Thanks 3dDream, agree with your thoughts.
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125 watt LED grow
- Thread starter Gopher
- Start date
3dDream said:
Yes, there are fourth amendment considerations. I remember the case where the cops did a driveby scan and busted the guy and the case got tossed. But I know at least 1 LEO asshole who would scan a house and then make up a bogus reason to come back later and knock on your door where he would then "smell" that smell. Not saying he did, just saying that he's that type. Same thing with the electric companys. All you need is Bubba the meter reader to mention to his brother-in-law the auxillary sheriff's deputy that your house seems to use twice the electricity that everybody on the block uses. Yer busted. Not saying it happens a lot, just sayin' why give them a shot at you?
The LED array I am using right now has 90 one watt LEDs. It actually draws 82 watts. The case is round: about 12" diameter and 2" thick. It is a prototype and has an external power supply but the units that will be shipping soon have internal power supply. 1 cord to plug into the wall socket.
hydrorascal
Member
Sounds like a nice array Boerman... one of my issues with the higher wattage leds..is they dont make the right spectrums for plants.... the 20ma units most assuredly do.
Hopefully you found some that I missed.
Both my veg and bloom units incorporate uv leds...
Hopefully you found some that I missed.
Both my veg and bloom units incorporate uv leds...
Progress, progress. Well, where were you guys six months ago?!? I gave up after days of research and talking with vendors. The expense was too high and performed poorly compared to a HPS. Things look much better these days. If you can get into 130 % of what a digital HPS costs you'll be raking in the money.
So your stuff does come from China then? or just the parts?
Sportster thanx for the info! I can't pm, not enough posts.
On a related note, here is a great site that has 100% LED grows of tomatoes and such indoors. (yes, some people grow food indoors. Go figure.) He tests some led bulbs on the market and now he has a few boards under his belt. www dot greenpinelane dot com. The site looks like it was made 12 years ago, but the info is priceless.
So your stuff does come from China then? or just the parts?
Sportster thanx for the info! I can't pm, not enough posts.
On a related note, here is a great site that has 100% LED grows of tomatoes and such indoors. (yes, some people grow food indoors. Go figure.) He tests some led bulbs on the market and now he has a few boards under his belt. www dot greenpinelane dot com. The site looks like it was made 12 years ago, but the info is priceless.
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Sportster - I don't have a digital camera, so I don't have any pics. There should be some soon at HIDHUT.com. I am doing a video that will be posted at YouTube when I am done. It will have a timelapse of the entire grow; about half a second per day.
hydrorascal - since I had nothing with building the light, I can't vouch for the exact spectrum. All I can say is that it is working. I doubt it has uv, but I wish it did.
3dDream - I think LED technology is progressing faster than computer chip technology. Right now you can get a switchable digital light setup for around $200. I think the LED I am using is going to go for $400-500. But like buying a new computer, I'd bet it will be going for about half that in a year. But, then again, in a year there will be better LEDs available. Sooner or later you gotta just take the plunge and be satisfied.
I got my light from florida, but I wouldn't be surprized to find out it originated from China.
I understand that greenpinelane is going to be testing the same light I am testing.
hydrorascal - since I had nothing with building the light, I can't vouch for the exact spectrum. All I can say is that it is working. I doubt it has uv, but I wish it did.
3dDream - I think LED technology is progressing faster than computer chip technology. Right now you can get a switchable digital light setup for around $200. I think the LED I am using is going to go for $400-500. But like buying a new computer, I'd bet it will be going for about half that in a year. But, then again, in a year there will be better LEDs available. Sooner or later you gotta just take the plunge and be satisfied.
I got my light from florida, but I wouldn't be surprized to find out it originated from China.
I understand that greenpinelane is going to be testing the same light I am testing.
