Yeah the purple lights are crap. These cxa3070's are beyond awesome though, you should give them a try!
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<$150 led or 250w MH
- Thread starter The Dopest
- Start date
Yeah the purple lights are crap. These cxa3070's are beyond awesome though, you should give them a try!
The connectors like I used? These suck, I screwed on heat sink up trying to mount them. I used a piece of compressed cardboard material like from the back of a notepad to get the right spacing, then placed it on the heat sink and used a spring loaded center punch to mark the holes through the template.
Dion
Active member
yeah i ended up doing that on a piece of plyboard
took a few attemps to get the template right
damn TE could have just put a template in the fuciking data sheet
If you're talking to me, I was thinking I could buy two 4' shop lights and take them apart to use one 4' bulb vertically in each corner but these COBs are so bright I could actually use a dimmer on them. It's crazy how bright they are, I would have never believed they could compete with HPS but now I not only believe, I would bet they are capable of beating the crap out of any HPS watt for watt.
Yeah Dion, a template or even just a measurement from hole center to hole center would have been great.
They are really packing on the size now, it's getting close and the conditions are great so they should go full term with no issues. Should be 2--3 weeks left.
I just put 4 new seedlings in I call Uncle Fuckers. They are a back cross of a GSC cross a friend made. They had the same mom but different dads.
I just put 4 new seedlings in I call Uncle Fuckers. They are a back cross of a GSC cross a friend made. They had the same mom but different dads.
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I just took 20 clones from the 4 GSC crosses, I plan to use the best 12 that root in the new room on a drip system. The sub panel is ready I only have to run the wires to it and plumb the water in so I'm not carrying buckets in/out. The room should be ready by the end of the month so stay tuned for build pics.
A piece "fell" off one of the plants so I'm having my first taste sample of early GSC and it's sweet fire.
Guys what do you think about the Chinese 3W Full Spectrum bridgelux chips?
I already ordered 50pcs and a driver to test them out and could use your input.
According to the specifications, they output 2-2.1W in reality.
So they will output ~100W, will it be enough for just 1 auto plant?
I already ordered 50pcs and a driver to test them out and could use your input.
According to the specifications, they output 2-2.1W in reality.
So they will output ~100W, will it be enough for just 1 auto plant?
Well, you need about 500w or more per square meter to have good results. Maybe a bit less if you are using efficient leds. Running 3W leds at their max power does not make for a great efficiency, tho.
That being said, with 100W you got enaugh power to illuminate about 2 sq ft of canopy, or ~0.2 sq meters, or a small grow in a 50 x 50 cm space.
That being said, with 100W you got enaugh power to illuminate about 2 sq ft of canopy, or ~0.2 sq meters, or a small grow in a 50 x 50 cm space.
My grow space is 0,54 x 0,82 x 1,6 meters.. About 0.7 square meters..
So for that space I'll need at least 250-300W of LED power, am I correct?
Wait. You calculate square meters by multiplying length x width but not with height? Doesn't height matter when calculating the grow space?
Anyways, the LEDs I bought are supposed to work between 3.2V and 3.6V.
I plan on powering them at 3.4V which is enough and not at full voltage.
Of course they will be installed in long (150x20x6mm) heatsinks with fans installed on them so I guess they'll be cool enought and not overheating.
I'll also install collimators (90 degrees) to focus the beam, because the manufacturer gives a 120 degrees angle for the LEDs and I believe it's too wide.
Any suggestions are welcome and really appreciated!
Height is important when considering light source intensity.
The light is spread on the area which has square units but it depents on number of sources what kind of spread will it be.
I believe the 3W diodes will have enough light intensity for a small plant if you'll drive them at total 100W, however double that would be better for your area. Or even better triple that on three different panels and two plants.
Considering they're not too efficent(esp reds) you'll probably get good results with 300W in 0.44m².
And another thing. They're selling 50pcs of mono leds as "full spectrum" which is actually lying.
What ratios of blue/reds and which spectrums are you getting?
The light is spread on the area which has square units but it depents on number of sources what kind of spread will it be.
I believe the 3W diodes will have enough light intensity for a small plant if you'll drive them at total 100W, however double that would be better for your area. Or even better triple that on three different panels and two plants.
Considering they're not too efficent(esp reds) you'll probably get good results with 300W in 0.44m².
And another thing. They're selling 50pcs of mono leds as "full spectrum" which is actually lying.
What ratios of blue/reds and which spectrums are you getting?
Well, the optical transmittance of the lens is supposed to be 93% (fully transparent), which is OK i guess..
Getting the panel closer to the plants is another option I'm thinking about.
Height won't be an issue as I will LST the plants, so they won't get taller than 1 meter (NL auto).
I am considering to double the LEDs already as it seems it is the most viable option, another option is to add some CFL bulbs.
Has anyone tried to mix both CLFs and LEDs and if yes, what were your results?
Not even if I have 100 of them? You just burst my bubble 
I guess the wise way is to go straight to CFL (maybe combine them with my LEDs - I bought them anyway)..
Any idea how many watts (lumens is a better term) of CFL is good enough for a decent harvest?
I'll grow only 1 plant at a time so any suggestions would be based on that fact!
I guess the wise way is to go straight to CFL (maybe combine them with my LEDs - I bought them anyway)..
Any idea how many watts (lumens is a better term) of CFL is good enough for a decent harvest?
I'll grow only 1 plant at a time so any suggestions would be based on that fact!
Lenses can help with penetration but then you would have to keep them further from the plants so they are less efficient.
Leds are better than cfl. If you want to supplement the leds with floros, go with t5's. You can use them on the sides, lowered to be just above canopy.
Leds are better than cfl. If you want to supplement the leds with floros, go with t5's. You can use them on the sides, lowered to be just above canopy.
I haven't had any problems with penetration. The plants get bleached if the lights are closer than 8", just use a quality cob.
Here is a few pictures of my gsc, everything from three almost finished, two clones a month apart and four new seedlings from the backcross I made from the gsc last run.
Also a picture of my new area, it's 3'x4' home made tray. I'll be running a 400w hps in the center and two cxa3070's on either side to have roughly 50w per sqft coverage. If this larger run is successful I will do all cobs next.
Here is a few pictures of my gsc, everything from three almost finished, two clones a month apart and four new seedlings from the backcross I made from the gsc last run.
Also a picture of my new area, it's 3'x4' home made tray. I'll be running a 400w hps in the center and two cxa3070's on either side to have roughly 50w per sqft coverage. If this larger run is successful I will do all cobs next.
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