
TOTAL: 121.21

Plus another more or less $20 for the frame and wires.

GRAND TOTAL: $140 for a mini SPYDR with 600 LM561c diodes for 185 watts.

thats really cool. id like to see what kind of numbers its putting out as far as lm/watt or umols etc. good job

Watts, that is just awesome!

I'm glad to see you not only got your parts already, but also got a great clean design up and running so quick! I'm looking forward to getting building within the next couple of weeks too, and I'm really liking your configuration for some of the horizontal lights I'm going to need to build. I'll be keeping an eye on your progress, and possibly borrowing your design ideas, if that's cool with you?

Good luck on great greenery!

Nice work. I was gonna look into utilizing the diodes from the quantum boards and didn't realize its those cheap strip lights. I guess if you get enough of them it really adds up. I wanted to get more lower powered diodes for my grow cab. Might have to give those a try. The diodes I have now are so intense that they burn the leaf when it gets too close. I want to spread the power and light out more as well.

Desert Hydro said:

thats really cool. id like to see what kind of numbers its putting out as far as lm/watt or umols etc. good job

Click to expand...

If only I have a par meter or one of those quantum meter. As I'm also curious as to what numbers these light are pumping out. I guess yield will be the only measurement for me for these lights.

Medicine said:

Watts, that is just awesome!

I'm glad to see you not only got your parts already, but also got a great clean design up and running so quick! I'm looking forward to getting building within the next couple of weeks too, and I'm really liking your configuration for some of the horizontal lights I'm going to need to build. I'll be keeping an eye on your progress, and possibly borrowing your design ideas, if that's cool with you?

Good luck on great greenery!

Click to expand...

Thanks Man! I already built the frame and did some wiring, stripping and fishing the wires through the holes before the strips arrive since I can really see my Chinese cobs don't suffice so I really need not to waste time.


Sure Man! That would be cool! And just a heads up since while designing these, I considered using C channels for the strips for better heat dissipation with its open back but I went with the square tubes so that I could rivet the opposite side to the main module.

Phychotron said:

Nice work. I was gonna look into utilizing the diodes from the quantum boards and didn't realize its those cheap strip lights. I guess if you get enough of them it really adds up. I wanted to get more lower powered diodes for my grow cab. Might have to give those a try. The diodes I have now are so intense that they burn the leaf when it gets too close. I want to spread the power and light out more as well.

Click to expand...

Thanks Phych! I guess that's the main selling point of this fixture, evenly spread out diodes producing soft light uniformly through out the canopy.

You can lower them much further compared to the Quantum Boards where 304 of it's diode is crammed on the size of a bond paper, mine is sitting at 6 inch above my canopy at 140w.

If you want to go over board, you could buy 15 meters or even 20 (mine was 10) and still drive them at 185w to run each diode way softer and a lot more efficient. I wonder what would be the lm/w for that setup.

Would you please supply a link to the led strips? I'm looking at doing something very similar and worry about counterfeit LED's.

TIA
Peace

Hey man, awesome work! Like I said in my rep comment, I stared at your pics for HOURS on ledgardender when I was planning my project.

Super stoked to see you here!

This is beautiful. Thank you for sharing!

NorthernPanda said:

Would you please supply a link to the led strips? I'm looking at doing something very similar and worry about counterfeit LED's.

TIA
Peace

Click to expand...

The company is Shenzen Bright Technology Industrial Ltd., on Alibaba.

That's where I got mine, other may question the Samsung diodes authenticity installed on the strips but took the risk and the lights are doing wonders with my almost failed first grow.

Good luck!

Lapides said:

Hey man, awesome work! Like I said in my rep comment, I stared at your pics for HOURS on ledgardender when I was planning my project.

Super stoked to see you here!

Click to expand...

Thanks man! Been a long time lurker here before deciding to go with my first grow.

Hope those pics can help you out a little with your upcoming project! Good luck!

majorana said:

This is beautiful. Thank you for sharing!

Click to expand...

Thank you! It's my small way of giving back to the community!

How's everything running so far, Watts? You digging the fixture? I don't know if it was specified, but did you make it for veg or flower?

Very cool! How's it working out for you? How's the grow going?

Another form of LED strip is the Bridgelux EB series, in 11", 22", or 44" lengths about 158lm/watt which is getting serious.https://www.bridgelux.com/sites/default/files/resource_media/DS130 EB Series Datasheet Rev A_0.pdf


I run the 11" 3500K 80 CRI versions using cheap 22v 90W laptop chargers from eBay.

thanks for sharing your build! after seeing a reel of these in person i’m seriously considering doing a similar build next time i need to upgrade my lights.

nice and clean setup. I know the numbers are there for growing. great build..