LED_experiments
Member
boerman, one question about your setup. you mentioned you are using 1W high power leds. i'm wondering what models you have in your setup (maybe a link). i would go high power a long time ago if they had the right wavelenghts. i had the most problems with finding 660nm red. haven't found them yet. i hope they start producing what we need as soon as possible. if anyone knows a good source of 660 high power leds (1, 3, or 5W), just give a link.
one thing is true. if doing with high power leds, the costs $/W is much lower than using normal 5mm leds (like i used in my lamps)
for my next project, i'll most probably go high power (1, 3 or 5W leds). if i don't find any good 660, i'll just use 5mm. i have 1000+ left from my previous project.
and the last thing about where the material comes from. i think most of that technical stuff is produced in china, taiwan, and countries like that. the costs for the workers are low so all the companies get their stuff from there. BUT there is a difference between good and bad supliers. if you just look at computers technology. i'm sure you know HP and you know their laptop prices are 20-40% higher than some other unknown companies with the same configuration. that is because of the standard that HP wants. they only take best quality stuff and put it into their computer. other companies use a bit cheaper and low quality components and that is why their computers are cheaper. you can get a good combination and it works just like HP or you get a bad combination and your comp gets useless after a year of usage.
one thing is true. if doing with high power leds, the costs $/W is much lower than using normal 5mm leds (like i used in my lamps)
for my next project, i'll most probably go high power (1, 3 or 5W leds). if i don't find any good 660, i'll just use 5mm. i have 1000+ left from my previous project.
and the last thing about where the material comes from. i think most of that technical stuff is produced in china, taiwan, and countries like that. the costs for the workers are low so all the companies get their stuff from there. BUT there is a difference between good and bad supliers. if you just look at computers technology. i'm sure you know HP and you know their laptop prices are 20-40% higher than some other unknown companies with the same configuration. that is because of the standard that HP wants. they only take best quality stuff and put it into their computer. other companies use a bit cheaper and low quality components and that is why their computers are cheaper. you can get a good combination and it works just like HP or you get a bad combination and your comp gets useless after a year of usage.
LED_experiments
Member
so there would be good even if i take 627 - 640
what blue do you suggest? i used 465 in my last project, but the clorophyle peak is arround 455 - that is what 'royal blue' should be. but if the wl difference because of the temperature is true, they would most probably be 460-465 when pluged in.
can't wait to start my new project (still have to find my next 'lab guinea-pig').
what blue do you suggest? i used 465 in my last project, but the clorophyle peak is arround 455 - that is what 'royal blue' should be. but if the wl difference because of the temperature is true, they would most probably be 460-465 when pluged in.
can't wait to start my new project (still have to find my next 'lab guinea-pig').
LED experiments - when it comes to which LEDs are in the array, I am in much the same position as Medved. I don't make 'em, I just test 'em. I can only tell you what I was told and how well it's growing for me. I just talked with Justin at HID hut and he said that the red were 627. He also expects to have the first shipment of lights in around Sept 1. I keep saying "lights", hope everybody understands that I mean "arrays".
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hydrorascal
Member
Oh yes...roithner is expensive. Got a quote from them a couple yrs back..at over $4 per led in quanity.
660's are not fun to find. Im using a 10mm, 10Kmcd, 16 degree unit.
As far as lifetime goes...if a 100k hour device only works for 50k hours... for veg that still translates to 7.6+ yrs of 18 hour days.
or...11.4 yrs of 12/12
660's are not fun to find. Im using a 10mm, 10Kmcd, 16 degree unit.
As far as lifetime goes...if a 100k hour device only works for 50k hours... for veg that still translates to 7.6+ yrs of 18 hour days.
or...11.4 yrs of 12/12
hydrorascal
Member
Good to see ya again knna.
Hey Goph glad to know you dont consider a fellow an peep a buddy.I consider you all friends if yer not a friend then you must be a ... well you get the idea.No i think he was adressing you as Gromer,Ive had like a million peeps get confused and think I was you since things split over there.Millions of peeps were hunting for you seeing me post and thinking it was you...Gromer...Gopher pretty close see?Sorry for any confusion...BUDDY.Now that thats settled.Peace..Gromerr Pott!!!
Hi Guys,great thread on LEDs! :smile:
Sports,if ya do a thread here on your grow,would ya drop a link here,please?
I love new technology,and this is tres bien!
Now,let's debunk this myth below,so nobody gets nervous for no reason:
A meter reader doesn't have access to your last month's numbers on-hand. They simply note your reading,and feed it into a central computer.
That computer forwards the info to a billing server,and that auto-prints your bill and off it goes.
You send a check or m.o.,a person opens it,credits your account,and deposits your cash in their account. That person never has any clue as to wether you're paying electric on a 2br shack,or a 40-room hacienda.
So,you see,there's no reason to fear the electric company.
In fact,they want to sell you as much power as possible,and at as high a rate as possible. They're in biz to make big bank,and as long as you're not stealing from them,you have nada to fear.
(Important: Running full-blast after 6 p.m. is best,
one thing to avoid is a meter-reading with a meter that's spinning like a fucking top,and there's not even a clothes dryer,or the like,running.)
That's about the only grand mal fuckup you could have regarding electricity usage.
(I know folks who draw mad power bills growing,and people who don't grow who equal them,just through sheer use of power-)
Again,great thread!
Cheers!
Sports,if ya do a thread here on your grow,would ya drop a link here,please?
I love new technology,and this is tres bien!
Now,let's debunk this myth below,so nobody gets nervous for no reason:
Boerman said:
A meter reader doesn't have access to your last month's numbers on-hand. They simply note your reading,and feed it into a central computer.
That computer forwards the info to a billing server,and that auto-prints your bill and off it goes.
You send a check or m.o.,a person opens it,credits your account,and deposits your cash in their account. That person never has any clue as to wether you're paying electric on a 2br shack,or a 40-room hacienda.
So,you see,there's no reason to fear the electric company.
In fact,they want to sell you as much power as possible,and at as high a rate as possible. They're in biz to make big bank,and as long as you're not stealing from them,you have nada to fear.
(Important: Running full-blast after 6 p.m. is best,
one thing to avoid is a meter-reading with a meter that's spinning like a fucking top,and there's not even a clothes dryer,or the like,running.)
That's about the only grand mal fuckup you could have regarding electricity usage.
(I know folks who draw mad power bills growing,and people who don't grow who equal them,just through sheer use of power-)
Again,great thread!
Cheers!
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Sorry, REZDOG, but you are wrong on this one. Three months ago I was home when the meter reader came. I went out and pumped him for all the information I could get out of him. I asked about the meter and how it worked and since my meter only has 4 digits, I asked if it just started over again when it got to 9999. He showed me the terminal that he was carrying and he showed me the last month's reading. He also showed me how he could scroll back to previous readings. So, although I agree that it is unlikely that the meter reader is going to turn you in, it could still happen. Also, suppose, for example, that he wasn't even trying to turn you in. Suppose he thought that there might be an engineering problem that was causing exaggerated readings. He could be trying to help you find a problem. My meter reader suggested that I could have a small short in the underground wiring going to my water well, small enough that it would not trip a breaker, but constantly "leaking" electricity. I had a neighbor several years ago with that exact problem, except that it wasn't behind his meter. But a current leak nearby was grounding on his plumbing. It literally plated away the copper tubing in his house. His house was only a few years old and the plumbing was corroded away.
In a related matter, the place I lived at before I moved here had meters that were connected to a cellular phone system. They read them from the main office. I was talking to an engineer at my current elec. co. complaining about my internet service and wishing that the co. would provide broadband over the power lines. It is being done in some places and is 100-200 times faster than DSL. He told me that they had no plans for that but they ARE replacing all the meters company-wide with meters that can be read over the power lines. These meters are to be read every 15 minutes. There are some practical reasons why a lot of elec. companies are hot to go that direction. I can explain, if anyone is interested.
Anyway, that is what inspired me to start looking more seriously into LEDs and also wind generators. A wind generator that would meet my household needs would run about 25k, so I am really pulling for the LED technology.
Still, I am not saying that risk of detection thru your elec. bill is very great. But some of us just seem to have that kind of luck to be the one in 10,000 that crap happens to. I try to eliminate all possible problems before thay happen.
In a related matter, the place I lived at before I moved here had meters that were connected to a cellular phone system. They read them from the main office. I was talking to an engineer at my current elec. co. complaining about my internet service and wishing that the co. would provide broadband over the power lines. It is being done in some places and is 100-200 times faster than DSL. He told me that they had no plans for that but they ARE replacing all the meters company-wide with meters that can be read over the power lines. These meters are to be read every 15 minutes. There are some practical reasons why a lot of elec. companies are hot to go that direction. I can explain, if anyone is interested.
Anyway, that is what inspired me to start looking more seriously into LEDs and also wind generators. A wind generator that would meet my household needs would run about 25k, so I am really pulling for the LED technology.
Still, I am not saying that risk of detection thru your elec. bill is very great. But some of us just seem to have that kind of luck to be the one in 10,000 that crap happens to. I try to eliminate all possible problems before thay happen.
